1. Miranda McKearney OBE CEO, The Reading Agency

2. National Reading Offer
“This age of austerity will end; we have to think about the future. Let’s not implement cuts in a way that ends up with a uniformly grey, dull offer to the public, without any real social impact. We must hang on to the sparkle in the new look reading service we’re creating. There is evidence of a huge public demand for our reading groups, author events, rhyme times, reading challenges, festivals. The new strategy we’re proposing is about us all putting our collective energy into a few really big things to keep the sparkle going.”
Tony Durcan, Chair of the Books and Reading Group, Society of Chief Librarians

3. National Reading Offer
Builds on vision work done with ASCEL and SCL in 2004, used as basis for NYR membership campaign
Celebrating creativity, reading, links to key outcomes
Captures sector’s ambition to get literacy and reading opportunities to every community
Drive forward with development of new look reading service – turning libraries into vibrant community hubs

4. Reading Offer
Combatting cuts by working more efficiently together as a network – fewer, bigger things
Plug in and play best practice tools
Maintain and develop partners’ investment
National marketing and advocacy
New shared impact/golden thread tools
Staff knowledge and skills
Innovation: digital, health, involving the public
PILOT: April 2012 EMBED:

5. Alignment Local government improvement agenda
LGG’s culture and sport improvement framework (logic model approach)
Arts Council’s Future Library programme

6. Arts and Libraries

7. Logic Model framework

8. Shared Toolbox

9. Sign-up Pilot 2012 Definition of reading offer
Using LGG outcomes framework
Nationally brokered partnerships
Strategic partnership with SCL and TRA
Shared toolbox
Community of practice for innovation: digital and public involvement

10. Key Outcomes Learning, skills, employability
Health, well being, quality of life
Strong and safe communities (including participation)
Value for money

11. Shared Calendar

12. Key National Offer Programmes: Summer Reading Challenge
Business model: more affordable
National partnerships: Olympics, CBBC, Mumsnet, WI
Local partnerships: schools, arts organisations, opportunities with ACE
Addressing capacity: volunteering roll out, support teams
Targeted family work
Enhanced advocacy drive

13. StoryLab
Adults have forgotten how to tell tales to children. StoryLab kids have to save their city by boosting its imagination
StoryLab: fantastical laboratory where you can read, collect, share, create, transmit and broadcast stories  
Questing narrative/ three stages. 4 characters helped by lab cat Aesop
Sports links via characters’ sports interests
Core pack item – 3D StoryLab box  
Website – digital version of StoryLab
StoryLabs in libraries, plus storytelling chairs and cloaks
Exploring Quentin Blake international launch event - StoryLab Global Link Up
Author master classes
Museums links through Stories of the World  

14. Summer Reading Challenge 2012: Illustrator Steve May

15. Key National Offer Programmes: Chatterbooks
Focus on working with disadvantaged children in combination with Summer Reading Challenge
Support resources for young volunteers
‘Off the shelf’ activities – refreshed termly
Special resources and activities to use in delivery of National Offer (e.g. for WBD)
New starter packs, materials, training and promotions
Welsh Chatterbooks/Clonclyfrau
For more information contact

16. Key National Offer Programmes: Six Book Challenge
Targeted family approach: using Six Book Challenge alongside Summer Reading Challenge
Families leaflet for SRC materials
Working with BookTrust to recruit parents and carers
Increasingly used with young people aged 16-24: 17% registered through libraries, hundreds more through colleges and YOIs
For more information contact

17. Innovation Strand in National Offer: MyVoice
People power pilot (Big Lottery funded) – young people shaping reading hubs and library activities
Training on offer for all authorities:
Training for library staff on working with young people
Training for young people (inc. team work, events planning, volunteering)
Digital skills training for library staff and young people
Contact for more information

18. Need your input on: Summer Reading Challenge advocacy
Sector advocacy: library openings, centenaries, refurbishments
Training needs
Reading Groups for Everyone