Growing up as a bookworm in Kolkata had its advantages. We had College Street and the second hand book stalls in Golpark pretty much had us covered on all kinds of books, whether it was the need for reference or academic books or books for personal reading falling under fiction. But public libraries were rare. Catering to that need of our family were two libraries – one was the library at Ramakrishna Mission at Golpark and the second was the British Council Library. I was lucky enough to have family who were members at both the places and borrow books for me.
Earlier this month, on the 15th to be precise, British Council Library opened their doors to us with a major announcement. It was an announcement that not only booklovers like me welcomed, but also an announcement that opened up new avenues for the present and future members of the British Council Library. Up till now, the library was open to members on weekdays only. But now, they are going to open up the library to its members on weekends as well. And they are welcoming kids to their fold. They want weekends to be a ‘family day’ for everyone, wherein parents can bring in their child/children and indulge in some ‘lit’ therapy as a family.
Mr. Debanjan Chakrabarti, the regional head for East and North East, made the announcement to closely gathered members of the British Council Library and to the members of the press. He also announced that there is Storytelling workshop lined up after the Durga Puja celebrations and that they would also launch a reading challenge to encourage reading and creativity among people. The launch of Family Day at British Council library aims at bringing families together over the weekends to not only provide them with ample reading materials, but also to give them the resources needed to bond while nurturing reading habits and creativity in the next generation.
The importance of reading and creativity should not be underestimated and as such British Council Library strives to keep up with the times and demands while still maintaining their core values. They add over 10000 titles to their collection every year and it is evident from their present collection at the library. From the evergreen classics to academic and reference books that have been a staple at the libraries, they have also added popular fiction and non-fiction titles to their collection. I spotted a range of titles from Gordon Ramsay’s Great British Pub food to Richard Ford’s Lord of the Ashes to The Next Big Thing by William Hingam. The kids section is a lovely colourful nook that boasts of a collection that can cater to kids with all kinds of tastes and temperaments. Aside from the physical collection of Books and DVDs at the library, members are also offered access to thousands of digital eBooks and journals. As a member, you can access eBooks and Audiobooks pleasure reading or access course materials and academic research materials as per your needs. Access to JSOTR can be appealing to those who are looking for research data. And if you are looking for further reasons to join as a member, they also offer a number of English classes that could not only help improve your language skills, but also give a slight boost to your education and career.
If the event hosted on 15th September was any indication, the library is in capable and organized hands. Priyanka Banerjee, an expert storyteller, had the kids enthralled in a storytelling session. The rapt attention and excited participation from the kids in the session was an encouraging sight. They also had age appropriate fun activities arranged for kids of all ages. From word games to mask painting to body art tattoos (Worry not! They were the temporary kind) to balloon artist making animals and things for the kids – it was indeed a fun day for the kids.
For more information, you can look up their WEBSITE and check out the LIBRARIES or take a peek into their COLLECTIONS before making a decision. Though I think you should directly skip to applying for a MEMBERSHIP that suit your requirement.
Earlier this month, on the 15th to be precise, British Council Library opened their doors to us with a major announcement. It was an announcement that not only booklovers like me welcomed, but also an announcement that opened up new avenues for the present and future members of the British Council Library. Up till now, the library was open to members on weekdays only. But now, they are going to open up the library to its members on weekends as well. And they are welcoming kids to their fold. They want weekends to be a ‘family day’ for everyone, wherein parents can bring in their child/children and indulge in some ‘lit’ therapy as a family.
Mr. Debanjan Chakrabarti, the regional head for East and North East, made the announcement to closely gathered members of the British Council Library and to the members of the press. He also announced that there is Storytelling workshop lined up after the Durga Puja celebrations and that they would also launch a reading challenge to encourage reading and creativity among people. The launch of Family Day at British Council library aims at bringing families together over the weekends to not only provide them with ample reading materials, but also to give them the resources needed to bond while nurturing reading habits and creativity in the next generation.
The importance of reading and creativity should not be underestimated and as such British Council Library strives to keep up with the times and demands while still maintaining their core values. They add over 10000 titles to their collection every year and it is evident from their present collection at the library. From the evergreen classics to academic and reference books that have been a staple at the libraries, they have also added popular fiction and non-fiction titles to their collection. I spotted a range of titles from Gordon Ramsay’s Great British Pub food to Richard Ford’s Lord of the Ashes to The Next Big Thing by William Hingam. The kids section is a lovely colourful nook that boasts of a collection that can cater to kids with all kinds of tastes and temperaments. Aside from the physical collection of Books and DVDs at the library, members are also offered access to thousands of digital eBooks and journals. As a member, you can access eBooks and Audiobooks pleasure reading or access course materials and academic research materials as per your needs. Access to JSOTR can be appealing to those who are looking for research data. And if you are looking for further reasons to join as a member, they also offer a number of English classes that could not only help improve your language skills, but also give a slight boost to your education and career.
If the event hosted on 15th September was any indication, the library is in capable and organized hands. Priyanka Banerjee, an expert storyteller, had the kids enthralled in a storytelling session. The rapt attention and excited participation from the kids in the session was an encouraging sight. They also had age appropriate fun activities arranged for kids of all ages. From word games to mask painting to body art tattoos (Worry not! They were the temporary kind) to balloon artist making animals and things for the kids – it was indeed a fun day for the kids.
For more information, you can look up their WEBSITE and check out the LIBRARIES or take a peek into their COLLECTIONS before making a decision. Though I think you should directly skip to applying for a MEMBERSHIP that suit your requirement.
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