Libraries play a unique role in promoting reading in communities. As a free (at point of use) public service they can provide a stepping-stone to engagement with reading and book buying for less engaged readers and disadvantaged communities. Working together, World Book Day and libraries can promote reading, help change attitudes to book accessibility and encourage engagement with book shops and the wider world of books overall.

How to work with us

We want to support libraries to use World Book Day to promote reading and library membership across the UK & Ireland. Here are just some of the ways that you can do this:

• HOST EXCITING EVENTS around World Book Day to engage with families, schools and nurseries and add them to our Events map. For ideas on including authors and illustrators in your World Book Day celebrations, online or in person, contact Authors Aloud UK and Authors Abroad;
• CONTACT local schools and nurseries/pre-schools and tell them about the brilliant services libraries offer, offer to go into schools and talk to children in assembly or arrange a virtual library visit to give children a sneak peek of what your library can offer;
• USE your newsletters and social media to talk about the importance of reading for pleasure and reading together;
• DECK the walls with celebratory World Book Day material;
• CREATE a display to suggest further reading around the £1 books and their authors and illustrators;
• ENGAGE year-round with the World Book Day Book Club and Share A Story Corner by encouraging children and families to join in.

If you’d like to review our 2025 public libraries toolkit click here

World Book Day in libraries

In 2024 we collaborated with 20 libraries to create community exchange hubs where children could swap their book token for a £1 World Book Day book with no ongoing pressure to spend. Each library had 1200 books to give.  Long-term, this intervention supports families in starting a life-changing reading habit. Library locations were chosen based on their distance to local booksellers. 

 We collaborated with libraries to create, promote and deliver Read Your Way events with inspirational results. There were reading journals, dress-up for hire and even a Sky News broadcast!   An enormous thank you to the tremendous librarians who made this happen.