Book lovers best off in Slovakia

Slovakia comes top of the class for libraries, with more libraries per 100,000 citizens than any other country, according to research conducted by New York’s Syracuse University.

“Slovakia, it turns out, is a paradise for book lovers,” reads a press release from the university.

With 138 libraries per 100,000 citizens, Slovakia topped the Best Countries for Book Lovers table, followed closely by Palau and Finland. Several New East countries also ranked highly, with Belarus, Latvia, the Czech Republic, Ukraine, Armenia, Moldova and Russia making up the rest of the top ten.

The study shows that the countries with the smallest number of libraries per inhabitant are Somalia, Yemen and Niger.

The research project recognises the importance of libraries not only for the provision of books, but also a key social and educational resource and space.

“Some countries don’t have a rich history of libraries,” School Associate Professor of Practice Jill Hurst-Wahl stated, adding that many of those same countries “don’t have a rich history of education” and that many institutions are currently under attack, especially in the face of war.

Source: The Slovak Spectator