National Library of yesteryears

I miss the National Library at Stamford. The red-bricked building was iconic. This building was as old as I am if it were still around. (The foundation stone was laid on 15 August 1957.) It was with so much sadness that it was demolished after 2004. Part of my childhood memories was wiped out by this act.

I remember those years when we were only allowed to borrow up to four books at any one time. The control was by means of four library tickets issued to library members. These tickets were L-shaped paper pockets.

To borrow a book, you bring the book to the librarian on duty. She would take out the card with the book, stamped the due date for return on the card and placed this card with your library ticket. She would also stamp the due date on a piece of paper pasted at last page of the book. On returning the book, you would get back your library ticket. The whole process was manual but served the purpose of control over the loan of library books. These days, technology takes over the functions of borrowing and returning. It is now selfhelped process and librarian needs not be stationed to carry out the work. Things have changed so much.