The New Delhi Municipal Council will soon have four libraries which also double as reading rooms beyond school hours for students. In the first phase, the libraries will come up in four schools. The council is planning to expand the project in schools where halls are available which can be turned into reading rooms.
“The project will be inaugurated at four locations. The libraries will offer basic books. At four locations, the libraries will be developed into reading rooms. Later, we will identify schools which have the infrastructure and execute similar projects there,” said Vidushi Chaturvedi, Director of Education, NDMC.
Schools in Mandir Marg and Gole Market are the two likely locations of the four upcoming libraries.
The reading rooms will be open for students from classes 8 to 12. The libraries will function on weekdays till 5.30 pm every day. Students can also avail services of the reading room on Saturdays and Sundays.
“The reading rooms will be equipped with comfortable seating arrangements and computers as well. Children will come and spend quality time here and not just come for issuing books,” said Chaturvedi.
The council libraries will have books which will help children hone their general knowledge.
“Guides for preparing for board exams and entrance examination books will be the major collection in these libraries. The idea of setting up these libraries is to give students from lower economic background the perfect ambience to concentrate on studies. When they go back home, it is often difficult for them to prepare for their exams,” said a senior official.
The council kept a provision of Rs 150.37 crore for education services in the 2015-16 financial year.
The Education Department will soon conduct a day-long workshop, in which all council schoolchildren will come together. The workshop will focus on gender sensitisation, among other topics.
