Even as literature and book festivals are the flavor of the season, old bookstores and libraries in Pune are feeling the pinch with more people moving 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. While some older libraries and bookstores have also taken proactive steps to keep the love of reading alive, some have had to reluctantly pull the shutters.
Pune Marathi Granthala, a 112-year-old library encourages love for physical books in the digital age. Librarian Sanjeevani Atre said, ‘Nowadays many people prefer to order books online, so our business has been affected. To address this, we organize activities like handwriting and story writing competitions. In today’s digital age, many have lost the habit of reading and writing physical books. We focus primarily on children, and while online trends are undeniable, it’s important for parents to encourage their children to read.”
“After the pandemic, we saw a huge response as people were stuck at home and eager to get away. The love for physical books never changes for people, but there is always a fear that these old libraries or bookstores might close, and some have already closed. That is our biggest challenge. “
Ramesh Rathiwadekar, owner of Akshardhara Book Gallery, established in 1994, said, “Our bookstore is still getting good response because we sell both online and offline. We have all types of customers from young to old. Our book sales have increased by 20-25 per cent and we are taking orders from abroad as well.”
Rathiwadekar emphasized the importance of book promotion and marketing today. He said, ‘Before, people did not know about many books and authors. But now, with social media and various marketing techniques, people are more aware of new books and authors.”
‘The book is expensive’
Books Meridian, a 14-year-old library in Aundh, is set to close down this month. Dhiraj Kothari and co-founder Preeti Kothari. Dhiraj Kothari shared, “We saw good numbers post-Covid, and walk-ins were great. However, compared to children, the elderly do not read as much. Many people have started using Kindle, but some still prefer both options. Books have also become more expensive; Prices were low before Covid but have increased significantly since the pandemic,” he said.
Kothari’s love for books and reading inspired him to open this library. He said, “My wife and I used to work at EY in Bangalore, but I studied in Pune. During my college days, I used to visit libraries in the Deccan. I am originally from Akola, where I often used to borrow books from the libraries, and somehow, we found the library. We decided to start it. It’s a self-financed library, and of course, my father and brother helped; nothing would have been possible without them.”
Kothari said, ‘In the early days I was in the library full time, but I forgot to read myself.
“Our motto was to encourage others to read, because it’s a form of service. I was also concerned about our customers – what if I take a book to read, and that’s what the customer wants.
Kothari said that the main reason behind the closure of the library was lack of funds. “Libraries should not be operated in residential premises and should be operated in commercial premises as per the rules of the corporation. High professional rents make it very difficult for libraries to sustain. On top of this, the GST for libraries is 18 percent, which is very high. I ask for support for libraries that are still working to serve the community. They should understand that the cost of the library has increased. We splurge on mobile data, buy expensive phones and easily spend Rs 2,000-3,000 at a time in cafes and restaurants. However, paying Rs 500 for library membership seems unnecessary to some. If we don’t use our resources wisely, even mobile phones become waste. “
“My wife and I have been running a handcrafted D2C e-commerce brand for the past two years. This year, we have seen a good growth in our business. Now we need to focus on it full-time,” Kothari said about their future plans.
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