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Libraries

Good news all round

26 June 2017

Good news all round this week, with spectacular audiobook sale increases in the US and surprising figures showing that Millennials are the most likely generation of Americans to use public libraries. In the UK children's titles are continuing to outperform the market.  Read more

Reading Stars

20 May 2013

A reading campaign based around Premier League footballers has been a resounding success, according to the report released today by the National Literacy TrustUK-based organisation which has campaigned since 1993 to improve literacy standards across all age groups. Excellent research information and details of the many initiatives the charity is currently involved in. www.literacytrust.org.uk. It also has a useful page of news stories on UK literacy, which links to newsletter http://www.readitswapit.co.uk/TheLibrary.aspx. 'Reading Stars', with UK Premier League footballers such as Theo Walcott, is a huge success, inspiring more children to read and raising library attendance and literacy.  Read more

Big brand authors still work

18 February 2013

Big brand name authors continue to play a major part as far as UK readers are concerned and many of these are American. Danielle Steel, author of 80 novels, is the only writer to have appeared in every annual list of most-borrowed books from libraries in the UK in the last 30 years. Her books were borrowed an astonishing 900,000 times from libraries last year.  Read more

Books to Africa

7 January 2013

As we enter this New Year, it's a good time to reflect on the work of one of our key book charities, Book Aid InternationalSupplies much-needed books to developing countries, raising funds from publishers and general public; 'Reverse Book Club' is masterly idea-for just £5 ($10) month you can provide 48 books to go to where they're most needed. WritersServices is a long-term supporter of this organisation, which has done so much to bring books to third world countries, especially in Africa.  Read more

Breakthrough in libraries campaign

11 July 2011

It looks as if the campaign against closing libraries in the UK has just scored a significant victory. Since the Culture Minister Ed Vaizey, has failed to intervene to assert the statutory right to a library service, campaigners all over the country have rallied to challenge the closures being put in place by local authorities.  Read more

English: the global language

20 December 2010

A wonderful free exhibition at the British Library, Evolving English, makes the point: 'the roots of old English, slang dictionaries, advertisements and newspapers from around the world are brought together to present a fascinating picture of the evolution of English'.  Read more

Libraries facing major cuts

6 December 2010

Libraries are under threat as governments carry out major cuts to public services in both the US and the UK.   Read more

Catering for people who read

30 August 2010

Last week saw a flurry of articles about libraries in the UK press, starting with Culture Minister Ed Vaizey's views on libraries and the future, which included proposals to cut costs by giving libraries to communities to run and to run them from pubs and shops. Public libraries have long been at risk, but in the current economic climate they seem absolutely endangered.  Read more

2009's troubled times continue in the US

11 January 2010

So how does the world look as we venture forth into the new decade? This week we'll look at the US and next week at the UK publishing worlds in an attempt to assess how the turmoil in the book trade is affecting writers.

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Libraries - the fight-back

23 March 2009

Our libraries seem to have been facing inexorable decline. In the boom times people switched from libraries and started buying their books in greater numbers. The free internet access libraries provided proved attractive, particularly to younger library visitors, but became less of a draw as home internet access has become the norm.   Read more

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