Libraries’ Universal Reading Offer

“The importance of reading for pleasure and enjoyment cannot be underestimated. As well as providing enjoyment, reading improves literacy levels, social skills, wellbeing and provides meaningful activity and a sense of purpose. The act of doing something for pleasure has so many benefits. Reading helps you escape, utilizes your mind, gets your creative juices flowing, helps you learn and discover new things and takes you on wonderful journeys – very powerful! " Libraries in Wales inspire people to enjoy reading; to enhance their knowledge & skills; to enrich their quality of life and empower them to realize their full potential.” Ann Jones, Chair of the Society of Chief Librarians, Wales

Shared library reading offer to the public Reading - New strategy combining libraries’ efforts to develop reading - One of four SCL “national offers”; reading, digital, information and health - Developed with lead charitable partners The Reading Agency - Strategy tied to local government improvement through Local Government Group logic model - In Wales, integrated in Libraries Inspire Framework, Delivery Plan, Marketing Strategy and Festival, supports Welsh Government’s National Literacy Programme and SCL Wales’ work on reading initiatives and projects Health Digital Information

Vision Reading for pleasure enhances people’s literacy, life chances and quality of life. It is vital for our prosperity Libraries aim to be a force for social change through reading. They bring people recreation and pleasure, learning and literacy, health and wellbeing Libraries will work collectively to develop their contribution to everybody’s reading life Libraries will develop as hubs drawing communities together to bring reading alive, physically and digitally Libraries will work with the public to co-deliver reading

Libraries’ reading works help local authorities achieve key outcomes Economic impact and value for money strong and safe communities (including participation) Health, well being and quality of life Learning, skills and employability

Facts and figures In : 314,550 million people visited UK libraries, 14,850 million of these visited Welsh libraries Libraries lent million books, 13,991 were lent by Welsh libraries Library websites received 114,765 million visits - a rise of nearly 80% in the last four years- 3,215, 782 of these were to Welsh sites Strategy focuses on growth areas caused by development of more vibrant reading offer: Children’s book borrowing has risen for the last seven years Libraries’ Summer Reading Challenge grows each year – in 2011 it involved 780,000 children The adult literacy Six Book Challenge grew by a third between 2010 and 2011 There are 10,000 library linked reading groups

Rationale: looking beyond the age of austerity Building on growth and public demand for lively, engaging offer with reading groups, challenges, author events Keeping things moving forward/ continued innovation Focusing on doing fewer, bigger things together – economies of scale and sharing best practise. Keeping partners on board and investing; delivering free resources and capacity and profile

Strategy elements 100% of authorities offering agreed baseline elements of contemporary reading service, defined in LGG Logic Model framework Deliver a minimum universal offer locally by using national toolbox Aiming for 80% -100% of authorities using prioritised tools in national toolbox of programmes, partnerships and calendar spikes Prioritised tools are those currently used by at least 60% of authorities Baseline offer enhanced by use of additional toolbox with national, regional and local initiatives National partners committed to helping deliver the offer Shared evidence bank and advocacy statements showing social impact Shared approach to workforce development Innovation strands: digital, health, public involvement Strategic framework for voluntary sector partners to express offer to libraries, feed in impact evidence etc. Toolbox approach draws in key partners eg Share the Vision, Booktrust, National Literacy Trust

Logic Model framework

Toolbox to deliver offer efficiently

Toolbox to plan local reading offer National Regional Local Reading Offer Baseline reading offer delivered by using mixture of local, regional and national work SCL has prioritised programmes and partnerships currently used by 60% of library authorities Aim to achieve a minimum of 80% of authorities using the prioritised elements of the toolbox – fewer, bigger things together to generate economies of scale.

Prioritised shared toolbox to deliver baseline offer to public Chart shows how different strands in the strategy work together to create a shared offer across the library network. The five prioritised calendar spikes have emerged from consultation process – five focal points in year for a shared library network push on reading There will be an additional enhanced menu of activities, capturing other nationally brokered programmes used by under 60% of authorities, and additional calendar spikes e.g. literary prizes

National brokerage/coordination Library Services Creative industry partners and pledges Strategy secures involvement of national partners by showing libraries can work to scale network-wide Depends on capacity in service to deliver reading services BBC, 40 Reading Partners publishers, World Book Day, World Book Night etc. Strategy leverages pledges (e.g. library joining form in WBD schools packs; big name opening new libraries) Publishers/BBC/ Commercial Partners Library Services ££££

Shared evidence base and advocacy strategy Advocacy messages drawn from evidence base and shaped for each outcome area. E.g. health: Reading improves health and wellbeing Reading is stress busting. Research shows that reading can reduce stress levels by 67 % (University of Sussex) An ageing population means levels of dementia are predicted to rise by 61 % by 2026 (Kings Fund). Reading can help prevent the onset of dementia by 35% (New Eng. Jnl Medicine) Social activities based on reading (reading groups/ author events) combat isolation and bring people together Libraries have a key role to play Libraries offer important health and well being services to the public and health partners: health information, therapeutic reading and social/recreational reading activities. There are at least 10,000 library linked reading groups

Innovation Strategy encompasses development plans and communities of practice for: Literacy and reading: Implementation of The Importance of Reading, development of regional reading strategies e.g. S.E Wales, Clonclyfrau/Chatterbooks targeting disadvantaged children Digital: development plans for digital inclusion initiative Health: SCL Wales: Reading, Health and Well Being advocacy document, Mood Boosting Books, new Welsh Books on Prescription scheme Strategy: linking to National Literacy Strategy, Libraries Inspire Action Plan and Library Marketing Programme

Next Steps February/March 24 Feb: SCL Books Group finalises vision, calendar, FAQs etc. After 7 th March SCL Exec: invite all library authorities to sign up to principles and buy into prioritised programmes and partnerships (not contractual/financial). Simultaneously invite regions (SCL, ASCEL, reader development fora) to experiment with the approach to plan for 2012/13 and beyond. On going discussions about fit with SCL’s other offers – do they all add up to 3 year development strategy? March/September Identify authorities to help shape wider local authority sign up involving the Cabinet Member for libraries, including in new shared service arrangements e.g. Tri-borough LGG think tank Progress report/ workshop at SCL seminar, May Develop systematic links to CyMAL funding strategy, WLGA development work and key strategy frameworks Further development of evidence base and advocacy messages Pilot Universal Reading Offer training course and develop underpinning web resources September Implement local authority sign up with Cabinet Members (covering , to be reviewed end 2013) Possible LGG conference on future of libraries and reading

Next Steps: sign up Designate senior level champion as point of contact Signal if you want to be among the authorities consulting with Cabinet Members on the approach Use the Offer framework to plan for 2012/13 and beyond, as far as possible Use the SCL prioritised tools, partnerships and calendar spikes as part of your local offer Feed in local and regional evidence, linked to URO evidence bank Feed back in August on implications and strengths/weaknesses of the approach Prepare for local authority sign up in September for