Andhra Library Movement: A people’s struggle like no other to make reading accessible

Libraries are centers of knowledge and societal advancement. Often, they are places where people meet, discuss ideas, and organize. While the earliest modern libraries were established by colonial governments or affluent individuals, a movement led by people for a public library network emerged in India, in the Telugu states themselves. The Andhra Library Movement is a less-known movement that should remain in our consciousness for long.

The Origin:

Libraries existed in the Telugu lands by the 20th century. In fact, Visakhapatnam was home to Andhra’s first-ever library! But they were far and few.

This era, the early 20th century, saw a lot of socio-cultural activity in the Telugu regions. There were growing sentiments for a separate Andhra state in Madras and resentment against the Nizams in the Hyderabad state. Parallel to these was the independence movement.

All of this required an active citizenry, and this is where the need for libraries came about. Libraries are centers to spread ideas, educate people and organize.

The Andhra Library movement thus started to take shape. Key figures leading it were Iyyanki Ramanayya, Pathuri Nagabhushanam, Suravaram Pratap Reddy and Gadicherla Hari Sarvottama Rao, amongst others.

The movement:

By 1914, this culminated into the formation of the Andhra Pradesh Library Association by Iyyanki Ramanayya in 1914, the first such association in the country at Vijayawada. Later, the Andhra Jana Sangam was formed on 12th November 1921 with the objective of establishing more libraries in the Telangana region, amongst others.

Over the years, libraries were built across districts, significantly increasing their numbers. Not only fixed libraries, but a variety of ways were brought to make libraries more accessible. Mobile libraries that moved from village to village, boat libraries in Krishna delta where travel boats were stacked with books, cafes with books were some ways in which the people of this region worked to uplift their own people.

What makes the movement special is that it was backed and led by the people and not the governments. It was a true people’s movement.

The Legacy:

After Independence, the state of Andhra Pradesh gave state backing to the movement through the Andhra Pradesh Library Act, 1960. Libraries were set up in every village, an achievement unfortunately unachieved in most of India.

However, the state of many libraries today in the Telugu states is poor, with reduced state funding and support. This needs to change, and we hope it does soon. The spirit of the incredible Andhra Library Movement should be rekindled once again.

Read about Andhra’s first library at Visakhapatnam: National Library Week: Visakhapatnam, the home of Andhra’s first-ever public library

Stay tuned to Yo! Vizag website and Instagram for more such articles.