The Rendezvous of Minds Igniting A Revolution

Govt of , Department of Public Libraries Government Public Library, Branch District "To find yourself, you have to lose yourself in service of others."

a ri a n — Mahatma Gandhi rde Libra rde a nt-G

 Revolution in Self  Library Movement An Av An Innovator, INELI - India Vijayan, Librarian, Govt. Public Library, Kovaipudur, Coimbatore Dist., Tamil Nadu, India Revolution in Self

lt was Gandhiji who said: “Be the change you wish to see in this world.”

oolagar (Librarian) Vijayan who took over the Government must be inculcated in everyone. This would ignite the minds of young Public Library in Kovaipudur, Coimbatore way back in 2014 did and old. Activities in the library should go beyond library hours and Njust that. He first believed in the axiom that ‘Change is a good working days. There should be programs which would inform, educate, thing’. It prevents stagnation, it prompts improvement and it links directly enlighten, entertain, amuse and change the thought process of people to the ongoing success of the individual first and then the institution he on a continuing basis. A library can bring about the much needed steers. Vijayan changed his attire, his attitude, his outlook. He worked transformation in people, in society, in state and in the country. on himself. Noolagar Vijayan worked on these lines and brought a paradigm shift in the perception of people about a library. The results are magical and Vijayan believed that a library should not be just for lending books. It showing! u should be a pot-pourri. It should be like a beehive. It should attract people of all age groups. It should attract minds. It should create compelling reasons for people to come to the library. Reading habits Discipline and decorum to the core

 Revolution in Self  Library Movement . . . in the Library Movement

More than a LIbrary...

hen you talk of a library, the image that conjures up is of a dust laden community learning center and it cannot be closed even for a day. Things will cubicle where books, newspapers and magazines are stacked. But change in our country as well,” states Noolagar Vijayan. As an INELI Innovator, Wthe Kovaipudur Branch of the Government Public Library has a he attended the International Convening organised by the M. S. Swaminathan different image today. It is more than a library. It is a place that beckons everyone Research Foundation (MSSRF) in regardless of age, class, profession or pursuit. The library established in 1993 Australia during 7-12 March 2017. has a brand new look. It is in placid place and has a salubrious atmosphere. Vijayan is striving to bring in a Everything is spic and span. The library as such is open from 9 am to 12.30 revolution in library movement. noon and 4 pm to 7 pm. It has a collection of 18,675 books as of now. These He wants everyone to come to include newspapers in English and Tamil, 800 books in Malayalam, 2000 books and make use of the library. He in English and the rest in Tamil. You get to see a variety of books on literature, has implemented this by making fiction, short stories, history, auto-biography and biography, medicines, non-users also to come to the science, religion, law, self-development, cooking, yoga and books for children. library to attend various programs. The collection includes preparatory books for competitive exams like Banking, “At times the library can also go literally to colleges. Recently we organized a TNPSC, UPSC, Railways, UGC-NET / JRF / SET, JEE Main & Advanced, TET mass book reading campaign at Hindustan College for Reading Mission 2022. and so on. The library has separate sections for ladies, students and others. I am sure all our efforts will lead us towards achieving the 17 Sustainable The Library has computers with Internet facility. Students have free access to Development Goals laid down by the UN. Further, the reading habits should Internet and digital communication. The membership fee is nominal. go home so that the crime rate will decrease in the country,” says Vijayan. u “US considers library as people’s university. And in Australia a library is a Value systems upheld

 Revolution in Nurturing Values & Virtues . . . Nurturing Virtues & Values in Students

Moulding young minds

he Library holds several awareness programs for student has to say about the transformation found in her child: "My son Mari groups. It has formulated a ‘Student Library Club’. The Club Selvam is going to the library regularly. Ever since, his reading habits Tmeets on last Sunday of every month, from 5-7 in the evening. have improved. He is borrowing books useful for his studies. He is The program is aimed at teaching moral values like respecting parents also using internet and the digital route for improving his knowledge. and elders, saving environment, avoiding use of plastics, saving water, After coming from the library, he shares what he has learnt from the tree plantation, avoiding junk foods, fostering good habits, and above programs, especially the moral values. One visible change is that all maintaining individual discipline which is a must for building a good he is touching the feet of his parents every morning. His father is society and better country. This is done through talks and story-telling. very much moved by this behavioral change and I have seen him Story-telling has proven to be an excellent tool for making children wiping his tears.” u understand the do’s and don’ts.

Mari Selvam, a 9th Standard student from the CBM Shakundhala School, Kovaipudur attends the club meetings regularly. This is what his mother Explicit and tacit knowledge sharing

 Empowering Society  Caring for Nature  Healthy Food  Insight & Awareness . . . in Empowering Society

The happiest are the ones giving

s the saying goes, ‘when you teach a man, an individual benefits; tangible benefits from such programs. They also share their experiences but when you teach a woman, the whole family benefits…and the with friends and relatives. Talk and workshop on ‘terrace gardening’, for Asociety’. That speaks volumes for any program involving women. instance, have helped many to replicate the art at their places and enjoy the benefits. u We have formed a Ladies’ Library Club which has some 320 members as of now and the membership is ever growing. Under the banner of this wing, we hold several programs month after month for empowering women and increasing their insights and awareness. These programs are held on the first Sunday of every month. The talks and workshops cover wide ranging topics including ‘organic terrace gardening’, ‘saving and safety aspects of using LPG’, ‘food is medicine (unave marunthu)’ and so on. We get eminent guest speakers to enlighten the participants on virtues & values, good upbringing of children, self- motivation and allied subjects. Our members and attendees have got Straight from nature

 Revolution in Self Employment . . . in Promoting Self Employment

The enterprising duo

his is a true story of how our Library can help people who have as ‘Makizhchi Eyarkai Unavakam’ (Happy Organic Food Center if you an entrepreneurial spark in them. It is a story of Jaya and Jaya - translate), started functioning from 4th Dec. 18. Our Library members Ttwo young women who attended our program ‘Unave Marunthu’ have already got a foretaste of the healthy and delicious dishes from (food is medicine) some time ago. Cherma Jayam and Jaya Mani to be Makizhchi prepared by the duo with their own hands and served post precise. Cherma Jayam, already armed with a diploma in organic food each ‘unave marunthu’ lecture program. “We shall ever remain grateful preparation from Madurai was toying with the idea of doing something and indebted to the Kovaipudur Govt. Public Library and Noolagar of her own. That’s when she met a like-minded person with the same Vijayan Sir for the motivation and support ever forthcoming from them. passion, Jaya Mani. Our library was instrumental in bringing them The library connect and the resultant networking have immensely together and giving shape to their idea of making a career in starting helped us in developing this business line in a cozy place like an outlet for serving organic food. Thanks to the timely help that Kovaipudur where people are health conscious. We hope to serve the came in from ‘Self Helping Group’ a joint initiative by the Union Govt. community by providing healthy organic food without ‘oil and boil’, and the , they could get financial assistance say the enthusiastic entrepreneurs Jaya and Jaya in one voice!" u for taking a shop on lease for starting the business. The outlet known Touching the right cords

 Revolution in Counseling & Career . . . in Counseling & Career Guidance

Read for life, learn for work

book is always your best friend, and a library better than the best. career- related issues. After all it is a treasure-chest of knowledge and information. Hundreds of aspirants have benefited from our counseling and Our library is one up when it comes to counseling and career A guidance. We are happy to mention about three beneficiaries who guidance. We not only have books on career development but also have undergone our counseling and orientation programs and got on guidelines to prepare you for various competitive exams like UPSC, gainfully employed in the industry. One is Mr. D. Sivaramakrishnan TNPSC, Banking, Railways, UGC-NET/JRF/SET, JEE Main & Advanced, who has joined the IAS Academy in Coimbatore as UPSC Aspirant & TET and so on. History Faculty. The second is Mr. Adi Selvam who got placed as an We conduct evening classes for preparing aspirants for IAS and other Officer at State Bank of India, Tallakulam Branch, Madurai. Finally, Mr. competitive exams, career counseling and career guidance. Our faculty K. Dhanapal who has been appointed by the Sugar Cane Breeding members are practitioners with vast experience who combine giving Institute, Coimbatore as Technical Assistant. These are some recent advice on their topic of expertise with counseling techniques that can examples of our achievements in the area of career guidance and support you in making complex decisions and facing difficult situations. coaching. u The focus of their counseling is generally on issues such as career exploration, career change, personal career development and other A heartthrob of the community

 Revolution in Health & Wellness . . . in Health & Sanitation Awareness

A healthy mind in a healthy body and environment...

healthy mind in a healthy body, goes the age-old saying. But today patients. Mrs. Kalyani Narayanan, a resident of Kovaipudur has this to say about this needs to be rephrased as ‘A healthy mind in a healthy body and a her experience: "I have been suffering from high diabetes for years. But after the Ahealthy environment’. A healthy, clean, serene environment is a must program ‘unave marunthu’ I threw away the allopathic medicines and started for nurturing a healthy mind and a healthy body. Our library takes several taking the prescribed vegetable juices and vegetables as recommended by initiatives to make society be conscious of the fact that we have to keep our Mr. Kovai Bala. My sugar level has now become quite normal. The other day environment clean and green. We make appeal to the youth in particular, in I got my blood report. I am no more a patient, thanks to Mr. Kovai Bala and our own subtle way to preserve Mother Nature by planting trees, avoiding Kovaipudur Govt. Public Library.” The same is the case with Mrs. Meenakshi use of plastics, saving water and energy and scarce resources. We stressed Rajaram who had been ailing from multiple health complications for over on cleanliness in our campaigns when we organized the Dengue Awareness 10 years due to high diabetes affecting her heart and eyes. She confides in Program. Coinciding with that, we tied up with a couple of government hospitals us that after resorting to this naturopathy, her vision has improved and she for distributing herbal medicines to people for immunity against Dengue. has become a normal person. Yet another miracle was reported by Prof. Nirmala Nataraj who is a regular user of our library. She mentioned about Our program on ‘unave marunthu’ (food is medicine) conducted by Kovai Bala the ‘unave marunthu’ program to her sister in Chennai whose daughter aged has made ripples in society. Hundreds of people participate in this program 23 is suffering from ‘neuro-paralysis’. After taking the new diet composed of which is now a monthly feature. Kovai Bala recommends organic food and vegetables and herbs, the girl has got more than 50% relief! u using 12 types of vegetables in raw form as the main course in the daily diet for fighting diabetes. This prescription has done wonders to chronic diabetes Synergy brings greater effect

 Knowledge Enrichment  V IP Connect . . . in Knowledge Enrichment

Knowledge is power

he very purpose of a library is to enrich the knowledge of society. lasting 1 ½ hours, the erudite speaker touched upon various aspects of We consider it a great responsibility. So, if people do not come to life. He underlined the fact that our life is made by our thoughts. Hence Tthe library, the library has to reach out to the people and ensure it is imperative to nurture good, constructive thoughts. He elucidated they get the benefit of our services. The Kovaipudur Government Public that our life is God’s gift. We are bestowed with numerous opportunities. Library works on this doctrine. We make every effort to reach out to the Only the prudent can decipher, grab and cash in on them. The Forum people and make our presence felt. also holds VIP-Readers Meet. This helps in knowledge-sharing and interaction with VIPs. u We have an august Literary Forum. The meetings of the forum are conducted on the 3rd Sunday of every month. Some 150 participants comprising writers, teachers and professionals converge and discuss aspects related to literature, art or culture. Every time we get an eminent guest speaker. The Forum also organizes recital of poems, debates or elocution competitions. We also celebrate the Library Week during Nov. 14-20 every year. Recently, the Forum arranged an insightful talk on “Life is for living” by the well-known writer, Mr. N. Ganesan. In his talk Awards & Accolades

l 2015 : Noolaga Thilagam Award by Mayilmani Trust, Cbe. l 2016 : Best Librarian Award in the name of Shakti Vai Govindhan by Vijaya Vasakar Vattam, Cbe bestowed on 23rd April, The World Book Day. l 2018 : Best Readers’ Forum Award from The Government of Tamil Nadu l And many more… . . . Summing Up

Beneficiaries of Our lnnovative Programs No. of Programs : 52 Program Categories: Head Count of Attendees : 9480 l Talks-Lecture Programs Students : 1553 l Training Sessions & Workshops Adolescents : 950 l Preparatory Exams & Women : 3093 Employment Generation Youth : 1349 l Leads to Entrepreneurs l Awareness & Health Programs Youth+ : 901 l VIP - Readers Meet Differently Abled : 47 l Facility Sharing for Social Cause Sr. Citizens : 1587 PARTICIPANTS Events "...Good libraries build services, Great libraries build communities." — David Lankes

Govt of Tamil Nadu, Department of Public Libraries Supported by Government Public Library, Kovaipudur Branch

Kovaipudur, Coimbatore - 641 042, Tamil Nadu, India | Ph. : +91 94 880 68 338, 9500 8973 04 | Email : [email protected] Concept + Creation : Shreya Arts : 900 44 170 37 : Shreya + Creation Concept