Libraries boosted reading over summer holidays

Challenges and events arranged by Cheshire West and Chester Council’s libraries boosted reading during this year’s summer holidays.

The Summer Reading Challenge for children and the Adults Read Two scheme have been a great success across the borough both in libraries and on-line.

The Summer Reading Challenge is for children under 12 and takes place during the school holidays each year.  The 2022 theme, chosen by The Reading Agency, was Gadgeteers, it focused on how children can discover science and innovation in the world around them.

The Adults Read Two challenge also encourages adults to read more and celebrate their love of books and reading.  Entrants needed to read two books between 9 July and 4 September.  They could choose from a library book, eBook or eAudiobook and this year 13- to 15-year-olds could also enter again with parental permission.

The Council’s Leader and Cabinet Member for Wellbeing, Councillor Louise Gittins said: “By the end of the Summer Reading Challenge an impressive 3,912 children had signed up to take part.  This year an amazing 93,005 children’s book were borrowed across our borough over the holidays.

“It’s wonderful to see that so many children were able to boost their reading over the summer months before the new school term, it can make all the difference to their reading confidence.

“On-line children’s events were also a big success with on-lines shows, professional storytellers and question time with famous authors.

“The Adults Read Two programme saw a 116% increase compared to last year with 341 participants.

“And just for fun we encouraged customers to take part in our #BooketList.  Staff selected their 30 favourite reads from the last 12 months which could be used for ideas for reading over the summer.  Staff also sent in images of their books which we were posted on our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts – we got some great comments back.”

For environmental reasons, the medals given out to children this year included a combination of wooden medals and generic medals from previous years.

Councillor Gittins added: “This meant children were delighted not to have to wait for their medals and parents told us that they appreciated the immediacy of the reward and that it saved them having to remember an awards evening a few weeks later in their already busy schedules.”