Environmental Science Modern Library

 Chapter -10

Environmental Science Modern Library

INTRODUCTION

• An important center of resources for instructional purposes in Environmental Studies is the modern school library. Modern instructional program emphasizes the training of pupils to think and form judgments independently. This requires the provisions of a variety of material of which school library is the central clearinghouse. As an important service agency, it provides guidance to teachers in curriculum construction to pupils in the selection of books and to adults in reading and in counseling. In a democratic society like ours, the school library lays the foundation for free enquiry and intellectual development, so essential for sharing public opinion    

• The school library has expanded from a depository of books into a resource centre, used extensively by all members of the school family. It reaches every classroom, touches every pupil and teacher and even moves out into the community. It helps the teacher to enrich the curriculum and facilitates personal and professional reading. It helps the student to gain meaningful learning experiences. It provides for recreational and hobby interests to the community. It is a storehouse of all types of teaching aids, including maps, charts, pictures, models, manuscripts etc. It gives new depth to the learning experiences and the personal lives of the pupils. Its place in a modern school cannot be filled by any other agency.

Functions of the School Library

• Providing materials of instruction and reading: The school library renders valuable service to both the teacher and the pupil by providing a wide variety of text and reference books, related to various school subjects. It provides a lot of reading material to the pupil for answering questions, doing assignments and solving problems

• Stimulating reading for enjoyment and recreation: The school library contains a number of books of general interest, both for the pupils and the teachers. Interesting storybooks, biographies, books on travels, adventures, inventions and discoveries etc. motivate pupils and stimulate reading for the sake of recreation and enjoyment. 

•  Teaching the techniques of searching references: School library teaches the techniques of searching references by a proper use of the variety of material, contained therein. A definite procedure is followed in purchasing, organizing, storing, issuing and receiving books, periodicals, pamphlets and other materials in the library room     

• Providing opportunities to pupils to assume responsibilities: The pupils are taught to keep books with care, to serve on library communities, to act as library assist’s’ and other odd jobs connected with library service. They learn to work in cooperation with others, to help other pupils in the selection of books and to assist them in the solution of some of their’ problems. It gives them an insight into human relationships; to understand economic efficiency and to take action as responsible citizens, when need arises.

Essential Equipment for the Library

• Shelves: In the library room shelves contain books of all types as well as albums of records, films, filmstrips, school made slides and the like, arranged in a definite order, subject and section wise.

• Tables and Chairs: The tables in a library should be of proper height and size and the chairs, strong and comfortable to accommodate students and teachers to read and work in the library. The librarian should be provided with a separate chair and desk to discharge his duties effectively.

• Filling Cabinets for Catalogue Cards: Cabinets and drawers of a standard size accommodate catalogue cards easily. 

• Racks for Newspapers and Magazines: Daily newspapers as well as journals and magazines in different languages, on all subjects are placed in different racks, especially got prepared for this purpose. These racks are placed in different corners of the library room or in the reading room, attached to the library of that teachers and pupils come and read them in their vacant periods. Lock magazine covers are essential for journals and magazines. They preserve the magazines and journals from soil and theft. Rods in special frames may be used for the daily newspapers.

• Bulletin Boards: Bulletin boards are used for displaying book-jackets and other illustrative material to advertise new arrivals in the library for those who are not regular visitors. A portion of the space, allocated to the library is used for the bulletin boards.

Important Library Resources for Environmental Studies

Book Resources

• These are essential for meeting individual needs in reading for presenting different points of view and for providing rich background of understanding of the people, the processes and the places, so essential in Environmental Studies instruction. Book resources include the following:       

• Textbooks: A number of good textbooks in history, geography, civics, economics and Environmental Studies are available in the library. In view of the rapidly changing human life in all parts of the world, new and revised editions of standard textbooks must be purchased for school library for supplying most up-to-date knowledge to pupils and teachers.     

• Unit Booklets: In addition to textbooks, a number of unit booklets should also be available in the Environmental Studies library. These booklets are on a variety of topics ranging from family life and neighborhood to people of other land and places.

• Reference Materials: These include reference books, encyclopedias, dictionaries, yearbooks, atlases, biographies, bibliographies, directories and government bulletins etc.

• Literary Materials:      These include biographies, fiction, folklore, short stories, travel books, books of adventure and hero-stories, romance, drama and poetry to provide reading for enjoyment and pleasure to all concerned.     

• Source Books: These include diaries, minutes and proceedings of meetings, original accounts of travelers and contemporary historians, manuscripts and timetable etc.

(B) Non-book Resources

• Periodicals: These include current events periodicals and magazines about various aspects of life, including art literature, music, dance etc. as these reflect social tends of the period

• Pamphlets: Pamphlets are usually written about one specific topic and generally illustrated with pictures, photographs and drawings. The Environmental Studies teacher should keep himself in touch with currently published pamphlets, connected with his subject. As most of the pamphlets are published by various government agencies and bureaus for specialized services these are low priced. They provide important information about different walks of social, economic and political life.

• Newspapers: A local newspaper is a must for every school library as it highlights local events, happenings, issues, personalities and developments, correlated with the immediate social and physical environments of the pupils. One or two daily newspapers of all-India circulation are also desirable for the library. A good newspaper is a mirror of the world events. Its study is essential for all teachers and students of Environmental Studies to keep themselves informed of all that is happening around them in the national and international fields.

• Special Documents and Publications: Almost all the state governments publish brochures, yearly calendars or data books or activities within the states. Important business, concerns, railways and tourist bureaus also publish folders, containing rich information about various places, regions and towns. These provide primary source materials.

• Audio-visual or Non-reading Materials: Non-reading materials play a very important role in Environmental Studies program. Many of these materials present information difficult to obtain through reading. They add realism and furnish the class with a common background of experience.    

The Librarian as a Resource Person

1.  A trained librarian maintains school library as an important resource centre to provide planned, expert service and guidance to teachers and students. At least one full-time librarian, with a permanent assistant should be provided to every secondary SCDOOI. They should be given a separate workroom and adequate office space to function effectively.
2. Creating creates an atmosphere of friendliness, self-control and self-direction. A whole-time trained librarian helps the students in acquiring good study habits and in developing a love of good books. He works with teachers in making the library, an important resource center and a living agency. He makes available the needed resource materials to Environmental Studies classes.

Collateral Reading and the Library

• Collateral and supplementary reading form an essential part of Environmental Studies programmed. The students collect information about various facts and movements after consulting many books and periodicals, besides their textbooks for solving problems, doing assignments and participating in discussion etc. Library resource can furnish a rich supply of books, periodicals and pamphlets for, collateral reading. Textbook material must be supplemented by additional reference reading. The students should be encouraged to read widely on topics of their own interest, both for the sake of information and entertainment. They should be guided how to select, read and make use of the knowledge thus obtained to form good reading habits along with proper study procedures. They should be encouraged to take notes and to keep a regular record of their readings.

Suggestions for Motivating Pupils to Utilize Library

• Reading List: The teacher for each pupil should fix a minimum amount of supplementary reading in the beginning of the year. Lists of different types of books, both fiction and non-fiction, especially connected with Environmental Studies instruction, should be prepared by the teacher in consultation with the librarian. These should be provided to all pupils, and they may be asked to read the required number of books, out of which not more than half may be fiction.

• Marks for Supplemental Reading: The teacher should set apart some marks in his subject for supplementary reading. They may be added to the total number of marks, the child receives in Environmental Studies at the end of the session. This will definitely motivate the pupils to read.

• Questions in Tests: At least one question out of supplementary readers with adequate choice for different categories of pupils, should be given in the question paper, and it must be attempted compulsorily.

• Programmed for Supplementary Reading: While teaching a certain unit about a particular period in Environmental Studies the teacher should bring with him such books which contain interesting accounts of living conditions in those days and read out a few paragraphs in the class from those books. He should also give to his pupils the names of the books, the names of the authors and those of their publishers and ask them to collect material there from, connected with the unit under study. After a day or two he may ask a pupil who has gone through a certain book and prepared reports and notes, to stand up and read out what he has collected, pertaining to the lesson in hand.

Teacher’s Duty in Motivating Library Studies

• The teacher should himself be a wide reader familiar with all the books published in his field. He should see that all those books are available to students in the school library. He should also be a regular reader of newspapers and periodicals. A good selection of newspapers and magazines should be available in the school library. Pupils should be encouraged to make use of this material. If the teacher has himself formed a habit of reading a daily newspaper, at least one or two monthly magazines pertaining to his own subject and making current affairs basis of the study of some important units in Environmental Studies he can motivate the study of newspapers and magazines available in the school library. He should keep a record of the reading of each pupil. A careful checking of pupil’s reading may help him in evaluating books while preparing his lists of library books for various grades, from year to year.

LIST OF BOOKS AND OTHER INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL FOR HISTORY LIBRARIES

A. Books on Teaching of Environmental History

• Aggarwal, J.C., Teaching of Environmental History: A Practical Approach. New Delhi, Vikas Publishing House. Pvt. Udd. 1992

• Beals, A.C.F., A Guide to the Teaching of Environmental History in Schools. London, University of London Press,1937. 

• Binning, AC., and Binning, D.R, Teaching in Environmental Studies in Schools, New York. OK Graw Hill Book Co., 1952 

• Bloch, Margate Historian’s Craft. Manchester University Press, 1959

• Brown, C.F., The Environmental History Room. London, Historical Association, Pamphlet No. 86, 1948,

• Chaudhary, K.P., Audio-Visual Aids in Teaching Indian Environmental History. Delhi, Atma Ram & Sons, 1965 

• Chaudhary, K.P., Contents of Environmental History in Indian Schools. New Delhi, Ministry of Education, Government of India, 1953

• Chaudhary, K.P., The Effective Teaching of Environmental Studies in India. A Handbook for Environmental Studies Teachers, New Delhi, NCERT, 1975.

• Chaudhary, K.P., Preparation of Lesson Notes. Calcutta, Bookland, 1955.

• Dale, E., Audio-Visual Methods in Teaching, New York, Dryden/Press 1954

• Dobbson, D.P., A Handbook for Environmental Studies Teachers. London, Methuen, 1929.

• Dymond, D., A Handbook for Environmental Studies Teachers. London, McMilan, 1929

• Findlay, I.J., Environmental Studies and its Place’ in Education. London,University of London Press, 1923

• Ghate, V.D., The Teaching of Environmental Studies, Delhi Oxford University Press, 1973.

• Ghosh, K.D., Creative Teaching of Environmental Studies. Calcutta, Oxford University Press, 1951.

• Gustavson, Carlg, A Preface to Environmental Studies. New York, McGraw Hill, 1955

• Hill, C.P., Suggestions on the Teaching of Environmental Studies Towards World Understanding. Paris, UNESCO, 1954.

• Johnson, H. Teaching of Environmental Studies in Elementary and Secondary Schools. New York, Macmillan, 1942.

• Knowlton, D.C. Making Environmental Studies Graphic. New York, Scribner, 1925

• Kochhar, S.K., Teaching of Environmental Studies. New Delhi, Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd, 1989

• Ministry of Education, Handbook of Suggestions for Teachers, London, H.M. Stationery Office, 1950

• Ministry of Education, Teaching of Environmental Studies.” London, H.M. Stationery Office, Pamphlet No. 23, 1950.

• National Institute of Education, Improving Instruction in Environmental Studies. Vol. II, New Delhi, 1969. 

• NCERT, Teaching Environmental Studies in Secondary Schools. A Handbook for Environmental Studies Teachers. New Delhi, NCERT, 1970.

• Pandey, B.N. and Khosla, D.N., Student Teaching and Evaluation. New Delhi, NCERT, 1974.

• Srivastava, H.S. and Udin, Qamar, Sample Unit Tests in Environmental Studies. New Delhi, NCERT, 1982. 

• Vajrwswari, R.A., Handbook for Environmental Studies Teachers. New Delhi, Allied Publishers, 1973.     

B. BOOKS ON ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

• Basham, A.L., The wonder that was India. London Sidgnick & Jack son, 1985

• Basham, A.L., The Indian Sub-continent in Historical Perspective. London School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, 1954.

• Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Environmental Studies and Culture of Indian People. Vol. I, Bombay, the Author

• Bose, M.L.A., Social and Cultural Environmental Studies of Ancient India. New Delhi, Concept, 1980.     

• Burke, S.M., Akbar the Greatest Mughar. New Delhi, Munshiram Manoharlal, 1989

• Carr, I.R,What is Environmental Studies? London, Macmillan & Company, 1961.

• Chandri, Bipin, etc., Freedom Struggle. New Delhi, N.B.T., 1972.

• Colling Wood, R.G., The Ideal of Environmental Studies. London, Oxford University Press, 1961

• Colling Wood, R.G., The Ideal of Environmental Studies. London,Oxford University Press, 1951.Colling Wood, R.G., The Ideal of Environmental Studies. London,Oxford University Press, 1951.

• Desai, A.R., Social Background of Indian Nationlism. Bombay, Popular Prakashan..

• Dutt, R.C., Environmental Studies of Ancient and Modern India. New Delhi, Arlbant, 1990.Edwardes, Michael Environmental Studies of India. New Delhi, Asia Publishing, House, 1961.

• Goal. P.L., The Imperial Guptas. Varanasi Vidyalaya Prakashan, 1974

• Ghos, H.R., Outline Environmental Studies of the Indian People. Delhi, Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, 1961

Guide to Environmental Literature 

• Sari, Parsed, Short Environmental Studies of Muslim Rule in India. Allahbad, The Indian Press Ltd., 1965.

• Jain, Krishan Lat, Hindu Raki in the World. Delhi, Akshat Pub. 1989

• Kosambi,. D.D., An Introduction to Indian Environmental Studies. Bombay, Popular, 1990

• Kumar, Nirmala, The Stream of Indian Culture. Bombay, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, I979.

• Lal, B.B. and Gupta, (Eds.), Frontiers of the Indus Civilization, New Delhi” Books and Books, 1989.

• Law, D.A. (Eds.), Indian National Congress, New Delhi, Oxford University Press,1989. Mahajan, Y.D., Ancient India. New Delhi, S. Chand & Co., 1989.

• Majumdar, R.C. and Chopra, P.N., Main Currents of Indian Environmental Studies, New Delhi, Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd., 1979.

• Majumdar, R.C. (Ed.), The History and Culture of the Indian People, Bombay, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, 1951

• Ministry of Information, India, Early History. New Delhi, Publications Division, Government of India, 1988

• Fuller, H. and Trepan, R., Muir’s Historical Atlas—Medieval and Modem. London, George Phillip and Sons Ltd., 1962.

• Gilbert, Martin, Recent History Atlas 1870 to the Present Day. London, Weidenfold and Nicholson, 1967.

• Kina and Rio, Oxford Pictorial Atlas of Indian History. Madras, Oxford University Press, 1973.

• Patron, James. The American Heritage Pictorial Atlas of United States’ History. 1966.

Name of Producer Distributor 

• Producer: Almeryn Studio, Bombay, Distributor, Christian Association for Radio and TV, Jabalpur
• Producer, EBF, USA; Distributor Photo phone Pvt. Ltd
•  Producer, EBSS, U.S.A.; Distributor. Photo phone Pvt. Ltd
•  Producer, EBF, U.S.A.; Distributor, Photo phone pvt. Ltd
•  Saki Vlhar Road, Bombay. Do Producer Common Ground, London: Distributor, NEIE Sapporo Bender, and Bombay
• Christopher Columbu
• Florence Nightingale
•  Pasteur and Microbes

IMPORTANT SOURCES OF FILMS AND FILMSTRIPS 

• British Council Raffia drag, New Delh
• Children’s Film Society of India (CFSI).
• Department of Instructional Education of each state-Films

Suggestions

• Not merely a depository of books Environmental Studies library a resource centre extensively used by all members. As a resource centre, it reaches every classroom, every pupil and teacher and even the community. It helps the teacher to enrich curriculum and facilitate personal and professional reading. It helps the students to gain meaningful experiences in reading, thinking and forming independent judgments. It provides for recreational and hobby interests to the community. It is also a storehouse of all types of teaching aids including maps, charts, pictures, models, and manuscripts etc, which are easily accessible to all concerned. It can lift classroom teaching to new heights and give new depth to the learning experiences and the personal lives of all students.