Around 50 children took a New Year resolution to read as many books as they can this year at the State Central Library here on Saturday, to flag off the library’s initiative to bring fiction back into vogue.
While five-year-old Amar, a UKG student at Loyola School, decided to read five books, 7th grader Ananya of Kendriya Vidyalaya (KV), Pattom, has set an ambitious target of 100 books.
Sangeetha, another 7th grader from KV, is planning to read more Malayalam books as she does not get to learn the language in school.
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For the benefit of young readers, the library has set up a collection of classic literature at the Children’s Section, comprising around 500 Malayalam and English titles, said P.K. Sobhana, State Librarian.
The library has plans to expand this collection over the coming year and dedicate a whole section of the library towards classic fiction, she said. Other programmes such as book discussions and movie screenings will be held over the year, along with a review of reading habits.
The move is intended to familiarise children with acclaimed writers of previous eras, who are seldom promoted today. The initiative is being undertaken in the light of dwindling numbers of fiction readers at the library, Ms. Sobhana said.
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Inaugurating the programme, film-maker Adoor Gopalakrishnan recollected memories of reading Malayalam novels by a lit oil lamp during his childhood.
“Children today do not read much, perhaps due to the abundance of facilities. Instead, they accompany their parents in watching prime-time serials that depict superstitions, ghosts, and extramarital affairs,” he said.
The popularity of such inane television programmes and movies signals a dangerous decline in cultural standards, which can be offset by going back to the classics, he said.
Amarjeet Kaur Gill, Director of Public Services at the National Library of Singapore, spoke.