Project “Innovative reading promotion solutions for Lithuanian libraries for the development of social relations of children and youth with the environment” - Panevezys County Gabriele Petkevicaite-Bite Public Library

Project “Innovative reading promotion solutions for Lithuanian libraries for the development of social relations of children and youth with the environment” is financed for the period of 2014-2021 by the European Economic Area Financial Mechanism Instrument “Developing Access to Culture and Strengthening Cultural Education”.

More information on EEA and Norwegian financial mechanisms: www.eeagrants.lt/en

The aim of the project is to develop an innovative reading promotion tool that would shape students’ reading habits, deepen their knowledge and adapt their reading experience to building social relationships with the environment (peers, parents, teachers, etc.), problem solving, and creative self-expression.

Implementation period 2021 August – 2023 November

Target groups Students of 5–8 grades (young people aged 10–15) living and studying in Panevėžys, Kaunas and Klaipėda regions.

Problems that the project addresses

Decrease in readings habits of the target group. Studies show that fifth graders are the age group that reads significantly less than pupils of primary school. Children and young people read many and varied texts, but rarely choose quality, valuable literature.
Challenges in adolescence. During adolescence, youngsters experience many changes, when it is difficult to understand oneself, relationships with parents change, new authorities are sought, and friends become especially important. Social networks have a significant negative impact by offering unrealistic living standards and aspirations. During this period reliable guidelines in life are of great importance. We aim to make the reading of target literature a valuable aid to children and adolescents in shaping their identity and relationships with the environment.
Impact of the pandemic. The tensions caused by distance learning, isolation, and limited communication have already affected children – the psychological and psychosomatic consequences of immobility and IT dependence have increased. Introducing the game which promotes reading, we aim to create a means of networking, which encourages and emphasizes the importance of communication, mutual help and empathy for each other.

Solutions of the problems

The project will create a virtual game available in a free mobile app which will meet students’ need to play online games as well as integrate elements that promote the reading of valuable literature and solving psychological or social problems.

Seeking to gain deeper understanding of children’s and adolescents’ issues and reading skills, a study is carried out at the beginning of the project.

Based on the findings of the study, a virtual game which encourages problem solving through reading target literature will be created. An important part of the game is a specially formed, game-related collection of books, which will be provided to 39 libraries in Panevėžys, Kaunas and Klaipėda regions. These books will be the guide to playing the game successfully.

Game. A reading challenge game and a collection of books for the target group will be available in a free mobile app, literature related to the game’s tasks will be found on special themed shelves in libraries and other denoted areas.

The virtual game will be based on a certain story with tasks. The script will be constructed as a chain of events based on choices and decisions of the game hero. By playing this game, children and adolescents will look for answers and advice in the target literature and learn to behave responsibly in different social situations. Representatives of the cultural, artistic, scientific and creative industries as well as youth volunteers will be involved in the development of the game.

Educational activities. In order to create conditions for the target group to participate in project-related educations, the experts will prepare a set of educational-cultural activities according to the content of the virtual game and book collection. Students will have the opportunity to participate in these educational activities systematically in regional and local libraries. Reading books will be presented as a fun activity that stimulates the imagination and creativity, helps to find and evaluate one’s own or other people’s actions, understand feelings, and more.

Participants: 39 libraries, 12,285 educational workshops, 11,615 events, 23,900 participating children in 3 counties – Panevėžys, Kaunas and Klaipėda.

Project continuity. The reading challenge game will continue even after the project ends, updating the collections with books and initiating new reading challenges.

Implemented project activities:

July 1, 2021 The project “Innovative reading promotion solutions for Lithuanian libraries for the development of social relations of children and youth with the environment” is launched
August 20, 2021 Meeting of Lithuanian partners
September 2, 2021 Virtual project presentation event “Virtual game or book? Both!”
September 9, 2021 Meeting of the Ministry of Culture with the 2014-2021 Winners of cultural projects funded by the European Economic Area (EEA) financial mechanisms
November 3, 2021 A study “Identification of reading skills and social relations issues of students of 5-8 grade” was carried out
April 20-23, 2022 Meeting of Lithuanian partners and partners from game development studio “Black book” in Norway
May 24, 2022 Meeting of Lithuanian partners and partners from Norway in Kaunas, Lithuania
May 25, 2022 Game development studio “Black book” from Norway meeting and discussion with young people in the Open Youth Space of Panevėžys County Gabrielė Petkevičaitė-Bitė Public Library
May 25, 2022 – Conversation with the creators of the game “Draugoteka.”

July 5, 2022 – Libraries create “Draugoteka” (press release).
August 18, 2022 – Meeting of library leaders implementing the project.
September 2, 2022 – “Draugoteka” game privacy policy is published.
January 27, 2023 – New mobile app “Draugoteka” invites children and youth to play at libraries (press release).
January, 2023 – User Manual for the “Draugoteka“ mobile app (in Lithuanian).
February 20, 2023 – New service in libraries – Educational program playing “Draugoteka.”
February 24, 2023 – Presentations of the mobile app “Draugoteka” in libraries of Panevėžys, Kaunas, and Klaipėda regions.
February 24, 2023 – Panevėžys region libraries present “Draugoteka” at the Vilnius Book Fair.
In February 2023, a project promotion campaign took place on LRT RADIJAS program and banner advertising on LRT.LT portal was shown 204,447 times, with the audio clip broadcasted 111 times.
In February 2023, game presentation events took place in 34 libraries. A total of 921 participants attended these game presentation events.
In February 2023, educational activities began.
In March 2023, active educational activities started in libraries in Panevėžys, Kaunas, and Klaipėda regions with the program “Playing Draugoteka.”
From March 1 to May 2, 2023, 890 educational activities were conducted with the participation of 8,559 participants.
April 28, 2023 – List of libraries with “Draugoteka” shelves and self service book machines.
From May 2 to May 31, 2023, the project’s activities were promoted on social media.
On May 19, 2023, the organization “Arts and Culture Norway,” a partner of the European Economic Area Financial Mechanism program “Culture,” visited the library, represented by Guro Hansebakken. The purpose of the visit was to promote projects funded by this program to the Norwegian audience. The educational program “Playing Draugoteka” was filmed, and library representatives gave interviews about how the funding provided by this foundation helps increase the spread of cultural products and services in regions, ensuring equal accessibility, promoting creativity among children and youth, and strengthening bilateral relations between Lithuania and Norway.

On June 8, 2023, the presentation of the educational program “Playing Draugotek” took place at the Šiauliai County Povilas Višinskis Public Library.
From May to August 2023, 482 educational programs of “Draugoteka” took place, with 4,292 participants. In total, 1,372 educational programs have been conducted in the project, involving 12,851 participants.
In 2023, 3,821 users installed the virtual game “Draugoteka” on their mobile phones.
In September 2023, a promotion campaign started in the TAMO diary system.
On September 28, 2023, the “Cyber City” technology complex in Vilnius hosted the “Digital Innovator 2023” competition. The product “Draugoteka,” implemented by the Gabrielė Petkevičaitė-Bitė Public Library of Panevėžys County in collaboration with partners such as the Kaunas County Public Library, the Ieva Simonaitytė Public Library of Klaipėda County, the creative studio BLACK BOOK (Norway), and the public libraries of Panevėžys, Kaunas, and Klaipėda regions from 39 municipalities, won the competition in the category of “Smart Villages and Urbanization.”
On September 23, 2023, the reading challenge game “Draugoteka” participant award ceremonies begin.
On November 8, 2023, the award ceremony for the “Draugoteka” reading challenge game took place at the Gabrielė Petkevičaitė-Bitė Public Library of Panevėžys County.
On November 16, 2023, the presentation event for the results of the project “Innovative reading promotion solutions for Lithuanian libraries for the development of social relations of children and youth with the environment” was held.
On November 21, 2023, the results of the project “Innovative reading promotion solutions for Lithuanian libraries for the development of social relations of children and youth with the environment” are presented to the public (press release).

Executor of the project: Panevėžys County Gabrielė Petkevičaitė-Bitė Public Library