Let's make this a summer of reading for everyone

Growing up an avid bookworm myself, I remember the joy of going into my local library during the summer holidays and dedicating days to immersing myself in different worlds, from Sweet Valley High to Terry Pratchett’s Ankh-Morpork.

Then when I started working in libraries, I saw first-hand the joy of children completing the Summer Reading Challenge, getting their certificate and medal, as well as feeling a real sense of accomplishment. It was fantastic to see the library running a plethora of free activities to get children and their parents involved.

Since I started working at the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) as their libraries engagement manager just over a year ago, it’s really hit home how these simple pleasures that I took for granted can leave children with additional needs feeling left out and isolated over the school holidays.

It can take a real act of strength and courage for a parent to come into a community space with their child who has additional needs. This is surely even more so if a child comes in unaccompanied. They have come in with enthusiasm and excitement to join a national scheme, wanting to access reading materials and are unable to get them; it can be soul-crushing.

It can take a real act of strength and courage for a parent to come into a community space with their child who has additional needs

Libraries are under more pressure all the time to be all things to all people. They face ever-diminishing budgets and fewer resources. While it’s all well and good to say libraries “should” be more accessible, with the Summer Reading Challenge being a prime example, it’s not an easy as that. Libraries and their partners must be supported and empowered to be more inclusive—and that’s where I step in.

I’ve had the absolute pleasure of working with multiple library services over the past year and the Reading Agency, which runs the Summer Reading Challenge, the 2023 edition of which starts tomorrow. I’ve done my best to help make sure it’s as accessible as possible to children with a vision impairment and that fully-sighted children can gain more awareness and understanding around the subject.

RNIB has created an events guide that includes story sacks and sensory treasure hunts for children with a vision impairment, and for sighted children, blindfold egg and spoon races and making sim specs to simulate sight loss.

We have also helped create a special RNIB guide for library staff to help ensure events are as inclusive as possible. It includes advice on how to select the right books for children with a vision impairment, how to encourage exploring books by touch and how to use objects and songs related to the stories. It also advises on how to access Braille, large print and tactile books. These guides are distributed along with RNIB’s partners Calibre Audio, Guide Dogs, Share the Vision, BookTrust and the Clear Vision Project.

To support the Summer Reading Challenge, a huge range of books for youngsters can be borrowed in accessible formats including Braille, large print and audio from RNIB’s extensive library catalogue. This can be found at rniblibrary.com/iguana/www.main.cls?surl=a1. For more information about the Summer Reading Challenge resources available from RNIB, email lara.marshall@rnib.org.uk. Get in touch with your local library to discover what’s happening near you this summer, and visit the Sumer Reading Challenge website for more information and lots of fun activities: summerreadingchallenge.org.uk.