Malegaon, MAHARASHTRA:
Urdu Library in Malegaon turned 100 this year and the library, which has helped many Ph. Ds in their research work, is all set to get University affiliation for research work.
Exceptions are always there, but contrary to general perception, Malegaon, since its instigation, comprised literate and intellectual people by and large. And with two libraries sustaining 100-year, it only confirms this notion.
When it comes to any good library it is the book-collection, not the infrastructure, which is counted but a visit to Urdu Library in Malegaon depicts how beautiful combination of book-collection and infrastructure increases one’s thrust for library.
Founded in October 1903, this 100-year old Library-cum-Research Center, the first kutub khana, Urdu Library, in Nashik district, is a magnificent two-storey building with separate sections for women and children. Started with just 325 books, it has more than 30,000 systematically arranged books today. Rarely available Kalmi–Nuskhe, hand-written books, and 1901-1950 magazines, are the gleaming-trinkets on the shelf, which any library can envy and aspire for.
How the management has maintained this library with a very small budget is surprising. Khalid Umar Siddiquee, the chairman, said, “Along with the existing splendid structure, the 100-year old visit-book portraying the details of the visiting-dignitaries and the expressions written by them, are enough to show what we have achieved in hundred years.” Although the library always lacked the funds, they persisted with the policy of extending full support for Research Work and free membership to the students up to SSC level, he added.
Reading under an ideal milieu always gives a clutching effect and Urdu Library is again on top to provide this. The ideal reading room, combined with the collection of systematically arranged rare books, transformed this library into wannabe-Ph. D’s paradise. Doctors after doctors have acknowledged the support they had received from the library in completing their thesis.
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“Despite small budget, Urdu Library extends full support for Research works and offers free membership to students up to SSC level.
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Dr. Ilyas Waseem Siddiquee, renowned laureate of the city observes, “Although I had visited several libraries in various cities, nowhere I found the kind of rare books that is available here in Urdu Library. To research and for doctorate on Literature, this is perhaps the only library in Maharashtra.”
When they received five-lakh grant from the state, it was, as if they have found some khazana for the library. With this money whole library was renovated in such a way that it is giving totally different look. The amount also helped in computerizing the library and implementing the bar-code system.
Mohd. Saeed, the librarian since past twenty-three years said, “The library is the first fully computerised library in Malegaon and the implementation of bar-code system has helped in easing the daily library routine.”
With the computersation, the library has started its course towards becoming first fully functional DIGITAL LIBRARY, the dream venture of the management, with many more projects to follow very soon.
source: http://www.ummid.com / Ummid.com / Home / by Aleem Faizee