[Reader-list] For the love of books: Story of a children's library in Bangalore

[Chintan]

 On my recent trip to Bangalore, I visited an amazing library for children.

This is to share my impressions of the place.

Available at
http://chintangirishmodi.wordpress.com/2010/02/15/for-the-love-of-books/ as
well.

Chintan

--

 *For the love of books*
* *
By Chintan Girish Modi

Imagine having a little pond in your school library, where you can look at
colourful fish swim by as you read your favourite book. A spiral staircase
leading up to a tower from where you can see almost the entire school. Quiet
corners that let you sit alone and undisturbed, lost to the world as you sit
immersed in your own world of stories...

Does it sound like an unbelievable fantasy? You might be pleasantly
surprised to know that such a library truly exists, in a school called
Centre for Learning, on the outskirts of Bangalore. I visited them recently,
and had the opportunity to meet Usha Aunty, an inspiring lady who loves
books and children, and introducing children to the wonderful world of
books. She has introduced simple and beautiful ways to involve children in
their own learning space. Firstly, there is no librarian acting like a
monitor, giving you a million instructions. You can simply pick up any book
you like, and make a note in the computerised system placed in the library,
without waiting for an adult to do it for you. This openness extends to many
of the library activities.

Children are encouraged to 'adopt' books and care for them. The library has
a small section called the Book Hospital where torn and damaged books are
kept. These are stuck together and bound properly. If you have adopted a
particular book, you make a new cover for it, and write a short description
at the back of the book. You also get to interview a few students and
teachers who have read the book, so that you can compile their comments to
attract new readers. Apart from this, you can make book marks, write book
ads, paint posters and display lists of favourite books -- whatever that
makes reading exciting and fun for you.

If you are wondering 'All of this sounds great, but this might never work in
my school library', spend some time thinking of ideas that your teachers or
librarian might be open to. When they see that you are genuinely interested,
they will put aside their doubts, and join in your enthusiasm.

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

1. Read newspapers to look for reviews of new books for children. These can
be shared with the class, or put up in the library. This activity will prove
quite useful when orders for books are being placed.

2. At home, and in your neighbourhood, look out for interesting books that
are lying unread on dusty shelves. Ask if these can be donated to the
library.

3. Offer to make attractive posters for the library.

4. Help to keep the library clean, and mend torn books.

5. Ask your teachers to talk about books they liked to read in their
childhood. You might get to see a very different side to them.

6. Organise sessions where you can read poems or short extracts from books.
This will help you learn about your friends' interests, and even discover
books and writers you didn't know about earlier.

NOTE: This article appeared in the Hyderabad edition of Young World
(supplement with The Hindu) on Feb 9, 2010.

To know more about the CFL library, check http://library.cfl.in/

To see pictures of the library, check
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cfllibrary/404710489/in/photostream/