Formation of the Secretariat for the Capital of Books in Shahrood, a suitable opportunity for urban management

According to Khabar Online news agency, Semnan Province, an analytical meeting between Saeed Dehghanlou, Director General of Public Libraries of Semnan Province, and Mohsen Ahmadi, Mayor, and several deputies of Shahrood Municipality, was held in Alborz Town Public Library in Shahrood to review the Shahrood Book Capital project and examine issues and problems related to developing a culture of useful reading in Shahrood.

During this meeting, the Director General of Public Libraries of Semnan Province, while thanking the good cooperation of the municipality with the public libraries of the city, said: Launching a mobile bus, creating elements related to the field of books, naming a square ‘Book Square’, and supporting local authors are part of the effective measures taken by Shahrood Municipality to promote books and reading.

Dehghanlou reminded of Shahrood’s abundant capacities and capabilities, such as study stations in parks, book-friendly villages, numerous signs promoting reading culture installed in public thoroughfares of the county, and other events related to the field of books and reading in this county, adding: Shahrood has the necessary capacities to achieve the title of Iran’s Book Capital, and to this end, it is necessary to establish a secretariat in cooperation with the Department of Culture and Islamic Guidance, the Municipality, and the Department of Public Libraries, and to pursue related matters through this secretariat.

He considered the formation of the Book Capital Secretariat in Shahrood an opportunity for urban management to improve the level of public and civic culture and said: This plan can lead to an increase in the per capita study rate among citizens, which will result in scientific growth.

Mohsen Ahmadi, Mayor of Shahrood, also congratulated the appointment of the Director General of Public Libraries of the province and said: The city management will take steps with all its might to materially and spiritually support books and reading.

He added: The municipality and libraries are two aligned institutions whose goal is to serve the general public, and it is essential that these two public entities cooperate fully in cultural matters, especially in promoting books and reading among various segments of society.

Mohsen Ahmadi recalled the unveiling and purchase of books from Shahroodi authors during the municipality’s activity period in cooperation with the Department of Public Libraries of Shahrood County and stated: We are pursuing the discussion of Iran’s Book Capital as a priority to hopefully bring this important matter to fruition.

It is noteworthy that in this meeting, Seyed Ebrahim Mousavi, Head of Shahrood Public Libraries Department, and Mohammad Moradi, Head of Libraries Affairs and Cooperation of the Provincial Department, also accompanied Saeed Dehghanlou.