Fostering Reading Motivation through a Community-Based Book Fair: A Case Study in a Romanian Middle School

Abstract

This research article presents a case study exploring the motivational impact of a community-driven book fair held in a Romanian public middle school. The initiative, organized at Scoala Gimnaziala “Mihai Viteazul” in Târgoviște, aimed to foster reading engagement by promoting voluntary book donations, student-led organizing teams, and increased literary access. The event spanned three weeks and involved over 1000 students at various levels of participation. A pre- and post-intervention five-item questionnaire was administered to a selected group of 78 students aged 11–14, complemented by systematic classroom observations conducted by educators. Findings indicate significant improvements in students’ intrinsic motivation to read, perceived access to books, and peer-based reading dialogue. These results highlight the potential of school libraries to act as dynamic agents of literacy development through informal and community-based approaches. The study also outlines challenges related to sample size, generalizability, and the reliance on self-reported data, offering suggestions for future longitudinal research. Ultimately, this article contributes to the growing body of literature on school-based reading interventions and supports the evolving role of librarians as facilitators of student agency and participatory literacy culture..