• 2020-10-12

Would you like to know what the most popular and most attended library reading events in Taiwan are? How about which events are viewed as the most creative in Taiwan? To better understand which reading events were viewed most favorably by the Taiwan public, National Central Library teamed up with public libraries across the nation to select “100 Reading Events by Libraries.” Then over a month and a half, from July 15 to August 31, 2020, over 6,000 people voted for their favorite, most creative, and most attended reading event. And now the results of the Top 5 Most Loved Reading Events are here!

National Central Library Director-General Shu-hsien Tseng stated that NCL's purpose in holding this voting event was to collect the various types of reading events and highlight the efforts of libraries in reading promotion. It was also to understand which events were liked by the public so that libraries could share with one another and use information gathered as reference points in future efforts.

The results of the voting showed the popularity of various reading events in Taiwan, from highest to lowest: exhibitions, lectures, movies, theater productions, and storytelling events. The most creative reading events are boardgames, Little Librarian Day, lectures helping parents learn about child development, theater productions, and bookcrossing. The most attended reading events are lectures, exhibitions, movies, storytelling, and Bookstart.

Based on specific reading events held by libraries, the most popular reading event (in descending order) throughout all of Taiwan is reading homerun, home library design, reading divination, Taiwan Reading Festival, and take a book on a picnic. The most creative library reading events are reading homerun, a night in the library, reading divination, robot storytelling, and home library design. The most attended events are reading homerun, reading divination, home library design, send literature to school, and the Taiwan Reading Festival.

In terms of types of events, exhibitions, lectures, movies, theater productions, and storytelling are all commonly seen and are still what the public likes to participate in the most. This has not changed with different generations or advances in technology. The top three most liked creative events are boardgames, Little Librarian Day, and lectures helping parents learn about child development. These events are suitable for teenagers, children, and parents, respectively. It is apparent that the public is aware of the thought libraries put into the various age groups in designing events.

In viewing certain reading events put on by libraries, one stood alone. It was the reading homerun event by the National Library of Public Information, CTBC Bank, and Brothers Baseball Club. It was voted first place in the three categories of most liked, most creative, and most attended. Clearly the simultaneous launch in 30 specific libraries nationwide where patrons could receive baseball tickets for reading started a new trend of combining sports and reading. It attracted many more reader groups and age groups to come to libraries than normal. It was a successful integration of efforts from various industries.

Each December the Taiwan Reading Festival is held, a large-scale reading carnival put on by NCL. It brings together library resources and the power of industry. It is hoped that through variegated and novel ways the joy of books, reading, and creative endeavors can be shared. Regardless of location or gender, it was voted on of the Top 5 Most Loved Reading Events by the public.

Reading events that were most popular among the public were “Reading Divination” which brought together reading and folk culture, “Home Library Design” which showed the public what a family reading space could look like, “A Night at the Library” which flips the normal operations hours on their head, “Pets Read with You” which is an innovative group reading experience, “AR Reading Experience” which brings together technology and texts, and “Take A Book on a Picnic” which integrates nature with reading, among others. These are some of the Top 5 regardless of the location or the gender of the person voting. This goes to show that libraries’ use of innovating reading events can help bring the public to the library, to feel a connection with the library, and try new and different reading experiences.