Malayalam Library in Sydney Keeps Kerala’s Literary Spirit Alive for Diaspora Readers

A Sydney-based Malayali is launching a free Malayalam library to help the Kerala diaspora stay connected with literature, language, and culture abroad.

on May 28, 2026

Malayalam Library in Sydney Keeps Kerala’s Literary Spirit Alive for Diaspora Readers

By establishing a unique cultural space for the Malayalam-speaking community in Sydney, a Malayali resident there has established a free library, exclusively housing books in the Malayalam language.

The library, slated to open in the next few months, will function from his residence in the vicinity of Sydney, and would offer free borrowing facility to those interested in accessing the books housed in it. Siju Jacob, who hails from Chingavanam in the state of Kerala, has over the past several years collected books from Kerala, and shipped them down to Australia with the idea of preserving access to Malayalam literature among Malayalis living abroad.

Jacob started making several journeys to Kerala to create his library due to his passion for literature and language. Some books were bought while some others were gifted by those who agreed to participate in such an interesting venture. All the books were carefully packed and sent to Australia.

At present, he is transforming two rooms of his house into a library where people will be able to read Malayalam books and borrow them without paying anything.

According to him, this idea was born in connection with the problem of lack of easy accessibility of the books written in Malayalam abroad. Indeed, the expensive courier services do not encourage many people to keep on reading Malayalam literature.

This collection will also contain a vibrant segment on children’s literature aimed at fostering a connection among the young generation in Australia with their heritage, language, and culture through story telling.

By setting up such a literary community away from home, Jacob’s project demonstrates how literature plays an important role in transcending barriers by promoting one’s cultural identity.