Wild Geese, Hyderabad’s new lending library

Sankeerthana and Vivaan at Wild Geese library | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

A spacious room on the second floor of an apartment complex in Nallagandla, Hyderabad, now houses a modest yet inviting lending library. Surrounded by greenery, the quiet neighbourhood allows for natural light and cross ventilation through multiple window panes. Wild Geese Library (@wildgeese.library), named after the Mary Oliver poem, is only a few weeks old. A passion project by Sankeerthana, an avid reader and cinephile, it aims to welcome both young and adult readers.

An engineer and former IT professional who later began writing about cinema, Sankeerthana had long dreamt of being surrounded by books. “It was a romantic dream,” she says, referencing Meg Ryan’s character in You’ve Got Mail, who runs a small independent bookstore. “But a bookstore was beyond my budget; the next best thing was a lending library.”

The idea took three years to take shape. She saved up, found a space in her neighbourhood, and Wild Geese was born. Her eight-year-old son, Vivaan Varma, helped her set up the collection — now over 5,000 books strong.

Talking about the relevance of lending libraries, Sankeerthana says, “When we buy books online, we tend to look for what we already know. A library gives you the chance to browse, get curious, take recommendations and discover something new.”

She has observed this shift in her son too, who tends to read what is popular among his peers but becomes more open to other titles when browsing at the library. She hopes Wild Geese fosters the same curiosity in other readers.

While a large portion of the collection caters to ages six to 18, there is enough to engage adult readers as well, with books in both English and Telugu. Some are from her personal library, while others were sourced from friends, family, and book fairs such as Abids Sunday Market and ‘Lock the Box’, as well as second-hand stores in Hyderabad. “Even when buying pre-owned books, I avoid anything too worn out, and I never pick pirated editions,” she adds.

Classics like The Famous Five and The Secret Seven by Enid Blyton, The Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew,Sherlock Holmes, Harry Potter, and Tintin sit alongside titles like Winnie the Pooh, Keeper of the Lost Cities, How to Train Your Dragon, Geronimo Stilton, Wings of Fire, Percy Jackson, and books by Terry Pratchett. The Telugu collection was curated with help from Hyderabad-based Anvikshiki Publishers.

Sankeerthana’s reading journey began in Vizianagaram, Andhra Pradesh, with her father’s books. Later, while studying engineering, she made regular use of her college library. “Wild Geese is also a way for me to reconnect with the joy of reading,” she says.

The library offers membership plans ranging from one to twelve months. Word-of-mouth is slowly spreading through community groups and residential complexes nearby. As the readership grows, Sankeerthana hopes to organise interactive reading and storytelling sessions to foster a deeper connection with books.

(Wild Geese Library is at 202, Sai Orchids, Huda Layout, Nallagandla, Hyderabad. Email: [email protected] Ph: 7075849255)

Published - June 05, 2025 03:02 pm IST