Jalgaon: The historic Vallabhdas Valji Library has entered its 150th year, marking a major milestone in the city's literary and cultural journey. To celebrate the occasion, the library has planned a series of programmes and activities throughout the year, Working President Anil Shah announced during the Annual General Meeting.
The meeting was chaired by Vice President Adv. Sushil Atre and attended by Treasurer Abhijit Deshpande, Secretary Dr Prof. Shubhada Kulkarni, members and readers.
Speaking at the event, Shah said the library currently houses more than 1.5 lakh books and serves over 3,000 readers from Jalgaon. He appealed to schools to encourage students to spend at least one hour in the library every Saturday to help develop reading habits from an early age. He said regular interaction with books would inspire children to read more and have a lasting impact on their learning.
Shah also highlighted the success of the library's 'Vachan Katta' initiative, which has been organised both within the library and at various locations across the city with enthusiastic public participation.
Expressing concern over the large number of students who failed Marathi in this year's Class 10 examinations, the library has launched a Marathi reading programme for students from Classes 5 to 10 who struggle with basic reading. The initiative, developed in consultation with Marathi teachers, aims to strengthen language skills and serve as a model project.
The library has also been conducting reading camps, interactive sessions and other activities to encourage children to visit the library regularly. During April and May, it organised weekly screenings of acclaimed international films to promote cultural learning among citizens.
Shah said the library also preserves several rare and valuable books that have become fragile over time. To protect this collection, the Heritage Foundation, Pune, is assisting with the digitisation and scanning of these historic volumes.
He added that the library has completed 150 years without internal disputes or political interference and remains committed to promoting reading and knowledge in the community.
As part of the celebrations, the library honoured its senior readers and dedicated staff members. The programme was anchored by renowned dancer Dr Aparna Bhat, while Sangeeta Atravalkar delivered the vote of thanks.
