BOOKS AND READING PROMOTION AS A DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL OF SMALLER CITIES

Abstract

Aim. The aim of this paper is to introduce the expert community to the Croatian Library Association Reading Committee’s project, “Books and Reading Promotion as a Development Potential for Smaller Cities.” The paper will cover the project’s creation, the motivation behind its launch, the strategic documents it references, and the values it promotes. A developed reading culture should not be limited to residents of big cities and urban environments. Libraries in small towns are recognized as important cultural institutions that hold a significant role in the local community. They are irreplaceable in implementing the National Strategy to Promote Book reading. The paper aims to emphasize the importance of libraries in promoting the right to read as a fundamental aspect of cultural rights. It highlights libraries and library projects as generators of cultural capital, with great potential for social, economic, and tourism development in small communities by encouraging and promoting reading. The paper presents the most significant statistics and evaluation results obtained after the round table held in Prelog, which was a central project activity in 2022. Approach/Methodology/Design. The first part of the paper describes the origins of the project, including its cultural, strategic, and professional contexts. The second part presents the central activity of the project, which was a round table held on June 10, 2022, at the Prelog Municipal Library, as a meeting place for librarians from public, primary and secondary school libraries from all over Croatia. This event serves as a prime example of how theoretical assumptions can be put into practice and how small libraries can achieve their strategic objectives. The third section of the paper presents and analyzes the results of the survey that was conducted following the round table. The survey aimed to assess participants’ satisfaction with the conference’s topic, content, atmosphere, and organization to improve future project activities. Results. The paper, based on selected strategic documents adopted by the Government of the Republic of Croatia, the United Nations, the Council of Europe, UNESCO, and IFLA, considers the potential for development in small cities within the context of cultural rights, including the right to read.The paper highlights the potential of libraries in small towns, along with specific opportunities and strategies for their development through collaborative programs that promote reading and various forms of literacy. The evaluation results are presented. Social Significance. A developed reading culture is essential for high literacy levels, which are necessary for progress in economic, social, cultural, and personal aspects. The development of a society is closely linked to its reading culture due to the long-term and far-reaching implications for all segments of society. Originality/Value. The paper explores the concept of reading promotion within a broader context, with the aim of inspiring librarians and library founders to reconsider their approach to promoting reading. By investing more intellectual and material resources in advanced cultural programs in small communities, in collaboration with local residents, libraries can contribute to the cultural, social, and economic development of these communities. If this approach is consistently implemented, it could lead to a paradigm shift at the national level.