Libraries boosted reading over summer holidays

Challenges and events arranged by Cheshire West and Chester Council’s libraries have 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 thirteen and takes place during the school holidays each year. There is a mini version of the challenge for the under fours.

The 2024 theme, chosen by The Reading Agency, was Marvellous Makers, which aimed to fire up children’s imaginations and unleash storytelling and creativity through the power of reading.

The Adults Read Two challenge encourages adults to read more and celebrate their love of books and reading.  Entrants needed to read two books between 6 July and 8 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 Cabinet Member for A Fairer Future (Poverty, Public Health, Mental Health, Libraries and Culture), Councillor Lisa Denson said:

“By the end of the Summer Reading Challenge an impressive 4,649 children had signed up to take part and 2,192 had completed, figures both slightly up on last year. This year an amazing 127,052 children’s books were borrowed across our borough over the holidays, which was 7% up.

“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.”

There was a variety of events too: Animals Takeover, Fun Science, Dogs Trust, Noodle Performance Arts, Digital Wizards, BugFest, Explore Learning, author Kate Pankhurst, illustrator Zoe Saunders, Circus Academy, Chio Chio, Wonderdome, Nature Makers, Chester Arts Bus, Theatre Porto and facepainting.

Medals were awarded to all children who completed the challenges, and they were also entered into a prize draw to win a Slitherbot toy.  Those that completed the mini challenge, got the chance to win a cuddly chimpanzee soft toy. There were also discounts and ticket prizes from Bewilderwood, Climbing Hut, Cotebrook Shire Horse Centre, Hayrack Church Farm and Sick to Death.

The Adults Read Two programme saw a 68% increase compared to last year with 701 participants. Just for fun we encouraged customers once again to take part in our #BooketList. Staff selected their 30 favourite reads from the last 12 months including ‘The Women’ by Kristin Hannah and ‘The Kellerby Code’ by Jonny Sweet.

The list could be used for ideas for reading over the summer. Staff sent in images of their books, which were posted on Facebook, X and Instagram. Extra stock was purchased for all libraries and shelves were created on Borrowbox.

Councillor Denson added:

“Libraries also successfully received funding to offer food at events, part of the Holiday Activity with Food (HAF) programme. This allowed for more events to take place at the libraries involved (Blacon, Frodsham, Helsby, Hope Farm, Lache, Little Sutton, Neston, Northwich and Winsford) and resulted in 692 children being provided with lunches in libraries, across the summer holiday period. This was almost double the 351 we had last year. This year’s challenges have achieved truly wonderful results.”