Books are our never-failing friends. They are treasure-houses of noble thoughts open to everyone. They uphold and encourage us when we feel sad and despondent. Books are food for thought. They console us in our sorrows and make us forget the worries of life. Books bring enlightenment to people and make them fond of knowledge. This craving for knowledge is satisfied with the reading of books. They make the burden-bearer forget his burden, the sick man his sufferings and the down-trodden his degradation.

We should be as judicious in the selection of books as in our choice of friends. A person can enrich himself with good qualities if he comes across a book, which has a message to convey. Books provide us with lasting pleasure. They shape our characters and their influence penetrates deep into our minds. The friendship of good books is the medicine of life but some books are more dangerous than snakes and more poisonous than scorpions. Really good books sharpen our intellects, broaden our minds, enrich our experience and widen our knowledge.

Good books are the life blood of a nation. Man can never feel lonely if he has the company of a good book. A good book never deserts us. It can make us brave, daring and dauntless. Books are the quintessence of man’s experience extending over thousands of years. If we read books that are trash, we are liable to be corrupted by them. Reading sub-standard material is simply a waste of time. The true function of a book is to create in the minds of students a taste for good and wholesome reading, which will contribute to moral and spiritual well-being. Books are the best companions in solitude.

Man is constantly trying to run after knowledge and answers to various questions that arise in his mind. To satisfy his thirst for knowledge and information, he can always turn to books for help. They will provide him with mental satisfaction. Books are our mute friends but they are not dumb, they speak a language, which is understood by our hearts. They bring us into communion with the greatest minds of the world and of all ages when we read the biographies of great men.

Books enshrine the noble thoughts and sublime truths of all ages. They are man’s most precious heritage. They provide food for the mind. Good books sow the seeds of further curiosity in man. Books that do not sharpen our sensibilities are rather futile to read. Education cannot be measured by degrees and qualifications. It is in fact measured by the culture and manners that one imbibes.

A wide choice of books is found in a library, a storehouse of books of all kinds and on all subjects under the sun. Books, newspapers and periodicals are the main features of a library and they represent the endeavours, achievements and glory of writers, statesmen, scientists, philosophers and saints. Only a very rich man can afford to have a private collection of books, while the desire to read books is nowadays becoming more and more common. A library can have an up-to-date and varied collection of books. One can have books on history, economics, politics, philosophy, physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics, literature and languages in a library. A library always has a studious atmosphere. When we enter a library, we find ourselves surrounded by books and readers. This helps us to develop a reading habit. While there is a charge for travelling in a bus, entering a cinema or circus or watching a cricket match, there is no charge for entering a library and becoming engrossed in a book.

A well-equipped library is indeed a person’s best friend, philosopher and guide. Sometimes we read aimlessly and, once we finish the book we tend to develop a very negative altitude towards reading. We may then lose interest in further reading. It has often been said that “an idle mind is the devil’s workshop”. In order to protect oneself from the devil, one can always resort to reading and thus find pleasure in one’s life.

Books add a lot to our knowledge. The true function of a school library is to create in the minds of the students a taste for good and wholesome books, which will advance knowledge, provide clean food for the intellect and contribute to the moral and spiritual well being of its readers. The more one works as a miner, the richer one becomes. Books enlighten us and widen our vision and sympathy. A mind, which is not lit with knowledge, is a dark cell and a home, which does not have books, is an unhealthy place to live in. If people are ignorant and illiterate, they will suffer from superstitions and baseless fears. They will be narrow-minded and mean. Books are a valuable procession. They correct us when we go astray, amuse us when we are bored and give us jolly company when we feel lonely.

Good books are like gold mines. The habit of reading should be cultivated right from childhood. Children must be encouraged by their parents and teachers to read more and more good books.

<B>Kelvin BUCKTOWAR</B>

<B>Cooperation in life</B>

Cooperation is a way of life whereby people unite democratically in a spirit of mutual aid to get the largest possible access to things and services. This method of carrying on economic affairs means supplying the necessities of life. They mean everything that people need. Cooperation is a way of receiving help and giving sympathy to others. It means working together in mutual aid in contrast to isolation. When we interact with society, our friends and our families, we engage in social behaviour, which is beneficial to all of us. Just a simple act of eating lunch with a best friend goes a long way to making us feel accepted, liked and loved. Even the company of a beloved pet dog or cat can help us feel better both mentally and physically.

One true constant in the world, cooperation in our daily routine plays some role in our lives. Even objects without intelligence cooperate towards some end. We live our lives going about with our tasks, jobs and businesses. One meaning of life is simple cooperation. Whether you are a scientist, sociologist, psychologist or religious person, the idea of living organisms cooperating for some goal is likely to be part of your belief system. The idea of cooperation with our fellow human beings exists in most major religions.

Cooperation is not just between different people but between every creature in the world. The balance between flora and fauna exists so that we may all survive. Without one individual, others would be affected. The purpose of life is for all of us to be there for one another. The cooperative idea has always been in operation in the economic life of man. People show their wisdom in getting together to help one another in emergencies.

There are all kinds of cooperative societies which unite to form federations. The first really successful cooperative society was started in 1944 by 28 men in Rochdale, Lancashire, England. People join them and they are accepted voluntarily. Consumer societies supply the essential needs of their members. Cooperative insurance exists in at least 43 countries. Cooperative education is carried in all countries, which have a cooperative movement. Cooperative banks operate in the interest of depositors and borrowers. The credit union is a form of cooperative banking. There are about 120,000 such societies. In brief, this cooperative principle is basic. The very survival of matter and life depends upon it.

We must all cooperate with one another.We must live together.

We must breathe together.We must experience our lives with one another.

Thus, “united we stand, divided wefall”.

<B>Mili BUCKTOWAR</B>