Poumai Naga Baptist Association begins street libraries project

Dimapur, May 12 (EMN): The Poumai Naga Baptist Association (PNBA), Youth Department, has started a project to set up a chain of street libraries around Senapati district headquarters, with an aim to provide inclusive access to books and inculcate the culture of reading.

The first chain of such libraries was inaugurated on Thursday by Mahesh Hiralal Chaudhari, Deputy Commissioner (DC), Senapati in the presence of his colleagues, students, teachers, religious leaders, civil society leaders and well-wishers, a  press release informed.

Addressing the inaugural programme, the DC lamented, “The youth are misusing their time and potential rather than focusing on pursuing knowledge through reading” and urged the citizens to ‘make use of the facilities and pick up the culture of reading in the district’.

He lauded the Youth department of PNBA for the initiative and assured every possible help to take forward the project for ‘purposeful engagement and envisioned to set up more street libraries around the district headquarters’.

Liba Hopeson, Director, Youth and Education department, PNBA, speaking at the inauguration, explained the benefits of the street library and urged citizens to extract the maximum utility by reading and contributing books. “Everyone is an owner and nobody is an owner”, stated Hopeson as he briefed on how to use the street library responsibly.

He requested the visitors and contributors to “take a book and return it within 14 days” for other readers to avail the opportunity.

The street library will serve as a space to share books, exchange ideas and appreciate knowledge with the motive to maximise the engagement of information and minimise the burden of buying books, it was informed.