Koklata couple turns fridge into bookshelf to inspire reading

KOLKATA: A refrigerator outside a grocery store is very common, but the fridge kept outside a store in Patuli area of Kolkata is definitely a whole new thing for everyone as the refrigerator is loaded with books instead of vegetables, fruits, cold drinks and milk packets, water bottles etc.

A couple from Kolkata, identified as Kalidas Haldar and Kumkum Haldar, has opened the free library in Patuli to encourage children to read.

Tarapada Kahar is the person who has given space for the library even though he did not have his own literacy while fighting extreme poverty.

Kalidas who is also a teacher and his wife have teamed up with a shopkeeper to set up this free street library with the intention to “inculcate reading habits” and an aim to “create a book loving community”.

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The rules of the library are:

There are no fees for taking one book home at a time and returning it within a month. The only request made of readers is that they look after the book.

It also urges others to contribute old books to the library.

The street library has nearly 100 books neatly stacked in is located near Satyajit Ray Park in Patuli township, adjacent to the gate of Dinabandhu Andrews Institute of Technology and Management.

The collection is categorised with handwritten numbers and includes everything from dictionaries to novels and even literary magazines in both English and Bengali.

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Interested readers can simply borrow a book by filling out the dairy on each rack with their name, phone number and date of issue.

The couple wanted to do something meaningful to see how the pandemic has affected children's academic development and growth, particularly because most of them are staying at home and sitting in front of computers all day.

The words on a banner posted outside the shop perfectly describe why they began the insightful initiative: ‘Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.'

Haldar explained that he kept the books in the fridge because he wanted something that wouldn't take up too much space and would keep the books safe all year.

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