Growing Up Reading: Spaces, Books, and Reading Skills

The project aims to renovate two of the school libraries within the Library Network and to implement three book booths in schools belonging to the Marinha Grande Poente School Group (AEMGP).

The school library plays a central role in the development of literacy skills, critical thinking, creativity, and active citizenship, constituting a privileged space for access to knowledge, culture, and inclusion. However, in two primary schools within this school cluster, these spaces lack functional and pedagogical requalification in order to meet new curricular, technological, and social demands.

In parallel, encouraging reading should extend beyond the physical limits of the school library, reaching outdoor spaces and the daily life of the educational community. The installation of book booths—small, accessible, inclusive, and open structures—in three other schools within the group constitutes an effective strategy to promote informal reading, book sharing, and practices of cultural citizenship.

This project aims to renovate two of the school libraries within the Library Network and implement three book booths in schools of the Marinha Grande Poente School Group (AEMGP) , promoting reading as a daily, cross-cutting and accessible practice for all, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals, namely:

• SDG 4 – Quality Education
• SDG 10 – Reduced Inequalities
• SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities
• SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals

Scientific and pedagogical research demonstrates that regular access to books and stimulating reading environments has a direct impact on academic success, language development, reading comprehension, and a lifelong love of learning.

The requalification of the school library as an Educational Resource Center implies the creation of flexible, inclusive and multifunctional spaces, integrating areas for informal reading, collaborative work, research, creation and access to digital resources.

The book booths, inspired by the concept of book crossing , promote spontaneous reading, intergenerational sharing, and a sense of belonging, reinforcing the library as a public service that is close to the school community and to culture.

About the author

The Marinha Grande Poente School Group, established on April 1, 2013, as a result of the merger of the Guilherme Stephens School Group and the Eng.º Acácio Calazans Duarte Secondary School, comprises ten educational establishments distributed across the parishes of Marinha Grande and Moita. It is a Priority Intervention Educational Territory (TEIP) due to its socioeconomic diversity, with a student population where 20% of children and young people come from 34 nationalities, speaking other languages and possessing other languages.

The school group has over 2800 students and offers education from preschool to secondary school, including scientific-humanistic and vocational courses, as well as adult education and training through the Qualifica Center, with RVCC (Recognition, Validation and Certification of Competencies), EFA (Family and Adult Education) courses, and PLA (Personalized Adult Education) courses for migrant populations. It has a large team of professionals, including teachers, specialized technicians, technical and operational assistants.

The school group participates in several networks, namely the REEI Schools network, the 2030 Schools network, and its geographical location, history, and demographic size give it an increased responsibility in promoting sustainability and building innovative educational practices.

Schools covered by the Project

• Refurbishment of the Libraries integrated into the RBE network - Moita Basic School and Francisco Veríssimo Basic School
• Installation of Book Booths at Várzea Basic School, Guilherme Stephens Basic School and Calazans Duarte Secondary School.

Budget and due dates

The intervention will be organized in four sequential stages :

Stage 1 – Diagnosis and Co-construction of the Vision

• Assessment of physical, functional, and educational needs;
• Consultation with students, teachers, operational assistants and families;
• Collaborative definition of the concept of interactive libraries and book booths.

Stage 2 – Upgrading School Libraries

• Reorganization of physical space;
• Acquisition of modular and inclusive furniture;
• Creation of differentiated zones (reading, study, creation, multimedia);
• Updating and organizing the documentary collection;
• Integration of digital and technological resources.

Stage 3 – Construction and Placement of Book Booths

• Defining strategic locations (courtyards, entrances, playgrounds);
• Installation of durable and accessible cabins, manufactured using recycled materials;
• Initial selection of books suitable for the age groups;
• Student involvement in curation and maintenance.

Stage 4 – Dynamization, Monitoring and Sustainability

• Regular activities to promote reading;
• Monitoring the use of spaces;
• Training students to act as mediators of reading;
• Periodic updating of cabin books.

The refurbishment of each library involves the completion of the steps indicated below, with an estimated cost of approximately €6,000. This will allow for the reconfiguration of spaces, the acquisition of furniture and equipment, and the implementation of promotional activities, monitoring, and sustainability of the project. For the two libraries in the RBE network, the estimated cost is €12,000.

The installation of the book booths presupposes the definition of the model and its production with the support of students from the Professional Course in Industrial Design, as well as activities to promote, monitor, and ensure the sustainability of the project. The estimated cost for the three booths is €3750.

Documents

• memoria_descrita_bibliotecas.pdf

  pdf • 667.42 KB