Libraries

SELECT COMMITTEE EVIDENCE: We have strong views on the need for a positive and practical vision for the future of public libraries, so we were delighted that our director Miranda McKearney was invited to give evidence at the first session of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee inquiry into library closures. The last session is on 13 March, at which Culture Minister Ed Vaizey will give evidence. You can watch the session Miranda contributed to on Parliamentary TV and the London School of Economics has a blog with her views.

GOVERNMENT REVIEW: The government has just published the Henley Review of Cultural Education. We're so glad to see reading featuring as a creative activity, and to see libraries recognised as vital providers of access to cultural experiences outside of school hours. We've been calling for a campaign to ensure every school child belongs to the library, and hope that the Henley Review will be a spur to making this happen.  

Important new Arts Council Funding

NEW FUNDING: We are delighted to be one of the lead partners in four of the projects the Arts Council is funding as part of its Library Development Initiative. Thank you to the Society of Chief Librarians, ASCEL, the Publishers Association, Studiolift and our partner library authorities for working alongside us to achieve the funding.

Working with our partners, we'll be piloting a big new health and reading scheme with 61 library authorities. In a second programme, we'll be co-training with young people to build librarians' ability to involve young people in shaping relevant library services. Two of the bids tackle digital development, and move our partnership with 40 publishers into the digital era. They respond to our recent survey in which 64% of library authorities wanted help with developing their reading offer. Publishers will help by sharing their skills and resources to strengthen libraries' digital reading offer to the public. 

Our work with children

Summer Reading Challenge

STORY LAB: Libraries are gearing up for the 2012 Summer Reading Challenge. We are currently training library staff in how to involve young people as inspirational volunteers. This year's theme is Story Lab. Illustrator Steve May has done a wonderful job, as you can see from the logos above and Story Lab and is an official project in the Cultural Olympiad's London 2012 Festival. The deadline for libraries to sign up to run the Challenge is 16 March. Download your order forms from the Summer Reading Challenge website.

VOLUNTEERING: Due to the continuing support of the John Laing Charitable Trust, we are able to offer Summer Reading Challenge volunteering training to all English library authorities this year. Regional training days are currently taking place and if you haven't been able to send anyone to your session, please contact Sue Jones who can discuss options.

STOP PRESS!: We are delighted to confirm that Tesco Bank will once again be supporting the Summer Reading Challenge in Scotland. More details in next month's newsletter.

Reading Groups for Children

DISCOUNTS: Reading groups help develop literacy and a love of reading. Our Reading Groups for Children offer four to 11 year-olds the chance to join a massive, fun club. If you would like to run a group you can get Chatterbooks guides and incentives from our Shop. Early bird offers available until 31 March.

TRAINING: The next training day for people wanting to run a children's reading group is on 8 May at the Free Word Centre in London. Learn about planning, setting up and running a group in a school or library, with lots of ideas for creative sessions. More information from Jenny Warner.

RECOMMENDED READING: Don't miss our latest recommendations for the best new books published for children, and there's a lovely book review from Emily, aged 6, on Reading Groups for Everyone.

World Book Day

GREAT SUCCESS: Working with libraries, we had a fantastic World Book Day 2012. There were ten flagship library events around the country, a big drive to get children joining their local library, and the Biggest Book Show on Earth was streamed into libraries and schools. Our director, Miranda McKearney, said: "The library events are a beacon of hope, shining a light on the way libraries so powerfully and imaginatively spread reading to every community. World Book Day is the moment to make sure every single child gets the chance to belong to their library - so get on down there!"

Our work with young people

MyVoice training

ENTHUSIASM FOR NEW SKILLS: MyVoice is our flagship programme for young people that gives them the chance to volunteer and gain new skills through getting involved in their libraries. In February half term we ran two great Social Reporter Training days. Thirty young people learnt how to use social media to tell their stories. They tweeted their enthusiasm for the learning they were gaining: "The training day with #sounddelivery @ToonLibraries for #myvoiceuk was great" "@myvoiceuk Loving #socialmediabootcamp and learning to use twitter!"

Callum, 15, from Warrington spoke powerfully about the media's negative portrayal of young people - and how he wants to change that. You can listen to his interview.

MyVoice is on Twitter @myvoiceuk and is funded by the Big Lottery Fund, The Dulverton Trust and Reed Elsevier.

Our work with literacy learners

Six Book Challenge

NUMBERS BUILDING: The Six Book Challenge, launched last month by Adele Parks (pictured), is our programme for people who are less confident readers. Many workplaces, colleges, public libraries and prisons are getting going on this year's Challenge - 36,700 reading diaries out there at the last count and we're getting great feedback. "To see the impact and progress it has made in learners is inspirational," says Naomi Nikhata, tutor at Doncaster College.

Materials are still available from the Shop and now include top-up packs and discounts for those needing larger quantities of reading diaries. There are 1000+ reading recommendations for Challenge participants on the Find a Read database and a new resource pack for work with Entry Level readers.

Our partnership work

Asia House festival

MAY FESTIVAL: We are thrilled to be partnering with Asia House to reach more readers during the Festival of Asian Literature by getting people involved in library activities. Twenty reading groups from four cities will read the same four titles. Young people from our MyVoice project with libraries will be the Festival's media reporters, giving them great practical experience in curating and running events, interviewing authors and producing audio and written features. Look out for their work on the Asia House and MyVoice blogs. To find out more, contact Sandeep Mahal.

World Book Night

LIBRARIES GETTING READY: World Book Night has now chosen book givers for the nationwide celebrations on Monday 23 April. An amazing 90% of library authorities have registered, providing book givers all over the country with local pick-up points. On World Book Night itself there will be lots of library events and a huge event at London's Southbank Centre, followed by candlelit readings of Shakespeare in honour of the Bard's birthday. There will even be a double decker bus, carrying book givers, authors and entertainers around London, organised by Westminster Libraries.

And finally...

Congratulations to our wonderful Sandeep Mahal who won the Publishers' Publicity Circle (PPC) Events Manager of the Year. The PPC Librarian of the Year went to Nikki Bi of the Library Theatre in Birmingham. (Sandy is pictured 7th from the left left with the other PPC winners.)

Look out for...

Our reading groups conference in June. Date to be announced soon.

Keeping in touch

Please come and chat to us on Facebook, visit our website and follow us on Twitter.

Our funding

We would like to thank the Arts Council and everyone who is supporting our work to open up the transformative world of reading to more people.

To unsubscribe click here or send an email to [log in to unmask]