[Reader-list] For 'book activists' and community libraries

[Shuddhabrata Sengupta]

Dear Chintan,

Thank you for this wonderful and inspiring post.

best

Shuddha

On 25-Mar-10, at 10:23 AM, Chintan wrote:

> From http://blog.prathambooks.org/2010/03/shall-i-give-you-good- 
> book.html
>
> On my recent trip to Varanasi, I discovered an unassuming little  
> treasure
> called क्या मैं तुम्हें एक  
> अच्छी किताब दूं? शौकिया  
> पुस्तक कर्मियों के लिए एक
> किताब (translated as Shall I Give You a Good Book? A Book  
> for Amateur Book
> Activists), that was published way back in 2003.
>
>
> As I savoured page after page, there was absolute admiration for the
> sincerity and sheer commitment on the part of the authors -- Usha  
> Rao, T.
> Vijayendra, and Shailaja Kalle. As the preface will tell you, none  
> of them
> are native speakers of Hindi, and have not studied the language  
> beyond high
> school. While they apologise for the inaccuracies that might have  
> crept into
> their use of the language, they also express a conviction that the
> earnestness of their intent will more than compensate.
>
>
> They have put together an excellent resource for people who want to  
> start
> community libraries in villages and small towns, or hold book  
> exhibitions to
> create awareness about the vast amount of reading material that is
> available, or even run small bookshops.
>
>
> The book starts off as a letter written by Usha to her friends  
> Damayanti and
> Shyama, and spans the whole gamut of practical details involved in  
> such an
> enterprise; from initiating contact with publishers, to filing
> correspondence, keeping accounts, selecting and ordering books,  
> classifying
> books based on age group and genre, generating interest in reading,  
> and
> sustaining a culture of reading. In addition to this, the book also  
> offers
> you publisher contact information and lists of books classified under
> various categories.
>
>
> It is a low-budget publication, in keeping with the constituency it  
> sets out
> to serve. The book may not be printed on fancy and colourful paper,  
> but the
> anecdotes and sketches liven it up. Priced at a modest Rs. 25, it is a
> collaborative venture by eight publishers from various parts of the  
> country.
> I am reproducing here the address of each, so that you can pick up  
> your copy
> from the one that you find most convenient.
>
>
> Manchi Pustakam, 12-13-452 Street No. 1, Tarnaka, Secunderabad, Andhra
> Pradesh 500017. Tel. 040-27015295/6
>
> http://manchipustakam.in/contact.asp
>
>
> Bal Sahitya Bhandar, Chaurai, Post Barginagar, Dist. Jabalpur  
> 482056. Madhya
> Pradesh
>
>
> Rupantar, A 26, Surya Apartments, Katora Taalaab, Raipur 492001,
> Chhattisgarh. Tel. 0771-2424669
>
>
>
> Shishu Milap, 1, Shrihari Apartments, Behind Express Hotel, Alkapuri,
> Vadodara 390007. Gujarat. Tel. 0265-2342539
>
>
> Sahitya Chayan, 91, L. I. G., Hastal, Uttamnagar, New Delhi 110059.  
> Tel.
> 011-25633254
>
>
> Bal Sahiti, Voluntary Health Association of Punjab, S. C. F., 18/1,  
> Sector
> 10-D, Chandigarh 160011. Tel. 0172-543557
>
>
> Roshnai Prakashan, 212 C.L./A., Ashok Mitra Road, Near Circus Maidan,
> Kanchrapada, North 24 Parganas, West Bengal.
>
>
> Jeevan Mangalya, Near Telephone Exchange, Kausani, Dist. Almora  
> 263639,
> Uttarakhand.
>
>
> PS: Many thanks to Hema-ji for introducing me to this wonderful book
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Shuddhabrata Sengupta
The Sarai Programme at CSDS
Raqs Media Collective
shuddha at sarai.net
www.sarai.net
www.raqsmediacollective.net