April 23 is celebrated as the World Book Day worldwide by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). The main purpose of this celebration is to engage people to read more and more books, ignite a love for reading, and inspire the readers to explore new topics, fields, formats and genres. Along with the World Book Day, UNESCO celebrates Copyright Day.
To meet such goals, UNESCO carries out several programs including donating books, holding discussions about the books that change life of the people, and more than anything else, foster an addiction to a lifelong love to literature and reading.
A book is the best friend of a man. It gives you everything – knowledge, enlightenment, vision, and intellect.
– Khurshid Alam, Editor-in-Chief, Contemporary Literary Review India
As soon as we mention about books, we think of the libraries. A library is a house of books. A student should always inculcate a habit of visiting libraries – school library, college library, university library, or public libraries. Libraries archive a large number of books, journals, magazines, newspapers, documents, and other kinds of written records on all topics and subjects. There are readers who read books on various topics, even if a topic is not the study area for them. This is possible only in a library. This not only boosts immense knowledge of various subjects but also empowers them with interactive and analytical skills. Generally, anyone can become a member of public libraries on paying a fee and hence can read books in the reading room or even borrow books for a certain period.
Delhi Public Library (Delhi), Nehru Memorial Museum and Library (Delhi), Parliament Library of India (Delhi), Sahitya Kala Akademi Library (Delhi), Maulana Azad Library (Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh), Allahabad Public Library (Allahabad, UP), Raza Library (Rampur, U P), Khuda Baksh Oriental Library (Patna, Bihar), The National Library of India (Kolkata), Connemara Public Library (Chennai), Saraswati Mahal Library (Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu), Anna Centenary Library (Chennai), State Central Library (Hyderabad), Seshadri Memorial Library (Bangalore), State Central Library (Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala), Krishnadas Shama Central Library (Goa), Asiatic Society of Mumbai, David Sassoon Library (Mumbai), Smt. Hansa Mehta Library (Baroda, Gujarat), and British Libraries are some of the popular libraries in India.
Now-a-days, online libraries are also coming up in large number. National Digital Library of India is one of the best resources.
