Even though literature and book festivals are the flavour of the season, Pune’s old bookstores and libraries are feeling the brunt of more and more people shifting to online platforms for their reading needs. Digital devices and online libraries have changed the way people read, leading to a decline in physical reading spaces. A few old libraries and bookstores also take proactive steps to keep the love for reading alive even as some have to reluctantly pulled down the shutters.
Pune Marathi Granthalay, a 112-year-old library, encourages a love for physical books in a digital age. Librarian Sanjeevani Atre said, “Our business has been affected as more people now prefer ordering books online. To address this, we organise activities like handwriting and story-writing competitions. In today’s digital age, many have lost the habit of reading physical books and writing. We mainly focus on children, and while online trends are undeniable, it is important for parents to encourage their kids to read.”
“After the pandemic, we saw a great response as people were eager to break away from being stuck at home. The love for physical books will never change for people, But there is always a fear that these old libraries or bookstores might shut down, and some have already closed. That’s our biggest challenge.”
Ramesh Rathiwadekar, owner of Akshardhara Book Gallery, established in 1994, said, “Our bookstore still gets a great response because we sell both online and offline. We have all kinds of customers, from young to old. Our book sales have increased by 20-25 per cent, and we even take orders from foreign countries.”
Rathiwadekar emphasised the importance of publicity and marketing for books today. He said, “Earlier, people were not aware of many books and writers. But now, thanks to social networks and various marketing techniques, people are more aware of new books and authors.”
‘Books have become more expensive’
Books Meridian, a 14-year-old library in Aundh, is set to shut down this month. Dhiraj Kothari, and co-founder, Priti Kothari. Dhiraj Kothari shared, “After Covid, we saw good numbers, and the walk-ins have been great. However, elders are not reading as much compared to children. Many people have started using Kindle, but some still prefer both options. Books have also become more expensive; prices were lower before Covid but have increased significantly after the pandemic,” he said.
Kothari’s love for books and reading inspired him to start this library. He said, “My wife and I were working in Bangalore at EY, but I studied in Pune. During my college days, I used to visit libraries in Deccan. I am originally from Akola, where I often borrowed books from libraries, and somehow, we decided to start the library. It’s a self-finance library, and of course, my father and brother also helped; nothing could have been possible without them.”
“In the initial days, I was in the library full-time, but I forgot to read myself,” Kothari said.
“Our motto was to encourage others to read, as it felt like a form of service. I was also concerned about our customers—what if I took a book to read, and a customer wanted the same.”
Kothari stated that the primary reason for the closure of libraries is financial difficulties. “Libraries are not allowed to run in residential spaces and must operate in commercial spaces as per the corporation’s rule. High commercial rents make it very hard for libraries to sustain. On top of that, the GST for libraries is 18 per cent, which is too high. I request support for libraries which are still working to serve the community. They need to understand that library costs have increased. We spend on mobile data, buy expensive phones and spend Rs 2,000-3,000 easily at cafes and restaurants in one visit. Yet, paying Rs 500 on library subscriptions seems unnecessary to some. If we don’t use our resources wisely, even mobile phones are junk.”
“My wife and I have been running a handicraft D2C e-commerce brand for the past two years. This year, we have seen good growth in our business. We now need to focus on it full-time,” Kothari said about their future plans.
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