Pick Up Reading Thanks To Library Vans That Go Around Maharashtra Delivering Books To Your Doorstep

Being on social media has its advantages and disadvantages. When was the last time you picked up a book (physical copy) and read it? With the advent of technology, people's reading habits have changed a lot. But there is nothing like reading the old style! And bringing and inculcating that reading habit in people's lives are a bunch of IT professionals who started a campaign.

Image Courtesy: newindianexpress
Called Let's Read India, the campaign aims at taking libraries to the people. Making use of mobile library vans, books reach your doorstep. It started a few months ago and it has garnered a really good response. In a short span of time, the libraries have grown 10 lakh books strong with a wide variety of subjects.
Prafulla Wankhede, one of the founders of the campaign, told New Indian Express, “Our primary objective is to bring this WhatsApp and social media generation back to books. We want to rekindle the reading habit and culture among them. It will make them better educated and more civilised citizens." 

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These vans go to remote places in Maharashtra where there is a lack of such facilities. He added, "We want to reach out to every person who wants to read a book. We have three mobile libraries now. People can borrow books for a week for free with only one condition: the borrower should submit a 300-word review about the book to be able to take a second book." This review submission policy encourages people to actually read a book rather than the books just sitting on shelves eating dust.The process of borrowing books is quite simple. They can connect with Let's Read India over their social media or their website and even their app. All this enables people to know the location of the van which can be tracked by GPS. Each book has a QR code and the library makes weekly visits to certain locations.

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Before the pandemic hit us all, their plan was to start this initiative in Maharashtra, Goa, and Madhya Pradesh. But when the pandemic clutched us all, they shifted focus on Maharashtra only and aimed to reach every village in the state in the next two years. It is after that they will move to the rest of the country.
Not only do they offer books to read, but also suggest people as to what they should read or they wish to read. Reading will certainly help in their personal and professional growth. They even have plans to start a YouTube channel where esteemed authors' speeches and reviews and interviews will be played.
If you wish to read and know more about them, you can visit their website for more details.
So, let's read India!
News Source: New Indian Express
Cover Courtesy: New Indian Express