With the aim of promoting the habit of reading and improving reading comprehension rates in Catalonia, the Government presents “Operation Rescue” for libraries.
This ambitious initiative, approved by the Government, includes 73 measures to be implemented from September 2023, with the aim of promoting reading at all ages and in Catalan.
The plan seeks to achieve three fundamental goals: to increase the number of readers, to make reading a habitual practice and, especially, to promote the use of Catalan in the materials read.
The objectives set are to achieve that by 2030, at least 76% of Catalans read at least once a quarter, 65% read weekly and 40% read in Catalan. In addition, it seeks to promote lifelong reading.
Pilot plan begins
Among these measures, the Plan for the Improvement of School Libraries in Catalonia (PLAMIB), which will begin with a pilot plan in 50 schools in the province of Barcelona, stands out.
The investment planned for the next four years will be 4.6 million euros, with the aim of revitalizing these libraries and, ultimately, achieving that 80% of Catalan schools have them by 2030.
Under the pilot plan, 35 of the selected centers will be public and 15 subsidized, and will be advised by professional librarians who will visit them twice a month.
A teacher will also be released two hours a week to work on reading-related tasks.
Although some centers face difficulties, such as the lack of space to locate libraries in barracks, the aim is to make these knowledge spaces accessible and equitable for all students.
Operation Rescue: promoting reading in Catalonia
The rescue of school libraries is not the only front of “Operation Rescue.” A campaign will also be implemented to improve reading adherence among young people between the ages of 13 and 17, a critical age where many become disengaged from reading.
In this sense, the aim is to highlight the benefits of reading as opposed to other formats and to generate new habits, such as the algorithmic disconnection and the valuation of the book as a verifiable and reliable source of knowledge.
Other actions included in the plan are the promotion of children’s and young people’s literature in Catalan in public media and spaces, as well as the promotion of oral storytelling and reading aloud.
The initiative seeks to offer equal access to Catalan literary creation, recognizing and favoring the diversity of perspectives and giving an active role to underrepresented social groups.
Operation Rescue” aims to turn reading into a cultural right exercised by all citizens of Catalonia.
