Making libraries 'cool' is encouraging teenagers to read

But one of the biggest challenges is to retain interest in reading among children once they become teenagers, forcing libraries to cultivate a cooler image among that age group.

Vicky Clarke, head of library services at Blackpool Council, told councillors the service was working closely with schools, health teams and the early intervention service Better Start to encourage reading.

She said: “We start right at the very early days, we have baby sessions and some babies brought along are just days old.

“It’s the exposure to words and sounds which develops to understanding language and into reading.”

The council launched its 10 year Literacy Strategy in 2020 after it was found poor reading skills were holding many residents back.

Developments also include the recruitment of two specialist workers who go into schools as part of a programme supported by the National Library Trust.

Ms Clarke said this was to help “develop reading for pleasure”, and added cutbacks meant not all schools now had their own libraries so the council was working with the National Library Trust to give books to schools.

Previous studies have shown many children in Blackpool come from homes where there are no books in the house to encourage them to read.

The meeting of the Children and Young People’s Scrutiny Committee also heard work was being done to support children for whom English is an additional language.

This includes children of asylum seekers being housed at the Metropole Hotel in the town.

Paul Turner, assistant director of education at Blackpool Council, said additional funding was available and support was a priority, and added “children who have English as an additional language do very well.”

The meeting also heard audio books were increasingly used to introduce children to literature who “wouldn’t pick up a book for pleasure”.

But reading was found to drop off among teenagers as it was “not cool to be seen with a book.”

As a result libraries were now holding gigs and comedy events “so they were not just about books, but a lot of other exciting things” to expose children to books and literature.