The Universal Reading Offer
The Universal Reading Offer is a new strategy to keep the momentum going in hard times.
In the last ten years libraries have been modernising and evolving their reading services, with stunning results. They now offer a lively, social service to encourage reading for pleasure. Most effort has been focused on children's work, and children's book borrowing has risen for the last seven years. 77% of five to 10 year olds now use the library.
There's a big challenge in an age of austerity to keep up this momentum. We're working with libraries on a new strategy for 2012-15 called the Universal Reading Offer. Our partners in this are the Society of Chief Librarians. This:
- Focuses libraries' efforts on taking collective action by prioritising key programmes and partnerships.
- Gives libraries a ready made set of tools offering economies of scale and easy ways to share best practice.
- Helps retain the investment and resources arising from nationally brokered partnerships with the BBC, 40 publishers and others.
- Creates a shared evidence bank and advocacy resources to help libraries show how they make an impact.
These materials, developed for library professionals, outline the main elements of the strategy.
Universal Reading Offer Presentation
Wales Universal Reading Offer Presentation
Read the Universal Reading Offer FAQs
Read the evidence back for the importance of reading