Lockdowns enhance reading habits: Prof Dr Nasim Fatima

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi 
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Prof Dr Nasim Fatima, a renowned scholar and educationist, has reckoned that, contrary to general belief, reading habits among the masses has enhanced during the last four months of lockdowns, enforced to contain spreading of coronavirus (COVID-19). 

“On the basis of feedback received from publishers and booksellers, I found it very heartening to note that reading of books has been one of the favourites pastimes of many people who had to be confined to their homes due to lockdown since the month of March,” she informed in a brief chat with PNFS at the Record Office of the Library Promotion Bureau (LPB) on July 13. 

“The credit also goes to publishers and publishers for having facilitated the readers during this tough period in particular. They have not only offered discounts but also improved their online services and arranged for the delivery of books at doorstep of their customers,” Prof Dr Nasim Fatima, the first lady chairperson of the Library & Information Science department at the University of Karachi, added. 

Regarding the activities of the LPB, she revealed that they had resumed meetings on weekly basis while taking care of all the SOPs. 

“Obviously our mobility has been affected like every other aspect of life due to the lethal virus. We, however, have continued working from home and we also have made it a point to meet once a week to discuss the progress of various projects in our hands,” she explained.