The number of libraries in Romania keeps dropping by the year. For example, there were 9,594 libraries open in the country in 2017, 238 fewer than the year before, according to data from the National Statistics Institute (INS). Compared to 1990, when there were 16,665 libraries in Romania, the drop was of 42.4%.

In terms of counties, Iasi had the largest number of libraries in 2017, namely 450, followed by Arges – 376, Bacau – 358, and Prahova – 348. Bucharest ranked fifth with 339 units, according to local Edupedu.ro.

At the opposite end, the counties with the lowest number of libraries were Ilfov – 101, Tulcea – 118 and Giurgiu – 126.

On average, there is one library for 2,034 people, at a population of 19.52 million people.

The number of active readers in these libraries also decreased by about 2.77 million people in the past 17 years, from 6 million in 2000 to only 3.23 million in 2017.

By number of readers, Bucharest is first with over 285,000 people in 2017. However, the capital also registered one of the biggest decreases in the last 17 years, as the number of readers in 2000 amounted to over 618,000. The second place is occupied by the county of Iasi, with 159,000 readers last year, followed by Cluj – 157,000, Suceava – 134,000, Prahova – 119,000, and Arges – 110,000.

Irina Marica, irina.marica@romania-insider.com

(photo source: Pexels.com)