Over one billion zloty to support the development of reading. Conference celebrates achievements of National Reading Development Programme 2.0
On September 23-24, 2025, the conference Czytanie ma tylko dobre strony (“Reading has only good sides”) took place in Warsaw, celebrating the achievements of the National Reading Development Programme 2.0 (NPRCz 2.0). The event brought together 280 participants, including beneficiaries and operators of the programme, representatives of the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Education and the publishing market, booksellers, local government officials and other groups connected with the reading community.
The conference provided an opportunity for debate, sharing experiences and building networks. It also served as a starting point for discussions about the extension of the programme in the coming years and ensuring the lasting impact of what has been achieved in 2021-25.
Opening the conference was Marta Cienkowska, Minister of Culture and National Heritage: “Thanks to the over one billion zloty allocated to the programme, more than 2,500 public libraries and nearly 10,000 schools have received new publications, and around 13.5 million books have reached readers, from classics and children’s literature to the latest publications. Libraries have become centres of community life – places for dialogue, meeting and belonging. At the same time, librarians, teachers and educators have been able to improve their skills and discover new ways of working with readers.”
The Minister added that preparatory work is already under way on the National Reading Development Programme 3.0: “It will be an updated programme, adapted to today’s context and with greater emphasis on audiobooks, e-books and digital accessibility.”
Izabela Ziętka, Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of National Education, highlighted the transformation of school libraries, which have become community spaces. She emphasised that the Ministry places strong importance on the book as a medium that stimulates the senses and develops critical thinking. She also expressed her commitment to the further development of the National Reading Development Programme and described it as “a programme for enthusiasts who want to promote reading, and for champions in the digital world.”
Over the course of two days, the five years of NPRCz 2.0 were reviewed. Discussions focused on its impact on individual institutions, directions for the extension of the programme (NPRCz 3.0), future development actions and contemporary reading – its challenges and the prospects for further raising readership levels in Poland. The conference included keynote lectures, a debate with operators and beneficiaries of the programme, a meeting with representatives of NGOs and the Working Group on the Literary Field, a panel session on European reading development strategies with experts from Lithuania, the Czech Republic, Norway and Germany, and debates on the future of reading with researchers and on the local role of libraries with representatives of local government. It concluded with an evening networking event at the Palace of the Commonwealth.
The debates and lectures can be watched on the NPRCz channel on YouTube:
Under the priority “Improving the offer of public libraries”, the National Library worked on two strategic areas:
- Purchasing new publications and enabling remote access
Libraries were able to add new titles to their collections and at the same time offer remote access to e-books and audiobooks, keeping up with the times and readers’ expectations. The libraries themselves chose what items to buy and decided on the balance between print and digital. This enabled local governments, which are obliged to fund library operations, to plan their own contribution more effectively and secure budgets for diversifying collections. This year alone, local governments allocated a record PLN 67 million for this purpose, which, together with programme funding, provided a total of PLN 100 million for book purchases. Efforts in this area also supported the publishing market, authors and creators - Building a nationwide library network by implementing an integrated library resource management system
Under this initiative, a shared database – the Union Catalogue (Połączone Katalogi) – was created, enabling consistent library and information services and giving all interested parties access to materials and sources of information. This was achieved by implementing a single system that links the catalogues of 146 libraries and other institutions co-cataloguing with the National Library. The Union Catalogue was accessed more than half a billion times in the first half of 2025 alone
Public libraries were also able to draw on other areas of support under NPRCz 2.0:
- Investments in public library infrastructure
Funds were available for the construction, redevelopment, reconstruction, adaptation and modernisation of facilities, including furnishings and equipment. As a result, 113 libraries were transformed, offering local residents access to modern, welcoming cultural spaces - Grant programme for libraries and the promotion of reading
Under the initiative BLISKO – Biblioteka | Lokalność | Inicjatywy | Społeczność | Kooperacja | Oddolność (“Library | Locality | Initiatives | Community | Cooperation | Grassroots), the role of libraries as a “third place” was strengthened, bringing people together and building partnerships with local institutions. In addition, the professional competencies of library staff were improved
NPRCz 2.0 also covered school libraries, pedagogical (teacher training) libraries and pre-school facilities. Under the programme:
- Access to new publications increased, with more than 4.6 million new items added to collections
- Reading habits were developed for pre-school children
- Reading engagement was strengthened for primary and secondary school pupils
- Library spaces were upgraded through the purchase of new furnishings and equipment
- The potential and appeal of libraries were enhanced, particularly in the eyes of young people
- Very young children were encouraged to engage with books
The National Reading Development Programme 2.0 (NPRCz 2.0) is a multi-year government programme covering the period 2021-25. Under the programme, more than a billion zloty – 60 percent from the state budget, 40 percent in contributions from beneficiaries – was allocated to various forms of support for and promotion of reading in Poland. The programme is the largest and one of the most important multi-year programmes of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, in terms of both the scale of its impact and the size of its budget. Its objectives are to support, promote and develop reading in Poland, to foster pro-reading attitudes, to increase access to books in all formats, to strengthen Polish language skills and to reinforce the role of public libraries as local centres of community life and gateways to culture and knowledge.
NPRCz 2.0 had four priority support areas, each supported by either the National Library, the Book Institute, the Ministry of Education and Science, or the National Centre for Culture. For example, nearly half a billion zloty was channelled into the publishing market via the purchase of new books, while several hundred million zloty more were allocated to the modernisation and construction of libraries.
