By order of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, National Book Day was established in the country on April 23. This holiday is aimed at developing a culture of reading and instilling in young people a love of books, which will be an important step towards the formation of a reading nation.
On December 16, 2024, on the Independence Day of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the first renovated libraries, upgraded into community centers, were officially opened in the West Kazakhstan region. As part of the Jaña Club project, the first centers were presented in the villages of Peremetnoye and Darinsk in the Bayterek district.
The event was attended by Akim of the West Kazakhstan region Nariman Turegaliyev, Deputy Chairman of the Public Foundation "Kazakhstan Halkyna" Lazzat Chinkisbayeva, member of the Board of the Public Foundation "Kazakhstan Halkyna" Sofia Aisagaliyeva, founder of the TANA FOUNDATION Kamila Lukpanova, as well as representatives of the local community and children. The participants stressed the importance of developing such projects for rural communities.
As part of a charity project implemented by the Kazakhstan Khalqyna Foundation, the Akimat of the West Kazakhstan region and the TANA Foundation, it is planned to upgrade 25 libraries in the region - turning them into community centers while maintaining the library function - out of 356 operating in the region. The total population coverage of the project will be more than 130,000 people.
As part of the project, the library of each community center will be replenished with more than 800 new books for a total amount of over 68 million tenge. Among them are outstanding works by Kazakhstani and foreign authors.
The Akimat of the region carried out repairs in the centers: the total area of the renovated premises was 680 square meters. m. 43,345,000 tenge was allocated for the construction of two community centers in Darinsk and Bayterek.
The community centers are also equipped with modern musical instruments, board games, sewing and needlework equipment. Residents are provided with access to modern technologies, as well as venues for educational and cultural events.
The centers have already become a place of attraction for the local population. New clubs have been created: the local history club "Zhamylgan kok zhelegin zhumak meken", "Abaytanu", the women's club "Syrgalym" and the club "Kunshuak" for people with special needs.
It is worth noting that the West Kazakhstan region was the first in the country to transform outdated libraries into modern community centers. Akim of the West Kazakhstan region Nariman Turegaliyev noted that the modernization of libraries is an important impetus for the development and improvement of youth creativity.
"The Head of State pays special attention to youth support and cultural development. To this end, a number of projects are being implemented in our region. One of them is the modernization of libraries. The Kazakhstan Khalqyna Foundation sponsored the modernization of libraries and their transformation into community centers in our region. In addition, the TANA Public Foundation has created a comfortable environment for readers, equipped with modern technologies. Here, our youth can gain new knowledge, improve their creativity, and implement new projects and ideas," said Nariman Turegaliyev, Akim of the West Kazakhstan region.
By the end of 2025, 9 thousand square meters of library facilities will be transformed, and over 100 librarians will undergo retraining. Public Foundation "Kazakhstan Khalkyna" allocates 797 million tenge for equipping libraries with modern equipment and updating the book collection. The budget for equipment in the villages of Peremetnoye and Darinsk amounted to 34 million tenge.
"The project is aimed at turning rural libraries into modern community centers while preserving their functions, enriching the cultural program and creating centers of attraction for local residents of all ages. It is important for us that many partners are involved in the modernization of libraries, including the residents themselves, according to the principle of the Kazakh tradition "asar", - said Lyazzat Chinkisbayeva, Deputy Chairman of the Board of the Public Foundation "Kazakhstan Khalkyna".
The TANA Foundation is engaged in the development of culture, education and sustainable development in Kazakhstan. The organization implements projects to support libraries, educational initiatives and the preservation of cultural heritage. The main goal of the foundation is to improve the quality of life of local communities. Within the framework of the project, the foundation is the curator of the project, develops a design project and creates a strategy for the further development of public spaces.
"Modernization of rural libraries is a step into the future. We create modern spaces so that every resident, from young to adult, has access to the latest technologies, education and culture. Libraries will become a sought-after public space where everyone will find something valuable for themselves, from knowledge to creative opportunities. We aim to continue the Jaña Club project and are always open to the same successful cooperation in other regions of our country," said Kamila Lukpanova, founder of the TANA Foundation.
In the near future, librarians will be trained in partnership with leading educational organizations. New community centers are a step towards the sustainable development of rural communities, allowing people to stay in their native places, gaining access to culture, knowledge and technology.

Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/bko/press/news/details/903452