Libraries come back to life

The students are back in the courtyards of the major libraries in the city. They are back after a nine-month hiatus sitting on the steps, on the lawns and on foldable garden chairs reading their books and occasionally glancing at their cellphones. “The lockdown of libraries have hit our preparations. We lost nine months as our books were in the city and we moved to our villages,” says Manipal from Gajwel who is preparing for SI competitive examinations spending the day reading outside the State Central Library at Afzalgunj. While the officials marked their attendance and carried out their regular duties, the reading rooms and lending facilities in the libraries were shuttered for nine months.