Late entrepreneur and animator Walt Disney once said, “There is more treasure in books than in all the pirate’s loot on Treasure Island.” While many acknowledge and love Walt Disney for his extraordinary contribution to children’s entertainment and films, they often forget some simple rules that he himself lived by along with many other notable personalities. George R. R Martin, writer of the popular Game of Thrones series is quoted to have said that a reader lives a thousand lives before he dies… The man who never reads lives only one.
Reading has long since been termed as something that enhances both a person’s thinking capabilities as well as their own creativity and ability to understand and accept new ideas. It is what sets one person apart from another because it allows you to see and perceive things in a way that others might not and to escape into a world that might be a reprieve from your own thoughts and troubles. It allows you to meet different kinds of people and travel to different places without having to leave your own bed or couch, to hear different voices and speak different languages, to learn about other cultures as well as time periods, all while remaining in one place.
However, with the advent of new technology and the internet, this sacred ritual of reading seems to have been lost and forgotten, especially when it comes to the youth of today. Phones and iPads have replaced paperbacks and the fictional worlds of video games have replaced the moors of old England and the dazzling era of the Jazz Age in the minds of children today. The culture of simply reading a book in a park or by a window has long since been forgotten and in this modern day and age, everyone is in a rush, a rush to get somewhere, a rush to do something…
While countries in the West have still managed to preserve the love of reading to some extent by promoting book clubs, book cafes and libraries, Pakistan still has a long way to go. However, in recent years, efforts have been made to revive the age-old practice of reading and to foster a love for it in the hearts of the youth that are worth appreciating. One notable effort has been all the steps taken by the British Council in Pakistan, whose libraries offer a warm space for booklovers to gather and read as well as converse about books and literature. Another such step was recently taken by the Commissioner office, Karachi on the 25th of December, the 143rd birth anniversary of the country’s founder, Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
However, with the advent of new technology and the Internet, this sacred ritual of reading seems to have been lost and forgotten, especially when it comes to the youth of today. Phones and iPads have replaced paperbacks and the fictional worlds of video games have replaced the moors of old England and the dazzling era of the Jazz Age in the minds of children today
A first of its kind “street library” was inaugurated on Wednesday in Karachi in the presence of several renowned authors and diplomats as well as booklovers. Owners of old bookstores were also invited in order to further promote reading among the citizens. The library is hoped to foster a love for reading in the hearts of citizens, especially the younger generation According to Karachi Commissioner Iftikhar Ali Shallwani, the project aims to revive the habit of reading today’s digital age. It is also part of a bigger campaign to preserve the cultural and artistic lorry of Karachi. He also hopes that similar libraries can be set up across the six districts of the city. The area in front of the Metropole Building had previously been encroached land and has now finally been converted into a beautiful reading corner for its citizens. Portraits of renowned figures such as Muhammad Ali Jinnah himself, Fatimah Jinnah and Liaquat Ali Khan have been hung on the walls and the wooden shelves and benches are sure to capture the attention and hearts of anyone who passes by.
The street library is hoped to be a centre for good conversation and to provide an escape from the modern world, into one where the smell of books and paper is ones companion and confidant. Readers can enjoy cups of piping hot tea or coffee as they read and can sit for as long as they wish to read or chat about books. The books this library will house include both fiction and non-fiction, in English and Rudy, something for everyone to read and enjoy. Nowadays, while most people might prefer to read online on their phones and Kindles, this vibrant corner offers something new, a way to escape into a world where you can get the full experience that comes with reading a book that is in your hand. The library does not employ any staff since it is hoped to be run by the people of Karachi themselves in order to further foster their love of reading and literature. Apart from a single security guard, the library will house no other worker.
Another unique characteristic of the place is the “Take a book, leave a book” concept. Citizens are urged to leave a book of their own as they pick one up from the library. This is a practice that is fairly common in the West, aimed at connected readers through their love of books and allowing them to read a vast variety of books. The library currently holds about 600 books of various genre with more to be added soon. The street library has turned a relatively dull and bland corner of the city into a vibrant, colourful and welcoming spot for citizens and it is hoped that the same can be done for other such areas of the city.
Although the country still long away to go as far as fostering a love for literature is concerned- as many as 41 public libraries currently need to be restored, this certainly is a step in the right direction and deserves all the love and support it can get.
It provides a productive outlet for children to spend their free time at or for adults to spend their Sunday afternoons. The news of the street library has been like a ray of sunshine in the lives of citizens who have grown used to hearing headlines that only bring about grief and despair.
The writer is a student of marketing and can be reached at [email protected]