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Nagaland villages run free libraries on trust with no librarian or registers
India
Published on 13 May 2026
Borrowing is as simple as walking in and trusting
In Nagaland, villages like Kigwema and Khonoma run free, self-service libraries built on trust. Founded by brothers Akho and Thepfukelie Phira, the model lets anyone borrow books without a librarian, lock, or register—returning after reading. The same community-first ethics appear in local shops, reinforcing a culture of shared knowledge and honesty.
- Free libraries operate without librarians, locks, or registers
- Residents borrow books on trust and return them after reading
- The initiative was started by brothers Akho and Thepfukelie Phira
- Similar self-service practices reflect strong communal ethics
Read the full story at The Economic Times
This summarization was done by Beige for a story published on 
The Economic Times