The subject of this study is to clarify existing levels of awareness of modern reading support strategies on the part of libraries as well as to evaluate the reading-didactic quality of what libraries offer. At the same time, the author sought to evaluate the question as to what structures of cooperation and what synergy effects there are if kindergartens and schools cooperate with libraries.

The research questions:

- What do the libraries offer the surrounding educational institutions and private users in terms of support for competence in the fields of reading, media and information and how are these offers designed in real terms?

- What didactic conception manifests itself in the libraries’ offers to provide reading support?

- What kind of cooperation is there with local educational partners?

- How are the measures of the libraries to promote competence in their professional fields perceived by the cooperating educational partners?

- How do young readers evaluate these offers?

 The principal aim of the study was to extend scientific knowledge with regard to the aspect of sensible levels of cooperation between day care center / school and library in the field of promoting reading, media and information competence. So far, statements on the sense of cooperation of these educational partners have been based on a rather deficient empirical structure. This is why a scientifically generated theory of possible synergy effects of cooperation between school and library and the necessary structural and financial conditions as well as resources should be developed. What was of particular interest was the description and evaluation of current cooperative reading promotion practice of three evaluated libraries from a reading-didactic perspective.

The project is embedded in reading and readership research in Germany. As for implementing the promotion of reading competence on the part of libraries, the results of reading research have so far been insufficiently considered. However, successful promotion can only be gauged if there is an awareness of the abilities and skills to be induced and extended by the promotion setting. Therefor, it is necessary first to have unmistakably diagnostic knowledge on the part of the libraries in order to develop sound diagnostic conceptions on this basis. Secondly, this calls for appropriate reflection strategies and instruments of evaluation in order to be able to judge the fit and goal attainment of the schemes on offer. Reading research emphasizes the need to consider groups who are in particular need of support. Empirically proven difficulties in developing text comprehension competencies are explicitly found among migrants children and adolescents from backgrounds which are remote from education and among boys. When planning educational offers, libraries have so far paid little attention to these risk groups. By international standards, German libraries can, on the whole, be regarded as backward educational institutions when it comes to responsibilities in the fields of promoting reading and media competence. This triangulated study seeks to find an answer to the question how libraries can promote reading competence by supporting institutions of early education and schools.

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