Decades old Gurugram public library’s woes — space crunch, poor maintenance

According to the library staff, most student members come from Uttar Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Punjab, primarily from rural areas

Years after the establishment of Gurugram’s only public library in Civil Lines, it continues to struggle with long-standing issues such as space constraints and maintenance problems, according to the district library administration.

District library on Jharsa Road in Gurugram on February 6. (Parveen Kumar/HT Photo)

The library on Jharsa Road near the Police Lines was established in 1970. It consists of two floors, an office for staff, an e-library, and toilets. Moreover, there are 285 seats for students across the two floors, with 141 seats on each floor. A total of 7,600 students are currently members of the library which has 53,000 books.

High footfall, less space

According to library authorities, there is a major space crunch due to the increasing number of students enrolling for membership. Currently, the enrolment fee is ₹500 which grants lifetime access to students.

“Space to accommodate students is a major issue in this library. Every day, as many as 400-450 student members visit from morning to evening, which is overwhelming given the limited seating capacity. Students have to secure seats on a first-come, first-served basis or wait for hours. Many are forced to sit outside on benches, and sometimes we accommodate them in the e-library hall,” said Satish Kumar, librarian.

According to the library staff, most student members come from Uttar Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Punjab, primarily from rural areas. Some also travel from nearby districts like Nuh, Faridabad, and Jhajjar to prepare for competitive exams such as UPSC, NEET, CUET, and MA programmes.

“It is usually manageable during moderate weather but gets difficult for students waiting outside during peak winters and summers. We wrote to local authorities to expand the library or establish new branches but never received a response,” added Kumar.

Lack of amenities

Students and staff have also raised concerns about the lack of clean drinking water, an unhygienic environment, and dysfunctional amenities. They also alleged that despite multiple complaints to authorities, no action has been taken, forcing students to adjust to poor conditions.

A spot check by Hindustan Times found big garbage piles inside the library premises along with waste littering the lawns.

“Sanitation workers have not picked up the garbage in almost five months. We are forced to dump garbage in our lawn. I have personally tried reaching out to Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) through messages, calls, and emails but have not received any response. There is a constant stench at the entrance. The garbage pile keeps getting larger and poses health risks, especially to students who frequently have to sit in these areas,” said Saurabh Sharma, junior librarian.

The library’s drinking water supply is also irregular.

Kripashankar Bhardwaj, a student from Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, said, “Water has not been available for the past two days. We carry our own bottles but due to the irregular supply it becomes difficult to refill them. The inconsistency in water supply also affects the washrooms, which is particularly uncomfortable for women.”

To be sure, the garbage mismanagement and water supply issues in the area where the library is located fall under the jurisdiction of MCG. MCG officials did not respond to repeated calls and messages seeking a comment.

Understaffed

The library has eight staff members, including two peons, one sweeper, one junior librarian, one clerk, one data entry operator, one watchman, and one restorer. However, according to the staff, a single sweeper is insufficient to clean such a large premises.

“Today, the sweeper took a leave due to typhoid. In such cases, we have no alternative to maintain cleanliness. Ideally, there should be at least two sweepers who can take turns or divide the work. We have requested the administration for additional staff but we have not received any response,” said Sharma.

All four air conditioners installed on the ground floor are non-functional and the first floor does not have any ACs.

“The ACs are outdated and do not function properly despite being serviced multiple times. Last time when some senior officials visited the library, students requested them to get the ACs repaired or replaced, but nothing has been done. With summer approaching, it will get very hot and humid inside,” said a third library staff member.

In October 2023, Hitesh Meena, additional deputy commissioner, visited the library, listened to students’ concerns, and assured them that necessary action would be taken soon. He also said that a meeting would be held to instruct relevant departments to address mismanagement issues in the library.

ADC Meena did not respond to calls or messages seeking a comment.