Bringing
children to public libraries
Once
a favourite spot for learners and scholars, most of the 70,000 plus public
libraries in India have now turned into haunted houses with few visitors to
grace their premises.
This
depressing image of the vital institutions may soon witness a change.
The
various stakeholders in revitalising public libraries in India under the
Ministry of Culture are now eyeing at tapping the interest of the younger
generation to reinforce substance and provide better resources to libraries in
accordance with the needs of children.
Spearheading
this programme is Indian Public Library Movement (IPLM), supported by the
Global Libraries initiative of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and hosted by
NASSCOM Foundation in the capital.
Consider
the Summer Fest for children that IPLM organised recently in partnership with
Delhi Public Library. Spanning over a period of one month, this fest aimed at
bringing children to libraries in the capital and engaging them in a host of
activities that ranged from storytelling and poetry recitations to painting and
stage play performances – all within the four walls of libraries.
While
such summer camps are almost customary to institutions like the British Council
and the American Foundation in the Capital, it comes but rarely at a public
institution like Delhi Public Library. The free-of-cost programme is a boon to
the many parents, who cannot afford to send their children to expensive summer
retreats that cost anywhere from Rs 5,000 to Rs 35,000.
Hundreds
of children joined this programme and came face-to-face with all that the
libraries offer.
Dozens
of libraries have been digitised with computers and audio-visual centres. There
is also special attention towards building ‘Children's Corner’ in public
libraries that cater to young audience with its especially curated catalogues
and decorations.IANS
Regards
Pralhad
Jadhav
Senior Manager @
Knowledge Repository
Khaitan
& Co
Upcoming Lecture | ACTREC - BOSLA Annual lecture series (125th birth anniversary of
father of library science, Padmashree Dr. S. R. Ranganathan) on Saturday, 12th August 2017 at
Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer (ACTREC),
Kharghar, Navi Mumbai. (Theme |
'MakerSpace')
