‘Take a book, Donate a book’ library concept blooms in Chennai’s neighbourhood

Jeyakumar S. introduces 'Take a book, Donate a book' concept in Chennai, focusing on sustainability and social responsibility.

Jeyakumar S., 55, a resident of Thoraipakkam, has introduced the ‘Take a book, Donate a book’ concept to Annai Indira Nagar on OMR, inspired from the neighbourhood libraries of Vancouver. While Little Free Libraries (LFLs) have appeared in Chennai before, Jeyakumar’s ‘LittleFreeLibrary Chennai’ goes above and beyond for its readers, focusing on sustainability and social responsibility.

“There are apartments with private libraries for residents, but what about underprivileged children who lack the means? This concept is meant for all. You can take a book, leave one in return, so the library continues to thrive. If someone doesn’t have a book to donate, they can still take, return it whenever they finish reading, with no deadlines,” Mr. Jeyakumar explains.

He further says that students from Kannagi Nagar have been actively using this resource, “I have spoken to about 7-8 students from Kannagi Nagar who eagerly borrow from here as the lending libraries are dwindling down.” This LFL at Annai Indira Nagar is for unwinding and for the simple joy of reading, and there will be no academia-related books.

While some LFLs in Chennai have shuttered their doors with no maintenance, LFL Annai Indira Nagar is designed for the long-run. “I started building this from scratch, repurposed leftover wood, and was behind every part of the library construction including making it weatherproof. Eco consciousness is the motto,” Mr. Jeyakumar says. Chennai-based writer Tamilazhagi has also contributed four of her own books, and donations have since been flooding in.

However, operating a street-side library isn’t a breeze. “When I first started, many warned me about potential thefts,” Mr. Jeyakumar recalls, “I was relieved nothing happened until a couple of weeks ago, when a scooter arrived at 1.a.m and emptied the cupboard, with around 22 books. I saw it all on CCTV the next day and it was devastating,” he says.

Despite this setback, he’s hopeful. There were generous donations after the incident, including a recent surprise from a stranger with an auto full of books. The library’s shelves will always be full and free for its readers, he says.