Penguin Random House India has partnered with community libraries, shelter homes, informal schools, independent bookshops and also prisons to encourage reading habits and storytelling. By partnering with these spaces, the publishing house hopes to expand the reach of books and reading to diverse communities and audiences. "As part of our belief in the power of reading and storytelling and in celebration of completing 30 years in India, we are embarking on a journey of reading sessions and library contributions to 30 spaces spanning the country," a statement issued by Penguin said.
The partners for the Penguin Readathon and Book Gifting Journey have been selected in acknowledgement of the role they have played, and continue to play, in facilitating new and ever-expanding paths of discovery in their communities, it said. All partners are involved in non-profit initiatives with a well-established reputation in the places they work in, it added.
"There is no greater joy than to spread the love of reading, and our 30th-anniversary theme is 'keep reading', which is the mantra for the celebrations through this very special year. With this exciting journey, we hope we will able to spread this joy to many more readers around the country," said Hemali Sodhi, Senior Vice-President (Marketing) & Publisher Children's.
Each of the 30 partners has been gifted 100 new books in the genres that they have selected. At each space, a reading is being organised as a way to celebrate this addition to their libraries, and in most cases, this reading is a local Penguin Random House India author. Though the partners have diverse focus areas and audiences, they said they are united by a common love for storytelling.
Abantee Dutta, director of Studio Nilima, a resource centre which works at the intersections of law, governance, culture, and society in Guwahati, said this collaboration is about "unshackling a world of visions and dreams". Another partner, Jemimah Marak, the founder the 100 Story House, a children's library and reading room in Tura in Meghalaya which promotes reading and storytelling for children, said, "This initiative provides a chance for children here to experience the joy of reading good literature."
Rupali Gupte, an architect who runs a cultural centre located amid the resettlement and rehabilitation colonies of Lallubhai Compound in Mumbai, said, "This will go a long way in firing and nourishing the life of the mind for hundreds of kids." According to Raman Shresta, proprietor of Rachna Books, an independent bookstore in Gangtok, "In this day and age, when there is so much bonding between publishers and online retail portals, it is wonderful to witness Penguin Random House reach out to the 'old fashioned' medium of booksellers, libraries, and spaces that are dedicated to bringing books and reading to the communities they belong to."
Priyanka Patel, coordinator at the Bebook Library in Goa, said, "As a storyteller, I am constantly in need of innovative ways to make the kids fall in love with reading. This is going to boost the endeavours of the children."
