On a regular afternoon in Mehrauli, children step into a modest room lined with shelves of books. Some curl up with a story. Others spread notebooks on the floor to finish homework. A few simply sit and turn pages, unhurried.

Since 2022, this everyday ritual has been quietly shaping young lives in a neighbourhood where access to books has long been limited.

Tucked inside this south Delhi locality, the Mehrauli Community Library offers something rare and deeply needed: a free, welcoming space where children can read, learn, and spend time with books.

The library is open to anyone who wants to read, catch up on schoolwork, or find a corner to think in the company of stories. There is no membership fee, no paperwork, and no gatekeeping. For many children here, this is their first sustained encounter with reading beyond the classroom.

© The Better India