Mumbai colleges set up 200 libraries in state’s villages

Commemorating the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi and the 60th anniversary of the National Service Scheme (NSS), colleges affiliated with the University

Commemorating the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi and the 60th anniversary of the National Service Scheme (NSS), colleges affiliated with the University of Mumbai (MU) set up over 200 libraries in villages across the state and plan to set up 150 more by the end of the academic year.

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“We have noticed that villages in interior Maharashtra are least equipped with books and libraries. Therefore, all MU-affiliated colleges with NSS units decided to participate in a book collection drive, which could later be placed in any of the libraries across the state,” said Sudhir Puranik, in-charge director, NSS unit, MU. Close to 350 MU-affiliated colleges are participating in this campaign and the idea is for each college to set up a library in their adopted village. While books are being collected by students across and beyond the city, NSS volunteers are very clear that they will not accept donations. “We’ve already set up over 200 libraries that boast of over 31,000 titles. School students in all these villages have displayed a lot of enthusiasm for the new libraries and books,” said a student from one of the participating colleges.

These libraries have either been set up in the zilla parishads or grampanchayats of the villages to increase accessibility for students. “Once a month, a student NSS volunteer from the college also visits these villages and the libraries to check functionality of the new concept, and the response has been very positive,” added Puranik.

By the end of the academic year, these colleges plan to set up 350 new libraries across rural Maharashtra, one by each of the participating colleges. “The number of books will keep increasing so students will never fall short of new books,” he said.