Shillong, August, 28: As part of the commemoration of National Library Day 2026, Shillong College formally adopted Mawkasiang Village through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the village leadership under the Unnat Bharat Abhiyan (UBA). The initiative seeks to strengthen the relationship between the College and the village and contribute towards the educational, social and overall community development of Mawkasiang.
As part of this initiative, the Shillong College Central Library donated a collection of books to the Mawkasiang Community Library, along with a catalogue of the donated resources, which was formally handed over to the Rangbah Shnong. The donation is intended to improve access to reading and learning resources and encourage a culture of reading among children, students and members of the village community.
Addressing the gathering, Dr. Betbhalin Lyngdoh, Librarian, Shillong College, highlighted the mission, role and functions of a community library in promoting reading habits, supporting education, providing access to information and encouraging lifelong learning. She particularly stressed the relevance of Dr. S. R. Ranganathan’s Five Laws of Library Science “Books are for use,” “Every reader his or her book,” “Every book its reader,” “Save the time of the reader,” and “The library is a growing organism.” She emphasised that these principles continue to guide libraries in making knowledge accessible and responsive to the changing needs of their users.
E. N. Dkhar, Vice Principal and Convener of the Library Advisory Committee, spoke at length on the significance of the occasion as the College commemorated National Library Day, highlighting the enduring importance of libraries in education, knowledge creation, reading, lifelong learning and community development. She emphasised that libraries are not merely repositories of books but dynamic spaces that connect people with knowledge and create opportunities for learning and personal growth.
The Principal of Shillong College, Dr. Shanwell Khongwir , in his address, highlighted that the adoption of Mawkasiang Village under Unnat Bharat Abhiyan represents the College’s commitment to building a meaningful and sustained partnership with the community. He stated that the College would, within its capacity and in consultation with the village community, extends its support through various awareness programmes and community-oriented activities. These would include initiatives related to healthcare and health awareness, education, sports and physical activities, environmental awareness, social awareness and other developmental programmes that could contribute to the overall well-being and empowerment of the village community. He emphasised that the objective is not limited to a single activity but to develop a long-term partnership through which the College and the village can work together for the benefit of the community.
The Rangbah Shnong of Mawkasiang, Tishalding Kharkongor, expressed gratitude to Shillong College for adopting the village under the initiative and for the donation of books to the community library. He assured the cooperation and participation of the village community in making effective use of the resources and in supporting the various activities to be undertaken in partnership with the College.
The programme was attended by students from various schools of Mawkasiang, village executive members, members of the Village Sports Club, members of the College administration, Campus committee of the college, IQAC and the Library Advisory Committee.
The adoption of Mawkasiang Village under Unnat Bharat Abhiyan, together with the establishment and strengthening of its community library, reflects Shillong College’s commitment to community engagement, educational support and holistic community development. Through the sharing of its knowledge, expertise and resources, the College aims to contribute meaningfully to the development of Mawkasiang and promote a culture of reading, learning, awareness, participation and lifelong development.
