Picture a class of five-year-olds walking through the doors of a university library for the very first time, eyes wide at the sight of towering shelves and quiet reading rooms usually reserved for students twice their height. That is exactly the scene the University of Cyprus Library is hoping to create from October 2026, as it launches a brand new Educational Visits Programme through its Children's and Youth Department. Nurseries, primary schools, gymnasiums and lyceums are all invited to come and explore the library's collections, spaces and services in person, not as a formal outing, but as a genuine introduction to a world many children have never had the chance to enter.
More than a tour: an experience designed just for them
This is not a quick walkthrough with a clipboard. The programme has been built around specially designed educational activities that let students discover the library as a living, breathing space for learning, culture and creativity, rather than a hushed hall of books they are told to be quiet in. Children get to explore the world of books at their own pace, and to see, touch and use the services the library actually offers. Behind the idea is a simple hope: that a love of reading, creativity and critical thinking can take root early, and that a single visit might be the spark that turns a child into a lifelong reader.
Why the university is opening its doors
The initiative is part of a wider push by the library to reach beyond its usual student population and build real, lasting relationships with schools, teachers and families across Cyprus. It is, in many ways, an invitation from the University of Cyprus to the whole community: come in, look around, and see that this place belongs to you too. Organisers describe the visits as a bridge, one that connects the university's resources with the everyday world of a classroom, and that lets children experience something a textbook simply cannot offer.
For the library, a visit is never just about seeing a building. It is meant to feel like an adventure: a chance for children and teenagers to discover new ways of learning, of exploring, and of engaging creatively with books and information, all in a setting designed to spark curiosity rather than switch it off.
How schools can get involved
The organised visits will run right through the 2026–2027 academic year, with set dates and time slots available via the library's online booking system. The programme welcomes:
- Nurseries
- Primary schools
- Gymnasiums
- Lyceums
Teachers and school administrators can reserve a spot by registering their interest and choosing a convenient date through library.ucy.ac.cy/services/tours.
Anyone with questions can reach out directly to Nasia Charalambous, Head of the Children's Department at the University of Cyprus Library, at nasia@ucy.ac.cy or by phone on 22894136.
The library's message to schools is simple and warm: come and discover a place where books, knowledge, research, creativity and discovery all meet the next generation of readers. Because, as the library puts it, every child deserves the chance to discover the power of a book, and every book can be the start of a whole new journey.
