The Universal Reading Foundation has published a series of books prepared according to the principles of universal design, which connect, inspire and break down barriers in access to literature. The series is published as part of the project "Books without borders", led by the Information Society Development Foundation.
The Books Without Borders Project — for whom and why?
The “Books Without Borders” project was created for people who, for various reasons, have not yet felt sufficiently invited to read. They may be adults who do not read for various reasons: maybe they have not come across a book that would delight them enough; maybe due to neurodiversity or age, the usual thick novels seem uninviting to them, or maybe they are learning Polish and only read in their own language? The “Bridges” series is intended to unite everyone – FPC offers novels, a comic book and a graphic novel, which the foundation intends to be an effective invitation to a very wide audience.
Thanks to the use of solutions consistent with the idea of universal design, books in the "Bridges" series should be accessible and relevant to a very wide range of recipients. A seasoned reader will be delighted by the crazy dialogue with Mickiewicz in the edition of Jarosław Kaczmarek, fans of crime novels will appreciate "Mczne tajemnice osade Chryzantem" by Joanna Jagiełło, and lovers of social novels will smile at "Przystanek miłość" by Barbara Kwinta.
In creating this series, we collaborated with outstanding creators whose passion gives each book a unique character. Their commitment made the content and form of the edition exceptional. The combination of carefully developed texts with beautiful graphics, designed by Urszula Pągowska, Aleksandra Cieślak and Urmas Viik, is an undeniable asset of the entire collection. – says Katarzyna Konopka, member of the FPC board.
Design Books Without Borders (English: Books without Borders) The project is implemented in an international partnership, involving: the project leader – the Information Society Development Foundation (Poland), the Universal Reading Foundation (Poland), Stadt Köln (Germany), Leser Søker Bok (Norway), Trøndelag Fylkebibliotek (Norway), and the Ukrainian Association of Librarians (Ukraine) as an associated partner.
International cooperation and exchange of experiences in the field of including all people in the culture of books is a unique experience and we thank FRSI very much for inviting us to this project. Together we emphasize that reading is inclusive: it can be the most democratic tool for social inclusion if, as a society, we can make everyone feel invited to read. The series "Bridges" is an attempt at such a broad invitation. – says Maria Deskur, president of the Universal Reading Foundation.
We are glad that we can offer Polish libraries such a unique tool to expand the group of people using libraries. Recognizing and openly inviting groups that we cannot reach is important - a library is democratic not only because it is free, but also if it becomes a place to which everyone really feels invited. - emphasizes Małgorzata Makowska from the Information Society Development Foundation.
About the "Bridges" Series
The "Bridges" series is an invitation to the world of literature for those who have not yet felt effectively invited to read! Sans serif font, line spacing that provides breathing space, paper in a creamy, eye-friendly shade, which significantly improve the comfort of reading, but also: great contemporary texts combined with classics, comics and picture books - these elements together create a range of choices that the publisher intends to tempt the untempted; to invite the uninvited, to delight those who do not enjoy reading.
The series includes a collection of titles presenting various literary genres.
and formats. The following items have been published so far:
- Barbara Kwinta "Love Stop" — a social novel in the style of a romantic comedy, telling the story of a chance meeting of two people whose fates intertwine on an everyday bus;
- Joanna Jagiełło "Dark Secrets of the Chrysanthemum Estate" — a crime story revealing the secrets of a seemingly peaceful housing estate;
- Anna Kaminska "Sprinter" — an inspiring biography of Irena Szewińska, a legend of Polish sport;
- Jarosław Kaczmarek "Pan Tadeusz. Pictures from Soplicowo" — an original interpretation of the classics of Polish literature;
- Katarzyna Majgier "Pride and Prejudice. Don't Trust the Gossip" — a witty modern adaptation of Jane Austen's timeless novel;
- Justyna Bednarek "Family Secrets" — a social novel about the power of women, family secrets and the search for oneself;
- Monika Kowaleczko-Szumowska, Urmas Viik "Niusiek. The wartime fate of the maharaja's children" — a moving comic book telling the true story of Polish children who found refuge in India during World War II;
- Aleksandra Cieślak "Afternoon Tea 17:05" — a unique graphic story that invites you to search for words and build your own narrative.
The Bridges series is a leap towards connections. Each title is not only an invitation to read, but also to build bridges between people, worlds and emotions. The books are made available free of charge to interested libraries that want to create a space inviting to reading for everyone. More information on how to receive the package: https://www.fpc.org.pl/ksiazki-bez-granic/.
Librarians can also watch a series of webinars on universal design and how to invite people to libraries who do not yet have a library card (!): https://frsi.org.pl/projekt/ksiazki-bez-granic/.
