Libraries spread knowledge and awaken society

Librariesindicate oceans of knowledge. There is malicious propaganda that when one has IPhones, Ipads, tablets and laptops, where is the necessity of libraries. But the fact is that 62 per cent of the Indian population is digitally illiterate. Many great writers, poets, novelists, philosophers have contributed wonderful works to the global populace. Aristotle, Plato, William Shakespeare, Karl Marx, Frederick Engels, Williams Wordsworth, Charles Dickens, Leo Tolstoy, Maxim Gorky, Rabindranath Tagore, Munchi Premchand, Rahul Sankrityayan, M N Roy, Swami Vivekananda, and Jiddu Krishnamurti, among other equally illustrious achievers, whose woks remain eternally inspirational. If we mention names of great authors it will become a book running into thousands of pages.

The fact of the matter is that the knowledge imparted by them can reach only those who can afford to purchase software items. There are millions of brilliant rural and urban poor people, who cannot afford them. Here emerges the importance of libraries, which are open for such people.

In independent India there was a great movement for establishment of libraries along with myriad literacy campaigns.

Book exhibitions are not merely commercial events; they are social, educational, and cultural necessities. In an age dominated by digital distractions and declining reading habits, such exhibitions play a vital role in building an enlightened and democratic society.

Importance of book exhibitions:

1. Promote reading culture: They cultivate reading habits among children, youth, and adults, encouraging critical thinking

2. Democratise knowledge: Book exhibitions bring books closer to people, especially students, workers, women, and rural communities

3. Strengthen education: Direct access to books complements formal education and supports self-learning

4. Preserve culture and languages: They protect regional languages, progressive literature, and people’s history from commercial neglect

5. Encourage progressive thought: Exhibitions promote scientific temper, secular values, and democratic ideas, countering misinformation

6. Support authors and small publishers: They provide visibility to independent writers and small publishers, resisting corporate monopoly

7. Create community spaces: Book exhibitions act as platforms for discussions, debates, and cultural exchange. A society that reads is a society that questions, understands, and progresses.

Book exhibitions are essential tools for social awareness, cultural continuity, and democratic empowerment. They must be actively encouraged by governments, educational institutions. The world today is deeply interconnected. The importance of the world is in common existence and shared responsibility.

Common destiny of humankind-Global peace and security:

Wars, expansionism, militarism, terrorism, manufacture of nuclear armaments, establishment of nuclear plants and terrorism threaten world peace and security. This will lead to mass destruction and human genocide. Every nation and every human being should raise their voice for world peace. This has become vital for survival of human beings all over the world. Nations depend on each other on trade, labour power, science, researches, innovations, technology and above all resources. Mutual cooperation will ensure sustainable development. Every nation should raise its voice against the remnants of colonialism and neo-colonialism. Climate change, pollution (ground, water, air and sound), and ecological imbalance, among other factors will damage the lives of major sections of creatures on earth. Hence every nation has to play a positive constructive role in raising their voice for a clean and green world.

Biodiversity will be maintained. Every citizen on the planet should feel their own individual responsibility. Science, knowledge, culture, and education research should be mutually exchanged, and social justice must be maintained through principles of natural justice.

Poverty, hunger, inequality, and all manifestations of exploitation should be eradicated collectively, while people-centric solutions must be evolved in earnest.

Above all, the International Court of Justice, the World Health Organisation and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) should become effectively functional. Above all, human values should dominate over profit motives so that democracy, secular values and human rights are protected. One must remember that a society that reads is a society that questions, understands, and progresses. The biggest facilitators toward this are libraries, which ought to be actively encouraged by governments, educational institutions, and people’s organisations.

(The writer is Chairman of Central Control Commission, CPI)