Research, Programs, and Services for Students With Reading Difficulties in the City Library “Ivan Goran KovačIć” in Karlovac

Abstract

The City Library “Ivan Goran Kovačić” in Karlovac, in cooperation with the Administrative Department for Social Activities in the City of Karlovac, conducted a survey among professional associates on reading difficulties in primary school children. The aim of the survey is to collect data on students with reading difficulties in the Karlovac area. The insight was gained into the situation in city schools and an incentive to improve the cooperation between the Library Department for Children and Youth and primary schools through the planning of new forms of assistance to children with reading difficulties. The results of the survey indicate that the problem of reading difficulties is mainly noticed in the first and/or second-grade students, and thus the Library has identified this age group of children, their parents, and primary school teachers as target groups for education and programs encouraging the purchase of easy-to-read materials for school libraries. Motivated by the goals and actions of the National Campaign "I want to read too!", programs of cooperation between Karlovac speech therapists and librarians as initiators, mediators, and organizers of inclusion of people with reading difficulties and dyslexia in the community were implemented.