Published on: 2026-06-03
Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Today’s capital libraries are modern, comfortable, and multifunctional centers. Visitors can not only take a book home or work in the reading room, but also attend creative meetings, concerts, exhibitions, lectures, film screenings, and participate in clubs and coworking. Moreover, libraries have become venues for implementing charitable programs of non-profit organizations (NPOs). Both children and adults can join them. For example, younger schoolchildren are invited to classes where they read aloud to shelter dogs.Inclusive editions have been created for children with limited health abilities, which help them get acquainted with the world of books. And for adult hospital patients, special literary programs operate.
“Tail-like” lessons
Charitable foundation for helping homeless animals“Good Together”Develops in the Moscow library its unique project “Reading with Dogs.” It combines two goals: to instill in children a love for books and to help shelter animals find a new home. Before the lesson, the children independently choose a book from the library’s collection or bring their own from home. Then, in a separate room, they read aloud to a four-legged friend for 10–15 minutes under the supervision of curators. After the lesson, it is possible to treat the dog to a treat, pet it, and play with it. Thanks to such meetings, young Muscovites learn to read aloud, love literature, take care of animals, and better understand emotions—both their own and others’.
Sometimes after reading at libraries, stray animals find a home. This happened with Myshka from a metropolitan shelter. In September 2024, she became a participant in the project “Reading with Dogs.” At one of the sessions, Myshka was so liked by a girl and her mother that they decided to take her home. Now the pet lives in a loving and caring family.
Book reading sessions for dogs are held in various libraries of Moscow. An up-to-date schedule appears every month onsitefund. For example, in June you can attend classes at library No. 178 — the A.L. Barto Cultural Center (Dmitry Ulyanov Street, house 24), as well as at the children’s library No. 31 (Baltiyskaya Street, house 4). Advance registration is requiredto sign up, having chosen the time.
Development of tactile sensitivity
Capital NGOs are developing educational projects for children with health disabilities, including helping them acquire reading skills and develop a love for literature. For example, the fund“Illustrated books for young blind children”engages in supporting children with visual impairments. The charitable organization publishes editions specially designed for blind and visually impaired toddlers from three to eight years old. They are also understandable and interesting for children with other health conditions. To make such books accessible, they use three-dimensional illustrations, high contours, special materials, and large fonts. The special arrangement of figures on the page allows the book to be explored not only with the eyes but also with the fingers.A —This is how tactile sensitivity is trained. Bright colors and large pictures develop residual vision. In addition, each edition comes with a special device called a “Reading Pencil,” which reproduces text and music. Over 32 years of work, the fund has published 162 books and delivered more than 220,000 copies to Russian libraries.In Moscow, similar inclusive editions can be found in the Russian State Children’s Library (Kaluzhskaya Square, building 1) and the Central City Children’s Library named after A.P. Gaidar, subordinate to the Capital Department of Culture (Rostovskaya Embankment, building 5 and 3rd Frunzenskaya Street, building 9). Library staff help young readers familiarize themselves with the books.
Support with the help of reading
For people with serious illnesses, reading helps to distract from hospital routine and cope with anxiety, lifts the mood. To support adult cancer patients, the Moscow charitable foundation“Oncology”and the publishing group “Eksmo” created the project “Eksmo Libraries in Hospitals.” This year, 500 books were delivered to the National Medical Research Center for Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology named after Academician V.I. Kulakov, as well as to a number of oncology centers in our country. The assortment of “Eksmo” libraries is formed based on the request of each hospital, taking into account the age and preferences of the patients.
“Sometimes a severe diagnosis compresses the world of people into a single hospital room and a schedule of procedures. The book gives them the opportunity to mentally step outside these boundaries, to feel movement, and most importantly—to support faith in a healthy future. Sometimes it is precisely such simple things that give a person support and remind them: “life goes on,” — noted Miroslava Sergeyenko, founder and president of the “Onkologika” foundation.
All concerned Muscovites can support the work of the funds with the help ofcharitable serviceon the mos.ru portal. It unites more than 100 verified non-commercial organizations of the capital. Donations can be made to the beneficiaries of one, several, or immediately all programs of the category — in this case, the amount will be evenly distributed among all organizations.
The work and functional development of the charitable service on the mos.ru portal are supervised by the capital’sDepartment of Information TechnologiesиCommittee on Public Relations and Youth Policywith the support of the Public Chamber of Moscow.
Provision of socially significant services in electronic form and development of e-government infrastructure correspond to the objectives of the national project“Economy of data and digital transformation of the state”and the regional project of Moscow “Digital State Management.” More details about the national project of Russia and the contribution of the capital can be found atspecial page.
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