DELNET

NACLIN 2022
Online Conference
25  National Convention on Knowledge,
th

Library and Information Networking

Redefining and Repositioning Libraries – Exploring, 
Engaging and Expanding for Next Gen Library Users
December 14-16, 2022
 
Day -2 : 15  December 2022
th

 
Technical Session II: Reading Habits in Digital Era:Growing
Challenges and Concerns for Libraries 
 
Dr Geeta Malhotra, Country Director, READ India, Gurgaon
 
Dr Geeta Malhotra takes up the stage and implies how the audience might be a little
astounded that she works for woman empowerment and how for the conference she is
going to actually talk about libraries. She highlights that READ India is an
organisation which establishes community library and resource centres in rural parts
of India.

Dr Malhotra explains to the audience that the model which goes to the community is
combined with her academic knowledge and experience and how reading is extremely
important to the country. She adds that while visiting the rural areas, and establishing
community libraries and resource centres, the purpose was that women should realise
the importance of education. That’s how the women's entrepreneurship programme
was laid down, just with the motive that by empowering a woman she has to commit
to education and create opportunities for the higher education of their children,
especially girl children. She and her community has contributed by educating women
themselves, and their daughters through the community library and resource centres
they established. But without money and economic status in their hands, these women
were helpless to continue the higher education of their children it was by creating
libraries the opportunity opened up and they are continuing to create libraries in rural
parts of India, but the education component must be inculcated into their mindset how
it is important for the future of their children. She claims that this is how integrated
education with livelihood and the concept they have been promoting was from library
to livelihood.

 
She recollects the speech of the honourable speaker before her and how he mentioned
about holistic development. She mentions the purpose was how the web of libraries
could be created for holistic development of the communities at the rural platform
where the public resides.She asks the audience to to keep in mind that when she is
talking about holistic development, they should not be left behind. Her life experience
of more than 30 years of travelling to rural areas is what she is going to inculcate in
the speech. She states that she is going to talk about reading habits, growing
challenges and concerns for libraries. After assuring the audience that the topic will be
layered with interesting facts, she tells them that the topic is very close to her heart
because whenever she goes to libraries and sees children reading, it gives her immense
happiness.
 
She says that we can accept the fact that knowledge and wisdom are the driving force
in the society and adds that reading  is one of the most powerful tools to broaden the
horizons of one’s own thinking and enhance knowledge and awareness. And that it
also helps in enhancing our expression, and nurturing our imagination and creativity.
That's how she goes and says one will see holistic development.

Dr Malhotra then meticulously flows the conversation to information networking and

says when people used to ponder on without internet connectivity it was the
connection with other people in earlier times that helped. She says that here the focus
is on internet connectivity, but people's network is also really important and in past
when internet was not in use people sitting together at public places, sharing
information were known as information hubs. She adds her own experience that when
she goes to the rural villages, she sees the elders sitting in Chopal and sharing
information and we do not provide them with space to share their knowledge and
hence lose somewhere the knowledge which lies with us, traditionally.The place for
all of us for sharing experiences, past learning, practices, lessons of life from
Upnishads, etc. were given by our own grandparents. She highlights that somehow the
nation is losing these speakers in the present time because the focus of children is now
on the mobiles or their laptops , they don't get or give any time to sit with the elders
present ind the family for them to impart knowledge. 

Elders in the family were always in touch with what their child is doing and the
connections between parents, teachers and children was strong and helped them for
growth in tough circumstances.Dr Malhotra then says that they were stalwarts in our
society which still exist and adds that human connectivity was the essence of life
which is lost somewhere now. People used to visit libraries even if there were far and
Information and Knowledge repository was available.
 
She says that these are her personal thoughts which she is sharing but she does
strongly believe in it because somewhere the human connectivity is lacking.People are
confined to their cocoons, whether we in professional life or at home, wherever it is,
the people's connectivity is missing and one must think of reviving it back along with
the Internet connectivity.
 

She talks about the integral relationship between knowledge and library; and
knowledge and information networking. When a person networks with other people
and start building connections, those connections also connect with other connection
that results in personal growth.
 
People's networking not only helps in professional life but also in personal life as well.
The information and knowledge shared by people at all walks of life, home, society,
schools, universities, offices and at public spaces has immense value because this
knowledge is shared, discussed, analysed and documented.

Libraries are the hubs of information, but human intervention is valued along with
automation. She reminds the audience that when the COVID came they were working
with the rural areas and connected with almost 5 lakh people in India. When the
COVID came, they got really helpless about how to connect them because they were
not able to travel in the rural parts of India and all libraries were just shutting down.
They understood that they had to create the network where they can connect with
them, they trained them how to use Zoom. Dr Malhotra tells that they added free
access to Internet in the libraries. People used to walk within the villages to come
there and they would help them connected with the doctor so that they don't run to the
districts and the states for medication and treatment. They provided them the
consultancy through network, through Zoom calls. She marks for the audience that 
they should to understand how the people connection ,information and the network
connection is important when one has to serve the community who are deprived of all
these opportunities.

She tells that they are conscious of exploring, engaging and expanding the libraries
and the library users. While she was talking about next generation library users she
asks the audience to focus on demographic transition which is the major point
everyone has to understand. This knowledge has to be percolated through libraries to
all human beings because this is crucial when talking about education, education
policy or giving education platforms to the children in the rural areas, which implies
the young population in simple words.
She then goes and adds that what is most required is building human capital and
especially:
• Primary education to higher education and vocational training,
• Innovation.
• Research and Development
• Increase the skill set of growing working age population,
• Well functioning institutions.
• Respect for the rule of law
• Respect to rights and equal opportunities.
 
According to Dr Malhotra if one just takes cognizance of all these points, they can
definitely focus on holistic development and education of the people whom they really
want to target during the demographic transition period.
 
Children in rural area –

The emotional, social and physical development of children has a direct impact on the
overall development of the country.
Understanding the status of children is thus of immense importance.
 
In the Indian context this assumes special significance as Children (0 to 14 years)
comprise around one third of the total population of the country. 48% of the child
population in the age group. 0 -14 years is female. 74% of the children 0-6 years live
in rural areas whereas the rural population constitute 69% of the total population of
India. She says that people might know the kind of resources, affordability and
accountability of the stakeholders they can have because these are the schools in the
rural areas, otherwise they don’t get the platform. The three to six years age group in
conversation after  10 years will be in the age group 0 to 14 years. She questions that
are we taking care of them by providing them all the amenities, all the facilities for a
quality education to them? And highlight that this is the need of the hour.
 
 
Youth development programmes - Improvement in confidence level in youth
determined through defined parameters measure about their self esteem, self-
confidence and leadership skills.
 
Increased awareness about various career opportunities available and improved
understanding on how to pursue their respective fields. Dr Malhotra says that after
experiencing the rural areas so much she understands that the youth does not have any
direction. They don't know what they have to do and their families are so concerned
they don’t want them to migrate to the urban areas and fear they will be lost because
of the Covid and that is why providing them security is so important.
 
She tells the audience that every week she takes leadership sessions with the youth
through zoom and 100 to 200 youth have joined the programme and they do motivate
them alot. She adds that they provide them with opportunities and encourage them go
to the rural libraries and enhance their skills. But there is a need for constant
engagement with them and that could only happen through libraries. She says that
they have huge libraries but this is also committed role of the librarian and other
stakeholders available in that geographies to create that network.The web of human
network can really help to resolve this issue.

Accessibility to books and mentors to make youth powerful with

positive energies is important. This is where the foundation courses in school
education can help. General reading along with life skills interventions is required.
She says that when talking about holistic development, one needs to take cognizance
of all these things and again, she assured that she is saying this based on their success
as an organisation connecting youth and children in the villages, providing them
access to books, free access to Internet and other knowledge resources they have, they
provide connect them with  technology. Technology is just a tool she says which
should be added with human interventions where they really empower the
communities and youth.
 
Reading habits-
She comes on talking about reading habits and says that when people focus on
inculcating the habit of reading and writing, they should focus on  three aspects-
Accessibility to relevant books, affordability and accountability. The earlier presenter
from her she adds also focused on accountability and this is the need of today’s
programmes and interventions. Accountability towards encouraging reading habits.

Access to books she says has a great link with the economic status.

Dr Malhotra still says that while in urban areas children have books for reading, but
maximum diversions create a barrier in rural areas. The priority of buying a book for
the child becomes  last priority. With their efforts she says they are creating a big
divide which people might not be realising at this time.
 
Parents play a vital role in inculcating these habits. In urban areas many parents do not
have time to give to their children hence they replace it with gadgets in the hands of
children. In rural areas, due to low literacy rate, even mothers cannot play the role of
encouraging children to read. Pulling the focus on the next billion population which
stays  in the rural areas , Dr Malhotra adds that peer learning in urban areas is
reducing due to gadgets while in rural areas accountability towards reading is almost
negligible.
 
The above are the points which people very well know but they do not take any steps
towards improving these habits. Every village, library, parents, teachers, volunteers,
youth under the umbrella of libraries with the guidance of librarians join hands to
increase literacy. She adds that this stands as an important role of the librarians and
the stakeholders in the rural areas to join hands and inculcate the habits of reading and
writing. Otherwise it will not be practically done.

Instead of increasing the resources or creating demand she says that the full utilisation
of the existing resources is also to be realised. She has noticed that in the public
libraries there are numerous books, but how many are read is a big question . One
needs  to create these  opportunities through human interventions to improve reading
habits.
 
 
Improving reading and writing habits-
 
Interest in reading books and improved writing skills among children and youth is the
need which she witnessed in the rural areas and her visits to the government schools.
For example a boy or a girl of 14 years cannot even read 3 simple words was a shame
she added

In simple words she says that improved communication should become a daily
exercise with people from the rural area as they lack the way of expression. These are
some gaps which require practical intervention. There should be an improvement in
pronunciation ,dictation and fluency in speaking any language. She says that she went
with the motive to teach children from rural areas English but after a meeting with one
of the village’s district collector she was firmly asked to design a curriculum in their
regional language as they want to teach their children in their own dialect. For them to
understand the true importance of education they need to read and respect it which
they might in their own language 
 
Improvement in knowledge about technology and better computer skills is what the
future requires. Providing a support to hrt statement she says they provide them access
to computers and digital programmes and teach them very high end computer
programmes through Adobe and other programmes. It provides them employability
But she says we cannot forget that reading should not be ignored while adapting
technology and should be an integral part of the technology.
 

Dr Malhotra says that this could only be possible through human intervention.
 
Libraries and library process in the new era –
 
On the topic of library process , Dr Malhotra says that Dr S R Ranganathan gave the
five rows and in each of their community’s library 5 laws are pasted .The children are
encouraged to remember them so that they understand the importance of books in
their own life and every time when they visit the library, the librarian encourages them
to read these 5 laws. And the 5 laws are stated below
• Library serves humanity.
• Respect all forms by which knowledge is communicated,
• Use technology intelligently to enhance service,
• Protect free access to knowledge
• Honour the past and create the future.
 
These ample to be very relevant and helpful in nature.

 
Collective efforts in changing time-
 
Resonating to the Government, non-government organisations she says that they  are
doing very good job in promoting reading and writing. Pandemic has impacted on
reading habits because of two years of gap in attending the schools. 

Small efforts will definitely bring a change with that she starts to talk about youth and
libraries. According to her , library science is important for managing libraries in
schools.
It is very difficult to have librarian in each school. One librarian in  one school may
not be able to manage such an important aspect of not only managing books, but also
encouraging the children on effective use of books and organising various
programmes on daily basis on the culmination of reading habits.
 
She adds here the youth can help, they could be trained with these special skill.
Training programmes should be organised from the class 8th not only on library
management but making reading clubs in the schools and encouraging children to
manage these under mentorship programme from their senior class students.
 

Dr Malhotra talks about how these students should be encouraged to have community
libraries and can also make community mentorship programme by forming
community groups for reading and other related programs. She says that they are
doing this in the areas where they have set up community libraries. In rural areas it's
very difficult to find a  librarian with a certified librarian degree, but they do train
them on excision, cataloguing, maintaining the records and other essentials by inviting
professional librarians to the rural areas and telling them to learn. It can be a great
help if universities or any institutions can design a programme of a short-term
librarian course which would help the rural youth to take on and then create their own
libraries. This would create an opportunity to tell them to come in front and promote
their reading habits. As physical exercise is important for the body, reading is equally
important for mind and brain.

Reading is the core, books online is also a choice for the individual :
 
Gorman laws have been framed from the viewpoint of function of librarian engaged in
the technological society, which needs to be considered at this stage for further
progress in existing setup. Flowing with that thought Dr Malhotra says that the role of
library and librarian has changed basically in the techno-driven world. 

The advancement in context of sharing resources should be used for the benefit of
students and teaching faculty in the best possible manner. The adequate infrastructure
is one of the major barriers in India because universities provide connectivity but how
and to what extent it is used is more important. Dr Malhotra talks about the time when
she visited Ashoka University, Rishi Hood University, Krea University and wherever
she goes in rural areas she visits universities libraries. According to her review
infrastructure is available but for those who are paying whereas for those who  cannot
afford are they eligible to get these resources at their doorsteps is the major question.
Though the access of required information and reading material is possible through
internet , technology, books are part and parcel of getting relevant knowledge and
retaining it for lifelong. But how many children have access to books? The demand of
the books have changed since the past 15 years she witnessed in their organisation.
Earlier they were giving books for general reading .Now students say because of the
reading habit which  has been culminated in them, they say we need competitive
examination books, books for medical presentation, books for NEET clearance
examinations and all. In Pune she adds they have a library in Kadevadi village and
that village is known for scholars. Even President of India also visited the school and
awarded the children. The library is open from morning 6 o’clock to 12 of night
because children need safe space, electricity and access to books for reading and
preparing for their higher education.

 
She goes on and tells the audience about READ India initiatives on promotion of
reading and writing –
 
 •READ India has 54 Community Library and Resource centres.
 
 •READ team visits the government schools and conduct sessions on reading.
 
•Age appropriate reading and writing programmes are organized.
 
•Special trainers  in the libraries who are trained from time to time to conduct reading
and writing sessions.
 
•READ India has designed the monitoring process and impact of our interventions,
basically focused on reading and writing because they monitor each child how he or
she is progressing in reading and writing.
 

The major findings were that the children studying in the primary schools are not able
to read even three alphabet bonded words . So how do they plan our interventions
based on their baseline service with the government schools and the communities
where they established libraries and how they are improving the reding and writing
habits of the children.Serious efforts are being done for improving the reading habits
of the children.

 
Commitment from the like minded organizations all over India -
 
READ India was a part of the National Reading Mission of P N Panicker Foundation
from Kerala. The mission was blessed by the honorable Prime Minister of India and
NITI Ayog. She tells the audience how they took this mission into the interior parts of
the rural area through India where the children even can't even imagine of
library.Room to read is doing excellent work in enhancing reading habits in children.
She adds Pratham is also doing excellent work. Likewise, there are many individuals
who have taken the challenges for improving reading habits across rural India.
 The outcome of all the efforts is to improvise the reading habits of children below 15
years, to get the dividend of demographic transition. These children should enter into
the formal working scenario to contribute to the GDP of the country.And, be the gem
of the youth population with positive spirits and focus on their self growth and
development. This is the need of the hour.
 
IPLM recommendations –
 
A high profile national level Public Library as well as Reading Habits Promotion
Campaign should be launched. She resonates by saying The Ministry of Culture
should initiate the Public Library campaign along with media houses, non profit
foundation, citizens and other private sectors to create awareness of public libraries or
improving their functions and improving the reading habits.Creating and
strengthening the habit of reading among the communities, specially among the
children is also of immense importance.Lessons should be taken from international
libraries, she states that it is also of requirement which she understood when she
visited the libraries in US, Australia and Singapore and Malaysia.
 
In Australia a child has to read 100 story books before getting admission in class 1.
Who is enabling it? The librarian. The facilitator in the library. When the facilitator is
helping him or her to read 100 stories so that his mind develops before he goes to the
class one.
Certificates are issued for admission in the schools.
 
She explains that Web of libraries is needed in India and public orprivate partnership
model needs to be appreciated and promoted. Drawing a line between the public,
private and community libraries, adding on to the spending of more resources with
limited outcomes.
 Dr Malhotra tells that they have to remove the compartmentalisation when they talk 
about improving dating and writing habits. All the institutions, the stakeholders, the
partnership should come forward to focus on this. It has to be a mission.
 
People's Initiative -
 
Initiative has to be taken by people for making our children to read for their own
future development.
 
Information technology is a tool and not an end itself.
 
Life has to be taken with multifold tools in hands and reading and basic and very
important tool for knowledge.
 
If children have to take part in debates and clear examinations, reading leading to
good writing skills is also an essence.
 
Some part of the income has to be spent on purchase of books followed by the IT
tools. Balance has to be maintained, the control is in the hands of common citizens
now.
 
Enthusiastically she asks everybody to join hands together to create community
libraries and help children and every citizen of the country improve the habit of
reading and writing.
 
Thank you.

 
Question by Mr Siba Pandey
 
After Covid maximum number of students are coming to the library but not reading
the e-book, they are reading the PPTs given by the concerned faculty. How we will
change this reading habit of the students?
 
Answer
 
She says that she would like to say that if they are reading because they want to learn,
they wasted time or without their fault time has been missed or the crucial 2 years
have been missed. Adding she says even if they are asked for this kind of already
prepared lessons for them so that they can just learn and match with the class, they
have to help them if they're reading particular PPTs for their knowledge the librarian
can give the relevant books from where the PPT has been made because the concepts
have to be cleared. It's not only just remembering what is mentioned in the PPT but
the feeding has to be done from where this concise information in the PPT has come
from. Librarians can help them to get those books where they can read in addition to
getting the concepts clear so that the knowledge stays with them lifelong. It's not only
for the particular short time she sums up 

Question from Rajesh Kumar Pandey

 
During COVID we all have been aware about it, that the children have been impacted
a lot, and especially about their reading habits and skill sets. How do you see the role
of technologies concerning its impact on educational reading habits? This has been an
issue being faced by everyone and especially with our young children we have seen
that now they are more glued on their digital devices.
 
Answer
 
She answers that she just wanted to share her own examples of what they did. During
Covid, they had rural libraries and even in districts or urban areas. They used to send
one warrior, the frontline workers in the communities who were providing medicines
and knowledge on prevention of the covid because people were really frustrated and
they don't know the way forward. In newspapers they used to pack 5 -5 books. That
were given at every doorstep. And they used to keep for 24 hours and then we tell
them if they are giving them these books, their children have to read these books. The
volunteer will come forward again after one week and collect these books. And they
were taking all covid precautions. They never stopped reading programmes during
COVID also because they had a  huge network of human interventions in their areas.
So they used to take it as volunteering job because they knew the children are sitting
at home and a tension is also created because the mother has to take care of them.
There are many social negativities come in the family. To keep the momentum high,
they used to pack the books in the newspaper and delivered at every doorstep so that
their children and the youth can read and then continue the reading habits.
 
Question by Dr Felci Dsouza
 
Can you please recommend some best practices for higher education institutions for
enhancing reading habits in the library?
 
Answer
 
She says that the simple thing is that when the students are coming into the library
somewhere, one has to tell them to pick up a book and read and do not  give them
access to the Internet because internet is available 24x7 at their homes. But when
they're coming to the library, the librarian has to play a very important role of what
kind of information they are seeking for. It’s not that they come to the library, sit in
front of the computer, have access to the content which is available; it has to be multi-
dimensional. They have to read the book first, because every entry in the library is
supposed to be guaranteed that they're picking up the book and reading and later they
can have access to the internet. Beautiful libraries are there, but the children prefer
sitting on laptops and their computers and kindles when they are reading. Retention
will not come she answers.
 
Question by Dr Suresh
 
We have started for reading for hostel students after class work. The students are not
interested to read the books. They're not interested to come down to the library. How
to motivate the students, graduate students to read physical books. How to motivate
the reading habits and how to inculcate the reading habits?
 
Answer
 
She explains that If they leave children to read on their own, they will not do that.
They have to have a person, a professional or a facilitator, who helps  them to interact
with them on the topics they would like to know. They are search through Internet for
the topics they would like to learn, but if human intervention is there, some facilitator
is there who can help them in groups to read what they want to do. Once we start
reading with them, they'll develop the habit of reading. This is the practical
intervention.
 
Even in their libraries she adds when the children come, they tell them to read the
books. The librarian tells them what kind of book they want to read.  She sits with
them and then help him to understand and discuss later on what they have read. Are
they able to absorb? Do they need any help? So they have a list of facilitators and the
teachers in the library and they connect with them.

 
Sangeeta
 
Sangeeta provides a feedback to create it more attractive for new generation libraries
and adds that they can conduct online discussion, programs or can even invite authors,
some discussants and involve the students in that activity. It can be made mandatory
that they have to attend. Resonating with idea of Dr Malhotra she adds that how she 
highlighted about the Australian case of 100 story books for a first standard student
definitely in higher education institution  can be made it as a kind of a policy that
indeed at least, if not monthly, bimonthly they should have read at least one book title
and can organize some competitions and provide  them a certificate in that. She
explains that what can be the most inspiring part and in order to make them come
forward, to say that all of them have read the books and  will participate in that
competition are going to get a chance to speak whatsoever they have read about, and
then they will just share and can broadcast it online. They can have it in the physical
space also or  can have a quiz in that. They can even ask them certain questions. She
says that they have to bring all these ideas. As they are dealing with  young generation
and have to bring it in a way which is more appealing to them and they feel more
exciting to be a part of that. It's like bringing them one showing them a path and then
they are going to really come back and then they will do that.
 
Question by Dr Janardhan, Reddy
 
How can we contribute to proceed our services by opening resource centres at villages
40 kilometres away from Hyderabad?
 
Answer
 
She says she would alike to share that they have opened small libraries along,by
stating that they have  libraries in Hyderabad and small units of libraries in
Sangareddy and Rangareddy villages where they have introduced the technology
learning  for the youth. The local panchayats give the space to set up the library. And
when they  form the community together as a group of stakeholders, they also get
donations to buy the books. Otherwise adding she explains that  READ India also help
and share the model they are working with and then they can help setting up the
libraries like this. Because their libraries are in interior parts of the India and rural
areas where the children don't have access to books. They provide access to books
there and they can explore. They have 5 libraries in Hyderabad, Telangana and she
can connect with the person who has been managing this.
 
Question from Mrs Jaimala Patil
 
What is the best way to motivate college and university students to read journals and
magazines because management asked us for optimum use. It's a matter of concern.
 
Answer
 
She says that they encourage the students to write good articles and let them bring
their own journal and magazine and then they will be drawn to reading because their
article is published. That's what they are doing. They are bringing out the newsletters
and the publications by encouraging youth in the rural area. That's how they are
promoting their writing .At least one student if they publish their article which they
wrote while sitting in the library then the whole group will feel a change. They will be
motivated to come to the library and read and then they will write.

Question by Mani
 
Whether in NEP is there any mention of inculcating or enhancing the reading habits?
 
Question by Rama
 
Could you please guide about hill areas, remote areas, tribal areas beyond rural areas,
lively promotion for inculcating the reading habits which will ultimately lead towards
better literacy rate among the students. Is there any work which has been done by
READ India in the tribal areas in the country?
 
Answer
 
She explains that they have libraries in Rajasthan, Baran, Saharia tribes , Kethe Palle
and Vadapalli villages in Andhra for the tribal population. And they have trained the
tribal women to manage these libraries and they do that Now they are so expert in
getting the training calls on zoom and  also they have trained almost 50 tribal girls on
community health workers so that when the pandemic by any chance, hits again, there
should be frontline by health workers who can manage and all this has been done
through library.

 
Comments By Trinath M
Mr Trinath says that it would be good to know their book programmes every week or
fortnightly in their schools and colleges. DELNET has launched Book talk series. It’s
a book which talks and we become the listeners in that. We invite discussants or the
authors and that would be really nice if the libraries come forward in coordinating and
seeing that they invite author online or physical in their big auditoriums with the
students, everyone. They have their local discussants to whom already they have given
a print copy of the book.They will further discuss about it. And  have an author also
because that would be the most inspiring part for the youngsters. The author can
always join online and then they have a two or three discussants who are going to
discuss about that particular book. That could really help in bringing that kind of
habit. It's a habit forming thing. Once they are into a habit it's something to do with
their cognitiveness. Neurologically, they would really desire to get into that. The
power of habit is very, very strong. Once they do it, it will be much easier. Their
responsibility he states is much higher in the libraries. But this is a very good
suggestion know their book or book talk series and that they can have it in a hybrid
mode.  
 
Question by Rafique
 
Should a librarian focus on e-reading or the book reading in the physical form?
 
Answer
 
She tells that she will prefer book reading because she has been promoting and
advocating about that and her presentation had written that 69% of the population
lives in rural areas and still they don't have access to technology. She adds that they
should promote hybrid model. But first, after reading a book and then technology, let
the choice be theirs. They are no one to impose anything on that. The purpose is they
should read. How they read it's their choice.
 
Question
 
Are mobile libraries useful and what are the timings of these libraries?
 
Answer
 
Mobile libraries are open 24 x 7.
 

Question by Dr Prasad
 
We have organized Readathon contest for our students, seeking your advice on
assessment method.
 
Answer
 
She assets by saying that Dr Prasad should share their e-mail ID with them , she can
share the tools which they have developed. Now the assessment method will be really
tough, but yes she says that they do design. They have a very robust monitoring and
evaluation mechanism and for reading specially, they tell the child to read and
librarian records the voice on the mobile how good he is reading and then theh assess
it. That is the basic thing. But they have devised a particular monitoring mechanism
which she can share with Dr Prasad. 
 
Question from Jyotika
 
We have opened a library in our area but number of students are too less. How really
to inspire these students to become a part of that library and to read books?
 
Answer
 
Mobilization she says. One has to get the community meetings done. They should call
their parents. They have to call their elder brothers and sisters and motivate them for
reading. They do that because their staff in the rural areas visit the houses, conduct the
meetings with them and also organize community meetings on any topic they want.
And sometimes three generations come to the libraries. The grandmother also comes,
the mother comes and the daughter also comes to the library because they find
resources for reading. One of the women said she wants to read Quran and she don't
know how to read and she used to come to the library to learn how to read, and once
she started learning this, she started reading Quran. So that is the excitement which
comes she adds when they talk with them, they intervene with them and then they
motivate them for reading.
 
 
Comments by Mr Rajendran
 
Mr Rajendran adds that they have established a public library in Vinayakpuram. NSS
adopted a village to promote the reading habits among children.
 
Geeta
 
Miss Geeta adds that she really appreciates that. It's a mission for her now because
working for 15 years and visiting all the rural areas. She adds that she is going to
Kutch in new 2 days and she is meeting the tribal women there who are artisans, but
she adds she want to inculcate the reading habits for the children. They don't have
access as their children don't go to schools. There is a need to have interventions with
these kind of people because reading is the future for that. We do adult literacy also.
She recollects that one of the woman said that she I was not able to read anything and
she used to give wrong medicines to her children. After the interventions from READ
India now she told that she can read, at least she can give correct medicines to her
children. This is the beauty of reading.
 
Question
 
What are the best practices you are practicing to motivate school students?
 
Answer
 
She adds that she requests the principal to give the time of the school and her
volunteers and staff to  go to the school, take 5 or 10 books, read in front of the
children and then encourage the children to read in front of the volunteer. That's how
she says that they promote. They are general moral books and the children develop
interest in that.

Question from Chaitanya Das

 
How can we,as a library professional, motivate the teaching faculty to tell students
about the importance of libraries and to read?
 
Answer
 
Dr Malhotra answers that this wht she has been telling that the librarians are the
torchbearers for the community. They conduct a workshop with the school children,
talk to the school teachers, talk to the principal. One day she adds that they should
conduct workshop for them , motivate them and tell them the ways how they can
promote reading habits. It's what she and her team have been doing.
 
Question from Dr Ashok
 
Do you connect with the librarians as such, as the library professionals or in these
community centers that you are running you are having it with the local authorities.
Do we have the librarians there and what is the kind of a support that you are able to
get it from the library professionals besides from the library set ups?
 
Answer
 
She answers that they call the library professionals when they organize small
workshops, seminars and debates and they invite them to be the leaders and the
spokespersons. She adds that they explain  to them how their libraries are to be
managed or maintain because they don't get library science students in the rural areas
to manage libraries. How these librarians help tne organize these workshops and all.
It's a great support to READ India.
 
Question from Anju Gupta
 
How can we join this group READ India to contribute in reading habits?
 
Answer
 
She says to Miss Anju to write to them to how she would like to contribute because
she respects and recognize the volunteers who  comes to the team and working with
them because they who are a small team, cannot do everything in the rural areas.  She
adds that she would like to say that they have only 16 people working with them in the
head office. But they do have a network of more than 300 people who work in rural
areas and they train them how to work because they have to understand the model and
the ethos of the organisation and they engage them on a regular basis. And also she
adds they have huge volunteers working with them on this mission. She exclaims that
Miss Anju is most welcome to join them on their mission.
 
Comments
 
People here say that they may like to support READ India in the as library
professional and they are all from different nooks and parts of the country.
 
Geeta
 
Geeta says that she is pleased to listen this because she herself though qualified but is
not a library professionals . Because this mission was given to her and that she has
taken this with very positive spirits and commitment, she would like to have the
professional knowledge and expertise and guidance from all the professional librarians
to promote these libraries at a very better, higher scale.

 
Sangeeta
 
Miss Sangeeta  says that she will be happy to see if DELNET can join hands in doing
something and that they can have at least a state-wise picking up certain areas where it
already you have got their inroads and in the closer by areas they can think about
trying to see the libraries and institutions which are there and under CSR, or under
anything else are ready to do something in those particular areas. DELNET would also
be very happy to have collaboration. It can be done at a state level. In a state also they
can try to see the most vibrant places means wherein they are also able to see they
have youngsters and those kind of people who really needs a little more better hand
holding and a library support is required for them. She adds that they can have this
institution who will be taking care of at their local level.
 
 
Question by Anuradha
 
I am a librarian, Government College of education and as a practice of circular, pupil
teachers go out for macro teaching. In this regard, if I suggest the principal to adopt
ruler schools to inculcate reading habits, can you support us?
 
Answer
 
Dr Malhotra reverts to Sangeeta and says that she is  the intermediary and that she can
connect their team with them.

 
Sangeeta
Sangeet asks everybody to have a brainstorming session and she adds that is  for
everyone to note. They are certainly going to do a brainstorming session on this and
this is an issue which encountered all across the country and they have to collectively
and collaboratively handle it. She adds that they cannot be mute spectator saying that
they are not coming. They have the technology. But they have to really see that how
they can re-strategize, their own selves and they have to do the things in a very
different way. When they brainstorm together, they would not be just having one or
two options ,they will have infinite possibilities with their team and then they will
constructively work together to see to it that that are able to do the required.
 
Question
 
Small clarification for youngsters to making reading habits other than cracking
puzzles. Is there any alternate solution for them in the schools aged below 10 years,
below 5th standard. Wanting to know how really to do something for these children.
 
Answer
 
Dr Malhotra answers that when they are designing their curriculum and the timetable
for the students keep one session 30 - 45 minutes just for reading and they tell them to
repeat what they read from the book. With this one is inculcating the habit of reading
and speaking pronunciation will also be checked by them. This has to be done science,
maths whatever they do , she repeats by adding one session on reading habit every
day.
 
Thank you.
 
Question by Rakhi
 
How we can improve the situation in government schools?
 
Answer
 
She answers that in her presentation she has written that there are no librarians in the
government schools. They have to take higher secondary students as volunteers, teach
them on the library skills and then let them work with the junior students on
promoting reading habits. She said that they should be awarded with certificates or
something else so that they are encouraged to do this.
 
Sangeeta
 
Miss Sangeeta says that Mr Harinder Singh Sarkaria said that it's really wonderful to
know about reader champions mentioned in Dr Malhotra’s  presentation. She adds that
she already have practice to declare a reader of the month, one from students and one
from the faculty. Undoubtedly, it is helping us a lot. This is yet again a best practice
which everyone can think about doing it.
 
 
(Vote of thanks by Dr Kaul)