AIZAWL, Nov 4 - Mizoram Governor PS Sreedharan Pillai has appreciated local journalist and writer Lalhruaitluanga Chawngte for introducing the concept of a street library in Mizoram that, in turn, has inspired others to start their own elsewhere.
�I am proud to learn that you were the inspiration behind the street library started by Meena Gurang in Arunachal Pradesh which was highlighted by the Hon�ble Prime Minister in his �Maan Ki Baat� speech,� reads the Governor�s letter of appreciation to Chawngte. �Honourable PM talked about street library by Ngurang Meena in Arunachal in Maan Ki Baat. She was inspired by Mizoram�s roadside libraries started by Lalhruaitluanga Chawngte,� Pillai later tweeted, tagging the PMO India, HMO India and VP Secretariat.
Chawngte started his �Little Library� on the roadside near his house at Mission Vengthlang here in November last year in memory of his late father, Rev C Lianhmingthanga. He was the first to set up a street library in Mizoram.
He said: �The Little Library has been set up to propagate the habit of reading in the society, especially among youngsters.�
Although anybody can borrow books, there is one basic rule: �write your name and phone number before taking the books so that we can find out how many persons have borrowed the books and returned them,� added Chawngte.
The writer-journalist said he was inspired in the first place by street libraries which are available in the US. �While everyone visits the small libraries I have set up, it is the schoolchildren who make up the majority of the readers,� he pointed out.
Chawngte started with two roadside libraries at New Market and Mission Vengthlang. Later, two more were opened at the Pachhunga University College and the MZU Park.
�We plan to open the fifth one in front of the Civil Hospital, Aizawl,� he said. � Correspondent
