Access and opportunities through library services for children &

young people

Helen Boothroyd

Suffolk Libraries Operational Lead

I readRichard Peck 1990

“I read because onelife isn’t enough, andin the pages of a bookI can be anybody;

I read because thewords that buildthe story become mine,to build my life;

I read not for happyendings but for newbeginnings; I’m justbeginning myself, andI wouldn’t mind a map;

I read because I havefriends who don’t, andyoung though they are,they’re beginning torun out of material;

I read because everyjourney begins atthe library, and it’stime for me to startpacking;

I read because oneof these days I’m goingto get out of thistown, and I’m going togo everywhere and meeteveryone, and I wantto be ready.”

Reasons to be cheerful, Part 4

• The Evidence:– Social Mobility and Education Gaps in the

Four Major Anglophone Countries – Sutton Trust May 2012

– 7 Key Truths about Social Mobility – APPG Interim Report May 2012

– PISA 2009– Reading for Pleasure/attainment

Reasons to be cheerful, Part 4

– Early Years/Children’s Centres– Moving English Forward – Ofsted March 2012

• Opportunities locally for public libraries, SLS & school libraries to work together– Universal Reading Offer– Children’s Offer (in development by ASCEL/SCL)

• Digital formats• Political attention• Media attention

Running up that hill…

• Funding – it won’t always be like this

• Political attention

• SLS:– Buyback/smaller packages/new business– Academies/Free Schools– Reducing influence of Local Authority– Role of the school library – do schools know?– Working collaboratively