Library as classroom activity in
Primary Education
Introduction
“The child shall have the right to freedom of
expression; this right shall include
freedom to seek, receive and impart
information and ideas of all kinds,
regardless of
frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in
the form of art , or through any other
media of the child’s choice.”
(U..Convention on the Rights of the Child,
Article 13(1), 1989)
UESCO School Library Manifesto,
“The school library provides
 information and ideas that are
fundamental to functioning successfully
in today’s information and knowledge
based society.
 The school library equips students with
lifelong learning skills and develops the
imagination, enabling them to live as
responsible citizens”
Library services to primary
children in Kendriya Vidyalayas
Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan gives due
importance to its school libraries.
In the line
of CBSE School Library Guidelines, it charted out
a policy for the vidyalaya libraries
in 2007.& 2012 To provide library services to
primary children, there is a provision of class
libraries from Class One to Five.
The Common Minimum Programme (CMP) for
Qualitative Improvement of the Primary
Education also emphasizes the functioning of
class libraries.
CLASS LIBRARIES
Class library is a concept of
 allocating a space within the classroom
for displaying a variety of literature.
 It provides ready access and function
as activity centers to energize
classrooms
Class Libraries
The Library Policy for Kendriya Vidyalayas,
2007 /2012 and CMP for Qualitative
improvement of the Primary Education
articulate that the Class libraries will be
under the charge of class teachers.
 The class teacher will get books from the
main library, which will be in accordance
with the standard and interest of the age
group of the children of the class
concerned.

They should be attractively displayed in
modulated cupboards having aluminum
frame and transparent acrylic sheet
cover.
 The teacher would maintain a register
regarding the issue of books to the
students so that he/she can keep track
of the books read and students are not
given books they have already read.

Maintenance of the note book
 name of the book read,
 its author
 and a brief account of the content

Selection of books
class libraries will also be done by a
committee
 comprising of H.M.,
 Librarian,
 Class teacher,
 two other teachers
 and two students who will be nominated
by the principal.

National Curriculum Framework
2005
highlights the importance of libraries that
should serve as a place for holding
discussions,
 story- telling and
 should have a child friendly ambience
with a positive ethos,
 good lighting and seating arrangement.

Role of Teacher

· He/she plays a dynamic role to motivate and
educate teachers about the functionality of
class libraries.
· He/she can help teachers ideate and make
some persuasive slogans, advertisements for
books, write abstracts, prepare learning logs,
charts, plan activities around the books.
· He/she shall ensure that there is not only
circulation of books in class libraries but also
the resources prepared by a teacher are
shared
Problems and possible solutions
Quality of children’s books available
is not as per standards
 Number of books not adequate
 Unavailability of Hindi Books
 Same books for the same class for
the whole year
 Teachers not getting enough time
 No storage space

Library Activities :making them
ready to learn
The National Curriculum Framework, 2005 gives
greater importance to
activity oriented teaching and learning.
KVS calls for proficiency in languages in primary
education along with the former aspect.
Where as the CMP for Qualitative Improvement
of the Primary Education suggests to design
the
pedagogical practices in such a way that the
child should transit from
‘learning to read’ to ‘reading to learn’.
1.Activity: Storytelling
The story may be told either by the
teacher or a student to the class.
 Outcome: It provides motivation for
follow-up reading, either because the
storyteller mentions the source of the
story, or the author, or in some other
way gives the cue for further activity.

2.Activity: Reading Aloud
it is effective in rendering the rhythm and
‘ear appeal’ of poems.
 Outcome: Improves the reading and
communication skills of the students
and attract them to the read out poems
or stories.

3.Activity: Book Talks or Book
discussions
A carefully selected, complete episode
from a book accompanied by
suggestions of related books is
presented and discussed.
 Outcome: Children get an in-depth
knowledge about book and other
information sources available on that
subject area.

4.Activity: Book reviews and book
annotations
Students write book reviews about the
books they issued from the class library
in their library notebooks.
 Outcome: Development of writing
and analytical skills.

5.Activity: Bulletin boards
A “Class Library Bulletin Board” can be placed in the primary
section exclusively for class libraries. Information regarding
 class-wise list of monthly library activities,
 new book lists form the main library,
 selected book reviews or write-ups by students
 reading lists (prepared by teachers),
 and pupil’s book recommendations,
 as book of the week/month,
 Author of the week/month, etc are displayed.
 Newspaper clippings on interested topics can also be shown.
 Each class can be given the duty of maintaining the bulletin
board in a weekly or fortnightly basis.
Outcome: Provides publicity for class library activities.
Students get a
place for displaying their creative talent.

6.Activity: Open shelf for Children’s
magazines and newspapers
Children’s periodicals (e.g.: champak, tinkle,
etc), children’s newspaper supplements
(e.g.: ‘Young World’ of The Hindu)and copies
of newspapers are kept in an open shelf in
the primary block.
 Outcome: Increases reading habit and
imbibe the habit of sharing.

7.Activity: Reading programmes
Reading days
 Reading week
 Stage conversations, Dramatizations
and puppets
Outcome: Students become more
inclined towards reading and
participation in stage programmes will
boost their confidence

8.Activity: Competitions and
Awards
These competitions are conducted as
part of school CCA programme or
separately in the class rooms.

- Book Review competition

- Book games and Literary Quiz

Designing of Book marks , book
jackets and posters on library themes
 Reading/ Storytelling competition

News Reading competition
 Favorite Book Contest
 Library themes
themes such as
 -The book that has influenced me most
 -Books I would give as gifts
 -Why Read?
 -Authors from our state/country
 -Why I like adventure stories
 -My favourite magazines/newspapers
 -Books read more than once
 -The kind of book I do not like

Best Reader Award
 Best Class Library Award

Outcome: Motivation to students and
teachers to take part in more library
and reading related activities
9.Activity: Exhibitions and
Displays
Independence Day,
 Republic Day,
 Gandhi Jayanthi,
 Bal Diwas
Outcome: Great personalities and
important events can be remembered
and reading about them makes the
students well informed.

10.Activity: Tours
Visiting main library
 Tours can be also arranged to the local
public or academic libraries, museums,
galleries and book shops.
 Outcome: Children get an idea about
resources which are kept in the
local(public/academic) libraries and
institutions. They became familiar with
book shops

11.Activity: Online information
sources, its search and evaluation
Students are now exposed to huge
amount of online information through
internet. Finding the required information
is a skill that to be taught.
 Outcome: Knowledge about online
information sources and its critical
evaluation. The activities impart the idea
of using Internet as a tool along with
printed resources to find information

12 Activity: Installation and
Screening of CDs/VCDs/DVDs
Class teachers select VCDs/DVDs on
Science and environment(eg. TERI),
animated stories, poems, cartoons and
language skills from the multimedia
collection of the main library and
screen them in the resource room on a
weekly or monthly basis.
 Outcome: Awareness of current
scientific and environmental issues.
 Learning becomes more enjoyable in a
multimedia environment.

13 Activity: Community
Resources
Community resources are
 Human,
 Institutional
 and Material resources

Human Resources

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Parents who are working in different professions
such as
lawyers,
engineers,
doctors,
scientists,
media persons,
artists,
counselors,
psychologists,
bank officers,
post masters,
socialworkers etc are invited into classes.
Institutional resources
such as museums,
 galleries,
 factories,
 farms,
 offices etc are also visited by the
students.

Outcome:
Students will get knowledge about
various professions and
 career opportunities.
 They understand social, cultural and
institutional structures of the world outside
the school.

14 Activity: Information Literacy
skills
Information literacy is the ability
 to locate pertinent information,
 evaluate its reliability,
 analyze and synthesize the information
to construct personal meaning and apply
it to informed decision making

Information literacy skills
Primary children are:
 -knowing ‘information’
 -knowledge about information resources
 -knowledge about library rules
 -parts of a book
 -care of a book
 -how to use dictionaries, thesaurus and encyclopaedias
 -how to prepare indexes and bibliographies
 -how to take notes and refer
 -how to use periodicals and newspapers
 -library classification
 -how to search the library OPAC
 -how to search and evaluate the internet/online resources
Outcome:
Acquiring information literacy skills
 and preparation for using the main
library.

15 Activity: Class Library
Newsletters
The newsletter contains information regarding
monthly library activities,
 competitions and exhibitions planned,
 Competition winners,
 best reviews by the students and teachers,
 Book recommendations,
 reading lists and photographs of activities.
 The publication responsibility is rotated among
classes and
 students are deputed as editors.
It is released in the school assembly and circulated in
the school.

Outcome:

Library publicity and creative
learning.
16.Activity: Using Weblogs (Blogs)
Blogs are web diaries where posts are
appeared in a reverse chronological
order.
 Blogger,
 Type pad
 and Word press

Outcome:
Students and teachers familiarize
with web technologies and its
 possibilities in teaching and learning.

Basic requirements
Proper planning is a must.
Relationship between class teachers and
librarians should be cordial.
 A functional Class library committee
 and a Book Selection Committee having
members with keen interest and
imagination are positive factors.
 Continuous communication among
Principal, HM and class teachers in this
regard will boost the
cause.


Evaluation
Periodical evaluation of the functioning
of class libraries should be conducted.
 The number of books circulated and the
details of activities conducted in every
class shall be recorded.
 The effectiveness of the activities should
be checked and if not
 satisfactory, they must be restructured.

Preparation of Class library
Programm
a class library programme should be
prepared every year.
 The programme should clearly mention
the aim, current status, date wise
activities, outcomes, evaluation and
future plans.
 Properly planned and effectively
implemented class library programme
will be the base for library services for
primary children.
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Conclusion
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A child in his growing age needs books and libraries.
It enriches his/her reading experiences and develops
skills as independent learners.
Age specific strategies should be followed to
introduce them the information skills that should be
practiced through out their school career.
A well planned Class library programme,
Functional class libraries, creatively designed and
well executed library activities and proper evaluation
make students lifelong learners.
CMP for Qualitative improvement of the Primary
Education gives ample space for libraries.
The teachers and librarians have to make it a reality.
Reference
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1. Chartered Institute of Library and Information
Professionals(CILIP): Primary School Library
Guidelines, London, 2002
Fargo, Lucile F.: Activity book for school libraries,
American library Association Chicago, 1938
IFLA: UNESCO/IFLA School Library Manifesto, 2000
Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan: Library Policy for
Kendriya Vidyalayas, 2007,2012
Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan: Common Minimum
Programme (CMP)For Qualitative Improvement of
the Primary Education, 2008
Leopold, Carolyn Clugston: School libraries worth
their keep: a philosophy plus tricks, Scarecrow Press
Inc., NJ, 1972
Web reference
1 www.cilip.org.uk
 2 www.ifla.org
 3 www.kvsangathan.nic.in
 4. www.unesco.org/webworld/libraries/
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