Pass the word

So,spreading the word is Vinay Somani,who began Karmayog,a unique free platform for concerned citizens,for social and civic issues five years back. The idea,says Vinay is simple,to help people who want assistance and those who have the resources,time and inclination to extend their services,to get in touch with each other. “It’s a meeting ground of two varied worlds with a common aim,a better quality of life,” Vinay has also begun an all-India campaign to “Donate books,Receive Books”,to enable any person from across the country to connect with and donate books to any public library,school,college,hospital,NGO,trust,etc. One of the aims of the campaign is to establish local links between people and organisations and make people aware that there are many people and organisations who can use and need books,magazines,CDs,etc. that are lying unused. “Every place needs books,not just libraries and reading rooms,but old people’s homes,public hospitals,orphanages,schools and colleges so that this knowledge is passed on and shared with as many people as possible,especially children who can’t afford to buy books,’’ Vinay feels collection centres should be any easily accessible place where people can stop by and donate books and could be places like a doctor’s clinic,branch of a bank,a shop,housing society office,any office or home. So if you want to pore over the idea,check http://www.karmayog.org.

At the Kitab Ghar,scores of children from the Bapu Dham Colony discover a new world in books. Last year,city-based NGO Yuvsatta,opened this library,where children are provided with story books,comics,books on basic science,computers and spoken English. “The collection is all through donations from people of the city,NRIs,organizations and corporates and a big hit here is the set of Harry Potter by the British Library,‘’ smiles Pramod Sharma,who adds that basic facilities like water,coolers,lights are also a result of donations. At the ongoing Book Voyage programme,volunteers at Kitab Ghar organize events to bring children closer to books,through talks on popular books,story-telling sessions,educational excursions. The Children’s Suitcase Library,UK is associated with Kitab Ghar,and last year,the library received around 1,000 books donated by students from schools in the UK. “In July,volunteer teachers of Children’s Suitcase are reaching Chandigarh with hundreds of more books and to also take spoken English classes in the area,’’ Pramod tells you proudly.

At the Sangeet Natak Akademi,Sector 34,the Script Bank,of Hindi,Punjabi and English plays has been built by theatre people from all over the country. “Book donation is a mission that began even before Independence,by institutions like Arya Samaj,Dav,Lajpat Rai Bhavan and also individuals and is a perfect way to share knowledge,’’ feels Kamal Tewari,who has set up the bank. “From the city,CL Ahuja and RK Bhanot have enriched our bank,smiles Tewari.’’ Elsewhere,Sector 38 (West)-based Shanta Joy recently gifted a huge collection of books by Osho to the Lala Lajpat Rai Library with the philosophy that these would be a source of information to the younger generation. Nods Harleen Kohli,who has started a book corner at Cafe Kaffee Kuchh,Sector 15,where there is a free exchange of books to encourage reading,sharing of thoughts and ideas. “ Any one can take books for reading or if they like a particular one,even for keeps,as long as they replenish the stock,’’ Harleen says they have a book of the week,discuss the book of the month. “We all have so many books in our homes that we don’t read,and we need to be more generous,’’ Kohli talks about a quaint store in Bangalore,which sells old books donated by people for Rs 10 each and uses the money to buy more books! We’re booked!