Over 500,000 Summer Reading Challenge joiners through the cross-authority pilot model!

Impact of the Cross-Authority Pilot, 2021-23

We reached over half a million joiners through the Summer Reading Challenge pilot model!

Over the last three years, The Reading Agency has worked with library partners to pilot a new model of delivery based on cross-authority partnerships. Library services work strategically with other areas of the local authority — such as education, public health teams and children’s services — to extend the reach and impact of the Challenge in underserved areas and with families new to library use. Beginning with 10 library services in 2021, by the third year of the pilot a total of 39 library authorities across the UK had taken part, trialling different approaches to reaching children experiencing disadvantage, from targeted work with schools and HAF providers to offering automatic library membership to all primary-age school children.

Over the three years of the pilot, on average…

1 in 3 Summer Reading Challenger joiners were in pilot authorities

1 in 5 children receiving a completer’s certificate were in pilot authorities

2 in 5 children who became new library members were in pilot authorities

Returning to pre-pandemic levels: starters, new library members and children’s book issues

509,732 children started the Challenge over three years

In 2023, we saw a 7% increase in starters in pilot areas on 2019, whilst those taking part through non-pilot delivery have not quite yet returned to levels reached prior to the pandemic.

153,296 children became new library members in pilot authorities over three years

In 2023, we saw a 69% increase in new library members in pilot areas on 2019, compared with only +28% through non-pilot delivery.

6,602,037 total books, eBooks and audiobooks were issued through libraries in pilot areas over three years

In 2023, there was a 116% increase in book issues in pilot areas on 2019, compared with +81% through non-pilot delivery./

Extending reach in underserved areas and with underrepresented groups

68% of schools agreed that the pilot approach reached pupils living with disadvantage

60% agreed that the pilot approach had engaged pupils who had not taken part in the past

46% boys & 53% girls took part in pilot areas over three years (a 6 percentage point difference), compared with 44% boys & 55% girls through non-pilot delivery (an 11 percentage point difference)

Children increased their positive reading behaviours, habits and attitudes

Arts Council England-funded research showed the statistically significant impact for children who took part in the Summer Reading Challenge compared with those who did not take part…

Children also improved their wellbeing, feeling ‘braver’, calmer and better able to manage negative emotions. Libraries raised their profile across the local authority, highlighting their value in educational and mental health support.

I think the difference this year was the really high-level strategic stuff. […] This is how [area] Council’s going to help address the problems of COVID and address the gaps. And that was the higher level. I’ve never been to a meeting with the Head of the Council before.

– Pilot library authority

I didn’t really like books before, and I used to not read, because I didn’t really like reading. I was just busy watching YouTube and TV and stuff. But like, after the Summer Reading Challenge, I like fiction, and I like reading lots of different books.

– Child, aged 9-10

[The Summer Reading Challenge] tied in absolutely perfect to what we do as a HAF programme […] we thought, well this is brilliant, because it ties really nicely into our ‘English on the move’ [initiative].

– HAF provider

You can read the full report here.