Bookworms back in fashion

CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government is now bringing in new reforms to the functioning of state-run libraries across all districts — in an attempt to promote reading habits among the populace, especially students. The State government has earmarked a sum of Rs 287 cr towards this initiative that will benefit 4,650 public libraries across Tamil Nadu. As per sources in the School Education Department, the reforms include the digitisation and preservation of old and rare books, providing library facilities in all villages with a population exceeding 1,000 people, and providing quality reading materials in all such institutions, while embracing technological enhancements, such as virtual reality-based libraries and the creation of audio-based content for visually-challenged students. The development could not have come any sooner, considering the dip in reading habits, vis-a-vis youngsters.

The advent of high speed broadband, social media, video sharing platforms as well as OTT channels had in many ways sounded the death knell for books, and in general, reading among the adults and the youth. It’s a far cry from a generation that would count on newspapers, paperbacks or even magazines and comics to keep them company on vacations, commutes and lunch breaks. What has also hit readership is the format in which video entertainment is packaged these days. The distraction comes from short format videos ranging from 30-60 seconds that have cannibalised the mindshare that could have been spent in literary pursuits. Its fallout is seen in the shutting down of such wonderful icons of our reading culture such as lending libraries. Here in Chennai, the closure of Eloor Lending Library in T Nagar was one such moment, when the owners had to give in to market forces, and just couldn’t sustain the business in the face of increasing competition from other forms of entertainment, not to mention, e-books.

Several such libraries and bookshops had closed down in Chennai and Bengaluru – before, during and after the pandemic, never to open again. The end of such havens of learning and discovery imply the shutting down of a window of opportunity for many youngsters and individuals from economically-challenged backgrounds, for whom free access to reading material could mean the difference between acing important examinations or not, and in many cases, bagging a ticket to a better life.

Thankfully, Tamil Nadu has the distinction of being one of the first States to enact a separate law for public library services – which is the TN Public Library Act. Here in Chennai, with an aim to promote English speaking as well as induce reading among students, the Greater Chennai Corporation has introduced lending libraries within schools. The move is aimed at helping kids prepare for competitive exams, improve their communication skills and widen their employment prospects. Newspapers are also being supplied to the libraries in these 281 schools, to help the youngsters stay updated on current affairs. Apart from requiring these libraries to have library officers, the Corporation has recommended that these officers encourage students from Class 4 and above to take home books and read them every day.

The Corporation is also planning annual competitions with essay writing, oratory and spelling bee contests to keep up this momentum of reading. It goes without saying that an informed citizenry is instrumental in the functioning of a well-oiled democracy. Key to that is a sense of discernment, world views and values that can only be inculcated by reading. And it’s an effort that will bear fruit, one page at a time.