Teachers play an important role in bringing back children to libraries, says Buddha Prasad

Avanigadda MLA Mandali Buddha Prasad addressing a meeting in Vijayawada on Sunday. 
| Photo Credit: G.N. Rao

Teachers play a crucial role in inculcating and also reviving the reading habit in children, many of whom do not read any book except their guides, said Avanigadda MLA Mandali Buddha Prasad.

Participating as the chief guest in a conference organised by the Vijayawada Book Festival Society to discuss measures to rejuvenate libraries in the State, in Vijayawada on April 27, Sunday, Mr. Buddha Prasad said: “In the early 20th century, the Grandhalaya Udhyamam (The Library Movement) laid the foundation for the Andhra Movement and Independence Movement. While many of us were not born then, we have now got the opportunity to participate in a similar movement, the movement for rejuvenating libraries in the State.”

Emphasising that there are two aspects to achieving success in the movement, the MLA said the first is bringing the issues such as lack of infrastructure, vacant positions of librarians, lack of libraries in high schools to the attention of the State government and the second is to bring back children from the clutches of social media towards books and libraries.

“I have full faith in the State government that it will do its part with regard to filling vacant posts and other issues. But what use is the infrastructure when there is no one to read? Teachers play an important role in bringing our children back to libraries,” he said, adding that the State government should also recognise the need to protect Telugu.

After the bifurcation, many inscriptions, literary works, sculptures have remained in the museums in Telangana, the MLA said, adding that there is a need to bring them back to the State. “There is no State Library yet. But the government is considering setting up one soon in Amaravati. All the old and rare literary works will be brought back,” he said.

Former MLC K. Lakshmana Rao pointed out that many villages and high schools and government colleges do not have a library and many libraries do not have a librarian. He urged the State government to look into these aspects.

The conference was attended by renowned writers, who while expressing concern at the declining reading habit among children, discussed ways to revive it.