Telugu Research Library

As part of the first phase of the activities, the Sundarayya Vignana Kendram has started a specialized Research Library. It as a rich collection of rare books, journals, newspapers, reports, pamphlets, manuscripts, private papers, etc., in different languages. The collection is particularly rich in 19th and 20th century printed material throwing light on the socio-cultural, economic and political histories and popular movements of all types of the 12th through 20th centuries. The Research Library is now managed by a registered Non-Profit Trust called Sundarayya Grandhalaya Samstha.

The collections of the Research Library were enriched by gifts and donations by several prominent personalities in India. The main part is consisting of Late Putchalapalli Sundarayya's personal collection. There are several valuable additions to the main collection of P. Sundarayya. The book donations by Dr.Arudra, a popular and progressive creative writer and intellectual of modern Andhra; Dasarathi, another Telugu poet and novelist; Bezawada Gopala Reddy, a well known political leader, and several others have made the Research Library as the main depositary of our written heritage. The most valuable are the Private Papers: the papers of P. Sundarayya alone contain material of more than ONE LAKH PAGES. Today the Research Library is housing around 75,000 rare printed materials. To meet the ever growing demand from the Research Scholars, the Sundarayya Vignana Kendram is also purchasing latest books and reports on regular basis.

Scholars from all parts of South India as well as other regions of India have been using this Research Library, and every day a number of Research Scholars and Teachers are visiting the Library. At present the professional membership is given to more than 300 by the Research Library and there are more than 400 visitors using the Free Reading Room daily. Their work is facilitated by the fact that the Library is kept open every day from 9.30 am to 6.30 pm and that the Kendram is in a position to offer furnished accommodation at a nominal rate to the visiting outstation scholars.

As a part of its future program, the Kendram aims at developing various collections of private papers of individuals and the papers of organisations, especially those operating in the rural areas. The emphasis is on the retrieval of the primary material related to various strands of the Indian National Movement; the rich legacy of all our Secular Social, Economic and Political movements; Peasant and Working Class movements, and the role of Organisations and Associations in those popular movements. With out COLLECTING and PRESERVING the material on all the above aspects of our Indian History, we may not be able to write and communicate our Secular Heritage to the younger generations. It is proposed, therefore, to locate such material, and then attempt to acquire them as originals or in a reproduced form [Digital or Microfilm].

As already indicated, the Research Library has a fairly large collection of rare printed material and private papers much of which is in a brittle and fragile condition. For historical interest as well as to facilitate handling by researchers, these materials and the materials that will be acquired in future need to be treated, repaired and preserved. To undertake the repair and preservation of the printed and the private papers, we have already approached for financial assistance under the National Archives of India Scheme and various other donor institutions. This task of conservation however can be taken up only with the active support by the individual donors.