When AI destroys books, Kolkata finds comfort in second-hand pages

Some clever computer companies, like one called Anthropic, are building programs that can read books very fast.

To teach its helper Claude, the company bought real paper books, peeled off the covers, scanned the pages into a computer, and threw the original books away.

Many people think that is sad, because books can mean more than just words.

In Kolkata, a big city in India, lots of people love old books that somebody else has already read.

An old book might have a name written inside, a little note in the margin, or a faded bookmark left behind by someone from long ago.

Reading the right book can also help people feel better when they are sad or worried — grown-ups call this 'bibliotherapy.'

Doctors say it is like a helpful friend that works along with regular treatment, not a replacement for it.

Nowadays, people often see new books on social media as pretty decorations, which makes the old book stalls harder to notice.

But in Kolkata, the second-hand book stalls are still busy with readers hunting for hidden treasures.