site.btaLiterature Remains Alive, Readers Interested in Both Classical and Contemporary Authors, Says Varna Librarian

Literature remains alive, with readers showing strong interest in both classical and contemporary authors, said Darina Marinova, librarian at the Pencho Slaveykov Regional Library in Varna, during the initiative “Literature in the Present Time” at the local BTA press club on Monday. She took part in the “Literature in the Present Time” initiative, the second stage of the “Literature Is Not a Museum” campaign by Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski,” dedicated to 20th- and 21st-century literature. BTA is a co-organizer and host.

“Reading touches the soul. We should ask ourselves what we did for our soul today — whether we read something enriching or did something kind for someone,” Marinova emphasized, pointing out that widely read Bulgarian writers include Georgi Gospodinov, Katya Antonova, Marin Troshanov and Milen Halev, alongside popular foreign authors like Pedro Mañas. 

She noted that even infants can receive library cards, as cultivating a love for books starts early. The Children’s Department regularly welcomes families and hosts several events, as well as organizing visits to kindergartens with mobile book collections. Marinova expressed hope that libraries will remain spaces of knowledge and discovery.

As part of the initiative, hosted by BTA, through its press clubs in Varna, Dobrich, Pleven, Sofia, Shumen and Stara Zagora, students read contemporary Bulgarian works, with the agency providing the connection between them live online on its YouTube channel and Facebook page. Also participating are the regional libraries in Burgas, Varna, Ruse, Pleven, Stara Zagora and Haskovo and the National Community Center Dobri Voynikov - 1856 in Shumen and the House Museum Yordan Yovkov in Dobrich with the support of the online platforms I Read, Storytel and Queen's.