National Literacy Trust

Neil McClelland will describe how the National Literacy Trust creates partnerships to support improved literacy standards in the United Kingdom. He will trace the increasingly influential role of public libraries since the National Year of Reading 1998/99.

He will outline:

• the principles and practice of the Trust’s initiatives which harness the expertise of librarians to engage reluctant readers,
• the Trust’s work with corporate partners and professional sport to encourage pre-school and school-aged children and their parents to use libraries,
• a three-year project to examine the link between literacy and social inclusion, and the evidence of the importance of innovative approaches by public libraries to promote reading to the least confident learners in the community,
• the important role of school libraries and library services in the Reading Connects initiative which is creating a network of school communities that read,
• the Vital Link project which works with basic skills teachers and librarians to maximise the influence of public libraries in supporting adults with low levels of reading confidence and skills.