TEZPUR, Sept 9 - The Tezpur District Library, which was a major attraction for the scholarly and common readers alike for a major part of its 64-year existence, now presents a pitiable picture with dangling cobwebs, dusty environs and a dwindling membership. The library located on the bank of the mighty Brahmaputra close to the Deputy Commissioner�s Office, was once a beehive of students, lawyers, litterateurs, journalists, artists and the common people coming from far-flung areas of undivided Sonitpur district, but the campus is now surrounded with poisonous weeds like parthenium, climbers etc., and is in a sorry state, due to lack of proper maintenance by the authority concerned.
The library has 70,850 books in Assamese, English, Hindi and Bengali. Noted litterateur and social worker Hemanta Baruah who among others is closely attached to the library, informed that it was an innovative home to cultural icons like Bishnu Prabha, Phani Sharma, Dr Bhupen Hazarika etc., besides a score of other artists and scholars. �Even today if someone gets an opportunity to perform in the auditorium of the Tezpur District library, it remains a proud moment for him/her only because of it�s glorious past,� Baruah added.
Going through past records, it is learnt that the district library was first set up in the town hall and was known as �Victoria Jubilee Library� under Tezpur Municipality Board. This later became the Hem Baruah Library after being set up in the Hem Baruah Hall in the heart of the town. However, in later years, the Hem Baruah Library was christened as District Library and after running for a few years at Hem Baruah Hall, it was shifted to its present location on the bank of river Brahmaputra getting recognition of a full-fledged library with every required facility such as lending section, reading section, children section, stage, auditorium and art gallery.
However, regrettably such a splendid public platform is today plagued by myriad problems. Due to shoddy maintenance, visitors/readers do not find reading a pleasure in this library. The lending section is nowadays covered with cobwebs providing a tragic picture. The reading section is also in a pitiable condition covered with dust. Similarly, the children corner, which could have been a focal point to attract children towards creating the book reading habit, is also not in a good condition. The art gallery of the library is for namesake only, as it does not attract visitors because of the lack of proper maintenance. On the other hand, the auditorium of the library where people prefer to hold programmes is also in a dilapidated condition. The green rooms of the auditorium have lost their charm as they in a filthy condition, essential provisions like lavatory and lounge rooms are unusable due to the lack of a permanent cleaner, following which nowadays people feel uncomfortable to organise programmes here. Besides these, the outdated electrification system, the old and defective fans also add to the irritation.
Moreover, because of the damaged boundary wall, the library campus has become a grazing ground for stray cows. Asstt. Librarian, Dipanjali Das informed that a few years ago, a fund of about Rs 5 crore was sanctioned for the renovation of the library, but nothing was done. Revealing the present condition of the library, the Das also mentioned that as per records the district library which was once full of readers, has now only 1700 cardholding members. When asked as to why the number of readers is decreasing, she said that it is an impact of digitization of every field. �However, there are still many people even among the new generation who are wedded to books and will eagerly go to a place like the Tezpur District library to seek knowledge on various fields.� She added that research scholars from different universities including Tezpur University and students from different schools and colleges also visit the library.
Since change is always inevitable, if a face-lift is given to the historic library that covers about 12 rural libraries of the district, there will definitely be an extra attraction creating new readers, she maintained.
