Libraries’ Universal

Reading Offer

“This age of austerity will end; we have to think about the future. Let’s not implement cuts in a way that ends up with a uniformly grey, dull offer to the public, without any real social impact. We must hang on to the sparkle in the new look reading service we’re creating. There is evidence of a huge public demand for our reading groups, author events, rhyme times, reading challenges, festivals. The new strategy we’re proposing is about us all putting our collective energy into a few really big things to keep the sparkle going” Tony Durcan, Chair of the Books and Reading Group, Society of Chief Librarians

Vision

• Reading for pleasure enhances people’s literacy, life chances and quality of life. It is vital for our prosperity

• Libraries aim to be a force for social change through reading. They bring people recreation and pleasure, learning and literacy, health and wellbeing

• Libraries will work collectively to develop their contribution to everybody’s reading life

• Libraries will develop as hubs drawing communities together to bring reading alive, physically and digitally

• Libraries will work with the public to co-deliver reading

Rationale: looking beyond the age of austerity

• Building on growth and public demand for lively, engaging offer with reading groups, challenges, author events

• Keeping things moving forward/ continued innovation

• Focusing on doing fewer, bigger things together – economies of scale and sharing best practise.

• Keeping partners on board and investing; delivering free resources and capacity and profile

Libraries’ reading work helps local

authorities achieve key outcomes

Economic impact and

value for money

strong and safe

communities (including

participation)

Health, well being and

quality of life

Learning, skills and

employability

"This is my first time I've done this challenge, I

used to hate books but now I love them.

THANK YOU!!!”

Beryl, 9, Solihull

“I am somebody now. All my life, since I was young, people have told me I was thick, but I knew deep down that I wasn’t and now The Reading Agency’s Six Book Challenge has brought that out, and proved what I can do.”

Tina Hewitt, Hull

I’ve learnt so many skills and I’m much

better at reading, and more

confident all round”

Tom Hotson, 14, Warrington

Strategy elements

• 100% of authorities offering agreed baseline elements of contemporary reading service, defined in LGG Logic Model framework

• Deliver a minimum universal offer locally by using national toolbox • Aiming for 80% -100% of authorities using prioritised tools in national

toolbox of programmes, partnerships and calendar spikes • Prioritised tools are those currently used by at least 60% of authorities • Baseline offer enhanced by use of additional toolbox with national,

regional and local initiatives • National partners committed to helping deliver the offer • Shared evidence bank and advocacy statements showing social impact • Shared approach to workforce development • Innovation strands: digital, health, public involvement • Strategic framework for voluntary sector partners to express offer to

libraries, feed in impact evidence etc. Toolbox approach draws in key partners eg Share the Vision, Booktrust, National Literacy Trust

Logic Model framework

Toolbox to deliver offer efficiently

Toolbox to plan local reading offer

National

Regional Local

Reading

Offer

• Baseline reading offer

delivered by using mixture of

local, regional and national

work

• SCL has prioritised

programmes and

partnerships currently used

by 60% of library

authorities

• Aim to achieve a minimum

of 80% of authorities using

the prioritised elements of

the toolbox – fewer, bigger

things together to generate

economies of scale.

Prioritised shared toolbox to deliver baseline offer to public

• Chart shows how

different strands in the

strategy work together

to create a shared offer

across the library

network.

• The five prioritised

calendar spikes have

emerged from

consultation process –

five focal points in year

for a shared library

network push on

reading

• There will be an

additional enhanced

menu of activities,

capturing other

nationally brokered

programmes used by

under 60% of

authorities, and

additional calendar

spikes e.g. literary

prizes

National brokerage/coordination

Library Services

Creative industry partners and pledges • Strategy secures

involvement of national partners by showing libraries can work to scale network-wide

• Depends on capacity in service to deliver reading services

• BBC, 40 Reading Partners publishers, World Book Day, World Book Night etc.

• Strategy leverages pledges (e.g. library joining form in WBD schools packs; big name opening new libraries)

Publishers/BBC/Commercial

Partners

Library Services

Library Services

££££ ££££

Innovation

Strategy encompasses development plans and communities of practice for:

• Public involvement/Reading Activists

• Digital

• Health: shared books on prescription, mood boosting books scheme

Next steps – Regionally?

• Align relevant regional strategies/plans

• Regional mapping/ mutual support

• SRC model applied to other shared programmes/ hooks e.g. health?

• Focus Grants for the Arts bids on prioritised areas

Summer Reading Challenge

• Big school/ library push • Develop Schools

Ambassador roles: secondary and primary

• Use the Booksorter and social media

• Chatterbooks as follow on activity

• Link to Universal Joining?

October Health hook

Mental health day, 10th October National stress awareness day, 6th November

Miranda McKearney OBE miranda.mckearney@readingagency.org.uk

@mirandamck

http://readingagency.org.uk/

http://www.justgiving.com/thereadingagency