Russia Plans a “Book Card” for Youth, Modeled After the “Pushkin Card”
The Ministry of Digital Development is preparing a new program that will subsidize book purchases for young people, aiming to spark reading habits and support the struggling publishing industry.
Russia’s Ministry of Digital Development has begun work on a new social initiative—a discounted “Book Card” for young people. The program is designed to boost interest in reading and provide relief to the domestic book market, which has seen sales decline.
According to Kommersant, the idea is now under active discussion. The project is modeled on the highly successful “Pushkin Card,” which has subsidized cultural outings for students.
Major Russian IT companies such as VK and Yandex are being considered as technology partners and potential operators of the new card. Both already have the infrastructure and experience to manage programs of this scale.
A key challenge will be determining which books are eligible. Industry experts support the initiative but caution against strict limitations. They argue that the program should cover not only classics, but also popular science, contemporary fiction, fantasy, and science fiction.
Analysts estimate the “Book Card” could raise book sales by at least 5 percent, while also making quality literature more accessible to young readers and supporting local publishers and bookstores.
