Today education is no longer a system of ‘cramming and filling students minds with information but rather it is a process of self discovery encouraging them to learn on their own. It is said, “What is taught is not caught but what is read remains”. In this context school libraries have come to play a significant role in the present-day educational system. They are an integral part of the modern school setup.
My school has an excellent and well set-up library. It consists of a large hall filled with shelves, bookstands and furniture. The room is airy and spacious. More than hundred students can use it at the same time. The librarian’s office is situated at the entrance. Here one can get the catalogue and see the latest arrivals.
My school library is divided into three sections: (i). General Book’s section (ii). Students’ Reading Room (iii). Teacher’s Reference Section. The Students’ Reading Room is situated close to the entrance and leads to the general book section while teacher’s reference section is situated at the far end of the library.
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There are over ten thousand books in our library. It was established about a decade ago. Every year the school purchases a good number of books. There are books on every subject including history, geography, science, civics, commerce, English language and literature, computer, general knowledge, etc. There are also a good number of reference books.
There is the entire collection of Encyclopedia Britannica which is a real help for students. Each shelf contains a particular category of books. The stories’ section is the most sought after section of the library. The computer section in our school is said to be the best in the region. One part of the library also contains a textbook section from where students who are too poor to buy the textbooks can borrow.
Students can also borrow any book of the library with the permission of the librarian. The front section of the Library serves as Students Reading Room. It contains some newspapers and magazines. Students can read them during the recess time. The teacher’s Reference section serves both as reading room as well as a room for reading up resource books.
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Today the school syllabus and subjects being very vast, it is not possible to teach everything or deal with every aspect of the syllabus. The teacher takes only what is essential and necessary. The rest has to be discovered by students themselves.
It is in this backdrop that today school libraries have acquired importance. Education today is much more than mere textbook education. It calls for wider understanding, and requires much more reference. Moreover a good library encourages students to seek knowledge on their own. Libraries are storehouses of knowledge waiting to be used.
They instill in the young minds, the habit of reading, which will stand them in good stead in the future. The reference section helps them to clear their doubts while the reading room makes them conversant with the current affairs and day-to-day events of their country as well as of the whole world.
Thus, a good library is an asset. It widens student’s mind, improves their knowledge, clears their doubts and instills in them the habit of reading. Libraries help to make learning a self-discovery and a personal venture.
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When learning is thrust upon, hardly any learning takes place, but when the attempt is done personally, one learns a great deal. It is in this context that today school libraries have become an integral part of the present-day school setup.