New public library in Gurugram lets people read for free
What's the story
A new public library has opened its doors in Gurugram's Badshahpur on Sohna Road. Launched by IT company Coforge, the 15,000 square feet space is home to around 16,000 books across genres including fiction, non-fiction, and children's literature. The library aims to provide a calm atmosphere with soft-colored upholstery and sound-absorbing flooring.
Reading revival
Library encourages visitors to focus solely on reading
The library's decor and layout are designed to help visitors leave behind the chaos of their daily lives. Coforge's global head of branding and CSR, Anuradha Sehgal, emphasized that "everything is built in a way to leave the chaos behind." The library doesn't allow laptops inside its reading space and has very few charging points, encouraging visitors to focus solely on reading.
Inclusive initiative
Library is free for all visitors
Sehgal believes reading is an important activity that should be accessible to everyone, not just a privileged few. The library is free for all visitors without any membership requirements. Since its launch on June 7, it has attracted about 250 visitors daily. Deepak Sharma, the head librarian at the Coforge library, said homemakers and children are among the most frequent visitors.
Diverse visitors
Library hopes to be a top-notch space that is welcoming
The library has become popular among corporate workers and students. Ruchika, an IT professional, discovered the library through social media and appreciated its comfortable environment compared to other public libraries. "Most public libraries are not well maintained, which is often a hindrance for people who want to read for leisure," she was quoted by the Indian Express. The library is open seven days a week from 9:00am to 8:00pm, catering to the different work and life schedules of readers.
Leisure spot
India needs about 4.5 lakh public libraries
The International Federation of Library Associations recommends one library per 3,000 people. Sehgal said India, which has only 50,000 existing, needs about 4.5 lakh public libraries to meet this standard. "At the same time, our purpose is to create a top-notch space that is welcoming and comfortable, so that the library is preferred over any other place of leisure one would rather be in," she said.