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Reading Promotion Programme

Project aim

To increase the number of readers of all ages, to create a society of creative, critical-minded, civilly responsible, educated citizens who are open to the world and respectful of fundamental values.

Project objectives

  • To create, modernise, maintain an environment that encourages reading, to ensure its accessibility.
  • To develop the skills of cultural and educational staff to promote reading and competencies.
  • To strengthen students’ reading skills through the creative popularisation of literature, modern reading strategies.
  • To form a positive attitude towards reading, to mobilise the participants of the book industry to implement a culture of reading.

Project duration

Reading Promotion Programme 2019–2024 implemented in accordance with the approved three-year action plan (2022–2024). The action plan is available here.

Project promoters

Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania, Ministry of Education, Science and Sport of the Republic of Lithuania

Responsible executor of measures

Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania

Coordinating unit of the National Library

Department of Children and Youth Literature
Project Management Division

Project partners

Municipal Public Libraries, Lithuanian Publishers Association, Lithuanian Branch of the International Association of Children’s and Youth Literature (IBBY), Public Institution Lithuanian National Radio and Television

Project funding and value (EUR)

The main source of financing is the state budget of the Republic of Lithuania:

  • EUR 72,000 in 2019
  • EUR 72,000 in 2020
  • EUR 159,500 in 2021 (of which EUR 130,000 for the project “Knygų startas”)
  • EUR 154,500 in 2022 (of which EUR 130,000 for the project “Knygų startas”)
  • EUR 194,000 in 2023 (of which EUR 137,500 for the project “Knygų startas”)
  • EUR 261,500 in 2024 (of which EUR 180,000 for the project “Knygų startas”)

Other funds also received in accordance with the procedure established by legal acts.

Project presentation

The programme is implemented in accordance with the three-year (2022–2024) action plan approved by the order of the Minister of Culture and the Minister of Education, Science and Sport, specifying the measures envisaged for the implementation of the objectives, the responsible executors, the funds allocated for the activities and the time of implementation.

The programme aims to continue the activities of the Reading Promotion Programme 2006–2011.

One of the biggest innovations of the programme is the project “Knygų startas” (Book Start) for children aged 0–3, which is being developed for the first time in Lithuania to develop early reading skills (more on the website skaitymometai.lt under the heading “Knygų startas”).

Other purposes of the National Library

  • Organise a campaign “Tėčiai skaito vaikams” (Dads reading to children) in libraries and other places, increase the involvement of parents in the child’s education with a book;
  • Organise training to improve the competencies of pre-school and primary education teachers of public libraries and educational institutions;
  • Form a positive attitude towards reading, mobilise the participants of the book industry to implement the culture of reading, further organise the campaign “Metų knygos rinkimai” (Book of the Year);
  • Initiate the mobilisation of Lithuanian-speaking Lithuanian communities in support of reading needs and the environment;
  • Carry out an evaluation of good practices in library activities at the national level and develop a coordinating model of activities;
  • Create and implement a communication campaign “Skaitymo ambasadorius” (Reading Ambassador), where a representative public figure forms an opinion about the benefits of reading (from 2023);
  • Implement a programme for the formation of reading culture (reading corners) for children aged 0–6 (from 2023);
  • Develop an activity model and launch a reading aloud programme, with volunteers reading to seniors, volunteers and students reading to children (from 2023);
  • Organise an international conference on children’s literature (2024);
  • Encourage specialist texts for a mass audience, introduce an understanding of the criteria for good translation, book printing, draw attention to various awards and prize-winning publications (from 2023).

Dissemination of the project

Information on project activities can be found on the website www.skaitymometai.lt.

Responsible person

  • Goda Baranauskaitė-Dangovienė, Director of the Department of Children’s and Youth Literature, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., tel. (8 5) 239 8564;
  • Ginta Liberytė, Culture Manager, Project Management Division, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., tel. (8 5) 239 8631 (project “Knygų startas”).