code: def read(docs_dir: Path) -> "_Versions":
      if _Versions._versions_json(docs_dir).exists():
          with _Versions._versions_json(docs_dir).open(
              "rt"
          ) as versions_file:
              versions = json.load(versions_file)
      else:
          versions = {}
      return _Versions(versions)
  
file_path: GPflow/doc/update_versions.py
imports: import argparse
  import json
  from pathlib import Path
  from typing import Any, List, Mapping, Optional
  from packaging.version import Version
  from versions import Branch
label_desc: Use image node_id 3 for calling the _Versions obj's underlying member method code with example usage: obj.read(docs_dir) and returns: _Versions