Prefer books to phones, students told

Ongole: Statingthat reading books is the best path to intellectual development, district Collector P Raja Babu urged students to put aside their smartphones and embrace books. He was the chief guest at inaugural ceremony of 58th National Library Week held at district library here on Friday.

The Collector, along with Ongole Mayor Gangada Sujata, garlanded Goddess Saraswati statue and paid floral tributes to Jawaharlal Nehru’s portrait, on Children’s Day.

Collector Raja Babu advised students to cultivate reading habits from childhood. He noted that the State government is developing libraries as knowledge centres for creating an informed society. He called upon everyone to visit libraries, read books, and share knowledge with society.

Mayor Sujata remarked that books are students’ best friends. She explained that the government organises Library Week to educate future generations about the importance of reading and the role of libraries in the freedom struggle.

Ongole RDO Lakshmi Prasanna, Library Secretary Sivareddy, and other officials attended the event.