Librarians are paid around ₹16,200 monthly. For years, they have been asking for a raise in wages along with access to social security benefits without much success. Furthermore, many working in public libraries across the state say they are also made to double up as housekeeping staff.
Published Oct 21, 2025 | 9:00 AM ⚊ Updated Oct 21, 2025 | 9:00 AM
The Karnataka Legislature Library.
Synopsis: The recent death by suicide of a 40-year-old librarian at a state-run library in Kalaburagi, Karnataka, over severe financial distress caused by unpaid salaries has sparked outrage among library workers across the state. They report chronic delays in pay, long working hours, lack of benefits, and growing mental stress, warning that her fate could be theirs if the government does not act. Despite repeated protests and demands for regularisation, minimum wages, and social security, successive state governments have largely ignored these calls, leaving library staff in despair.
Bhagyavanti Aggimath had been a librarian for the last six years at the state government-run library Arivu Centre in Mulakheda village, Kalaburagi district, Karnataka.
On 14 October, the 40-year-old died by suicide. In her suicide note, she said she was driven to take the extreme step because of severe financial distress caused by repeated delays in salary payment.
She had not been paid her salary for the previous three months and had been struggling to meet household expenses and pay school fees for her two children.
Aggimath’s family, relatives, and community leaders accused the administration of apathy and negligence. Protesting outside the library where she was found hanging, her family said there was no response from authorities despite repeatedly approaching them about the pending salary.
They have now demanded immediate compensation for the bereaved family and strict action against the authorities responsible.
But Aggimath’s story is not an exception. It resonates with several librarians across the state, who have all had to contend with unpaid dues, long working hours, and mental stress.
“It was her today, it will happen to us tomorrow,” Gayatri, a librarian in Bengaluru’s Uttarahalli with over 30 years experience, told South First.
“We have been enduring this for years. The government only wants our labour. They don’t see how much we do, how hard it has been, or even bother to pay us on time.”
She is also the president of the Karnataka State Public Libraries Branch of the Karnataka General Labour Union.
Librarians are paid around ₹16,200 monthly, according to the state’s minimum wage notification. For years, they have been asking for a raise in wages along with access to social security benefits such as ESI, EPF, and gratuity, without much success.
Furthermore, many working in public libraries across the state say they are also made to double up as housekeeping staff.
In addition to handling core responsibilities like registering users, managing memberships, cataloguing, and issuing books, they are expected to take on additional cleaning and maintenance duties, often without extra pay.
A librarian from Mandya described how juggling these duties has become increasingly difficult. “I struggle with using the computer for my daily work, so I take my time to avoid mistakes,” she told South First.
“But before my shift even begins, I have to make sure the library is clean. I try to come in early, but I can’t leave home until my son leaves for school.”
Despite clocking eight hours at work, and in some cases working beyond their shift timings, librarians told South First that government officials often claim they are only working for two hours.
“They (officials) come and tell us we are not doing enough work. This puts a lot of pressure on us because we don’t want to lose out on salaries,” the librarian said.
Another librarian, Savita, who works in a library in Bengaluru’s Kalyan Nagar, has not received her salary for this month yet. She used to get paid around the fifth of every month. However, state officials cited the ongoing socio-educational and economic survey as a reason for the delay.
“But I don’t remember the last time I was paid on time. The survey work started last month. What about before that? Why are our salaries being delayed every month?” she asked.
Savita, Gayatri, and others who work at public libraries often live from paycheck to paycheck. They are also bereft of benefits including Provident Fund and casual or sick leave. The news of the suicide in Kalaburagi did not leave them in shock. It made them wonder whether the government would finally act on their demands.
One librarian from the district told South First that she has similar thoughts on days when she has no savings left to fend for herself and her family.
“I am not overly hopeful that our situation will change. This (suicide attempt) has happened before as well. The outrage will die down,” she said, adding that she was awaiting this month’s salary.
Referring to Aggimath’s death, Gayatri said, “We are undergoing immense torture and mental stress. It will be us tomorrow.”
Aggimath’s case is not the first. In 2019, a 43-year-old man who worked as an assistant librarian at the Gram Panchayat office in Anoor village, Chintamani, attempted to take his own life in a washroom at Vidhana Soudha – the state legislature in Bengaluru.
“I am sacrificing my life for the sake of 6,000 people… The government did not take any decision of appointing us as permanent employees. We are not even getting minimum wages and approaching the President and the Governor did not help. Our demands are 20 years old,” a suicide note found on him stated, according to the Deccan Herald.
He also mentioned in the letter that he wanted his funeral to be held in a simple manner without rituals and that the then Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy had to attend it. “My family should not cry after my death,” he added.
After the incident, library workers from 200 state-run libraries in Bengaluru and 5,766 gram panchayat libraries protested by wearing black armbands while going to work. They were demanding payment of minimum wages, regularisation of their work, and access to social security benefits. The man eventually survived, but his demands remain unfulfilled six years later.
As recently as July 2025, several library workers, organised under the banner of Karnataka General Labour Union affiliated with the All India Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU), staged another protest at Bengaluru’s Freedom Park.
They primarily demanded full recognition as regular government employees, which would ensure access to benefits including gratuity and leave.
However, the government is yet to act on these demands. Meanwhile, the opposition in the state has demanded a CBI probe into Aggimath’s death.
“The merciless state government has reached a point where it cannot even pay its employees, causing hardship to workers who depend solely on their salaries for survival. This attitude of the government is highly condemnable,” Bharatiya Janta Party State President and MLA BY Vijayendra wrote in a post on X.
He further said that the bereaved family of Aggimath is in deep crisis and urged the government to provide proper compensation and offer employment to one family member to support her dependent children.
Librarians and labour union members alleged that the dire situation has remained unchanged irrespective of which party is in power.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
