Making the distance smaller in Meteora, Greece

The partnership between the Kalambaka Library and the Mobile Police Unit (M.P.U.) of the Trikala Police Directorate is a good example of successful collaboration between libraries and local entities to advance equitable access to information for underserved communities. The programme “Making the Distance Smaller” is an innovative initiative to serve citizens who live in remote areas.

As part of its human-centred approach, the M.P.U. has extended its mission beyond law enforcement in collaboration with the Kalambaka Library to engage in cultural and educational activities by delivering books and resources to remote schools in the municipality of Meteora. This initiative has had a significant impact in the region by promoting social cohesion and developing an atmosphere of closeness, direct communication, and mutual trust between the police, that library space and the citizens.

The idea of the programme “Making the Distance Smaller” arose as a response to the need to support schools operating in remote areas of the Meteora Municipality, a need perceived, since the students’ access to libraries and educational material was limited.

This idea was formalized on 10 May 2018, led by Lieutenant Niki Koffa, with the signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation between the Trikala Police Directorate and the Kalambaka Library, whose common goal is to enhance learning, promote reading culture, and support teaching programmes in the remote school units of the Municipality.

Several educational materials selected by students, teachers, parents and librarians have been selected and transported to the schools by the M.P.U., after a period of 15 days, the policemen collect the materials from the schools and return them to the library and start the process again.

Beyond schools, other village residents have also taken advantage of this programme and have been supported in their desire to strengthen reading skills, culture and educational development.

The programme “Making the Distance Smaller” has been active since May 2018 and, except for the period of the coronavirus pandemic during which it was suspended, it has facilitated students’ access to literary books and board games with all the benefits this entails for strengthening knowledge and education. Initially, four (4) primary schools participated in the programme, while since 2022 it has been implemented in all six (6) school units located in the mountainous area of the Municipality, outside the town of Kalambaka.

Today the total borrowings amount to over 2550 and the students who have benefitted from it amount to 463, with numbers growing every year.

The implementation of this joint action constitutes a Model of Cooperation to create institutional bridges between libraries and other entities such as police stations, post offices or any other local actors looking to advance access to education and information through community spaces.