Library shortlisted for children's reading project

Jersey Library has been named a Regional Library of the Year finalist due to its work to encourage children to read.

It ran its 2025 Summer Reading Challenge Outreach Project alongside local charity Every Child Our Future, in a partnership that has been running since 2022.

The library said since it started the literacy project it had supported more than 100 pupils from four primary schools each academic year.

It has been named an East and South-East England Regional & Country Finalist for Library of the Year in the British Book Awards, with the regional winners due to be announced on 12 March and the overall award on 11 May.

Part of the project is the Book Buddy programme, which is designed to help children in Year 3 develop their literacy skills and encourage reading for pleasure through one-to-one reading with trained volunteers.

Initially only running during term time, in 2025 Jersey Library received grant funding from The Reading Agency to arrange twice-weekly transport arrangements throughout the summer holidays to transport children from two of the schools involved to the library.

Building on a successful first year, Jersey Library plans to double the scope of this project to link in with more primary schools and increase the number of volunteers.

Chief librarian Edward Jewell said the team was extremely proud and praised the passionate commitment of library staff and dedicated volunteers.

He said the project "delivered real benefits not just in terms of literacy but also in social inclusion and wellbeing and I'm looking forward to building on the strengths of the project this year".

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