KUALA LUMPUR, 27 Oct: Visitors of the ‘I Want To Touch A Book’ programme proposes for the Street Books activists to diversify the types of books to attract more children and teenage readers.
This recommendation was expressed by the visitors as an effort to improve the healthy activity of instilling the culture of reading among the people, who in general have different reading tastes.
For Syatira Ismail, 33, who works as an auditor at a banking agency, the culture of reading at public places is still seen as a strange culture in this country. However, based on initiatives by activists, it has potential to change the perceptions of the community.
Syatira, who is personally a lover of motivational and educational books, said that she often carries a book to wherever she goes as a companion, especially when travelling or using public transport.
“I am surprised that they have old books like the 1988 Readers Digest which I personally have not read,” she said when met by Selangor Kini.
The same view was shared by Nadia Jamil, 28, who admitted that she was attracted by the organising of such activities and it was the first time she visited it.
As a lover of motivational and Islamic knowledge books, she said that such programmes should be promoted widely for public knowledge.
“I think that this is a good thing to be highlighted in Malaysia because there are many old books, especially for those who love history. We can know what happened and we can learn from history.
“Open spaces like this are good to provide knowledge to the public; like information for such activities should be held once every two weeks.
“There are many new and fresh books to attract the interest of teenagers and children given that the community has selective tastes,” she said, picking up a Readers Digest.
The organising of the ‘I Want To Touch A Book’ was held at Taman Tasik Titiwangsa, Kuala Lumpur, and took place quietly although there were some visitors who approached and looked at the books being exhibited.
The cloudy weather accompanying the activity of borrowing and reading books for free is held once every two weeks, starting from 5.30 pm and ending around 7.00 pm.
Several activists were also seen gathering in circles and exchanging views on current issues, including the ‘I want to touch a dog’ event last week.
NS