The Power of Mobile Library in Supporting Preschool Education in Rural Areas: Awarded Innovative Project of "Fran Galović" Public Library Koprivnica, Croatia

Abstract

The aim is to stress the importance of mobile library in supporting preschool education through improving access to reading materials and ICT to kindergartens' children and teachers in rural areas. „Create Young Readers: Supporting Early Literacy in Rural Areas of Koprivnica-Krizevci County in Croatia“ project of the „Fran Galović“ Public library Koprivnica, Croatia was awarded by the INELI Balkans Innovation Award for library projects in the Balkan area (2016). Its main goal is to encourage reading, information and digital literacy of children, nurturing tolerance and promoting the awareness of parents about the importance of reading from the earliest age. Results of two-year project implementation into regular mobile library offer will be presented.The program is specifically implemented through the borrowing of small boxes containing books, manuals for learning Croatian and Romani language, handbooks for educators and tablets.. The project has had a positive effect on reading habits in the 4 municipalities. More broadly, it helps to improve: (1) the quality of preschool education for children who do not have the same education conditions as children living in urban areas, (2) improve the professional competences of educators and (3) prerequisites for further social, cultural, economic and educational development of small rural communities.