By IANS
Bhopal : For nearly four decades the British Council Library (BCL) here served as a haven for the book lovers of the city. But a decision by the council to close the branch has enraged hundreds of members who are planning a stir against the “obnoxious” move.
“The council has decided that the local branch would be closed for members from February 29 and finally wound up by March 31. Membership fee too will be returned by February end”, said branch Manager Gitanjali Nagoo.
Stunned members are protesting against the proposed closure calling it a “great injustice being meted to inhabitants of the city”. The BCL is the only state-of-the-art library equipped with books covering a variety of subjects.
Explaining that a change was imperative in the traditional model of study due to changing environment, Nagoo said: “The council is focussing on education and research and new projects are being initiated since 2005 with the involvement of the United Kingdom Education Research Institute.”
A meeting of more than 5,000 members is slated for Dec 16 to plan future course of action that would include a signature campaign to press upon the British High Commission and the Indian Council of Cultural Relations to continue with the library.
The library opened on May 14, 1965, with nearly 30,000 books from the local Kala Parishad and today has the finest collection of books, periodicals and newspapers in the state.