Supporting Librarians and Libraries
We work with libraries and librarians in communities and schools to get children reading and help them to discover books they love.
How we can help
We work with 2400 libraries and librarians across communities in England and Wales to deliver our BookTrust Storytime programme, designed to inspire families to read together and visit the library regularly. Some librarians also deliver our BookStart Programme to help families read together at home.
We support school librarians with resources, curated booklists and recommendations, tips and ideas to help them engage children in stories and promote reading for pleasure in schools. Secondary schools can purchase Spark Reading, our curated programme for school libraries to help Key Stage 3 students to read regularly and build their reading enjoyment.
My favourite thing about being a librarian and delivering Storytime is… everything!
Donna Secker, Assistant Librarian, Fakenham Library
Programmes and Support
For Libraries in local communities
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BookTrust Storytime is an exciting library experience for families, offering a fun, free, and easy way to entertain under 5s at local libraries.
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We’ve learnt from families and partners to understand what works when delivering BookTrust Storytime. Here are some suggestions and tips on how you can deliver a great Storytime in your library.
Inspiration from libraries using Booktrust Storytime
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Jacqueline Condit has delivered family events at her library for 20 years. Now that BookTrust Storytime is back at more than 2,500 libraries across England, Northern Ireland and Wales, here’s her advice for librarians using the programme with families.
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Dhurata Loku, a Development Officer with Brent Libraries, got involved with BookTrust Storytime when the first pilot was launched in 2021. Here she shares her experiences of running BookTrust Storytime in two libraries.
For School Libraries
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Spark a love of reading at Key Stage 3 with this curated pack of books and shared reading resources, specially created to build reading enjoyment and encourage reading for pleasure.
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BookTrust Represents is a programme created to promote and improve the representation of people of colour in children’s books so that all children read a range of books that reflect them and their wider communities.
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Here are 100 books from 2025–26 that we think are great – and so will children
Books and Resources
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Search thousands of hand-picked book recommendations to find a child’s next favourite read – from astonishing adventures to fantastic facts, our Bookfinder tool will help you discover the very best kids’ books
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Search our large library of resources to support reading. Case studies, activities, guidance and tips to help you support young readers
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Looking for a great book on a theme? Our booklists can help you discover some brilliant books that children will love
Useful Links
To find out more about BookTrust and our work in libraries.
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Read more about how BookTrust Storytime is making a difference.
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Librarian Jacqueline Condit shares her advice for libraries using BookTrust Storytime with families.
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From babies to children in their early years and all the way through to early teens, reading brings profound and wide-ranging benefits that can have a lifelong positive impact on children’s lives.
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This is our list of the 100 best books for children from the last 100 years: the ultimate booklist to read before you’re 14.
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Here’s how the RENEW X BookTrust Biodiversity Storytelling Summit inspired an author-illustrator and Sandwell Libraries to engage children with nature.
As a community library run by volunteers – some of whom also work – having the set of books and ready-made resources has given us support and a structure to launch a story and rhyme-time offering. The Storytime set of books and resources are fantastic and have made it possible for us to get started.
Angela Cruse, Volunteer – Chew Valley Library