Books and reading, archives, French language and languages of France

It acts for this purpose with the communities and all the actors of the chain of the book: authors, publishers, booksellers, librarians, readers, associations working in this field.

The advisors in charge of the book and reading sector mainly provide advice, expertise and information. They play a leading role in the implementation of book and reading policies and carry out their duties in conjunction with the central services of the Ministry of Culture (Book and Reading Service, National Book Centre).

The book and reading sector supports the construction, development, modernization and networking of territorial libraries, relying mainly on the “special competition” of the general decentralisation endowment (DGD) for the libraries of municipalities, municipalities and departments. It encourages the establishment of territory-reading contracts (CTL) to develop the public reading network in priority areas (particularly rural areas) and to support actions promoting access to reading and writing for all audiences.

It ensures the preservation and restoration of the old holdings held by libraries and pursues a policy to improve knowledge and dissemination of this heritage by supporting the reporting of collections and the digitization of exceptional documents. These operations are part of the Written Heritage Action Plan (IPO) and are based on the Regional Library Restoration and Acquisition Fund (FRRAB), in partnership with the Normandy Region. He participates in the steering of the regional associate pole of the Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF), whose regional book agency Normandie Livre et lecture (NL&L) coordinates.

The sector provides support to bookstores in the region, in particular by examining the dossiers of labelization independent reference bookstore (LIR) and reference bookstore (LR) and by providing financial assistance to bookstores in the context of creation, recovery or other operations (expansion, equipment, computerization, etc.). It promotes the structuring of professional networks in the book economy.

It also provides close support to regional publishers for the development of collections, the publication of books, participation in fairs, the creation of catalogues or websites.

The book and reading sector contributes to the development of literary life, by supporting certain literary festivals and book fairs whose territorial influence is proven and by encouraging mediation aimed at the public in the arrangements for writers' residencies.

It contributes to the ongoing training of public library staff and their professionalization, in conjunction with training organizations (CNFPT, Média Normandie, ABF regional group), with the agency Normandie Book and Reading and with departmental libraries of loan (BDP). It encourages the training of other players in the book chain, especially booksellers.

It supports the regional book agency Normandie Livre et lecture (NL&L) which federates all book professionals in the fields of public reading, heritage, literary life and book economy.

It supports the functioning of the IMEC (Institut Mémoires de l'édition contemporaine) and the Centre culturel de rencontres international de Cerisy-la-Salle. It also serves as a regional relay for national public institutions, such as the Centre national du livre (CNL) or the Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF).

The DRAC book and reading advisors are also the correspondents of the Service interministériel des archives de France (SIAF) and the Délégation générale à la langue française et aux langues de France (DGLFLF).

They are the contacts of the directors of archives services on the one hand and of SIAF (interdepartmental service of the Archives of France) on the other hand, in order to coordinate the SIAF projects in the regions, with the various archives services but also: to contribute to the animation of the regional network of directors of archives, to inform the SIAF of the investment projects in the territories, to follow, by delegation, applications for investment credits and their disbursement to the communities and to inform the available support mechanisms and to investigate applications for operating grants. On the other hand, it does not exercise scientific and technical control over the archives services, these tasks being the responsibility of the departmental directors of archives.