Samagra Shiksha initiative aims to strengthen school libraries and promote a reading culture among primary school students
Shimla: A two-day district-level Master Trainers (MTs) workshop on Library Management and Reading Activities was organised at the District Institute of Education and Training (DIET), Shamlaghat, Shimla, under the Samagra Shiksha initiative. The workshop was conducted jointly by Samagra Shiksha and Room to Read with the objective of strengthening library management in government primary schools and developing regular reading habits among children.
A total of 63 participants, including three Master Trainers from each of the district’s 21 education blocks, attended the programme.
The workshop was inaugurated by District Coordinator Dr Sanjeev Kumar Sharma and Chandrakanta, Lecturer at DIET Shimla. Addressing the participants, they highlighted the importance of well-organised and functional school libraries in promoting children’s creativity, language skills, knowledge and reading interests. Dr Sharma emphasised that an active library plays a vital role in nurturing curiosity and encouraging children to develop a lifelong habit of reading.
During the first day, participants were introduced to key concepts such as the meaning of reading, how children learn to read and the importance of quality children’s literature in the foundational years. Sessions also covered the concept and different models of child-friendly libraries, Children’s Library Management Committee (CLMC), the process of developing an Ideal Book Collection (IBC) and book levelling.
The second day focused on practical reading activities that can be conducted in school libraries, including Read Aloud, Shared Reading, Pair Reading and Independent Reading. Participants were also trained in post-reading extension activities, the Check-In Check-Out (CICO) book lending system and maintaining proper library records at the school level.
Other important topics included parental and community participation in library management, the teacher’s role as a reader and facilitator, the Library Rating System (LRS) and the use of Digital Nudges to improve the effective functioning of school libraries.
Focus on Child-Centred Reading Practices
The workshop placed special emphasis on introducing child-centred reading techniques to develop interest in books among students. Participants were encouraged to ensure the availability of age-appropriate and level-based storybooks and motivate children to select books according to their interests. The approach aims to provide children with greater opportunities for voluntary reading and regular engagement with school libraries.
District Coordinator Dr Sanjeev Kumar Sharma and Deepak Kanyal from Room to Read served as resource persons and conducted various interactive and practical training sessions on effective library management and reading activities.
Following the workshop, the trained Master Trainers from all 21 education blocks will further train one teacher from every government primary school in their respective blocks. This cascading training initiative aims to extend the benefits of the programme to all government primary schools across the district.
The initiative is expected to make school libraries more vibrant and functional while fostering regular reading habits, greater interest in books and a strong reading culture among children.
