Some of the Books in the Library

Some of the Books in the Library

PROMOTING READING HABIT

In modern society education is perhaps the most important need, for it helps to mould a well informed, knowledgeable and responsible citizen who alone will be able to contribute to development progress and advancement. The advantages and opportunities which literacy, reading and communication by the written word offer will only be secured if the posterity grows up with an understanding of the importance of the book and the habit of using it in the formative period of childhood. To bring children and books together successfully children have to experience the pleasure of reading and there is a need for promoting reading as a skill among them so that they are able to bring past knowledge and experience to the information and text, and create new understanding, solve problems, make inferences and make connections to other text and experience.

Research survey, revealed that reading habit has lost importance as both the young and the old find their role models on the T.V through movies, league matches and Music, etc. As far as the educational institutions are concerned, coaching students for the examinations seems to be the be-all and end-all of our education system. However, after the home, the most obvious place to develop the habit of life-long reading is the school and specifically its Library. Today every school take pride of a Library which is non existence, where there is these libraries function largely as repositories for storage of a set number of books required as a condition of recognition, or where the students come  to take-out and return books rather than functioning as real learning centre. It must function as the ‘hub’ of all activities in the school, a place where creative ideas can germinate, where exciting innovative experiences in learning take place, where students come joyfully to spend some of their precious time browsing through books in a peaceful, pleasing and inviting atmosphere.

One of the most important tasks of  Librarians is to inculcate reading habits among the young generation. Books are the mute entities; their application does not come automatically. It always requires some human agency that can induce the value of books among the students. In the school environment this human agency is Librarian/Teacher. To achieve this there must be synergy among the stakeholders and use of Library resources.

It is an important part of Librarian’s/Teacher’s role to encourage reading and Library use positively. To assure the best results it would be necessary to provide regular and continuous service by the Librarian in the use of Library. The student needs to be taught about the variety of books available in the Library. How to select books, how to read them, how to take notes, how to relate information collected from various books, maintenance & handling of books, etc. Of course, it includes, the use of Card Catalogue, Loan Procedures, Knowledge of books, Audio Visual materials, Computer assisted facilities, Use of bibliography, reference books etc. Library excursion is most desirable a to acquaint the students with the Library.

The librarians can achieve this: -

                               Through book discussion( books that might be of their interest).

                                Allow students to use the Library for reference purposes.

                                Give assignments that requires the pupils to use Library resources.

                                Distribute suggested readings through mimeographed materials. 

Autobiographies, biographies, travelogues, essays, fiction and poetry are desirable. Dictionaries, Encyclopedias, yearbooks, children’s magazines, illustrations, maps and charts and other reference books should be made available for use. Imaginative literature books for reading will help the students in building up emotional balance and stability and promote intellectual curiosity. Students should also be encouraged on creative writing, book reviews and drama.