Community Libraries that Won’t Discriminate or Silence You

Tina Das

A group of children in an English class are seated on a mat and listening to a student ‘leader’ with rapt attention. Others pore over a picture book, occasionally muffling giggles. In the adjoining room, teenagers are hunched over laptops.

Once a space for havans and weddings, the basement of Dharam Bhawan in South Delhi’s Kotla Mubarakpur, is now a full-fledged library with special focus on caste, class, and ability inclusion. Inspired by Dr. BR Ambedkar, Delhi-based The Community Library Project (TCLP) is taking forward its initiative of making books and stories accessible to everyone.

After Sikanderpur in Gurugram and Khirki Extension in Delhi, the TCLP opened its third ‘Universally Accessible Library’ in Delhi’s South Extension on February 14. The library walks the talk in every way. It does not seek ‘official’ documentation like Aadhaar card for membership, nor does it ask its members to list the educational qualification of their parents. Moreover, students/members are encouraged to challenge the authors, stories, plots, ideas, and come up with their own.

There are no fines for returning books late. If a book is damaged, a member is encouraged to repair it. ‘Pyaar se’ (with love) is the underlying principle of TCLP — and its libraries are practising it to the tee. “I remember that 60 people became members on the first day,” said Pooja, project coordinator at TCLP’s South Extension branch. As many as 200 people from the neighbourhood visited the library when it opened on. “This shows that such libraries are really necessary,” Pooja added.

Tucked away in a tiny bylane, the Dharam Bhawan library has become a refuge for people with literary passions; most readers are children and teenagers. And they’re seeking not just knowledge but also acceptance. “I like that no one scolds me here or stops me from taking any book I like,” says 10-yearold Anmol, who started visiting the library with his friend a few weeks ago.

No silence, please

Traditional libraries evoke images of stern librarians enforcing rules like pin-drop silence. But UALs aren’t bound by such restraints. Here, chatter is encouraged. “We believe dialogue is a crucial element of learning. And that is why we encourage conversations. Silence can be oppressive for people who do not have access to reading,” says Mohammad Amaan, one of the many beneficiaries of TCLP.

The 21-year-old student had first visited the library in Khirki a year and a half ago and is now a core member at the South Extension branch. Apart from the ubiquitous selection of children’s fiction and non-fiction books, some shelves are exclusively arranged. One titled ‘Reading for Justice’ has books on gender, caste, and disability. Narratives from the Dalit community are placed alongside Braille books.

The motto of the UAL is highlighted in a message pasted on both the notice board and on top of the shelf titled ‘Reading for justice’. “Throughout history, reading books and stories have been limited to a specific caste, class and body type. UAL is dedicated to empowering and enabling people from marginalised castes, classes, gender, and people with disabilities to read books and write their own stories,” it reads. TCLP also has a digital library called ‘Duniya Sabki’ — access is free and it’s updated regularly.

Reader first, identity later

The library is open Monday to Friday from 10 am to 6 pm to both members and non-members. On weekends, it is 1 pm to 9 pm. Adults can visit the library from 5-9 pm on weekends. The idea is to let the members — many of whom are first-generation school-goers — identify as readers instead of belonging to the Dalit or minority or certain class categories.

That is how the library has become a shared community space, facilitating the growth of everyone who is a part of it. Classes for English and Hindi, art, and even rap music are regularly organised to foster a sense of community and belonging. Each member who completes reading 10 books finds mention in the ‘hall of fame’ — a sheet put up on the notice board with a colourful star next to the member’s name. Each star represents 10 books. Right now, on the notice board, there are names with 10 stars too; most are young children who turn up every day after school to read, discuss ideas, and meet peers.

Need govt help

TCLP is faced with many challenges — from sourcing books to ensuring the space is respected. For now, Dharam Bhawan has lent the space to TCLP on a 10- year lease. The library has 11,000 books, which are sourced at discounts from various publish