Creative Arts East, in partnership with Arts Council England, have undertaken an extensive period of research into how library services receive touring arts and provide their users with opportunities to experience arts and culture. Following this research they have produced a comprehensive set of resources including toolkits and information templates carefully tailored for artists and ... Read more

In March 2019 The Audience Agency delivered a series of evaluation workshops for libraries, commissioned by the DCMS Libraries Taskforce and supported by Arts Council England.  Four workshops were delivered across England; in the North West, North East, South West, and London / South East regions.  This Resource Pack brings together the evaluation workshop slide ... Read more

Human Story Theatre share their findings on the health impacts on audiences, and on performing a health-related play in English libraries, based on two tours of their dementia-focussed production Connie’s Colander in 2018 and 2019.

Can you tell our readers a bit about what you do?   Libraries Connected is a national charity and an Arts Council England Sector Support Organisation. We are also a membership organisation for public library heads of service. We have developed a universal offers framework which advocates for the work of public libraries in terms of:  Reading  Health ... Read more

This report was commissioned by Arts Council England to better understand the current landscape of leadership in the sector and to survey the support available for leaders to address these pressing challenges.

Among Ideal Friends Executive Summary by The Spark Arts for Children on their work creating accessible family theatre experience with libraries across the East Midlands.

Help Arts Council England (ACE) understand the landscape of leadership development in the cultural sectors by taking part in this 5 minute survey by King’s College London.

The Spark Arts for Children have developed this toolkit for creative ideas to generate interest in your library events. The toolkit has been written by Jayne Williams and Ideal Friends in libraries, neighbourhood centres, community groups with artists, writers, creators and theatre-makers.

Learn how ten library authorities in the East got 11 – 18 year olds reading for pleasure and responding creatively to books.

Discover how Brighton and Hove Libraries Services worked with arts organisations to engage 13 – 34 year olds and adult learners in their local community.

Transported is a Creative People and Places funded programme that aims to get more people in Boston Borough and South Holland enjoying and participating in arts activities. This project set out to explore libraries as community hubs that offer opportunities beyond ordinary library use.

Transported is a strategic, community-focused programme which aims to get more people in Boston Borough and South Holland enjoying and participating in arts activities. In 2013, as part of its Open Book project working with the Lincolnshire County Council Library Service, Transported commissioned Pestiferous to create a site specific piece of theatre that would tour ... Read more

This report evaluates the impact of Bookbuzz a project funded by the Booktrust. Launched in 2012, this programme provides a book for Year 7 students soon after their transition from primary to secondary school at a crucial time when formative attitudes towards reading develop.

This report evaluates the impact of Bookstart Corner a project funded by the Booktrust. This programme was targeted at socially and economically disadvantaged families with children aged 12-30 months. Located in Children’s Centres, Bookstart Corner offered intensive support for parents and carers to encourage reading for pleasure with their children to help develop a love ... Read more

The Reading Agency’s innovative Reading Activist programme is funded by Big Lottery in 18 authorities across 4 regions. This case study describes how the St Helen’s Reading Activists programme has helped to engage with disadvantaged young people from deprived areas of the town with positive outcomes for the young people involved.

The Reading Agency’s innovative Reading Activist programme is funded by Big Lottery in 18 authorities across 4 regions. This article describes the success of Gateshead Central Library’s Reading Activists – a group of 12 young people aged 13-19 who meet regularly to plan and organise events at the Library for young people. This has enabled ... Read more

This article by The Reading Agency describes how the Chatterbooks programme uses multi-sensory stories to engage with children with disabilities. Libraries involved in this programme have developed valuable links with local special educational needs schools whilst enabling disabled children and young people to have greater access to services and activities in their local and wider community.

Every year The Reading Agency partners with libraries to create the Summer Reading Challenge, the UK’s biggest children’s reading promotion. Children are encouraged to read six library books of their choice over the summer holidays. They join the Challenge at their local library, where library staff and volunteers give out themed materials and incentives, and medals and certificates ... Read more

In 2012 the Summer Reading Challenge, run by The Reading Agency in partnership with libraries, was called Story Lab and was part of the Olympics’ 2012 Festival. The Summer Reading Challenge is the UK’s biggest children’s reading promotion. Children are encouraged to read six library books of their choice over the summer holidays. They join the Challenge at ... Read more

Launched in November 2011 the Ant Club has been developed by the Booktrust to provide resources to support the development of children’s language, reading and writing during the early years and infant phases of education in schools.  There are currently 1,192 schools taking part. This report presents the findings from the evaluation of The Ant Club intervention that ... Read more