ITANAGAR, Aug 12: National Librarians’ Day was celebrated across District Libraries in Arunachal Pradesh on Wednesday to commemorate the 134th birth anniversary of Dr S R Ranganathan, widely regarded as the Father of Library Science in India, with programmes highlighting the importance of reading, libraries and librarianship in the digital age.
At the District Library, Khonsa, a two-day programme was organised at the New Age Learning Centre (NALC), bringing together students, teachers and library personnel.
The programme began on August 11 with an essay competition for school students on the themes “From Bookshelves to Bytes: The Evolution of Librarianship” and “The Legacy of Dr SR Ranganathan and Modern Librarianship”.
Addressing the gathering, ADC Namneet Singh emphasised the need to cultivate a strong reading culture among children and youth at a time when digital platforms are increasingly shaping access to information. He paid tribute to Ranganathan’s enduring contribution and said libraries continue to be important spaces for learning, reflection and intellectual growth.
He urged students to make reading a lifelong habit, stressing that despite rapid technological advancement, reading remains essential for personal development and for building an informed society.
District Library and Information Officer (DL&IO) Chaphun Sumnyan highlighted the role of public libraries as inclusive centres of learning accessible to all sections of society. She also underlined the importance of the Public Libraries Act and called for a strong and well-supported public library system to promote reading, strengthen education and contribute to community development.
Prizes, certificates and books were distributed to the winners of the essay competition by Namneet Singh.
Noni Bangyang of RKSM Girls’ School secured the first prize, followed by Lamwang Phuksa of Govt Pinewood Secondary School and Ayang Lego of RKSM Girls’ School in second and third positions respectively.
At Bomdila, the District Library organised a storytelling competition for Class XI and XII students of Government Higher Secondary School, Bomdila, to mark the occasion.
Paying floral tribute to Dr Ranganathan, DL&IO Lobom Tamin highlighted his life, achievements and notable contribution towards transforming libraries in India into more systematic and user-friendly institutions. He also stressed the significance of reading habits in students’ lives and urged participants to cultivate regular reading habits.
Trade Development Officer Dr Mekori Dodum encouraged students to make use of such platforms to learn, express themselves and build confidence. She advised them to maintain sincerity and work hard, describing these as key ingredients for a successful career.
District Youth Officer Ateet Solanki also spoke about the importance of libraries and librarianship in society.
Students narrated stories on various themes, including self-composed stories carrying social messages. Samail Leyak of Class XI (Arts) secured the first position, while Gumsing Yayir Rawa of Class XI (Science) and Bharat Sharma of Class XII (Arts) secured the second and third positions respectively.
At Ziro, the District Library organised a special programme attended by students, local leaders and community members, focusing on the relevance of libraries and the importance of developing a sustained reading culture among young people.
DL&IO Joram Taga announced a month-long free membership drive up to August 31 to encourage students to develop regular reading habits. Prizes were also distributed to winners of an essay competition held earlier at Lal Bahadur Shastri Govt Upper Primary School.
Students were taken on a guided tour of the library, where they explored books on local history and culture, travel and geography, as well as fiction beyond their regular school curriculum.
Trade Development Officer Tai Arun shared his personal experiences with the students and spoke about overcoming early difficulties and academic challenges before clearing the state public service examination. Encouraging the children to aim high, he offered to bear library membership fees for 25 local students.
Eingko Foundation founder Tage Onia urged students to challenge themselves to complete at least one book every month. He also highlighted emerging career opportunities in library and information science.
The celebrations across the district libraries reaffirmed the continuing relevance of libraries as centres of knowledge, education and community engagement. The programmes also underscored the role of librarians in nurturing reading habits and ensuring access to knowledge, while encouraging the younger generation to embrace reading as a lifelong pursuit.