In 2015, Ljubljana joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network; as a City of Literature we have committed ourselves to promote innovative approaches to encourage reading and preserve the significance of books as pillars of the development of humanity.

Ljubljana reads is a project the City of Ljubljana launched in 2008 encouraging the development of reading culture in different target groups with the intention of highlighting the importance of reading within the family in early childhood, the significance of books for the development of individuals, and at the same time by purchasing select books supporting and promoting top domestic artists and ensuring the accessibility of high-quality original literature for children. During this time, we have given 15 finest original Slovenian picture books to over 100,000 children.

Pilot project e-books in primary schools

Digital competence or the vital skill of the 21. century is of key importance for education, work and active participation in the society. In education digital skills are just as important as reading and writing skills, which became even more obvious since the epidemiological measures for the prevention of the spread of coronavirus and the consequential closure of schools in the period between March and May 2020.

Regardless of the unexpected closure of schools the City of Ljubljana already started designing a pilot project for using e-books in primary schools by pursuing the goal of higher accessibility of literary works, that is, responding to the need to have access to a higher number of select book titles at the same time. By ensuring higher accessibility of books in the electronic format we are also addressing pupils with temporary or permanent movement impairments. E-books with their adjustment options may also have positive effects on pupils with different reading disabilities.

Interested schools were given free access to the web distribution portal for e-books Biblos and were also provided with e-readers.

The My First School Notebook project continues

Again this school year the City of Ljubljana is working together with the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering at the University of Ljubljana and select primary schools in Ljubljana on the project My First School Notebook.

My First School Notebook is a multisubject notebook intended for first grade primary school children and teachers, which with its design makes it easier for first graders to take care of it and offers a better overview of the contents. It is to be used in class or during after-school care especially during the first semester without teachers needing to adapt the curriculum. In addition to lined, squared and blank papers it also includes interesting tasks for first graders, a fairy tale, stickers and tools for easier learning of writing letters and numbers. The big advantage of this notebook is that by containing three different subjects it makes carrying the school bag easier.