Press releases

Bounce into Books with children from Yorkshire and Humberside . . . and help make Very Peculiar History in Yorkshire!

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 17:11:29 +0000

Bounce! Sales and Marketing Ltd in association with the public libraries of Yorkshire and Humberside are proud to announce the inaugural Bounce into Books Yorkshire and Humberside Children's Festival (8-13 February 2010). Read full press release.

Libraries and community health: new research project launches

Sun, 17 Jan 2010 16:23:28 +0000

Museums Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) has commissioned The Reading Agency and LISU (Loughborough University) to conduct a major new project looking at the contribution public libraries are making to the health and wellbeing of the communities they serve. Professor Neil Frude, who launched the original Cardiff Books on Prescription Scheme is providing expert support to the project. Read full press release.

Is your workplace ready for the Six Book Challenge?

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 09:09:06 +0000

National charities the Campaign for Learning and The Reading Agency have joined forces to inspire workplace reading for Learning at Work Day 2010 (20 May). The charities are inviting companies to take up the Six Book Challenge as part of their Learning at Work Day celebrations and be in with a chance of winning a visit from a top author, courtesy of Transworld publishers. Read full press release.

Chatabout: inspiring adults with literacy needs to join reading groups

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 12:39:40 +0000

The Reading Agency is delighted to announce the launch today of Chatabout, a unique new national network to support the growing number of reading groups for adults with literacy needs. Chatabout will help ensure that people who would benefit most from what reading groups have to offer will not miss out. The Reading Agency has a wealth of advice, support and resources for everyone working to engage and inspire adults to read for pleasure: they are invited to sign up now at www.chatabout.org.uk. Read full press release.

National reading charity calls for schools to take new action to combat summer reading 'dip'

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:13:14 +0000

All primary schools and head teachers urged to make more use of Summer Reading Challenge as tool to improve children's literacy.

New research shows that Challenge helps prevent summer holiday dip in reading attainment.

Read full press release.

Festival of Learning

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:07:46 +0000

Throughout October we've been supporting, in partnership with the MLA, the government's Festival of Learning to showcase how important libraries, museums and archives are to informal adult learning. We running writing workshops called Celebrating Real Lives that link to the BBC's My Story campaign and encourage people to contribute true stories to www.bbc.co.uk/mystory. Some of our Reading Detectives events have been filmed for the Festival and employees at Fox's Biscuits met Accent Press's Quick Reads author Lindsay Ashford at the opening of their new learning centre.

Nominated for Children's Book Circle award

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:06:29 +0000

We are very happy to have been nominated for Eleanor Farjeon Award by the Children's Book Circle. Winners announced on 17 November at an event at Penguin.

Reading detectives unearth some of England's hidden literary gems

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 23:37:06 +0000

Project discovers secrets of country's written past

Teams of sleuths from across England have spent the summer spent hot on the trail of their literary heritage and have uncovered some real gems in the process, from information on the lives of little known authors, to stories of family life and murder.

'Reading Detectives' from Cumbria, Derbyshire, Lancashire, Hampshire and Kent have been busy uncovering the literary secrets of their local area and events during October will celebrate their discoveries. Read full press release.

Libraries must innovate and work together to get through tough times ahead

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 11:05:49 +0000

The Reading Agency outlines its five-point action plan for change

In the face of public sector spending cuts and changing public expectations, The Reading Agency today (8 October 2009) calls on public libraries to innovate, take risks, form partnerships and involve the public in designing future services. Read full press release

Six Book Challenge: launching now for 2010

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 00:27:35 +0000

The Reading Agency will be offering a new blog, new materials, training and a prize draw as the adult literacy Six Book Challenge moves into 2010, its third year of life-changing activity. Read full press release.

UK libraries partner with Disney on family reading campaign

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 14:00:44 +0000

Public libraries have joined forces with Disney and its 5 Minutes More family reading campaign to promote the life-changing magic of stories and reading. During September they will both be inviting parents and carers to take part in the 5 Minutes More Challenge, by spending an extra five minutes a day reading or telling stories with their family. Read full press relsease.

The Reading Agency: a new home and new trustees

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 14:28:40 +0000

The Reading Agency is delighted to announce that it is now based at Free Word Centre for literacy, literature and free expression. It is also excited this month to welcome new members to The Reading Agency's board of trustees, who bring with them a wealth of ideas and experience. Read full press release.

Reading at work: changing lives

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 10:18:33 +0000

Trade unions and public library services can share innovative approaches to encouraging reading in the workplace through a new Reading Agency publication, which outlines how it can be a powerful force for social change. Read full press release.

Chatterbooks unveils new-look materials

Mon, 11 May 2009 14:33:36 +0000

The Reading Agency today unveils its new range of Chatterbooks materials, designed to help libraries across the UK develop children's reading groups through the shared Chatterbooks network. As Chatterbooks moves into its eighth successful year with an ever-growing number of children taking part, the materials have been redesigned by children's illustrator Andy Ward, working with Chatterbooks members feeding in their ideas to the design process. Read full press release.

Major new children's reading promotion Spotlight launches

Wed, 06 May 2009 21:31:38 +0000

In May 2009, the Reading Agency is launching Spotlight, a major new children's reading promotion, in collaboration with Children's Reading Partners, the library/publishing consortium. Spotlight is the result of an unprecedented cross-industry collaboration, drawing on the expertise of children's librarians to highlight the very best that children's publishing has to offer. Read full press release.