TEHRAN -- The Organization of Public Libraries (OPL) launched a network for readers of books during a ceremony at the City Park Library in Tehran on Wednesday.

OPL deputy director Majdedding Mo’allemi said that the Network of Professional Book Readers is a social network that plan to promote book reading among people.
“We aim to extend OPL services to all Iranian families,” he added.
“We will develop the potential for everybody at home to involve himself/herself in book reading,” he stated.
Chairman of the Supreme Leader’s office Ayatollah Mohammad Mohammadi Golpayegani and a number of cultural officials attended the network’s launching ceremony.
Mohammadi Golpayegani addressed the audience, explaining about the interest Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has in books and reading.
He proposed that Tir 29 (July 20) be declared librarian day on the national calendar.
The Supreme Leader lamented Iran’s low per capita book reading rate during a meeting with a number of Iranian librarians and library directors last week on July 20.
The figures on reading books and the number of publications are not satisfactory, he said.
The Leader’s remarks were praised by Iranian officials and literati.
In April 2008, former director of the Iran National Library and Archives Ali-Akbar Ash’ari announced that Iran’s per capita book reading rate is two minutes in every 24 hours.
Many Iranian officials censured Ash’ari for his remarks after which they began to cite higher numbers for Iran’s per capita book reading rate.