We were proud to be part of last week’s launch of the Libraries Alliance. The event brought together voices from across the sector; library staff and the communities they support, as well as politicians, academics and writers, highlighting how libraries support people at every stage of life.

Tackling social issues starts in early childhood. This is the starting point for Dr Shaddai Tembo’s session at our upcoming conference, Belonging from the Beginning. He’ll explore how anti-racist thinking shapes everyday practice and share practical ideas you can apply in your own library setting.

Have you seen the agenda for our annual conference Belonging from the Beginning? When: 12th May Where: Birmingham, or join us virtually librariesrising.org.uk/training-and...

We're really pleased to share that BookingsPlus is our headline sponsor for our 2026 conference! They provide venue hire software and virtual tour services to Library Services, Local Authorities and schools, helping people find, book and explore spaces more easily before they visit.

As part of our weekly 'the role libraries play in supporting Family Hubs', we’re looking at how Reading libraries work with Family Hubs to strengthen early years support for children and families, particularly in socially disadvantaged areas. Read more: librariesrising.org.uk/wp-content/u...

Libraries are playing an important role in Family Hubs. Squish! in Sefton Libraries is one way this is happening! Bringing weekly, artist-led sensory play sessions into library spaces for children aged 12 months to 3 years. 📖 Read the full case study here: librariesrising.org.uk/wp-content/u...

Interested in joining our team as our new Development and Delivery Manager? We’re looking for someone who can help us secure and shape the work we want to deliver, bringing a values-led approach to funding and development. Closing date: 9:00am 8th April librariesrising.org.uk/resource/dev...

Tickets are now live for our Libraries Rising annual conference Belonging from the Beginning – Supporting inclusive early years practice in libraries Date: 12 May Location: The Studio, Birmingham and streamed online

Happy World Book Day Fancy a game of bingo? To celebrate, how our members, both public libraries and Schools Library Services, have 'gone all in' with World Book Day, we’ve turned their activities into a Library Bingo to showcase all the creative ways our members are celebrating.

Looking to engage children and young people more meaningfully in your library? Here’s a snippet of our useful comms guide resource to help! This come from SparkSpace, our free online learning model co-created with young people and designed for all library staff and volunteers.

How do you actually develop something co-creatively? Our Programme Manager, Lucy Banks, shares her insights on how we approached this question while creating SparkSpace. Read Lucy's reflections here: librariesrising.org.uk/developingsp...

Did you catch Tabitha Witherick on the radio last week? Tabitha was on BBC Kent talking about the launch of SparkSpace and the role of libraries as vital community hubs for young people!

SparkSpace is finally here! Co-created with children and young people with support from Participation People, SparkSpace is a free training platform for library staff and volunteers to help library teams meaningfully engage and empower young people. Funded by the Foyle Foundation.

SparkSpace is coming. 27.01.2026 Here's what SparkSpace can do for your Library teams...

The National Year of Reading has officially launched! Yesterday, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson officially launched the ‘Go All In’ National Year of Reading campaign at Arsenal Football Club, alongside sector leaders and educators. Read more here: literacytrust.org.uk/news/nationa...

What a wonderful way to begin the New Year! We’re delighted to share that our Chair, Annabel Gittins and Treasurer, Anna Simmons have been recognised in The New Year Honours List 2026. 🏅 Annabel Gittins: For services to Young People 🏅 Anna Simmons: For services to Libraries

🎉 Congratulations to the 20 libraries that have joined the Libraries Development Framework 🎉 We're so pleased to celebrate every service selected and we look forward to seeing their impact for children, young people and their wider communities! Explore the full list: buff.ly/qE4jRj2

A Checklist for Engaging Young People in Library Spaces (from actual young people) At our recent conference we held a youth panel, to hear directly from young people about what actually engages them in library spaces. We’ve turned their thoughts and ideas into a simple checklist! 😊

Need a reason to believe in the power of libraries? We had over 200 people from public and school library services join us for our conference last week. Check out this photo of our Chief Executive, Tabitha, with librarian and mental health advocate Mychal Threets. The library joy was real!

The wait is finally over… our new brand is here. Welcome to Libraries Rising! We’re creating libraries of tomorrow with children and young people today, and we’re so excited to share this next chapter with you. Watch Tabitha’s announcement and explore our new website: librariesrising.org.uk

Only a few tickets left for our Annual Conference on 19 Nov Creating libraries of tomorrow with children and young people today. Why come? 📢 Speakers: Mychal Threets, Prof Laura Lundy & Motaz Amer ✨ Practical, interactive sessions 📖 Explore the Expo Zone Don’t miss out!

We believe in the future of libraries. We believe in amplifying the voices of children and young people. We believe change can be good. Be amongst the first to hear what’s changing for our charity at our conference, going live in 2 days. Book your place: events.ringcentral.com/events/ascel...

Something new is coming... Only 7 days until a new vision for our charity begins… curious? Find out first at our Virtual Conference on 19th November: events.ringcentral.com/events/ascel...

We're delighted to be sponsoring @ascelnetwork.bsky.social's upcoming virtual conference on 19 November! We were also delighted to welcome the ASCEL team to our bookshop earlier this month, discussing ways we can work alongside one another to ensure readers stay at the heart of what we do.

The new virtual autumn conference from @ascelnetwork.bsky.social on 19 November is all about fresh perspectives, innovative ideas and creative sparks. Speakers will address the theme of creating the #Libraries of tomorrow, with children and young people today. ascel.org.uk/ascel-confer...

We're delighted to announce @peters-books.bsky.social as sponsors of our conference in November For over 90 years Peters has worked with libraries and schools across the UK helping children discover a love of reading To celebrate our new partnership we went behind the scenes at the Peters bookshop

We welcome the news that the government have committed to 'providing a library in every primary school’. School Library Services provide a wide range of stock, expertise and resources. They're the most cost-effective model and need to be at the forefront of this important plan. tinyurl.com/yapr86vd

FEA has launched England's Report Card, which highlights widening gaps & shared goals that will ensure no child’s success is limited by their socioeconomic background 'A child’s early years present the greatest opportunity to impact their life trajectory.' Libraries have an important role to play

We welcome the commitment to ensuring every primary school in the country has a library by the end of this Parliament. We look forward to supporting the work of #LibrariesforPrimaries National Literacy Trust & Penguin Random House UK through this important phase of development tinyurl.com/34z6cyw7

As temperatures rise again in the UK, remember that many public #Libraries are 'cool spaces' where people can go to escape the heat. Find out more about Manchester Libraries' role as 'Cool Spaces'. manclibraries.blog/cool-spaces/

Congratulations to all the #Carnegies2025 winners and their love for libraries and librarians 🙌 "a library without a librarian is just a room full of books," thank you Nate Lessore! Now it's time to borrow a copy from your library, settle down in a cool shady place and dive into a new book 📖

✨ We are delighted to unveil the #BookTrustStorytime Prize 2026 shortlist! ✨ Here, this year's winner Lucy Rowland introduces the five brilliant titles that will be part of our BookTrust Storytime programme in libraries. Find out more: www.booktrust.org.uk/about-us/new...

🎉Happy Empathy Day!🎉 Today, we're celebrating the power of reading to build real life empathy. Help us raise an empathy-educated generation. Whose story will you jump into today? How are you celebrating Empathy Day? Tag us in your photos and stories we’d love to see them!

At #LCSeminar2025, @lucybanks.bsky.social spoke about the @ascelnetwork.bsky.social Youth Engagement Network. ASCEL is working with #Libraries across the country to ensure young people's voices are heard within our sector. Find out more about the pilot phase results here: ascel.org.uk/node/357

Some brilliant outcomes of the youth engagement network here - the approach definitely does work: Particularly 100% felt listened to - something that’s typically a huge issue for government and gov services @lucybanks.bsky.social #LCSeminar2025

Hearing from @lucybanks.bsky.social of @ascelnetwork.bsky.social About their youth engagement network, how it works and what they tell us about libraries Great fundamentals here on what it’s based on #LCSeminar2025

Congratulations to our member Amy and her team in @hulllibraries.bsky.social Also to the runners up, ASCEL member Jane and her colleagues in Hertfordshire libraires. Well deserved national recognition for our members work creating innovative and inspiring opportunities for children and young people!

'Public #Libraries have all the apparatus within them to build happiness', @frankcottrellboyce.bsky.social told us at #LCSeminar2025. Thank you Frank for a wonderful endorsement of libraries. You can read 'Reading Rights' in full here: www.booktrust.org.uk/about-us/new... @booktrust.org.uk

We are in Warwickshire for the first day of the Libraries Connected Seminar 2025. Right now we are hearing about some fascinating #Library work including lessons from the @thenationallottery.bsky.social #HeritageFunded Black British Ballet project. www.librariesconnected.org.uk/2025-annual-...

Our members help #LibrariesChangeLives by promoting the life-changing benefits for children who #ReadForPleasure. Our new report found 90% of young people who worked to co-create activities felt more welcome in the library. It's why we promote amplifying young voices. tinyurl.com/ynjebmxn

Our trustees give so much to our organisation, without them we wouldn’t be able to do what we do. A huge thank you to them! #VolunteersWeek

🎉And we're off! 🎉 Our brilliant Children’s Laureate @Frank_CottrellBoyce and a whole host of amazing author and illustrator friends taking part in the EmpathyDayFestival share what we have in store for you! Join us - register for your free resources at www.empathylab.uk

“Something I didn’t know before is how fun the library is.” #LibrariesChangeLives for children and young people in so many ways with inspiring, welcoming and inclusive spaces that reduce inequality and improve health and wellbeing. youtu.be/A05s8S9Khsc?...

We are very pleased to announce the successful projects for the third round of our #ACESupported Microgrants programme. You can read more about the exciting projects that #Libraries have planned here: www.librariesconnected.org.uk/news/success...

Our Chief Exec, Tabitha shared learning from our Youth Engagement Network with an international audience at Next Library in Aarhus, Denmark, prompting connection with exciting practices and programmes around the world. Read about the pilot project here tinyurl.com/ynjebmxn

Valuable meeting with Baroness Twycross, Libraries Minister, today. Great to be alongside Isobel ( @ih1968.bsky.social ), @louiscoiffait-gunn.bsky.social and sector partners to talk all things libraries - including the magic for children and young people and the opportunities ahead.

Our Foyle Foundation-funded online learning module SparkSpace needs a co-creative content producer! Do you work co-creatively with children & young people? Do you have expertise in producing visual/ written content to teach & empower others? Deadline for proposals is 13th June, 2025. bit.ly/4k68Bhl

Highlighting the importance and life-long benefits of reading for pleasure and shared reading for children, from their earliest years. Visiting a library may be the first time a child has access to books, let's make sure every child has that opportunity. #ReadingRights

Huge Congratulations to everyone at Manchester Libraries for this campaign with Blue Peter. Children who #ReadForPleasure can improve their educational outcomes, learn empathy and widen their world view. Reading is a superpower! #Libraries

‪ 🌞The sun is shining over Parliament as our CEO @louiscoiffait-gunn.bsky.social heads over to the Westminster Hall debate: Future of public libraries tabled by Jonathan Davies MP. Now live on Parliament Live TV: www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/...