Herald, on a library at Mapusa

It may look ramshackled, but this library has given intellectual nourishment to many from the area. Me too!

Athaide Municipal Library to complete 125 years in Nov

HERALD CORRESPONDENT

PORVORIM, SEPT 3- Athaide Municipal Library situated in the Mapusa Municipal Council (MMC) will complete 125 years of its existence in November.
It may be recalled that when Goa was under the Portuguese regime, Dr Joaquim B Azavedo constituted a committee under which Athaide library was established on November 12, 1883.

Fr Francis Athaide had devoted his life in imparting education to thousands of youth in Bardez and in his memory a library was named as Athaide Bibliotheca (Athaide Library).

On April 9, 1897, the library was handed over to Camra de Bardez. After the liberation, Municipality Act came into force in 1968 and the library was taken over by MMC.

Speaking to Herald, Librarian Dyaneshwar Parsekar said that Athaide Library is the oldest Library in Mapusa, which subscribes 24 newspapers and 56 magazines, national and international covering politics, social science, health, information technology, entertainment, cookery, automobiles, economics and sports.

“Library serves about 5,700 members with a membership fee of Rs 10 for students and Rs 25 for adults. We have done the digitalization of old documents such as Government gazettes,” said Mr Parsekar.

On November 14, 2007, the children’s corner was opened in the library with the assistance of Raja Ram Mohan Roy Library Foundation, Kolkata, where educational CDs and computers have been kept for the children.

“Library has also set up separate reference section for the benefit of students of schools, colleges, universities and other readers who are doing research work and preparing projects,” he added.

Library is automated with e-granthalaya, a digital agenda for library automation and networking form National Informatics Centre.
MMC has earmarked Rs 1,15,000 for purchase of books, newspapers and magazines for 2008-09.

“Existing space is not sufficient for the library. Since library is completing 125 years on November 12, we will get Rs 1,50,000 from the Central Government for the purchase of computers, books and organize competitions,” said MMC Chairperson Sneha Bhobe.

“However, library does not receive any grant from the State Government,” she added.

Mohan Tendulkar, a library member, said that since 1980 he has been coming to the library regularly.

“This is a unique library where all types of books and journals are available and with the setting up of the children’s corner, this library has fulfilled the demands of children,” he added.

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It’s on it’s way, but when will it reach?

This seems to be getting promised for a long time now… but is apparently facing delays in getting launched. A report from the Herald, Panjim:

Modern central library in Panjim soon: CM  HERALD REPORTER

MARGAO, SEPT 5
Library movement in the state is set for a big boost with Chief Minister, Digambar Kamat announcing on Saturday that a modern central library will finally take shape in Panjim in the next 4-5 months, besides the ultra modern library under construction at Navelim.

Addressing newsmen after inaugurating e-library at the Margao Municipality on Saturday, Kamat said “one of the best and modern central library will materialize at Patto, Panjim in 4-5 months. Similarly, an ultra modern library is slowing taking shape in Navelim”.

Emphasising on the need to strengthen the library movement in the state, Kamat said people should be made aware of the library facilities so that the infrastructure is used by students, children and adults to enrich their knowledge. 

“There’s a need to inculcate reading habits amongst the younger generation, who are switching over to watching TV serials”, he said, adding that he takes time off even today to go through books to enrich my knowledge.

Complimenting the Margao Municipal Council for computerizing the library records, Kamat said reading is the most important factor to acquire knowledge, saying “knowledge remains with you if one looses any position”. 

“Now, the MMC library section really looks like a library. The government intends to support the library movement in the state”, he added.
MMC Chairperson Savio Coutinho the e-library concept will help the readers, especially children and students in a big way.

 “A lot needs to be done for the Municipal library. We want to increase the membership. There are reference books which should be taken advantage of by adults, teachers and even students”, he said, promising to procure the latest books from time to time.

Coutinho also made a mention of the Portuguese books, besides books in Hindi, Marathi and English available in the Municipal library. 

The Margao Municipal library has around 21,000 books of which details of 3000 books have already been fed in the computer as part of e-grantalaya project.

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Publica Livraria, nuggets from an old institution (by Lourdes Bravo da Costa)

Maria De Lourdes Bravo Da Costa Rodrigues

The Central Library has its beginnings in the Academia Militar established in 1817. In 1832 it became a public library during the tenure of the Vice-Roy Dom Manuel de Portugal e Castro and was named Publica Livaria.

Initially, the objective of this library was to “improve public education of the youth, especially with respect to military education in common benefit to the State utility to Royal service”.

The Provincial Government of the Estado da India, wanted to extend this service to the citizens in general so that they could acquire knowledge by reading different books.

In order to enhance the collection of books, the Government ordered that the books from the suppressed convents run by religious orders be transferred to the library.

The library changed its name over the course of years. On 5th October 1836, it was renamed ‘Bibliotheca Nacional de Goa’. This upgrading facilitated exchange between libraries and institutions worldwide.

Portuguese poet and writer Tomas Ribeiro felt that there was a lacuna in the cultural life of Goa and so a cultural center, Instituto Vasco da Gama was born in 1871.

Ten Goa books by, and for, children

The Bridge At Borim
By Surekha Panandikar
Price: Rs. 14
Pp 79 /(1999)
A fascinating tale of the exploits of a young boy, Joze,
during the struggle for Goa’s liberation from Portuguese
rule. (Available from: OIBS, Mapusa)

Alfie Alphonso: The search for the mystical Crystal
By Odette Mascarenhas
Price: Rs. 175
Pp337 (2006)
Ever since Harry Potter became a phenomenon, more and more writers are trying their hand at the imaginary. Odette Mascarenhas has penned a story of a fairy godmother who enters the desolate world of a young Goan lad from Aldona village and transports him to the World of Magic where he tries to outwit the Dark Lord of Magic and his cohorts who are hell bent on preventing him from finding the Mystical Crystal. Will this book capture the imagination as did Potter? Recently published, it is too soon to tell. (OIBS)

The Sea Bird
By Mangala Anaveker
Price: Rs. 100
Pp 84 (2001)
A tale set in Goa, this book offers reflections on life interspersed in a fairly interesting narrative

Free From School
By Rahul Alvares
Price: Rs. 100
Pp.112 (1999)
Sixteen-year-old snake-loving Goan, Rahul Alvares, opted out of school for a year, to unravel for himself the mysteries of nature’s wonders reptiles, crocodiles, spiders, earthworms and turtles. This book reports Rahul’s thrilling real-life learning, which students and teachers will find enormously engrossing.

The Portrait
By Frederika Menezes
Price: Rs. 100
Pp.81 (1998)
Sensitive thoughts, ideas and oodles of humour by a young, bubbly spastic. She translates them in poems, which show a remarkable maturity as she shares with the reader her pain, dreams and cheer.

The Pepperns & Wars of the Mind
By Frederika Menezes
Price: Rs. 200
Pp 173 (2003)
A whimsical tale of a world wholly of the imagination authored by a young Goan girl.

Rebecca’s Inheritance
By Sushila Fonseca
Price: Rs. 55
Pp 189 (2002)
An adventure story set in Goa.

Elocution Pieces For Students
By Anita Pinto
Price: Rs. 25
Book 1: Pp. 102 (1995)
Poems and speeches for students of all ages to recite and declaim

Mathematics Manual For Children
By Pratap Naik
Price: Rs. 25
Pp.43 (1996)
Learn arithmetic in Konkani with English translations. Simple steps.

Aquaworld: The environment and ecosystems of coastal goa
By Theresa Almeida
Price: Rs. 270
Pp.267 (1998) LF
A resource book and activity guide.

Source: http://www.otherindiabookstore.com/index.jsp

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A listing … of some old books at Porvorim

Xavier Centre of Historical Research, the Alto Porvorim Jesuit-run institution headed by Dr Délio Mendonca sj, recently put together for the GOMANTAK TIMES this list of some of the oldest books available at their library.

Says the XCHR: “All books are in good condition. The Library is open from 9.30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 2 to 5 p.m. On Saturdays, the library closes at 1 p.m.

• Miranda, Jacintho Caetano Barrteo, Quadros históricos de Goa, Margao, Typographia do Ultramar, 1863-1865, vols.3. (Portuguese).
• Gracias, J. A. Ismael, Apontamentos para a história da representação provincial no Esatdo da India, Nova Goa, Imprensa Nacional, 1891, 49p. (Portuguese)
• Gracias, J. A. Ismael, Agulha fixa da invenção de Jeronymo Osóri da Fonseca no século XVII, Nova Goa, Imprensa Nacional, 1882, 135p. (Portuguese)
• Gunjikar, Ramchandra Bhikaji, Sarasvati Mandala, or A Descripation of the Maratha Brahmans, Bombay, Nirnyasagar, 1884, 172p. (Marathi)
• Xavier, Felippe Nery, Collecço de bandos, e outras differentes providencias que servem de leis regulamentares para o governo economica e judicial das provincias denominads das Novas Conquistas, Panjim, Imprensa Nacional, 1840-50, vols.2, 600p. (Portuguese)
• Danaita, Yashavant Fondaba Naika & Wagle, Ramchandra Govinda, The history of Goa, ancient & modern, Bombay, Asiatic Printing Press, 1873, 111p. (Marathi)
• Gomes, F.L., A liberdade da terra e a economia rural da India Portugueza, Lisboa, Typographia Universal, 1862, 102p.. (Portuguese)
• Xavier, Felippe Nery, Defensa dos diretios das gaõcarias, e gaõcares, dos seus privilegios, contra a proposta de sua dissolucao, e diviso das sus terras, offerecide ao ex. Governo geral do Estado da India, Nova Goa, Imprensa Nacional, 1856, xvi, 104p. (Portuguese)
• Pinto, Christovam, Politica Colonial Internacional Estados Unidos da India, Lisboa, Antiga Casa Bertrand Jose Bastos, 1898, 284p. (Portuguese)
• Costa, Antonio Anastasio Bruto da, Goa sob a dominação portugeza, 2nd ed., Margao Typographia do Ultramar, 1897, 305p.. (Portuguese)

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