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 Well Books on Prescription scheme was launched in June 2013 and provides self-help reading for adults based on cognitive behavioural therapy for a range of common mental health conditions including anxiety, depression, phobias and some eating disorders. This case study by The Reading Agency, describes how iCope – Islington Psychological Therapies and Wellbeing Service … Read more
The Reading Agency’s Six Book Challenge takes place every year in libraries, colleges, workplaces and prisons and invites participants to choose six reads, review them, and enter prize draws. This article describes how jobseeker Paul Bennett, 55, who went back to college in Warrington to improve his English skills, completed the Six Book Challenge with … Read more
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
Time To Read – a partnership of people working in 22 library authorities in North West England – shares its experience of commissioning a video to promote reading and libraries.
Librarycamp is a free unconference with the agenda set by attendees on the morning of the event – a Do-It-Yourself conference. In this case study, Sue Lawson of Librarycamp UK talks about how to organise unconferences for people interested in improving libraries, and shares useful tools and resources for anyone in any field interested in bringing … Read more
At DOK, Holland’s ‘Library Concept Center’ in Delft, exploring new innovation is at the core of what they do. In this article Doklab founder and director Erik Boekesteijn introduces the DOK library and the innovative work at Doklab. DOK can best be described as a media center that combines three unique collections: music and film, literature, and art; and is … Read more
It’s not every day that libraries make the front page, but the opening of the new Library of Birmingham was one of the big culture stories of 2013. In this case study, Kate Feld interviews Sara Rowell, Partnerships and Marketing Senior Manager at the Library of Birmingham, about the launch of this spectacular new building … Read more
Literature organisations and libraries share a commitment to the power of reading and writing to achieve positive social change. It is in this spirit that this toolkit has been devised to help literature organisations and libraries build good partnerships. It has been published as part of a piece of research commissioned by Arts Council South East from New Writing South … Read more
Cityread London is an annual celebration of literature that aims to bring reading to life for the whole capital. Each April, Cityread asks Londoners and visitors to pick up the same book and read it together. A month-long programme of book groups, film screenings and other events takes place across London. It is the only programme that … Read more