The National Year of Reading 2008

1. The National Year of Reading 2008 Everything starts with reading.

2. Why another Year? • We need a step change in the national culture of reading to create a society which • Knows what reading can do to equip it for life in 21 century • Is free from narrow views of what reading is and isn’t • Appreciates that it is never too early or too late to become a reader • Realises the urgency – now or never Everything starts with reading.

3. Everything starts with reading • Reading has never been more important: • Everything begins with reading - more so today than ever before • Huge forces are changing society, accelerated by technology • a smaller, joined-up world with more opportunities • Reading is the key to this world • Less and less you can do without reading • Pace of change we face in our daily lives makes reading THE critical life skill. • Reading anything is worthwhile. It is the fabric of daily life (anytime, anyplace, anything) Everything starts with reading.

4. What has changed since 1998? • Still mixed or negative associations with the idea of being a ‘reader’ – the NLT ‘Self-Perceptions’ survey • Wider range of reading than ever and different reading landscape • Harry Potter • Richard & Judy • Reading group movement • Digital explosion • Changes in society – personalised, networked, complex interrelationships between media • Key markets saturated with consumer messages Everything starts with reading.

5. Who are we working for? Target audiences • Children pre-school to secondary, with particular focus on: * Early years * Teenagers (KS3) * Looked after children * Black and Minority Ethnic communities * Disabled children (and parents) • Parents and carers of younger children * Especially working class fathers and young dads • Adult learners Everything starts with reading.

6. And within those target audiences special emphasis on • Teenage boys • Young fathers • White working class boys • East European arrivals • Bangladeshi and Pakistani children and young people - both genders Everything starts with reading.

7. Government perspective • Central government sees libraries as key to the Year’s community activity/success • DCSF also focusing on school/library partnerships • The Year’s key values are diversity, creativity and partnership – things libraries are brilliant at! Everything starts with reading.

8. Government support for reading • Boys into books – to encourage teenage boys to read for pleasure – now extended to pupil referral units • Book Ahead, free books for private, voluntary and independent nurseries • ENJOYING READING…public library service and schools working together… Everything starts with reading.

9. And from the very top… It's not just the joy of reading, father-to-son or in the classroom, it's also the benefits of reading. It's probably one of the best anti-poverty, anti-deprivation, anti-crime, anti-vandalism policies you can think of… Let's set a big ambition for this year that we do have millions more people aware of the importance of reading, and thousands more people who can't read, reading. We can do better, more people can read, more adults can read as well as children." • Gordon Brown, Downing Street launch of NYR, 8 January 2008 Everything starts with reading.

10. Jim Knight, Minister for Schools • Children’s enjoyment of reading is critical to their life chances, but schools alone can’t crack this. The Department for Children, Schools and Families believes more joined up working between schools and libraries can make a big difference and is funding the Enjoying Reading initiative to provide inspiration, ideas and practical support. The National Year of Reading is the perfect time to start to strengthen this allianc. Everything starts with reading.

11. Key opportunities for libraries • Enhanced political profile for libraries and reading locally and nationally • Partnership framework - leading or contributing to a cross authority steering group • Sustaining partnerships- to transform authority’s reading support and libraries’ profile • National marketing : membership and volunteering campaigns; monthly themes • Recognition of library and reading contribution to LAAs Everything starts with reading.

12. Library Membership campaign • Launch April 25 – 26 April national Join a library day • Target audience – children through families • Key messages • Radical resource • Give free access to the world’s ideas • Universal • National media partners • The Mirror – supplement 25 April • First news children’s newspaper • 2 week Radio campaign • Streamlined, simplified joining procedures nationally agreed • Welcome pack • 350,000 target Everything starts with reading.

13. Joining is not enough • Sustainability key issue • Welcome/ongoing relationship is key • How do we change joiners into regular users • National Reading Programmes • Regional working • Regional learning • Regional improvement Everything starts with reading.

14. DCSF Legacy themes • Increased engagement with reading for pleasure and access to books and creative reader development support in schools and other settings • A deeper and more strategic understanding of approaches to support family reading (linked to the publication of the Children’s Plan) ultimately realized through a family reading strategy. Everything starts with reading.

15. DCSF legacy themes • Increased supportive networks for adult literacy opportunities, including reading for pleasure and signposting for progression. • Local authorities embed reading promotion and the partnerships needed to support it in their structures and strategic frameworks Everything starts with reading.

16. and from the National strategies • Closer working between schools & public libraries • Creation of libraries/learning resource centres in primary schools • Skills sharing for teachers & librarians around texts to support reading for pleasure through INSET • Skills sharing for teachers & librarians around texts to support reading for pleasure through virtual network • Virtual homework network (accessible through libraries, at home as well as in school) Everything starts with reading.

17. What might legacy look like for libraries? • Sustainable, joined up structures and strategic planning in the local authority to support reading - continuation of corporate steering group, ) • Strengthened partnership working between schools and libraries, • Collaborative community of good practice within sector • WikiReadia as a tool to build a body of shared practice and innovation – • Growth in participation in key shared reading initiatives e.g. Reading Connects, Reading Champions, Summer Reading Challenge, BookStart , Chatterbooks reading groups, 6 Book Challenge, especially by key target audiences Everything starts with reading.

18. How will we ‘measure’ the Year? • Evidence from projects across the country – from Library Membership and the Six Book Challenge to Corporate engagement • The focus on reading in Local Authority Plans • Two pieces of National work – attitudinal and Academic, plus digital surveys • A Major Legacy conference in September • Two further rounds of regional seminars with Local Authority Coordinators Everything starts with reading.

19. And finally • We must not confuse awareness of the campaign with demonstrable success in showing the value of reading for the individual Everything starts with reading.

20. Contacts • Michele.jones@yearofreading.org.uk • www.yearofreading.org.uk • Register for updates • www.readingagency.org.uk National reading programmes Elizabeth.dubber@readingagency.org.uk Reading Partners Sandeep.mahal@readingagency.org.uk Everything starts with reading.