Veteran CPI leader and lawyer V. B. Binu has been elected president of the Kottayam Public Library and chairman of the Children’s Library. The library’s governing body, which met on Monday, elected Mr. Binu president and governing body member Oommen C. Vengal vice-president.

Mr. Binu succeeds Abraham Itticheriya, who served as president of the institution for over four decades. Mr. Binu, who has held several positions in cultural organisations, including national secretary of AIPSO, has served as CPI Kottayam district secretary, chairman of the public sector undertaking Oil Palm India, and chairman and managing director of Janayugom daily. He is currently a member of the CPI State Council and State secretary of the AITUC.

Founded in 1882 with T. Ramarao, Diwan Peshkar of the erstwhile Travancore Kingdom, the Kottayam Public Library has a collection of around 2.5 lakh books, besides a dedicated reference library for researchers and competitive examination aspirants and a digital library.

The institution has multi-storey library buildings at Thirunakkara and Sastri Road, an active Children’s Library, four auditoriums, an art gallery, a dedicated reading room for senior citizens and six reading rooms. A children’s park is also part of the complex.