Modern social development of Uzbekistan has set the task of spiritual revival of the nation. This issue has gained particular relevance in the sphere of educating young people in the culture of reading books. Because the book is one of the main sources of knowledge, the opportunity to live hundreds of lives and experience thousands of emotions, travel to other countries. The book contributes to the moral development of man and formation of him as a person.

Indeed, reading books develops thinking, memory, imagination, instills aesthetic tastes and ideals, forms a worldview, and enriches a person with new vocabulary.

Unfortunately, in our time, in the age of computer technologies, people often neglect reading books, believing that it can well be replaced by the Internet and television. This is a false opinion. Very often in books, you can find answers to questions of interest and concern to a person, and sometimes ways to solve problems associated with choosing the right life path.

The problem of the revival of the reading culture is especially important in the light of large-scale reforms and transformations carried out in our country. And the fact that reading books plays an important role in development of a citizen corresponding to the time served as the basis for the adoption of a number of state acts aimed at popularizing reading and disseminating the reading culture among young people.

So, on January 12, 2017, the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed a decree “On creation of a commission to develop a system of publishing and distribution of books, increase and promote a reading culture”, which includes a number of tasks that need to be carried out in this sphere: improving the reading culture among the population, especially youth; organization of work on publication of fiction, enlightenment, popular science, educational literature aimed at increasing the intellectual potential of youth; providing with education institutions; selection and translation of the best works of national and world literature: “... we have an important task to raise to a new level our work on wide dissemination of reading culture among young people, instilling in them a sense of love for books and strengthening immunity to ideas alien to our people”.

There is such a profession – to enlighten homeland. The librarian can advise the right book for reading, which will become the best friend and adviser. No computer program can replace a specialist in this field. Unfortunately, recently the image of a library and a librarian in society has degraded from a librarian – a keeper of knowledge, an enlightener, a reading leader to a librarian – a book issuer.

Nevertheless, life itself proves that the profession of a librarian is no less significant than others and people really need it. There are many books in the world and librarians store and disseminate knowledge, organize information and create new, creative and technological ways to access it. A modern librarian is, first, well-read, with library and bibliographic literacy, a man of literary language who has a library ethic, i.e. awareness of social significance of librarianship, tolerant attitude towards the reader.

The librarian has very important tasks: to introduce children to reading; to form a young reader, help him adapt through the communication with the book in the modern world, protect him from possible exposure to risk groups, find activities to his liking to show creative abilities; uphold the tradition of family reading.

In accordance with this, on June 7, 2019, the Head of the state adopted a resolution “On further improvement of information and library services for the population of the Republic of Uzbekistan”. The purpose of the resolution is to approve the Concept for development of the information and library sphere of the Republic of Uzbekistan for 2019-2024 and the Program of measures for the development of the information and library sphere in the Republic of Uzbekistan for 2019-2024, to conform the organizational structure of the National Library of Uzbekistan named after Alisher Navoi. The resolution also provides for the promotion of librarians with state awards and prizes for many years of diligent work and contribution to development of the information and library sphere.

These interconnected progressive measures contribute to creation of qualitatively new, comfortable conditions for information and library services for the population, the satisfaction of their scientific, educational, information and cultural interests based on modern information technologies, the possibility of self-education and the expansion of communication boundaries, providing users with wide access to high-quality information sources, creation of own information resources, development and modernization of distance services.

Yelena Babenko,

Deputy of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis,

Member of the faction of the People’s Democratic Party of Uzbekistan.