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Volumes of wisdom
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Is the reading habit among children on the wane? SANGEETH KURIAN and PRASSANA SRINIVASAN visited the libraries in several city schools to find out. Here are some interesting conclusions...
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Starting young...children at the Shisya and Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan(Kilpauk libraries).
READING IS acknowledged as one of the best ways of relaxing and rejuvenating the mind. And school libraries not only introduce children to the exciting world of books but also provide a wealth of information to the teacher and the taught.
"I think school libraries are the best way of encouraging students to read books, other than textbooks. Here, students are free to browse any time. The library is open during holidays, especially for reference work and students make proper use of it," says Vijayalakshmi, librarian, S.B.O.A Matriculation and Higher Secondary School.
With a collection of 18,000 books, journals and magazines, the school has separate books for primary students kept in the classrooms and distributed to them during the library period. Each class is allotted a particular day, apart from the library hour, for borrowing and returning books. The online reference system makes it easy to locate books. "Of late, there is a great demand for Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings," says the librarian. The School, KFI, has a new perspective when it comes to libraries. It has built up a collection of over 6,000 books, journals and magazines. Here too, the concept of a library period applies. There is a separate library for primary students, who can borrow two books at a time. "But though the library has been equipped with computers, there is no access to the Internet. The facilities are upgraded periodically so that the children have access to the latest information," says Khanthi Phatak, librarian.
"I go by the story line. I have to be choosy, as academic pressures pose a constraint on time," says Surya, a Class X student, who enjoys fiction. "Reading helps me learn new words," says Sudha, an ardent reader. "When my parents are away at work, books are my greatest companion," says Sabitha of Class IX.
Claire, the librarian at the Good Shepherd School, says a library hour is allotted for each class and students put the encyclopaedias and magazines to good use. "Although schools are trying to woo students to read books, parents should also be motivated," she feels.
Radha Venugopal has helped children select reading material for the past 10 years. As the librarian of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan (BVB), she says she still sees a number of young readers visiting the library, despite distractions such as television, video games and the like.
The school makes efforts to keep the reading habit from dying out.
The library at BVB, with its trove of 10,000 books, ranging from encyclopaedias to fiction, boasts of the collection that belonged to former President V. V. Giri. It even includes a book that Neil Armstrong gifted to the former President. Besides, there are books by stalwarts such as K. M. Munshi and C. Subramaniam.
"All this talk about lack of time for reading and academic pressure is unfounded," says Radha <147,1,0>Venugopal. "What you need is proper time management." However, she regrets that "students have become so grade-oriented that they work only when marks are an incentive." Thus, serious readers comprise only 10-15 per cent of the total strength of the school.
Lulu Thampan, headmistress, Asan Memorial primary school, has introduced book corners to encourage children to take to reading even when they are very young.
Here, shelves are built in a corner of the classroom, containing books on subjects as varied as general knowledge and fiction. "Children are free to browse during leisure," she says. "Teachers assist the students by reading out information, which they cannot comprehend," she adds.
At the Senior Secondary level, students are asked to write their impressions of the book they have recently read. This exercise is done once a month. Though by and large, the response is lukewarm, the librarian, Shanta Mary Titus, says "There is a great demand for English fiction."
Children these days have become more discerning when it comes to selecting books. "I check out the plot and characters first and only then decide whether to read a book or not.
Otherwise, it is a precious waste of time," says Pradeep Rajdas, a Class VIII student, who enjoys reading Agatha Christie, Enid Blyton and J. K. Rowling.
Certainly, the avenues for adventure and information have diversified since the advent of technology. "Twenty-five years ago, we had only books. But today, television, VCDs and Internet offer more engaging and interesting ways of acquiring knowledge," says Michael Sundar, assistant headmaster, Don Bosco Higher Secondary School.
Realising the changing trend, the school has started imparting knowledge through audiovisual media. However, reading, Sundar feels, is a pleasure in itself and helps enrich one's vocabulary and powers of concentration.
Sishya, the school in Adyar, has perhaps the most excellent library facilities among the city schools. "The first step towards cultivating the reading habit among students is to provide them with a well-equipped library. The next step is to upgrade the facilities from time to time," says Elizabeth Abraham, librarian.
"To accommodate more students, we have divided the library into various levels. There is a special study area for primary and higher secondary students. Books for the primary students are catalogued class-wise. This makes searching easier. Story-telling sessions are organised periodically for the kindergarten pupils."
At the library at Sishya, there are 11 computers meant exclusively for library use and subject-oriented CD-ROMS are provided to the students. Photocopying facilities are also available. Fiction, non-fiction, academic books, journals and magazines... over 10,000 books cover a wide range of subjects. Quite often, the teachers make use of the audio/visual room to complement classroom sessions. During examinations, when books are not issued, the room is used by students to play simple vocabulary games with the help of projectors.
About the reading habit among students these days, Ms. Abraham disagrees with the "widespread notion that the habit is on the decline and feels that children who are inclined to read are fond of books, while others may be interested in sports or other extra-curricular activities. Neither has the invasion of television nor the Internet affected the reading habits of students," she feels.
Psychologists too emphasise the relevance of reading. Says Priya Alencheril, a child psychologist, "Reading is fundamental to everything else that a child does. If a child lacks reading skills, he is going to have trouble reading textbooks."
One of the best ways to improve reading skills in children is through parental involvement. "Children whose parents read aloud or encourage reading prove better students," she says. In fact, family reading is the best way to grow.
Remember those childhood days spent listening to grandma's tales?
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