"I have never spent much time in libraries until now. “That’s strange, as I adore calm instead of chaos. Rather, I don’t have any vivid memories of sitting in the library and studying, be it during school or college. I have vague memories of visiting the library in school on some days. My lack of interest may stem from the more systematic approach to organizing books rather than the colorful categorization. During my business school days in Cardiff, I recollect visiting the library. Funnily enough, it wasn’t for viewing the collection of books. But for another crazy reason. The reason is the Librarian. The curator’s hair was dyed in pink.
Going back further in time, I must have come across my first overseas collection of books about a decade back. This was at the prestigious Harvard University. Till then, I had only seen rooms or floors stacked with books, documents, and files. But in Harvard, buildings were dedicated to meticulously storing paperbacks, hardcovers, files, and records. At that time, the 20-something-year-old Eesha was just mesmerized looking at the towering piles of books all around her. She couldn’t fathom what was going on around her. These structures were built in stone, which made them feel more intact and secure. Whereas in Birmingham, I didn’t need to enter the library as the entire building was made of glass. This setting meant more accessibility to the library’s collection. Such glass–structured buildings are a more recent phenomenon. I even come across videos of such libraries while doom scrolling through Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. It's just a bookstagrammer thing, if you may say so. I didn’t get a chance to go inside the library in Birmingham. I was somewhat satisfied with the exterior itself. Some of you might also feel that I am name-dropping with mentions of all these astonishing collections.
Speaking of the exteriors, I am sure there is one place which most of you must’ve seen. This spot is generally used to represent Mumbai on screens. Along with the cinematic representation, this place is also a haven for photographers. The place I am referring to is the steps of the Asiatic Library. About a year ago, I got a chance to understand the look and feel of the Asiatic Library from the core. This was possible due to the library tour organized by the Asiatic Society. One can check their Instagram for upcoming tours.
There was a funny incident on the day of my library tour; I was always under the impression that one could enter the library only through the doors seen after climbing those elongated steps. Then, I figured out there is an entrance at the backside as well. The exterior façade felt pale when my eyes were set on the interior designs. There were marble statues all over the corridor. I have had the pleasure of going on various tours in the past, but this recent visit to a specialized library was a new and exciting experience for me. A few tour highlights included visiting the restoration section, a public hall (Durbar Hall) and dedicated reading rooms. Mind you, these areas aren’t easily accessible except for the Durbar Hall, where lectures and exhibits are held on a regular basis. Access to areas such as reading rooms and book collections is restricted to members only. One can visit the website for membership details.
This tour highlighted the importance of the conservation of books. In the basement, there is an entire area just dedicated to the preservation of each page. "Without a doubt, it was a fascinating sight." You can watch my Instagram reel devoted just to this library. (Insta id: eesha_experiences)
This year, during the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival, I got an opportunity to visit an iconic library in Mumbai. The David Sassoon Library and Reading Room. Recently, the library completed its 157th Foundation Day. A free tour was organized to learn more about the history and restoration works being carried out.
During this session, I understood the various challenges faced for the upkeep. The installation of air-conditioners would require putting up a false ceiling, which will hide the wooden panels. As it was a free session, over a hundred people had turned up, hence the organizers couldn’t show around. What caught my eye was the verandah, which had such beautiful relaxation chairs. I wish I could grab a book and sit on one of them for hours together.
Will you find me sitting in a library? To research on a particular subject. Well, I am too lazy for that. This did cost me a lot during my dissertation in my business school days. Still, I am someone who would prefer sitting amongst a collection of books over people any day.
To clarify, I have not delved into the histories of these libraries as such. These libraries are centuries old, and writing about their history is a different take. This blog is just about my observations during the days I visited these libraries.
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