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The Expert Council brings together authors of children’s and young adults literature, education specialists, literary critics, illustrators, representatives of publishing houses, educational and research organisations, as well as federal and regional libraries. The Council’s work is also supported by representatives of the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Culture, and the Ministry of Digital Development.

“We have come together to help children in Russia read books that are not only of high literary quality but also morally enriching. It is vital that these exceptional books reach a broad audience, including through the network of children’s and school libraries,” said Yelena Yampolskaya and suggested that Council members set up task forces to join the experts’ efforts in several key areas and themes.

Yelena Yampolskaya encouraged the Council to remain open to welcoming new, dedicated professionals in the field of children’s literature. She expressed hope that the currently approved composition of the Council is a core that will attract authors, publishers, educators, and children’s and school library staff from all of the country’s regions. She proposed that information on how to join the Council’s work be posted on the Russian Book Union website.

The Expert Council members discussed key tracks of future activities and current statistics regarding authors and publishers. Special focus was given to the promotion of family reading, the upgrading of school libraries and the acquisition of their collections.

The Adviser to the President briefed the participants on the progress in implementing the President’s instructions issued following the November 5, 2024 meeting of the Presidential Council for State Policy on Promoting the Russian Language and the Languages of the Peoples of the Russian Federation. A unified series of state-approved school textbooks is being prepared for primary school subjects, including Russian language and literature, to be edited by Yelena Yampolskaya. The Adviser proposed that contemporary children’s authors become actively engaged in preparing content for these textbooks.