Some libraries in the Gram Panchayats of Kodagu district have got a digital touch. There are 104 Gram Panchayats in the district and 98 Gram Panchayats have their own libraries.
Hoddur Gram Panchayat in Madikeri taluk has set up a digital library. Storybooks, novels, collections of poems, weeklies and books for reference to write competitive exams, are available in the library.
The digital library in the Gram Panchayat is beneficial to the youth.
Palibetta Gram Panchayat had first set up a digital library in the district. Later, Mullusoge and Hoddur Gram Panchayats too set up such libraries.
Now, Marakodu, Napoklu, Murnad, Kakkabbe and Makkandoor Gram Panchayats too have digital libraries in Madikeri taluk.
The District Central Library is situated at the Industrial Layout in Madikeri. There are libraries at Mahadevapete, Somwarpet, Virajpet and Kushalnagar as well.
“We have appealed to the district administration for the construction of own building for libraries at Mahadevapete and Kushalnagar. The building is likely to be constructed shortly,” said chief librarian N Leelavathi.
Earlier, the District Central Library was functioning on the premises of the fort in
Madikeri. It was shifted to Industrial Layout one year ago, she said.
Through the digital app, books are reaching the readers. There are 10,491 members in the digital library of the district, she adds.
“We have written to the college principals to make students as members of the digital library,” said Leelavathi.
She said, “Several new books have arrived in the central library. They will be supplied to libraries in panchayats.”
The District Central Library has 42,660 books. The Zilla Panchayat has taken over the responsibility of libraries at the village level. The district has a community library as well.
Mohan, a reader in Madikeri, said, “The central library at Industrial Layout is good. It has come closer to the readers.”