The Vinay & Jean Kalgutkar Community Centre by Bookworm, Saligao started in September 2022. It has become a vibrant space for reading, learning, and community engagement. We, Milika Topo and Priya Naik, are part of this Library and have been working closely with children and community members to create a welcoming environment since 2023.
When I (Milika) first started keeping library cards in the mentoring program, I thought it was just a simple task of writing book names and keeping records. But after spending time with the children, I saw something special. The cards help me take care of my own reading. I felt proud and happy to see the names and the books I have read, and it also helped me to know more about our library collection. I also learned that keeping records helps both children and me to become more responsible. Now, I see the library card not just as a record, but as a special connection between books, children, and the stories we share together.
After rejoining Bookworm in 2023, the first thing I (Priya) made was my library card. Here I started maintaining the books which I read. Initially I did not realise the importance of maintaining the card and stopped recording books in between. Then through our preparation for the Library Educators Certificate Course, we had Continuous Professional Development meetings and the discussions enabled me to think about How and Why library cards are important. I reflected on my reading and found some gaps. I had been reading less Non Fiction books, Chapter books and books for the older children, which led to a struggle in recommending the books to children in these areas. After this realisation, I set targets every month and this helped me to fill the gaps in my reading and achieve the targets. The responsibility of maintaining the reading records also helped me to take ownership of my own reading. This journey helped me to realise that maintaining my library card is essential to my development as a thoughtful and balanced reader.
In our library every child creates their own library cards. But it is not just a card to borrow books. It is a record of their reading journey, thoughts, and reflections. Each time they read, they write about what they loved, learned, and felt. Over the time, maintaining the library cards have helped children in many ways.
The first thing they do when they begin with library cards is designing them in their own creative ways. Every card is different and special like the children themselves. In the beginning, many were unsure what to write, how to note the book title, where to find the author’s name, or what genre means. Slowly, with each book and each entry, they began to understand first the different parts of a book followed by identifying authors, illustrators, and slowly moving towards the genres.
They started paying more attention while reading, as they had to record different things in the library cards. They began giving ratings with stars, marks, comments, and sometimes expressions through drawing like some drew pictures of their favourite scenes. Many started sharing book titles with friends, and showing their library cards to each other.This also sometimes brings competition among the children to read more books than the other. To increase their book reading, some even began setting small reading goals of how many books they wanted to finish in a month. It was really beautiful to see how something so simple could create such strong excitement for reading through our library practice.
Let us share a few anecdotes of children’s experiences with the Library Cards from this library.
Sadavi shared, “Card se yaad rehta hai ki maine kaunsa book padh liya(through card I come to know which books I have read). Agar main likhungi to main bhoolungi nahi(If I write I will not forget). Easily I can find out. She likes writing on her card because it feels like making her own book collection. So far, she has recorded 188 books in her library card(though her reading is much more than this), and her goal is to reach 700 by the end of January 2026. We are sure that she would read and maintain the library card even more diligently.
Pratiksha said she enjoys looking back at her reading list and feels proud of how many books she has completed. She shared that looking at the Librarian’s card along with theirs makes her feel like reading more and do the same way of maintaining the card with respect to design and the content it has.
Payal, who loves art, decorates her card with stickers and small drawings. For her, the card is not only about writing but also about making it beautiful. “Jab main apne card ko decorate karti hoon, mujhe apni reading special lagti hai(when I decorate my card, My reading feels special). Library card sundar lagta hai( library card looks beautiful), she said with a smile.This also shows a sense of ownership of the card by the child.
Aayush loves adventure stories and he shared that he mostly reads Hindi books but now wants to try English stories too. Library cards encourage him to push himself to read English books. While Shariya enjoys keeping a record of all the books she has read and she finds joy in being able to look back and trace her reading journey.
Sahil, Nasifa, and Srishti also continue to fill their library cards regularly. They shared together that when they see others making entries in their library cards, they too feel like reading more books. Their reflections show how this simple practice has helped them take ownership of their reading and learning. Many now help their library friends to make and maintain the cards. They proudly guide them on how to record their thoughts.
They are not reading because they have to, but they are reading because they want to.
For us(Milika and Priya) these cards have become windows into the children’s reading worlds. Through these cards we can see their preferences on the kinds of reading is growing. We have observed that children who were once shy to talk about books now proudly share their favourite titles and characters. They connect stories to their own lives and experiences and share their experiences with us.
The library cards have also helped children set reading goals, an important step in self-motivation and persistence. By self-tracking what they are reading, children have been noticing some shifts in their reading like which genres they love, what they have not yet tried, and also how their interests are changing. This also helps us to plan the activities to be held in the library by exploring new formats and stories, themes, genres, etc. We help them identify the gaps in their reading and encourage them to explore them. If they have been reading a lot of fiction books, then we show them and ask them to explore either Folktale, Non-Fiction, etc. But the choice of the book is always there. We only recommend books.
Beyond personal growth, the cards have also built a sense of community. Sometimes one child looks at another’s card and says, ‘Oh, you read this book? I want to read it too! Reading becomes a shared experience, something that connects friends and strengthens relationships.
Over time we have realised that maintaining these cards is not just about record keeping. It is about reflection, discovery, and celebration. The process encourages children to slow down, think about what they have read, and express what touched them most. It also helps us as facilitators, to suggest new books that match their evolving interests. Through these cards children spend more quiet and mindful time with books by reading, thinking, and enjoying them.
As we continue this practice, we hope every child feels proud of their reading journey. One card, one book, and one reflection at a time.
Our library cards remind us that stories do not just live in books, they live in our hearts, our notes, and in the joy of sharing them with one another.
-Milika Toppo and Priya Naik