Being inspired by reading

Abstract

In school libraries in Kazakhstan, special attention is paid to supporting and developing interest in reading among students. Ministry of Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan has been implementing the Reading School project in schools since 2021. It did have a positive effect on activities of school libraries: - The number of library users increased, which is now 213 861 children, i.e., 6.7%. - The fund of fiction literature increased by 2 million 439 thousand 376 copies; - 1 000 comfortable coworking centers were opened in schools for scientific and cognitive purposes for students, where they can study, read, and exchange opinions on the books they have read - 4 045 events were held to form students' reading literacy, increase their motivation to read literature.

The Republican Scientific Pedagogical Library (RCPL) organized several activities under the auspices of the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan. They are: - "The National reading competition 2022" was organized in cooperation with the Booketition company among high school students of Almaty in hybrid format (online and offline). As a slogan for the competition the following phrase was chosen: "Motivation to read through competition". 3 099 students joined the project. 256 students participated and 11 winners were selected. - In cooperation with the Daria Development Center (Almaty) reading competition TulgaBolam ("I will be intellectual person") was organized, which consisted of three stages. Various age groups of children participated in the competition. Two stages of this reading competition were already held. 50 000 readers participated in the first stage and 100 000 readers in the 2nd stage. The grand prize at the 2nd stage, a one-room apartment in the capital city Nur-Sultan, was given to the reader from Shymkent region. The RCPLis involved in the project called "Reading on holidays", within which the lists of recommended books for all ages of students were prepared. After reading the books, students shared their opinions and views in social networks: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok under #OukugaKushtarMektepZhazgyDemalysta.

Strategic directions of activities that need to be implemented by school libraries of the Republic of Kazakhstan to support and develop students’ reading skills: 1) Further popularization and development of reading as a way of intellectual, spiritual and moral development of students as well as organizing their leisure time; 2) development of reading skills, media and information literacy of students; 3) developing school libraries as resource centers for gaining educational, cultural, and recreational information. They should ensure the development and support of the reading culture of students; 4) combining the efforts of the teaching staff, the library and the parent community in order to improve the status of reading, reader activity and the quality of reading of students.