At its session held on November 2, 2017, the Government of the Republic of Croatia adopted the National Strategy to Revive Book Reading that would contribute to the development of the reading culture and enable reading enjoyment to as many people in Croatia as possible.
The decrease in interest for books and reading, the changed reading behaviour in the digital environment and insufficient literacy require from every society to deal with the issues of the culture of literacy in a systematic and strategic manner. Since there has been no strategy concerning the development of the reading culture and literacy in Croatia so far, it was essential to prepare a strategic document that would connect and harmonise the actions of all the involved factors, from the author and the book to the reader.
The vision of the Strategy: “The Croatian society understands the role of reading in development of an individual and society as well as the specific impacts of reading at every stage of life. Therefore, the actions have been taken and the responsibility has been assumed for the revival of reading and for the reading itself” will be accomplished in the following five years by implementing the activities and projects within the Action Plan for the Implementation of the 2017– 2022 Strategy Comprising the three strategic goals:
(1) Establishing of an effective social framework as a support to reading;
(2) Development of reading literacy and encouraging readers to active and critical reading;
(3) Increasing the availability of books and other reading materials.
The goals of the Strategy will be accomplished within the period scheduled for its implementation and by means of 15 objectives and 42 measures. The relevant mechanisms for monitoring and evaluation of the effects of the Strategy will also be secured with an aim of establishing a systematic social framework as a support to reading.
The scientific research will be conducted that will result in new insights important for the revival of book reading, which will help in establishing a system of distribution of the information, promotion of cross-sectoral connections and cooperation between all institutional and non-institutional participants in the field of the book reading revival. Furthermore, a national campaign for the revival of book reading will be implemented.
The development of reading literacy and teaching active and critical reading will be accomplished through several priorities (objectives). Creation and implementation of the Strategy will support the reading programmes for early childhood as well as for preschool and school children (elementary and high school). Such reading programmes will also include adults as a target group and they will be used in work with adults. The collaboration between all participants involved in the programmes for reviving of reading will be boosted.
The strategic goal of ensuring the availability of books and other reading materials will be accomplished by a systematic investment into writers, illustrators and translators and their actions, by providing support to the publishing and library activities, by increasing the production and availability of reading materials for people with reading disabilities, by investing into new titles, by improving the availability and visibility of e-books and free digital reading material.
>>> Please find the document in Croatian here
