Sarmad visits SPS Library; Emphasizes high importance of cultivating reading habits

Srinagar: Secretary Tourism and Culture, Sarmad Hafeez today visited the SPS Library to review its functioning and facilities available to the readers.
Secretary went around the premises of the library including Reading Room, Senior Citizens’ Section, General Philosophy, Languages section and the Children’s gallery.
Director Libraries Sheikh Arshad Ayub, Deputy Director Libraries, Chief Librarian and other officials were present on the occasion.
He asked the Director Libraries to ensure availability of books and other reference material required for students so that they can prepare better for various competitive exams including AIEEE, NEET, NET, SLET, besides civil services.
Emphasizing the high importance of cultivating reading habits, Secretary said that books enhance our knowledge and help us in developing better understanding of the events which shape our societies. He said that reading habit is a vital indicator of literacy level of any household or individual adding that although technology has given us new media for reading and remaining updated but it has not been able to replace books as a person’s best companion.
Secretary was informed that the building has sections for Senior Citizens, Reference section, Children’s Section, Art Gallery and various other facilities like reading room with Internet Facility, coffee shop etc. This Library has a collection of more than one lakh and fifty thousand books, he was apprised further.
The SPS Library, which was established in the year 1898, hosts a collection of books in English, Urdu, Arabic, Persian, Sanskrit, Kashmiri, Hindi and Punjabi languages. It has also a collection of 4500 Manuscripts in Persian, Sanskrit, Arabic and Urdu.