PPR Writes

Kajal Donovan

I am an English woman and am living in Trivandrum. I joined the the British Library last year and have been really enjoying the facilities it offers. I borrow a lot of very good English films and also talking books and BBC programmes on CD. I also borrow the books and occasionally use the computers.

This has added another dimension to my life here in India.

So I was extremely unhappy to hear that because of cuts the Library in Trivandrum is closing. I think this is a big mistake.

Whenever I go to the library it is full of local people, often young people using the facilities or studying there. It provides so much for the people of Trivandrum I can't understand why they should even think of closing it. English has such a high profile in the state of Kerala, being the link language of India and the language of business, computers etc internationally and I would have thought these libraries should be expanding.

So I would like to be involved in any action which you may take to try and persuade the powers that be to change their mind.

Regards.

Caz Donovan

Krishnaswamy

Hi,

I am currently studying in pune and I was a member of the Trivandrum library for 10 years.I believe that closing down the British library is a highly deplorable. The world is becoming increasingly insular and combative, where there is general distrust among humans and intolerance among different groups and makes us suspect if we are going back to an era which we all thought human civilasation had passed through. You might think what is this got to do with retaining a library. And i say, libraries are the main windows to tolerance and a healthier outlook. I feel if people knew more about each other, hatred will give way to sympathetic understanding and we can all move towards an age where we spend our energies on more creative things.

If the British library is closed down, it means

1. our interaction with the outside european world diminishes considerably.
2. Students' access to information is cut down
3. The mere pleasure of reading is confiscated from readers.

I greatly appreciate the efforts that are being done. I hope this succeeds. In times of despair, I tend to be fatalistic about the whole thing. But that is not what we need. We need hope. Our hope should be equal to the task. I personally feel libraries are the first step towards a healthier and a happier world.

If i may offer a few suggestions,

I think media coverage would help the cause. Probably, some big international intellectual personality might help as well. (someone like arundhati roy)

GM

Dear fellow campaigners,

The decision to close the library, a gem of our city is a badly thought out one. I wish to let you know of my support for the cause

GM

GK Krishnaswamy

My father who is 61 became a member of the TVM library in the year 1964. We as a family cannot think of TVM without the British Library which has been a source of endless interactions with people, books and cultural activities. We are not just saddened by the imminent closure of
the library: we are devastated. Almost the very first thing we brothers do, when we arrive in Trivandrum, is to head for the British library. In our lives the British library ranks next only to the Padmanabha Swamy temple.

I don't know how successful your effort at persuading the authorities to retain the library will be. But if there is anything we can do, please let us know. KS.

Lekshmy Bose

This will be a great loss to the literature lovers of our state.

I am a non resident as of now. But remember using the library to find books which could not be found elsewhere.

Asha TJ

The closing of our library is really tragic. I still can't believe it is going to close. I had joined this library while I was in College. Now, I am a mother of two children. I used to take my kids here and they enjoy coming here.
Most of my dreams about my children's future were based on this library. Now the future seems to be bleak. I had proudly told my kids that I had been a member long ago.
Please do not close our library, our treasure trove,
May God hear our prayers

Indu

Sir,

This is to express my utter dismay and great shock on the recent decision of the British Council to close The British Library in Trivandrum. I am a memmber of the library for the past three years and since then I was loving it. It is really shocking to know that this 'window to an international reading experience' is going to be no more in Trivandrum. I humbly request the authorities concerned to please check their decision and let us enjoy all that the British Library has been giving us all these years.

Nandana

Respected Sir,

I am a sixth standard student of St.Mary’ s Central School, Mudavanmugal, Poojappura, Thiruvananthapuram.

For the last two years I am a classic member in British Library. Since the vacation of 4^th standard, I have been a regular reader and fan of Wonder Land. I have read about 200 books from your library and I am simply attached to those books .The language, grammar and humour of those books made me more imaginative. My language and grammar improved-so did my imagination. I believe that no other library in Thiruvananthapuram could provide such books like these. I have learned about the tradition and culture of various places from your books. My General knowledge also improved. After being a member of your library I started to get the highest mark in English. I believed that one day I’d read all the books in Wonderland. Many of my friends took membership in this library because I did. I even started to write stories after I started reading! I have noted the names of all the books, which I’ve read (with their authors). My sister said that when she is as old as me, she would read all the books I have read.

Then one day I heard this shocking news that the library is going to close down! I was grief-stricken about this. Besides me, thousands of people have memberships in your library for many years. This is a disappointing news for all of them. Libraries like yours give children like me a lot of information and fun. Being the only one British library in this area I humbly request your good self not to close the library.

It is a small, kind request in one voice by all of the Malayalees in this State. I hope you will take a favorable action for this.

Thanking You

Yours faithfully

Nandana Nair.K.S

(Membership No: MTR63237)

D/o Sarada devi.U

David Blackie

Thank you for responding. Feel free to do whatever you want.

The British Council is, I think, an arrogant, and self-centred, organisation - certainly that has been my experience. It is entirely typical that their officers say what a wonderful job a library is doing, and then, because they see an opportunity for saving or making money (or both), close it down. They enjoy diplomatic status, when they are not diplomats, and they enjoy charitable status when - realistically - the organisation is not a charity. They operate as a business without being a business. What they don't like is people drawing all this to the attention of others, and I urge you to make as much fuss as possible (they clearly didn't do enough in Lucknow 10 years ago), and use all your powers of persuasion. They say they are closing down libraries to come up with programmes for more people - well, what are these programmes? Do they mean yet another web site which will cost a fraction of the library, get lots of hits but actually be of no value to anybody? Or what? Libraries, like books, are valued all over the world - and you have made it clear that you value them more than most. So make sure everybody knows, write to the Indian High Commissioner in London, the Foreign Secretary, the Publishers Association and your own politicians and keep it in the news, and don't stop until you get a result!

Keep up the fight!

David

Abraham Joseph

To,

His Excellency The British High Commissioner to India

British Embassy.

Chanakyapuri.

N.Delhi.

Subj: Union jack flying half mast

Today is the saddest day in my life. The morning news papers gave the story that British council library at Trivandrum is to be closed on 31.3.2008. For the last 50 years I had depended on British establishment to provide me books of high quality for satisfying my quest for knowledge. I can see union jack flying half mast. Britishers left in 1947.This is what we wanted. We never wanted their library to move out. Today India is India thanks to the English language. A long as English is with us, we will remember you withy fond gratitude.

I became a member of the British Library in 1958, when I joined C.P.W.D at N.Delhi. I was staying at 54 Ashoka road and AIFACS was next door. Until 1964 I enjoyed reading British books and Magazines.

In 1964 I moved to Margaretha in Assam. Assam Tea Company had a good library British decency allowed me to take borrow from their library which surprisingly contained some of the latest books.

In 1969 I proceed to Nepal near Birathnagar. There was British pension office at Dharan. Surprisingly a British Council Library was there too. I could use this facility to get my books.

I came back to Delhi in 1974 and I again joined the British library.

In 1976 I proceeded to spent 5 long years under the joyless combination of Communism and Islam under Col: Gadaffi’s Libya. Fortunately there was a British public School at Tripoly catering for the employees of the oil company. Thanks to British charity and British decency I could use their Library to get some of the latest books.

(contd…2)

: 2 :

Back at Trivandrum in 1981 I have been using the British Library for the last 27 years.

It is sad that England has become poor. Rise in oil prices is playing havoc. Good old days can never come back. I can see union jack flying half mast. The sun has started setting on the British empire. I can see darkness everywhere The day is not far of when our national flag will also have to fly half mast.

Yours Sincerely,

Abraham Joseph

7.12.2007.

Copy to: Mr M.A. Baby Hon. Minister for Education Govt of Kerala Trivandrum

Beena

Hi,

I am a member of the library( MTR 72709 Family Mem). The closing of the library was a shocking news. I just cant think of it. I am sure that there will be many like me. Please do something and dont close the library.

But is ther any chance for reinstating the library. you must be knowing that British Library is the only one of its kind.

And ofcourse it is very sad that before taking such decision like closing down there was no news about that and no member was asked for opinions.

Hoping for the best.

Beena

Dr Aveek

Am a postdoctoral student at the Sree Chitra Tirunal Instt of Medical Sciences and Technology- have been a member of the library for the past year (since the time I came to Trivandrum) but have been practically brought up on the British Library network- Kolkata, Bangalore.. Chandigarh and then here.. so would be very sad to lose a bit of what is enduring in my life!

Aveek

Dr Harish

Hi,
I am Dr. Harish, a psychiatrist working in Parassala. I am a former student of Prof. Vijayakumar and he sent this url to me. I will do what I can to help, physically, monetarily or any other means possible. I didn't know about your meetings or I would have attended. Anyway, I saw a brief report about the meeting on ACV, which seemed to suggest some sort of conspiracy was afoot.
Thanks for organising this and let us hope that we will be able to make a difference