Where books come home
If there is one day of the week that Mini anxiously waits for, it is Thursday. A mobile library brings books to children in villages near Dwarka
by Alokparna Das [Nov 29, 2009]
If there is one day of the week that Mini anxiously waits for, it is Thursday. Every Thursday at 4 p.m.,a mobile library comes to Prerna Niketan Sangh near Dwarka Sector 3. Mini's house is next door and that gives her the freedom to run down to the van,flip through the books and borrow one for the entire week. For Mini, a resident of J J Colony,going to a school is a dream come true and now that a library is available at the doorstep every week,she is gradually getting acquainted with a world that's different from her own. And she also has friends, Hema and Ramsakhi, for company. But there's one hurdles the mobile library has more titles in English than in Hindi.
"I find it a little difficult to read English but as long as I get a new book to read every week,I don't mind. If I am unable to finish reading it within one week,I can get it re-issued," she says.
Nidhi Mahajan,whose Jimmedar Nagrik Trust runs the mobile library at 10 places across villages around Dwarka and caters to around 1,000 children, is aware of Mini's problem. "I wanted children like her to read books in English as it's a language they don't speak at home or among their friends. It would only enhance their confidence level. But with the children wanting to read in Hindi,we will get more books in the vernacular medium."
The mobile library,started in April this year,operates seven days from Kakrola to Nangli villages. And NGOs like Prerna Niketan,which offers shelter,education and medical help to physically challenged children from the weaker sections,have made space available for the library in their premises.
As the Maruti Omni with Bharat Jodo slogan written all over enters the narrow lane leading to Prerna Niketan,children waiting outside announce: 'Library aa gayee,'! Inside, around 1,500 books are kept in baskets depending on their subjects as well as the age group they cater to. Children queue up to return and borrow books- all free of cost. Radheshyam is the 'studious type' who only borrows books on grammar. Hema is a little disappointed; the book on birds and animals that she wanted to read has already been issued to someone. Meenu Saxena,founder of Prerna Niketan,has a suggestion for Nidhi: The older children have fewer books for them in the library. "Right now,with limited resources,we are both buying books from Nai Sarak and also accepting old books as donations. But there's need for more number of books for both younger and older children as also in both Hindi and English," says Nidhi. "We have taken only baby steps," she smiles.
These may be small steps but they have surely helped change the world of children like Mini. With the library about to wind up,she asks for a book on fairytales next week.
Source: Indian Express
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