Naumburg City Library makes it onto the reading award shortlist!

Naumburg City Library makes it onto the reading award shortlist!

The Naumburg City Library has secured a place on the shortlist of the German Reading Prize 2026. With over 400 applications from all over Germany, the project “Get your books, get ready, start reading!” was chosen. This outstanding community commitment shows how important it is to promote reading skills today. Library director Sabine Matzner expressed her enthusiasm about this nomination: “It’s a great recognition for our work!”

The project, which took place for the fifth time in 2023, captivates both young readers and their institutions. A total of 13 institutions from Naumburg and the surrounding area were involved and brought around 450 children into the reading and language promotion campaign. The participating institutions received a selection of children's books from which the most beautiful book was chosen. In order to promote the children's creative potential, they designed works on the books, which will ultimately be presented in an exhibition.

Books as a mirror of imagination

The central goal of this project is to get children excited about books and to give them access to the topics and stories covered in the books. “We want the children to engage with the content and develop their creativity,” explained Antje Key, one of the project managers. The city and state of Naumburg supported the project financially to ensure the purchase of the books.

The exhibition on this impressive picture book project can be seen in the city library until November 14, 2023 and promises to be a wonderful experience for the whole family.

German Reading Prize 2026: An incentive to promote reading

The German Reading Prize award, which is endowed with a total of 25,000 euros, will be awarded for the 13th time in February 2026. The award, which honors individuals, institutions and schools in various categories, is intended to draw attention to the pressing deficits in reading skills. In Germany, around 3 million children and young people cannot read well, which underlines the need for such projects. Reading Foundation reports that the application deadline for the German Reading Prize 2025 is June 30, 2024.

With the aim of strengthening reading promotion in Germany, the prize is awarded in the following categories:

• Herausragendes individuelles Engagement: 4.500 Euro
• Herausragendes kommunales Engagement: 4.500 Euro
• Herausragende Sprach- und Leseförderung in Kitas: 4.500 Euro
• Herausragende Leseförderung an Schulen: 4.500 Euro
• Herausragende Leseförderung mit digitalen Medien: 4.500 Euro
• Sonderpreis der Commerzbank-Stiftung: 2.500 Euro für eine Persönlichkeit des öffentlichen Lebens

At a time when reading often takes a back seat, the commitment of cities and libraries like Naumburg is particularly valuable. The initiatives to promote reading that are being carried out in many federal states are clear evidence of the great appreciation that reading is given in Germany. Education Server emphasizes that numerous programs and projects are offered nationwide to get both children and adults excited about reading culture.

The nomination of the Naumburg City Library is not only a reason to celebrate, but also an incentive for other institutions to launch similar projects and strengthen the joy of reading in society.