Libraries & Reading for pleasure

Literacy and reading for pleasure are central to people’s life chances, but 1 in 7 primary schools don’t have a library, public libraries have faced sustained budget cuts, and university libraries are being hit by university deficits. Publishers do a great deal to support reading through initiatives such as World Book Day.  

Reading for pleasure is a huge driver of social mobility and should be encouraged at every stage of a child’s development. 

It is difficult to anticipate the specific skills that will be required in a future workforce: but imagination, empathy and flexibility of mind are transferable qualities derived from literacy and reading for pleasure, that will surely remain valuable for future generations.   

Our library partners play a vital role in the promotion of reading for pleasure and as a crucial access point for books. The Publishers Association believes that every school should be funded to have a library and support for public libraries should increase, prioritising literacy cold spots across the country. We work closely with libraries to advocate for them and the part they play in developing a nation of readers.