From crime thrillers to summer reading festivals, libraries across Warwickshire are launching an ambitious programme to make reading irresistible in 2026.
Whether people are passionate about music, sport, fashion or food, there's one thing that can take them deeper into what they love: reading. That's the philosophy behind Warwickshire Libraries' exciting support for the National Year of Reading 2026, a nationwide campaign with the rallying cry 'Go All In.' The goal is to reignite reading for pleasure across the UK by meeting people where their passions already live.
"Reading is key to so much development at all ages," says Cllr Mike Bannister, Warwickshire County Council's portfolio holder for Customer and Localities. "It stimulates imagination much more effectively than watching films or television and, in turn, encourages the mind to be creative and to problem solve."
Warwickshire Libraries has set bold targets for 2026, including
- a 5% increase in library registrations,
- more children completing the annual Summer Reading Challenge,
- expanded uptake of the popular county read-along Book Bingo across all ages.
But the ambition goes beyond numbers. "We intend to bring about a significant, achievable increase in library attendance and use that as a building block so that reading becomes an integral part of the development of many more of our residents in the years ahead." Cllr Bannister adds.
For Book Lovers of All Ages, Warwickshire Libraries will host monthly free author events featuring everyone from debut novelist Karen Storey to international bestsellers Lee Child, Rosie Goodwin, Sophie Hannah and Sue Moorcroft. Genres span crime, romance, horror and more.
The annual read-along Adult Book Bingo is set to be popular in 2026, which saw more than 800 readers follow 12 book themes in 2025, of which 52% said that they read or listened to more books than usual!** Now more people can take part in 2026, with the launch of the brand new Teen and Family Book Bingo challenges.
The library service will host its free annual Park Life Reads family festival on Saturday 1st August in Riversley Park, following its success in 2025 when 540 people attended the event, which included free lunches, ice-creams and activities for all ages. After taking part, 92% of attendees said that they felt more positive about libraries!*
Young readers
For Young Readers, the annual Summer Reading Challenge returns, with the theme Read to the Beat (for ages 4-11). The Warwickshire Schools Library Service will host its Year 4 Reading Celebration which marks the 10th year of this popular collaborative reading initiative. And they will be running Book Awards for children and young adults, for schools across the county. The Schools Library Service has developed a SEND Resources Project, which will continue to provide much needed additional support to Specialist schools and Specialist Resource Provisions across the county.
And as a treat, Warwickshire’s Young Peot Laureate will be creating a specially commissioned National Year of Reading piece as part of the role to champion libraries and literacy in the county.
Special Initiatives include Bedworth Library becoming a World Book Day community gifting partner, meaning that children and young people in the town will be able to take home free books to keep during March.
To encourage engagement in the north of the county, Warwickshire Libraries is partnering with the National Literacy Trust's volunteer literacy champions in Nuneaton and Bedworth to support communities to access literature and reading skills more readily.
Reading meets real life
The National Year of Reading, headed up by the National Literacy Trust and sponsored by the Department for Education, operates on a simple but powerful idea: "If you're into it, read into it."
In 2026, reading will connect with culture where it truly lives: through music, sport, fashion, food and family, making it vibrant, relevant and impossible to ignore.
Schools across Warwickshire will also benefit from the National Literacy Trust's flexible, year-long programme featuring professional development and unmissable events for children and young people.
The full programme is still developing, with dates and venues to be confirmed soon.
Stay connected:
- Subscribe to the Warwickshire Libraries Newsletter for updates: https://library.warwickshire.gov.uk/welcome
- Check our website: https://library.warwickshire.gov.uk/-/go-all-in-with-the-national-year-of-reading-2026
- Browse upcoming author events: eventbrite.co.uk/cc/author-events-2632979
- Explore the National Year of Reading website for nationwide activities: https://goallin.org.uk
- Discover the NLT schools programme: literacytrust.org.uk
As free, accessible community hubs, libraries stand at the heart of this campaign. Warwickshire Libraries is ready to welcome everyone, whether you're returning after years away or stepping through the doors for the first time.
The question is: what will you read into in 2026?
**Based on 242 responses
*Based on 76 responses