The Eibar City Council has opened the pre-registration period for reading clubs to be held at the Juan San Martin Municipal Library. The new program includes two proposals for children and one reading club in Basque for adults, aiming to foster reading habits and create spaces for literary enjoyment.
Pre-registration for the children's clubs will be open from August 31st to September 25th, while the deadline to register for the adult reading club is September 13th. Mayor Jon Iraola emphasized the importance of introducing reading from an early age, envisioning libraries as "living spaces for meeting and participation."
The Children's Library will host two activities: "Cuentos a flor de piel" (for children aged 1, 2, and 3, accompanied by a parent/guardian) and "La bolsa de los libros" (for children aged 4 and 5, and 1st and 2nd graders). Both will be conducted in Basque, once a month on Mondays, and will be free of charge, facilitated by Saroa Bikandi.
Andoni Zabala, the Councillor for Culture, stated that the program is designed to "accompany children, families, and adults at different stages of their relationship with reading." If more than 12 applications are received for the children's groups, a draw will be held. A minimum of six participants is required to form a group.
For adults, the club "Idazlearekin harixa emoten" will foster connections among literature enthusiasts and create spaces for discussion. A key feature will be the participation of writers in the sessions, allowing readers to directly meet those who have read their works. This club will be facilitated by Ainhoa Aldazabal in collaboration with …eta kitto Euskara Elkartea, and will take place at Portalea from October to May, on Tuesdays from 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM. It will also be free.
Interested individuals can complete their pre-registration through forms provided by the City Council. The deadline for children's activities is September 25th, and for the adult club, it is September 13th. The Eibar City Council continues its commitment to promoting reading, positioning its public libraries as centers for meeting, learning, participation, and shared enjoyment of literature.
Iraola concluded that "promoting reading means investing in a more educated, critical citizenry with a greater capacity to imagine and understand the world." The council will continue working to ensure Eibar offers accessible, high-quality cultural programming.
