Well today I could get the books I wanted from the local county Library. This is the system I like in United States of America. Each county has its own nice libraries with lot of books and it is all free. All the taxes paid (as for as I know house tax and what other tax I am not very sure) goes to the maintainance of local roads, schools and the libraries to name a few facilities for each county. (such a great decentralization) schools are also free, but it is indirectly paid for by the residents who are living in that county. Each city is divided into counties, the size of which I am not aware. Each child living in that particular county (the home address falling within that county) has to be admitted to that particular school.
Back home kids are un necessarily travelling a long distance just because parents feel a particular school is prestigious. and it is becoming such a dangerous thing as so many kids are crowded in any old van or worse an autoriksha.
Now coming to the original point of library, few of the libraries I have visited in different parts are so good and stocked with such good books and so neatly maintained.
I remember in Blore, the district libraries used to be good but now I am not aware how it is, but i know that we need many libraries so as to have a library easily accessable by all citizens . There is one place called World Culture (we call it that I don't know what is the full form as even now people call it by that name) near krishna rao park in basavanagudi, which I remember visiting as a young girl and sitting there quietly with so many lovely books around me and not knowing whcih one to read and being quiet itself for usually boistrous children was a great experience.
I think each locality has to come up with some good library as reading is so important that it opens an window to the world outside.
4 comments:
vaira muthu is a great fan of local libraries.i have read how he used to entice the librarian so that he can read books uninterrurpted.The librarian can go out and enjoy life when vairamuthu is enjoying his(reading!)
There's so much out there to be explored and so many literary works of genius for one to read in a lifetime.
As for Indian Libraries, your opinion is a bit like Marie Antoniette "if there is no bread let them have the cake"
Start with small school libraries and go from there.
But point is taken.. Quality community libraries are good for the community. In India however kids use the lending libraries a great deal more, which ain't too bad either.
Rightly said.
Libraries in India is a sorry excuse. As vinwe pointed out .. the priority might not be at the top. But this is not clear ... as there has been a significant growth in the pop. of middle and upper middle class. Maybe like you pointed out ... decentralization and an increase in local taxes can be put to good use. But with the kind of people ruling ... you never know.
Finally, with an increase in internet usage .. kids now might actually spend 0hrs reading a book. We should definetely emphasize more on reading and local libraries in school.
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