While every lane of College Street is a haven for bibliophiles, one particular bookstore has taken the love for reading a step further. Established in 1886, Das Gupta & Company Private Limited — located on 3, College Street — has converted its second floor into a free public library. Open every day from 10.30am to 6.30pm, the space welcomes readers of all ages.
“The library had been under development since 2020. It became functional only a few weeks back. Not only college students, but anybody who loves books, even elderly readers come here,” said Aninda Jana, head salesman of Das Gupta & Company, believed by many to be the oldest bookstore in the area.
Visitors can sit and read books for hours. However, borrowing is not allowed. To enter, one must present a valid ID.
Store managing director, Arabinda Das Gupta, shared that further plans are in the pipeline after Durga Puja — including the establishment of a digital library and a museum.
The fully air-conditioned digital library will allow access to major libraries across the world. The museum, on the other hand, will house all heritage belongings of the bookstore, like typewriters, stamp machines and more dating back to the colonial era.
Arabinda Das Gupta added that there are also plans to open an auditorium where free classes will be offered to children. There will be free counselling sessions and other activities to promote health consciousness and reading habits. “We are also willing to teach kids how to use a library. And all these facilities will be for everyone,” he said.
The library is busy after 2pm. “Weekends are often more crowded. On Sunday, we had 42 visitors,” said Das Gupta.
The collection spans a wide range of subjects — history, mathematics, statistics, geology, philosophy, literature and fiction. Some rare publications, now out of print, make the library especially valuable.
Among the visitors, Subhojit Saha, a student pursuing B.A. LLB Honours from Hazra Law College, said that he had got to know about the library from a social media post recently. “This piqued my interest. I did not know I would have to climb three flights of stairs,” he joked.
Another visitor, Aritrik Dutta Chowdhury, guest lecturer at Sanskrit College and University, said, “I have been coming here for ages. My senior wanted to inquire about donating books. The authorities told me to pay a visit to the library. So, I could not control the urge. This is a novel initiative. College Street is a hub for students. So, I will encourage others to donate books to the library. This initiative will certainly help many, especially those who cannot afford to buy a lot of books.”
