HUBBALLI: The first Library on Wheels will become a reality in Hubballi city on Monday. The Hubballi Dharwad Smart City Ltd (HDSCL) will launch the mobile library van in Hubballi city as a trial. The air-conditioned van will have over 4,000 books and will be able to seat ten people. The van has been designed by the HDSCL for Rs 25 lakh.
The design includes a driver compartment with a partition wall, a librarian’s desk, magazine racks, book racks, chairs, CCTV, provision for UPS and battery and storage for books. CW Shakeel Ahmed, the HDSCL managing director, said: “We have designed the vehicle in which more than 10 people can be accommodated easily.
They can read books, novels, magazines or newspapers according to their wish and also children can read books that they like.” The books and other reading materials will be arranged by the district library department. They will look after the day-to-day affairs of the mobile library.
Which areas the van will visit will be decided and routines will be planned. MB Karigar, the chief librarian and deputy director in charge of the department of public libraries, said the first vehicle in Dharwad district will run between Hubballi and Dharwad. The vehicle will be in Hubballi and Dharwad for three days each.
The books will be on culture, devotional literature and novels. Children’s books and books for the college students attending or preparing for competitive exams will also be there, Karigar said. “People can enrol online, as we have deputed a staff from the department to assist people visiting for enrollment.
To monitor activities in the mobile Library van CCTVs have been fitted,” he added. The van will have drinking water too.
