Diavazontas Megalono (DM) is an interdisciplinary non-profit organization established in 2013 with the mission to encourage children to systematically engage in reading and ensure the opportunity to read from an early age. DM submitted a proposal to the city of Athens to establish a library for children aged 0-5 in 2014 after recognizing that there is a serious lack of library services for infants and young children in Greece. This proposal was approved, and the first library in Greece dedicated to babies and young children was opened in 2016. The presentation will cover an overview of public libraries in Greece, with a particular focus on Athens, and then discuss in detail the creation and operation of a library for infants and children. Challenges faced, solutions implemented, and key lessons learned will be discussed during the presentation. Various family-oriented activities led by the organization’s volunteers will be presented at the end.
