‘Patna's book culture remains robust'
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Despite the rise of the internet, smartphones and digital media, book readership remains steady, eminent litterateur and Sahitya Akademi Award winner Arun Kamal tells TOI's B K Mishra in an interview.
Excerpts:
How would you describe the book market in Patna?
The book market in Patna and other cities in Bihar has always been robust. In fact, Patna ranks among the top five or six cities in the country in terms of revenue generated from book sales. The number of people across age groups reading books in Bihar is still higher than in many other states.
What is the current state of the publishing industry in Bihar?
Patna, with its rich literary tradition, has been a pioneer in publishing books and magazines, especially in Hindi.
Publishers such as Rajkamal Prakashan, Vani Prakashan, Setu Prakashan, Motilal & Banarsidas, Dastak Sahitya, Anupam Prakashan and Bharti Bhawan have consistently published widely-read titles that sell briskly across the country. Moreover, major national publishers like Oxford, Orient Blackswan (formerly Orient Longman), Rupa Publications and India Book House have had established branches in the city for several decades.
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Has online book shopping affected local book sales?
Not at all. If anything, it has empowered readers by giving them better access to information. They can explore a wide range of titles online from the comfort of home and then decide whether to buy from a local shop or order online, especially if a particular title is not available locally.
Do people still frequent libraries these days?
Visits to libraries have certainly declined, but not due to a lack of interest.
It is largely because libraries today often lack good, up-to-date books. Even reputed institutions such as Sinha Library, Khuda Bakhsh Oriental Public Library and Patna University Library are no longer in ideal shape. Readers often fail to find recently published works in genres like literary fiction, history and biography.
What can be done to promote printed books and encourage reading habits?
Bookstalls should be set up at key public locations like airports, railway station waiting halls and hospitals. In the US, it is not uncommon to see nurses reading books when not attending to patients. Retired teachers should be given free access to public libraries, allowing them to spend their leisure hours in the company of books. Such measures would not only promote book sales but also help in nurturing a reading culture in society.
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