Do books save lives? Do books save lives in the midst of a pandemic? Perhaps only a committed bibliophile will say “yes”. But let me tell y...
Do books save lives? Do books save lives in the midst of a pandemic? Perhaps only a committed bibliophile will say “yes”. But let me tell you a few stories first.
Aryan was all of four when he became a member of Cosy Nook Library. He was a friendly child with a ready smile, happy to stop and chat with the three librarians of this little library in Bangalore. He told them many things about his life and friends, not all of which could be understood because he still retained his adorable baby lisp.
He was a firm decision-maker and while he was ready to listen to the librarians, he took sole and serious ownership over the task of picking his books. But then, over some months, the librarians noticed that he had changed. He was quiet, withdrawn, and when he saw the “library aunties” he did not come running up to greet them as enthusiastically as he used to once. Was the reason his new baby sister? Or was he just leaving behind his charming baby ways?
The librarians wondered and felt just a bit sad about their friend. He no longer came bounding into the library, he no longer settled down to...
