Bookworms still thronging to District Library in Guwahati

No apps can combat with the real books

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The world is evolving fast and we have entered a new techno age filled with endless possibilities. Science has taken us to an era where we get most of our work done with a few swift taps in our smart phones. The amazing gadget has made the universe open for us to explore.

“Ok, Google” has come up with the answer to all our queries with just a voice command while apps like Youtube have opened up a gamut of knowledge, one that we can never finish ingesting. However, all that will never stop a few avid readers from sitting down quiet in a nook, drifting off into a different world with every word in the book.

The Guwahati District Library has revealed the reader statistics of the past three years and one would be surprised with the results. The annual readers in the year 2016 were 23056, while in 2017, it rose to 25460 and finally in 2018, the readers further increased to 25608. This proves the old adage “a book is a dream that you hold in your hand” stand correct. There will never be a dearth of bookworms so long as great books remain.

However, apps like kindle have made most books available on a phone screen with many perks that can be read at any moment. But such app too cannot take away the feel and pleasure of holding a book and reading it. Moreover, for any book lover, the sense of wonder never ceases when they are surrounded by great books.

With the increase in the number of readers, the Guwahati District Library added 44979 books in 2016, 46128 books in 2017 and 48626 books in 2018. The sections include the ‘Reading and Reference Section’, the ‘Science and Technology Section’, and the ‘Physically Handicapped Section’, where the book lovers can bury their noses in. Officials of the library informed that people of all ages and every walk of life visit the library. “We get students as well as employed individuals who often spend time here buried in a book for hours on end. Although it is true that most books are available online and technology has reached far enough that we can even listen to our favourite books, yet the numbers of visitors in our library are only increasing. No apps can combat with the real books.”

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