www.nationalyearofreading.org.uk NEWS FEATURE ‘‘
The success of the year will be dependent on our abilities to bring offerings to the table that showcase reading as creative, social and a con- temporary activity. – Stella Hine
the first was in 1998 and then another one in 2008.” He expects there to be some similarities, stating: “With
past years of reading, there hasn’t really been much that’s been new, it’s been more badging up what’s going on so that there’s greater awareness of that.” But is also expecting some differences, as he explains: “In the past there’s been some allotted funding. There was government funding for target areas of Early Years and narrowing gender gaps in 2008. It would be surprising to see that this time, given the changed economic climate.” Although the government press release did mention £27m “to support the teaching of reading and writing”, it made it clear this was already in place.
Umbrella Jake said: “The National Year of Reading is a bit like an umbrella, encouraging grass roots activity from a number of different organisations which is then profiled under the National Year of Reading banner. This could show the range and diversity of reading that’s going on, creating a valuable critical mass. I’ve been pushing for this for a long time because the read- ing ecosystem in the UK has felt increasingly fragmented. There are lots of people in the same space and that can make a cohesive approach or message complex.”
At 10 Downing Street to promote National Year of Reading 2026, from left: Louis Coiffait-Gunn, CEO CILIP; with Tabitha Witherick, CEO ASCEL; and Victoria Dilly, CEO SLA.
She said: “As a judge, I have visited several secondary schools shadowing the Carnegies and I have been impressed by the pas- sion and dedication of the library professionals and teaching staff who facilitate this. I have been even more impressed by the shadowers themselves, often mixed-age groups of students who come together for the shared experience of discussing books.” Like Viv and Jake, Stella values the communication and culture that meeting and talking provide. She said: “Their discussions have been informed, respectful, sophisticated, challenging and insightful. Witnessing this gives hope for a bright future for all. I think the Carnegies have been ‘reimag- ining reading’ for a long while, fundamentally reshaping the canon of children’s classics to reflect our changing society. The Carnegies have also long championed visual literacy which profoundly informs the lives of all of us in our digi- tal/media-driven world. Shadowing sparks creativity in the broadest sense. The foundation is solid. Now is the time to promote reading for everyone everywhere.”
History
Jake pointed out that this will be the third National Year of Reading, saying: “ We’ve had two years of reading previously,
Autumn 2025
But he said this is an opportunity to build relationships, especially if organisations are “given sufficient input and involvement further down the line,” adding that “the National Year of Reading is a soft touch way of trying to achieve more synergies of partnership working”.
Library light
Asked if this was an opportunity to get librarians to think politically, he says: “Yes, for me this would be the key thing because we are the biggest network of reading provid- ers across the whole of the UK. With this relatively new administration it is an opportunity to showcase our pres- ence, relevance and impact. “A huge amount of what we do is around reading for plea- sure. So it’s more about drawing focus to that and making sure that whatever opportunities there are for promoting that, or pulling that together, are used. So that we’re seen as key deliverers of this.” And as a former Chair of Judges for the Carnegies and an active member of CILIP’S YLG he re-emphasised Stella’s point: “From a Carnegie’s viewpoint the most important thing is going to be the shadowing and making sure that shadowing is badged up as part of a national year of reading offer. The success of the year will be dependent on our abil- ities to bring offerings to the table that showcase reading as creative, social and a contemporary activity.”
INFORMATION PROFESSIONAL 15
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