Neil Gaiman writes, “libraries are about freedom, freedom to read, freedom of ideas, freedom of communications, about entertainment, about making safe spaces and about access to information. A library is a place of safety. A haven from the world, its a place with librarian in it”
Truly, a library is a space which is created for anybody to freely enter inside to read books of their choice and exchange books. It is a space where ideas, thoughts can be shared with the multilingual communication. It is a space where the children can swim into the pool of different kinds of books. With this imagination in mind, we have set up a library for the children from grade 1 to 6 in Swami Vivekananda School, Borim, Ponda. Well, this wouldn’t have been possible without the support of Cipla Foundation, management of school, Principal, teaching and non-teaching staff and our dear children.
22th November 2019 was the day which was chosen for the inauguration. This blissful occasion was graced by the presence of our Chief Guest of event Mr. Rajesh Sawant (Site Head of Cipla Kundaim and Head of Aerosol technology) and Santosh Despande, Mrs. Sunit Desai (HM of the Pre-Primary and Primary school of Swami Vivekananda School), Deepak Naik (Teacher from the Higher Secondary Section of Swami Vivekananda), Diksha Patil and Yogita Chari (Teachers of Swami Vivekananda School), Sujata Noronha (Director Of Bookworm).
The highlight of the program was the children of grade 1 to 4 who performed in front of the guests and the school. The children demonstrated some of the library practice which they experience in the library sessions.
Our intention is that the ownership of both the physical space and what happens within it should come from the children. As library educators we are only there to facilitate. Towards this end, the art work in the library is a combination of our work and the children. Two large murals adorn the walls. One by the team at Bookworm facilitated by Isa … and the other by the children of std 1 to 4.
The planters in the windows are hand painted by Bookworm and we hope the plants will be kept alive by the children
The curation of books comes from the BW library and we trust that the children will keep making requests and read widely and thoughtfully.
We set up the library and we now hope that the words of Varda One come true for the students of SVS school.
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