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Ano: 2026
Banca:
INSTITUTO AOCP
Órgão:
Prefeitura de Vitória da Conquista - BA
Prova:
INSTITUTO AOCP - 2026 - Prefeitura de Vitória da Conquista - BA - Professor Fundamental II - Nível II - Inglês |
Q4219698
Pedagogia
Texto associado
Underground library in Warsaw metro invites
commuters to trade scrolling for stories
In Warsaw’s Targówek district, a metro ride has
become more than a daily routine. Now it offers a
chance to escape into a story. Thanks to Metroteka, a
newly opened subterranean library inside the
Kondratowicza M2 metro station, commuters can now
trade mindless scrolling for meaningful reading.
The 150-square-meter space is stocked with more than
16,000 books, all available through a fast self-checkout
system. Visitors can also borrow laptops, sip
complimentary coffee, and unwind in a cozy communal
area, all while waiting for their train.
“Our dream is for Metroteka to become an educational
and cultural center, and not just a place where you can
borrow your books from,” says Grażyna StrzelczakBatkowska, deputy director of the Targówek library.
A modern space that breathes life into books
Metroteka’s design is as inviting as its mission. A lush
hydroponic garden wall filled with herbs and flowers
gives the underground space a breath of fresh air,
literally. Basil, oregano, and other plants grow without
soil or sunlight, infusing the library with an unexpected
sense of vitality. The bookshelves, shaped like soft,
undulating waves, add to the organic feel.
“I always joke that books are not made of glass,”
Strzelczak-Batkowska says. “You can just pop in, grab
a few, throw them on a self-checkout machine, and
that’s it—you’re out on a new adventure.”
Aiming to reverse a national trend
Poland’s reading habits have been in steady decline for
years. A 2024 survey by the National Library of Poland
found that only 41 percent of respondents had read at
least one book in the past year. According to Tomasz
Makowski, director of the National Library, the legacy
of war has shaped these numbers. During World War
II, Poland lost 70 percent of its libraries.
“We had several generations that did not see their
parents or grandparents in front of a wall of books,”
Makowski says. “Reading is [also] not something
associated with adulthood, but with schools, teachers,
librarians, and usually mothers reading to children.”
By placing literature in the path of everyday
commuters, Metroteka hopes to shift that cultural
perception.
An open invitation to all
For Makowski, the location is just as important as the
books. “Opening a library in a metro station is like a
dream for us,” he says. “Libraries should be beautiful
and open; inviting, not intimidating. It’s not a shrine, but
a place where you can spend time freely, take part in
discussions, public consultations, or meet people.”
In the coming months, Metroteka plans to host author
readings, workshops, and classes to further engage the
community. Books can be returned either directly to the
library or via parcel lockers outside the station,
available around the clock.
As commuters pass through Kondratowicza station
with coffee in hand and a novel tucked under one arm,
Metroteka quietly transforms daily routines into cultural
moments. By meeting people where they are, literally
underground, the library isn’t just promoting reading.
It’s redefining what public space can offer.
Source: https://www.optimistdaily.com/2025/09/underground-libraryin-warsaw-metro-invites-commuters-to-trade-scrolling-for-stories/.
Access on May 4th 2026.
You, an English teacher, decided to use the article
“Underground library in Warsaw metro invites
commuters to trade scrolling for stories” to
practice speaking with your students. After
studying the text, you give them some questions
about reading habits, so they can ask their friends
and interact while you observe. If you want to do
this activity from a sociocultural approach, you
have to prioritize
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