Reading Habit Strengthen Nation

Sumber: arest.wordpress.com

By: Isna Khumairotin Akrimah (2015)

We, as the human, are required to read and read in order to get as much as knowledge we can accept. And library has been the major center of knowledge for long time. We all know that long time ago before the modern technology was invented, ancient people used to go to library or at least they had their own library at home. They spent most of their time by reading. It then drove them to invent modern technology so they could read books anytime with no worry of bringing heavy books.

But nowadays, what most of the students spend their time for?
Watching TV, playing games online, chatting through social networks, and so forth. Imagine how many books we can read during those times…
The only time they have for visiting the library is at school.

In 2012, American Association of School Librarians stated that:

1. The school library program plays a crucial role in preparing students for informed living in the 21^st century.
2. The school library program provides learning opportunities in multiple literacies that enable students to become efficient and effective in the pursuit of information.
3. The school library program gives each individual member of the learning community a venue for exploring questions that arise out of individual curiosity and personal interest.
4. The school library program encourages a critical stance as it encourages students to determine the scope and relevance of information to meet their needs.
5. The school library represents for students one of our most cherished freedoms–the freedom to speak our minds and hear what others have to say.

Many of success people have habit of reading books. K.H Wahid Hasyim used to spend time for reading for five hours every night. Our Proclaimer of independence, President Soekarno read books since early morning until 3 am. These are the pictures of how strong reading affects our lives. And no doubt that they had their private library at home that facilitated them to read anytime they want.

And knowing how reading affects our live, I take one example from my real experience when I was in Islamic College of Thailand, Bangkok, three months ago.

When the time for praying comes, every student must go to the mosque which is located upstairs the library. The students all were praying and they who had finished praying were forbidden to leave the building. They had to wait for the others and read books in the library downstairs.

That’s how the school manages the time for reading. They do realize how precious every second they have used for reading

So, let’s look at ourselves. We have library at school, but have we exploited its advantages maximally? Library provides us so many books, it means that there are so many knowledge we cannot find in other place but we can get it there.

We never know what we will be in the future. But what we have to do now is preparing ourselves to be the best of what we can be by reading.

Based on what I talked above, we can take a conclusion. Reading is the key that opens every door of the world and library provides it all. Strong school library builds strong students, and strong students build strong nations. Let’s make a good habit in ourselves by reading book and visiting library. Then we can start our bright future from library to be life-ready.