Where have all those Libraries disappeared?

How important are Libraries?

Inside each book hides a kernel,

Within that kernel is a germ

And within that germ is an idea,

An idea that grows into a tree!

And where there are many books, 

There are many ideas, ideas, 

That drive change, change 

That bears new thought!

Behind each new thought is a library,

A powerhouse of change,

 A melting pot of ideas,

And driver of inventions!

The Library is one of the oldest Institutions of knowledge and that it is on its way out is a matter of great concern for all human beings, educationists, students, parents and book lovers. What was once a refuge for bookworms, a centre for learning and perhaps even a meeting place for lovers has now become a derelict space that is haunted by the ghosts of the past. Libraries were once centres of learning in all schools and colleges and having a well-stocked library was certainly a matter to brag about. One visited the library to access all kinds of information pertaining to research topics, and in the process, one might even bump into an odd friend or two. Even while browsing through reference books one might revel in the scent of books and wood thrown together, or even borrow a novel to read at home.

Nothing can beat the immersive experience of sitting in the library, soaking in the scents of all those books, being part of the rather solemn atmosphere that is the source of inspiration so divine. Sinking into the sofa, reading from the Scientific American Magazine, or browsing through a National Geographic Magazine can be most uplifting! For students studying in schools it this immersive experience (that can be found only in the library) that provides them with knowledge, academic and social, it teaches them about interpersonal skills, it makes them emotionally strong, it teaches them to be sensitive in life, besides, it teaches students about human relationships. One of the strongest advantages of a library is that it makes us more Human and Humane! The library is to the student what the soul is to the heart! In these days of artificial intelligence, machine learning, virtual reality and augmented reality, it is the libraries in schools and colleges that offer us the dignity to be human. Libraries have been and still are important sanctuaries for all kinds of people. They offer us safe spaces to meditate, introspect, mull over things, and perhaps even provide us with solutions! Writers and poets, scientists and artists are more likely to be inspired while sitting in the library than in front of the screen of their laptops.

My first library was in the Arbaminch Comprehensive Senior Secondary School in Arba Minch, Ethiopia. This was a well-stocked library that had been funded with aid from the USA. At the age of nine I was introduced to a series of books in the library by my father that described the lives of animals from the animal's point of view. Although there were many titles in this series, two that stand out include Kpo the Leopard and Tarka the Otter. After completing the series (which were more than fifteen) I moved on to Hardy Boys, Nancy Drews, and Ken Holts, besides Nesbit, Enid Blyton, Jack London and Sir Henry Rider Haggard.

For me, the school library was a refuge, a place for learning and a place to pass time for me to fall back on in times of boredom. There were no TVs nor Cinemas in those times. The only pass times in those days were listening to music, reading books, evening drives into the forest and weekend fishing trips to the Chamo Lake to fish for Nile-Perch ( but then the trips were infrequent). At times, I remember poring through the encyclopedia, DIY books, Science Project books, History books and even textbooks. Besides my father who carefully selected the books that I should read, the librarians made sure to ask me what each book was about right after I returned it. I guess, they were surprised at the speed with which I was decimating the books. Later when the revolution took place and Emperor Haile Selassie was replaced by Comrade Mengistu Hailemariam, I took to reading the books that were taken off the shelf because of a change of regime. One of the off the shelf books had something to do with Lij Tafari Makonnen who would later become Haile Selassie the deposed Emperor.

Later when my parents got transferred to Addis Ababa, the Capital city of Ethiopia I became a member of the British Council Library. It was 1983 when I became a member of the library and the number of books that I had access to simply increased tremendously. This was a library where one had access to books of a wide variety. Today I am a member of the British Council Library in Delhi and the scope of books has increased. I have access to not only books and magazines, but also E-Journals,  and DVDs. It is embarrassing, however, to realise quite often that a few of the books borrowed by me have already been read. I do have a Kindle with me, (A thoughtful gift from the school) but then, I confess, I'd rather have a book to read!

A list of some of the writers that have fascinated me includes, J.G.Ballard, John Wyndham, Sir Henry Rider Haggard, E.Nesbit, Enid Blyton, H.G. Wells, Alistair Maclean, Andy McNab and so on. A few of these would be classical writers by now I guess! Everyone makes a start at reading at some time in life and it should be the prerogative of parents and teachers to inculcate this habit. The adage, "Reading makes a [Man/Woman] perfect" rings true even today! Students can increase their vocabulary by reading books, they learn to empathise better, and without doubt, reading enables students to express themselves better. It is for this reason that all schools should have a central library that caters to students of all grades. The central library should ideally be stocked with books, magazines, newspapers and even reference books but certainly not E-Books because E-Books and E-Journals can, in any case, be accessed by students at home. If actual books are on the way out then, it is the schools' responsibility to preserve the rich heritage of printed books for posterity and for students of the future to savour and cherish. An unfortunate and alarming trend lately has been to downsize and even limit the size of the library, sometimes closing it for senior students of grade eighth onwards.

Students who pick up the reading habit from grades one to fourth often lose interest because of the paucity of good libraries with books of their choice. By the time the student reaches grade ten or eleven, the reading habit would have disappeared. In many cases, schools, parents and teachers are to blame for this lack of interest in students of senior classes. Schools should attempt to revive the reading habit at grade ten to twelve levels by providing students with a well-stocked library that is welcoming, inviting and fun to be in. The lack of a proper reading environment in school and at home is a major reason why students of grades tenth to twelfth lose interest in reading. For a generation that has fed itself on books, it is a tragedy that books are no longer the craze!