Let’s celebrate the culture of giving away books! - EDITORIAL

Psychologists have maintained  that when children start the habit of reading books early in life, it enhances their power of critical thinking and being innovative. The content in books also generate new questions and also produce the answers to them

There were past governments which tried to introduce tabs to be used in school education. Some schools benefited through this method, but not all. Still most schools in the island use books in paper form and even maintain libraries. It is in this context that we must analyse the importance of buying books or even gifting them. What’s enlightening is that there is an ‘International Book Giving Day’ and its falls today (February 14). 

‘International Book Giving Day’ has been celebrated across the world since 2012. A group of volunteers began celebrating this day by donating books to the needy. Emma Perry, a children’s author in the UK, is the present organiser of this day. As many as 44 countries celebrate this day throughout the world. 

One of the points underscored on this day is that there are children in the world who don’t even own a single book. Hence the need to donate a book; regardless whether it is a brand new one or used one. Books can be donated to school or provincial libraries. Though as many as 44 countries in the world mark this day, one wonders whether Sri Lanka celebrates this day. 

During the point in history when the outside world and our neighbourhood were larger than our ‘smartphones’, reading books and owning them was a fad. Then books slowly faded into a past history and people eventually started reading whatever they wanted on the screens of their mobile phones. Recent articles in print media however, bring us some good news about physical books. In recent newspaper articles, bookstore managers and owners have said that ‘people are getting back to books’ which is great to hear. 

Books may not have the potential to sideline Valentines’ Day which also falls on February 14. But this is an attempt by this writer to put ‘International Book Giving Day’ on the Sri Lankan calendar.

Books don’t possess the power to have an overwhelming presence over all the celebratory items laid out on supermarket stores for Valentines’ Day. But if you find that your valentine is a book reader and has a large heart to donate books to the needy, you can consider yourself as having found your soul mate. 

Psychologists have maintained that when children start the habit of reading books early in life, it enhances their power of critical thinking and being innovative. The content in books also generate new questions and also produce the answers to them. Hence one of the points underscored during ‘International Book Giving Day’ is to ‘increase the access children have to books. 

It is when doing research in the context of donating books that we came across a social group that maintains a network of libraries across this blessed island nation. This service is known as Sky Libraries Network. It was commenced taking ‘baby steps’ and some of the libraries began as bookshelves maintained at homes. By the end of 2008 a library serving this cause was established. At present there are 20 such libraries functioning under the umbrella of Sky Libraries Network in Sri Lanka. Their work and history can be traced when visiting their page on Facebook. All we can say is kudos to such an initiative. 

So give a book to the needy or consider donating one to a library on this day, dedicated to giving away a publication. A book is a different world and those who enter them vouch that there is life-changing content in them.