Class 12 English Lesson 13 Essay: On Libraries Reference to Context and Reference beyond Text Literature Section

 Reference to the context

a.     The author says, “I was not a good pupil, but I was a good listener.” Justify it with textual evidence.

‘On libraries’ is an autobiographical essay by one of the 20th century’s greatest neurologists and authors, Oliver Sacks. In this essay, he describes his experiences of going to libraries and how successful stories shaped his personality and made his life better. He describes how he developed his deep interest in visiting libraries till he became a successful figure and how he was deeply affected by the loss of books in the libraries in the 1990s.

Oliver Sacks says, “I was not a good pupil, but I was a good listener.” That’s true. He was always absorbed in the books in the library and he got a real education from there. When he was in school, he sat in the classrooms, and merely listened to teachers but he couldn’t be convinced of what he wanted in depth from the teachers. He listened to them through one ear and blew away their sayings from another ear. However, it doesn’t mean he wasn’t active in class. He was not passive either. In terms of doing exercises, and submitting assignments he considered that he was not a good student (pupil) but he listened to them. Besides going to school, he preferably spent most of his time in the library, where he enhanced his skill of gaining knowledge from the additional books. He used to search for the things that he listened from the teachers, compare the lectures with findings, and note down the conclusion in the copies and into his mind. This kind of keen interest in reading in the library made him a good reader, and learner even though he considers himself a poor student in the classroom.

b.     A proverb says, “Nothing is pleasanter than exploring a library.” Does this proverb apply to the essay? Explain.

The given proverb, “Nothing is pleasanter than exploring a library” is quite appropriate for the essay “On Libraries”. Nothing is more satisfying than reading a book in the library with a literal companion. Oliver Sacks was a bookworm who used to spend a lot of time in different libraries in different places. He disliked school, sitting in class, and receiving instruction; information seemed to go in one ear and out by the other. He had to be active, learn for himself, learn what he wanted, and in the way which suited him best. So, he roamed the shelves and stacks of the libraries and had the freedom to select whatever he wanted. His book reading started from his library at home. All of his family members loved reading books and he was grown up in that environment. The oak-paneled library at his own home was his favorite room.

Instead of going to formal school, he preferred to read freely in the library. He especially enjoyed the library environment and the quiet companions of other readers. Best of all, he wants to sit at the library table with a pile of books in front of him. Therefore, he said that he was not a good pupil, but was a good listener who explored different libraries to gain knowledge for his academic excellence. Hence, the above proverb fits this essay.

c.      Are there any other services that you would like to see added to the library?

Yes, there are some other services that I would like to see added to the library. I would prefer different rooms for different age groups such as children, adults, and aged people because they prefer books most likely of their interest with their age. The elders may like to read about the environment, nature, culture, etc., the aged people may like to read books related to politics, ethics, philosophy, etc. and the kids would like to read stories, comics, etc. The other thing I would to see added to the library is a surveillance camera. Many people tear the books or even take them with them which other readers are affected. Hence to prevent these bad activities in the library, a surveillance camera should be fitted. Good furniture to read books on is also an essential thing to be added to the library. Readers may feel bored reading at the tables. So, a small garden in the backyard of the library may be useful to remove the reader’s tiredness. I would also like to see a cafe added to the library because people who love reading for long hours in the library may get hungry, then they can enjoy reading by eating something, which can quench their hunger. These are the certain services that I would like to see added to the library.

Reference beyond the text

a.            Write an essay on Libraries and their uses for students.

Libraries and their Uses for Students

A library is a place where books and sources of information are stored. They make it easier for people to get access to them for various purposes. Libraries are very helpful and economical too. They include books, magazines, newspapers, DVDs, manuscripts, and more. In other words, they are an all-encompassing source of information. Libraries play a vital role in providing students with reliable content. They encourage and promote the process of learning and grasping knowledge. The bookworms can get loads of books to read and enhance their knowledge. Moreover, the variety is so wide-ranging that one mostly gets what they are looking for. Most importantly, libraries are a great platform for making progress. When we get homework in class, the libraries help us with the reference material. This, in turn, progresses our learning capabilities and knowledge. It is also helpful in our overall development. It helps us in learning and expanding our knowledge. We develop our reading habits from a library and satisfy our thirst and curiosity for knowledge. This helps in personal growth of a person and development. Libraries are very economical. The students who cannot afford to buy new books can simply borrow books from a library. This helps them in saving a lot of money and get information for free.

In short, libraries are a great place to gain knowledge. They serve each student differently. They are a great source of learning and promoting the progress of knowledge. One can enjoy their free time in libraries by reading and researching. As the world has become digitized, it is now easier to browse through a library and get what you are looking for. Thus, libraries are found to be very useful for students. We must not give up on libraries due to the digital age. Nothing can ever replace the authenticity and reliability one gets from a library.

a.     Do you have any public libraries in your locality? If so, do the people in your community use it? Give a couple of examples.

Yes, we have a public library in our locality. The name of the library is ‘Bhanubhakta Memorial Library’. It is named after a Nepali writer, poet, and translator Bhanubhakta Acharya known by the title Adikavi. Of course, the people in our community use it. This public library is the biggest treasure present in our society. It has all the resources one can take great benefits from. One can easily find a lot of resources here that are not available anywhere on the World Wide Web. Books are free for everyone and we shouldn’t spend a single penny on any book that we borrow. Books from different genres such as science fiction, fiction, and a lot more are kept here for people to borrow. One can use the books in the library for many different purposes. This library helped me to study along with other reference books to help me with my research. The availability of different kinds of books made my community people’s life easier as we don’t have to go looking for books all over the city and can get everything under one roof. Also, there is free access to the internet which it has been easier for us to access online books for free. For me, this library has become a great place to socialize with my community members, as I can get to know people that have the same interests as I do. This helps me to build relationships with people of similar interests.

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