Shillong, Dec 07: School libraries are often over-looked, yet have a greater influence on the life of a student (particularly younger ones) than most people believe.
R. Ramachandran, Executive Director, National Book Development Council, Singapore believes that Libraries needs to be modified for the betterment of youths particularly students.
“In yourstate surely you have very good schools but do you have very Good libraries?” asked Ramachandran, Executive Director, National Book Development Council, Singapore.
According to him, “ Libraries become very very important in the development of education. Libraries and education must grow parallel.”
He said, “Not only rest of the entire world but even in Shillong as well where often people sees the importance of education but not linked it to library.”
About Government proving support to schools, he said, “What Government often do is they only provide resources for schools but not so much for libraries because they do not see libraries as an integral part of school.”
Ramachandran believes libraries are also essential for the growth of youth and that helps him to connect to rest of the world as he believes that the habit of reading should be developed from the tender age.
He said, “What we need to do is to implant the ability and interest in reading right from young age, so that when they grow up they may not read from the book but they should read from the screen. Thereby improve their mind and become connected to the world.”
“It is seen that children these days are not interested in libraries because libraries are largely because libraries are not developed as an interesting space for them to go. In several developing countries and also in developed countries there is a transformation of libraries into a living space, discussion spaces. A space where you can go not only to read but also exchange ideas and dialogues with friends and colleagues.” He said adding “We have to be very concern for promotion reading not only for youth but it should begin from early childhood.”
About the youth often being misleaded, Ramachandran said “More and more people should impress upon civil, social and cultural leaders about importance of libraries in schools since without library schools alone cannot perform best. Children if they do not have libraries if they do not have libraries to go to after school what do they do so more and more people should understand the importance of library and education.”
He added, “If that happened resources must be channeled for developing North east. If Libraries are seen as part of education so some educational financing should be also put into libraries.” (SP News)
