overflowing with books, and each time I pick up a new set, there is a
struggle to make space for new friends that come from bookshops and
discount sales, from pavements and publishing houses. I wish to create
a space where children can fall in love with the magic of stories,
wander off into exciting worlds, and begin their journey to learn
about themselves and others. The urge to make this happen becomes more
intense each time I hear about unimaginative attempts at encouraging
reading. There is enough reason to believe that those who take it upon
themselves to instill the reading habit often end up doing much harm
to the children whose cause they claim to espouse.
Anmol Kapur is a Class 5 student of Delhi Public School in Hyderabad.
He represents the classic case of the book lover who cannot read what
he wants because of adult notions about what is appropriate and what
isnt. He says, In the school library, there are so many rules. They
dont allow you to read what you like. They tell you that you cant
read Hardy Boys before Class 5 because you wont be able to understand
it. Grusha Prasad, a Class 8 student from Rosary Convent High School
in Hyderabad, has a similar complaint. The people in our school
library are very protective about the books they give out. All the
students get books based on the class they belong to. Sometimes, they
limit it to Enid Blyton. It is just one room, and all the books are in
a cupboard that we cannot touch without permission.
It is worth investigating why school libraries are the way they are,
particularly the issue of not allowing kids free access. Shravya, a
student of Class 10 in Aurobindo International School, says that till
Class 7 it is the class teacher who decides what the students will
read. This is because otherwise the children of these younger classes
end up reading about cinema or cricket. The class teacher advises the
library teacher on what to be given for kids to read. After Class 7,
we are allowed to choose our own books.
At one level, one tends to think that teachers are justified in
regulating the choice of books since they have the good of the
children at heart. However, it is vital to ask what this good is.
Different people will come up with different definitions of this
good. Some teachers may not allow children to read books which are
considered to be unsuitable for their age group. Other teachers may
place restrictions on reading story books. The library is a certainly
a valuable resource centre for children seeking help with projects and
assignments, but it is unfair to restrict childrens reading only to
reference books. It is important that they be given the freedom to
just look around the library and explore for themselves.
Perhaps another reason why school librarians are wary of allowing free
access is the fear that children might cause damage to the books. The
fear has its own justification. Some of the books are expensive, and
hence difficult to replace. Despite this, one finds books with pages
torn out of them. Pencil marks, scribbles and food stains arent rare
either. However, using this as a reason not to allow children to read
what they find interesting is perhaps not the best way to handle this
situation. A more effective way of ensuring that books are kept in
good condition is to promote a culture of caring for books. (Refer to
Box 1) When this happens, students will treat their books with respect
and responsibility.
Schools usually allot a library period for each class, during which a
teacher accompanies the students to the library. The number of library
periods per week differs from one school timetable to another.
Aurobindo International School in Hyderabad and Secunderabad Public
School allot one library period per class per week. Orchids
International School has two periods a week for students upto Class 5,
and one library period per week for students from Classes 6 to 10.
Oorvi, a Class 12 student of NASR School mentions that while they do
not have a class library period, they are allowed to visit the library
at any time and borrow the books that they require.
Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Vidyashram at Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad, takes
the library period idea a step further. A. Sita, Librarian (Classes
6-10) tells us that students are allotted a library period, but can
walk in anytime of the school day. She emphasizes the need to
encourage children to explore the world of books rather than merely
imposing on them a routine of reading. Orchids International too
encourages students to use the library during lunchtime and free
periods. If the library is occupied by a class at any point, there are
separate seats for extra people to sit aside and read.
There are schools which do not allow their students to step into the
library. The teacher brings the books to class during the library
period, and each student is handed out a book for a stipulated period
of time. Gayathri Rao, the librarian of Secunderabad Public School
tells us that for younger kids, the class teacher requests a list of
books that they require, and these books are sent to the classroom.
Children from Class 6 onwards visit the library. They browse through
the books, which are arranged by subject matter and pertinent class,
she says. These children miss out on the opportunity to develop an
intimate relationship with books at an early age.
It is only fair to acknowledge that many school libraries are making
efforts to promote themselves as vibrant, welcoming spaces. The
National Book Week organized by Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Vidyashram is
one of the greatest attractions at their library. Being held since the
last 10 years, it comprises events such as essay writing, jacket
designing, complete-the-story competitions, debates, elocutions, book
readings and talks by well-known authors. In the past, they have had
Anant Pai, Mythili Nair and Cheryl Rao as guests.
At other schools, children participate in activities such as making
bookmarks, creative writing and publishing their school paper. Esther,
who teaches Class 3 students, organizes Inquiry Points with the help
of the school library. During these sessions, children can ask
questions based on their syllabus. The librarian accordingly sets
aside the books relevant to the particular topic. At other school
libraries, activities like book reviews and book analysis start from
Class 4 or 5 onwards.
Writing a review can be a rewarding exercise for children. It will
urge them to think about what they have read, reflect on their own
reactions, and then form judgments. Reading is to be encouraged not
only for the pleasure it can offer, but also for the opportunity to
learn about different people and cultures, and ways of thinking and
living and being. It would be tragic if the child were expected to
write a review just in order to prove to the teacher or librarian that
he/she has really read the book. Such practices defeat the very
purpose of a library. Activities to encourage reading must be carried
out intelligently and sensitively (Refer to Box 3)
Though the significance of school libraries cannot be discounted, one
has to admit that they do fail at times on certain countsrestrictions
on the choice of books borrowed, time constraints posed by school
timetables that can allot only a limited window of time for library
periods, undue emphasis on reading books that supplement the syllabus,
among other reasons. It is in this context that out-of-school
childrens libraries become crucial.
Radhika Kundalia runs a beautiful library in Mumbai, called Akshara.
Along with busts of Buddha and Ganesha that bring serenity, there are
paintings by kids to enliven the place. Here, the usual fiction
favourites share space with child-friendly editions on Freud, Jung,
Shakespeare and Nietzsche and books about the birds and the bees.
Yoga sessions, writing workshops and art events are also held in the
library premises. In addition, there is a general section on parenting
and a special one for parents of children with autism who meet under
the aegis of Forum for Autism.
Radhika says that a lot of children today are not interested in
reading because we have taken the fun out of it. However, when they
see other children reading, they want to try it out for themselves,
and sometimes they get hooked. She observes, Sometimes parents have
very rigid ideas about what their children must read. Some want their
kids to read Enid Blyton because the language is good. Others dont
want their children reading American books. And there are some who are
happy only if their children pick up abridged versions of classics. I
tell the parents not to force their children to read a particular
author. Even if a child reads a comic, its okay. She does not try to
decide for children what they should read. This is commendable,
because though Childrens Literature is writing meant to engage
children, it is often adults who dictate what is to be read by the
childbe it parent, teacher or librarian.
Another library that is becoming popular with kids is housed at
Kaleidoscope in Begumpet. Kaleidoscope is a learning centre that
offers a mix of structured, semi-structured and unstructured learning
programmes and after-school activities aimed at making learning a
joyful and stress-free experience. Children can opt for the library
services independently and also in combination with other programmes
where they come in right after school, wash up, have a snack and get
to play games, learn music or work with educational software.
Anmol, who is known for picking up books usually read by older kids,
is happy to be here. Omana Hirantara, who runs Kaleidoscope, tells us
that Anmol devours books. There are books that he has read more than
dozens of times. He also enjoys video games. He says, I dont know
what I like about books. I just find them very interesting, and Im
attracted to them. If you give me a choice between a book and a video
game, I would pick the book.
Radhika and Omana put up paintings done by children. These do not
emerge out of competitions. Every child is entitled to having her work
displayed. Says Omana, In school, there is always a pressure to
perform. There are marks for everything you do. At Kaleidoscope, we
want to celebrate creativity in a non-competitive atmosphere. Adds
Radhika, If we made it competitive, children wouldnt enjoy making
the painting, but be worried about whether its good enough to be put
up or not.
The success of libraries like Akshara and Kaleidoscope perhaps lie in
the freedom that they offer children. They recognize that different
children have different preferences, and it is therefore important to
make available a wide range of books. They do not insist that the
children read a particular author or genre of writing. When children
are exposed to a variety of books, they will have the opportunity to
experiment with something that they are not familiar with. They also
support interests other than reading.
Libraries ought to be spaces that nurture young minds. As J.
Krishnamurti would attest, this nurturing can happen only in an
atmosphere of freedom. If school libraries reorient themselves to this
understanding, with the promise of offering a mix of learning and fun,
children will embrace them with delight.
BOX 1
Caring for Books
* Take students on a tour through the library. Show them the
different sections into which books are classified.
* Introduce them to people who help run the library and the kind of
jobs they do.
* Initiate them into the different aspects of running a library. Show
them book catalogues sent by publishers. Take them to a book fair.
Show them how new books are bound and catalogued. Involve them in
mending torn books. If this is not possible, have the kids just come
and take a look.
* Distribute bookmarks with bright pictures or funny lines. You could
also hold a bookmark-making workshop. Ask the art or craft teacher for
help.
BOX 2
Dos and Donts for Libraries
Do
* Expose the child to a wide range of books.
* Encourage the child to talk about her likes and dislikes.
* Suggest books based on the childs interests.
* Allow the child to explore books classified for other age groups.
* Develop the library as a place that offers a refuge from the classroom.
* Offer a bright atmosphere and comfortable seating space. Mats and
cushions are good options.
* Let the child touch and feel the texture of books. Let her hold and
hug and smell them and put them on her lap.
Dont
* Insist that the child should read only particular kinds of books —
general knowledge books, encyclopedias, dictionaries, classics, and
reference books related to the syllabus.
* Create the impression that story books are a waste of time.
* Kill the joy of reading by compelling her to write reviews of
everything she reads.
* Inflict your own tastes in reading onto the child.
* Be rigid about age-appropriateness. Different children of the same
age group have different interests.
* Make the library experience an extension to the classroom experience.
* Over-clutter the place to make it look cute.
* Lock up the books in inaccessible places.
BOX 3
I love books
Heres a useful aid from Tulika Publishers for parents, teachers and
librarians trying to introduce kids to the fascinating world of books.
Thankfully, it does not throw up a list of must-reads, but helps
children to just look at booksto think and talk about them. I love
books is written in a friendly manner, with Pulu the bookworm as a
guide who acquaints his reader friends with different aspects of
booksauthor, illustrator, publisher, favourite characters, new words
and favourite lines. It enables kids to develop a basic vocabulary to
describe their favourite books, and places and families they meet in
books. It helps them review books and rate them on a 10-point scale,
and also prompts them to think up alternative endings for their
favourite storybooks. It is well illustrated and contains a number of
stickers that children can use to express what they feel about the
books they have read. The book says that it is aimed at Classes 1 to
5.
(With inputs from Amulya G)
(Published in Teacher Plus)