Wednesday, March 14, 2012

GC University Lahore Book Fair ignites passion for reading

Jumbo Editorial Team

The success of the recently held three-day Book Fair by the GC University Lahore Library Society dispelled the impression that the Pakistan youth was moving away from book reading in the cyber age.

The Book Fair received a warm response from the students as well as the faculty members. It brought more than 250,000 books under one-roof with an aim to rejuvenate students’ love for books. Besides the booksellers, as many as 55 publishers set up their stalls and offered up to 50 percent discount on their books.

Prof. Dr Mohammad Khaleeq-ur-Rahman; Vice Chancellor, GC University Lahore, visited all the book stalls and advised the publishers to provide maximum discounts to the students in particular.

Prof. Khaleeq said that the GCU would continue to organize such activities in future also to promote reading culture among the youth who have greater options with the advent of web tools.

Talking to students and media, GCU Vice Chancellor said that books still have their own significance in the age of internet. He expressed, the vision, awareness, understating and knowledge you get by reading books; you can never have it by just reading book reviews and summaries by virtue of internet.

Leading by example, he himself purchased a large number of books on literature, physics and religion from his pocket, saying that reading and writing is a tradition that needs to be preserved.

People from different walks of life praised the GC University Library management for organizing successful Book Fair and motivating them to develop reading habits. The GC University faculty members, students and all others showed special interest for purchasing books at discount prices.

Addressing the closing ceremony at Bukhari Auditorium, GCU Chief Librarian, Abdul Waheed, remarked that the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) monitors both the number and type of books published per country per year as an important index of standard of living and education, and of a country's self-awareness.

GCU Library Society Advisor, Samreen Lateef claimed that the Book Fair implied as if the fountain of knowledge itself had walked up to them to quench their thirst. She stated that it was not less than a blessing to have all the books one needed available on special concession under one roof. She further revealed that 21, 101 books were purchased at the Book Fair according to the survey of Library Society.

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