Cultural centers in Uzbekistan may be authorized to sell books

Cultural centers in Uzbekistan may be granted the right to sell books. This proposal is reflected in the draft resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers “On the development of library activities until 2030 and the improvement of the book trade system”.

According to the draft, the Ministry of Culture must develop and approve the regulations of cultural centers by April 25, 2027. This regulation provides for the granting of the authority to cultural centers to engage in book trade and the establishment of a mechanism for additional material incentives for employees who effectively organize book trade.

It is planned to gradually establish book trade in district and city cultural centers in the regions. For this, an address list will be drawn up and a sales system will be organized based on a plan. It is envisaged that incentives for employees who effectively organize book trade will be carried out once every six months.

One of the main directions of the project is to improve the book trade system along with the development of library activities. The document also stipulates the promotion of new literature in the regions with the participation of authors, additional financial incentives for authors of the most widely read books, and other measures aimed at expanding book reading.

It is also planned to organize “Book Caravan” campaigns every March starting in 2027. As part of these campaigns, it is planned to deliver books on literary and educational topics to educational institutions, libraries, and neighborhoods for free.

Earlier, it was reported that it is planned to build a large, interactive, and modern library in each of the 12 districts of Tashkent. According to the mayor of the capital, Shavkat Umurzakov, it is planned to turn libraries into public places that will be visited by millions of people per year, rather than just buildings where books are stored.