The Importance of Reading Books

     In this fast and techno-savvy world, the time for personal recreation has almost come to a standstill. Though at the end of a working day, some people manage to steal a few moments for some sort of relaxation, majority are making their schedules for the next day. The world has made tremendous developments in all the fields and India is not lagging far behind. For the progress of our country, we need to prepare our younger generation to the fullest. The first and foremost is to read. The joy of reading books can’t be described in words. It is something that one can understand only by actual experience.        There is much more to life than our work and spending time aimlessly with latest technology products.

     Reading books gives us that much needed break from the chaos in our life. It instills peace inside us, makes us relaxed and also exercises our brain in the process. A man is happy when he acquires the art of reading at an early age. With books a person is never lonely or bored. He is the possessor of wealth more precious than gold. Ruskin Bond, the famous writer calls books ‘’Kings’ Treasures”- treasuries filled, not with gold and silver and precious stones, but with riches much more valuable than these- knowledge, noble thoughts and high ideals.

     But the future generation appears to be going from the oral to the digital culture skipping all the process of reading and writing. Reading does not just happen. It needs to be inculcated from a very young age and as the child grows this habit will increase and bring out the potential reader in him.

     For this matter the libraries play an important role in the society. Besides providing study materials the library contains many other sources of information which are invaluable to the young students based on the individual's tastes. Teachers must encourage the students to read many books in their free time and the class time table should include a reading class where the students go to the library and read the books of their choice. Reading fires the imagination of the child. It encourages quick learning, widening imagination, curiosity and knowing new people and places. But care must be taken to ensure that whatever the child is reading is relevant or not. Reading the wrong kind of book meant for the adults can have an adverse effect in the mind of the child.

     In the school, the librarian plays an important role. The librarian is a resource person and forms a communicating link between the teachers and the students. Teachers can give the list of suggestions to the librarian and the librarian can distribute questionnaires to the students to know of their requirements.

     Likewise parents should encourage their children to develop the reading of story books and other informative books so as to broaden their knowledge. Instead of allowing their children be a couch potato with eyes glued to the television set watching unnecessary programs, they can be given books of their liking which will not only help in enhancing their knowledge but also help in learning new words and vocabulary. During birthdays and other parties of children, gifting them story books, coloring books, reference books, etc. can be helpful to the child and broaden his knowledge. Inculcating the importance of visiting a library and showing the habit of reading books in a very early age of a child can be very beneficial to the intellectual growth of a child.      

     Reading broadens the mind, helps us know about the beautiful world that we all are living in, and helps us to know and imagine the living habits, food habits, and culture and customs of people living in the different parts of the world. It not only enables the mind to think over objects of interests, which enable a person in making decisions, its food for the soul, but also nourishes the human intellect in probing things deeper, analyzing things, and provides guidance to people, to instances they have not been exposed in life. Reading is really like taking a flight to high altitudes in search of information and knowledge. Children who start reading at an early age are observed to have a good command over the language. The habit of reading also helps the reader to decipher new works and phrases that they come to in everyday conversation. Reading also helps in stimulating the mind by erasing the stress and strain of everyday life as well as stimulating the muscles of the eyes. Books are the mirror of the society because it tells us about our graceful past and conditions of the society. Reading not only has tremendous power when it comes to fueling the development of all aspects of language ability, its importance to the entirety of a human life in this day and age really can’t be overstated.

    But to read nothing but fiction is like eating nothing but sweets and cakes. As we need plain wholesome food for the body, so we must have serious reading for the mind. And for this we can choose according to our taste. Some books can be read simply for pleasure and amusements- for example good novels. But there are many noble books on history, biography, religion, travel and science which will not only gives us pleasure but also an education. People should read good poetry also as it give as noble thoughts and beautiful imaginations.

     A quote rightfully said, “A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies, says Jojen. The man who never reads lives only one".

JULIE BORAH

LECTURER/LIBRARIAN

GEA NATIONAL COLLEGE

GUWAHATI, ASSAM