Political opinion with Alison Bennett MP: Let’s use our libraries this summer

If the recent scorching weather wasn’t proof enough that summer is upon us, the start of this year’s Summer Reading Challenge confirms it. Our local libraries are launching their ‘Read to the Beat’ challenge this Saturday, 4th July, for children between 4-11 years old.  

This initiative is a great opportunity for primary school aged children to discover new books and get reading. This year’s challenge with its musical theme is a novel and enriching way to keep children entertained during the six-week holiday.  

Anything that gets people using our local libraries is positive. These local hubs are a key cornerstone of our communities and provide so much more than ‘just books’. They host activities like English language cafés, adult literacy classes, dementia friendly singing groups, mother and baby clubs and children’s activity groups. Computers and printers are available for people to use, making the online world and digital processes more accessible, with friendly staff around to lend a hand. I even had a display in Burgess Hill and Haywards Heath libraries before Christmas, of the artwork of the winners and runners up of my Christmas Card competition.  

We should not underestimate the value of our libraries, especially as it increasingly feels like technology is making us more isolated than ever. According to The Reading Agency, over 2.5 million people across the UK are ‘always or often lonely’. The interactions and face-to-face conversations on offer at the library play a significant part in reaching isolated people and helping them feel less alone. The Reading Agency’s own statistics confirm this; their campaigns and programmes are thought to have helped 66 per cent of participants feel more connected to others.  

This is why it is so important that our libraries are well-funded and supported by the government, no matter who the Prime Minister may be by the end of the summer. Programmes like the Summer Reading Challenge are more vital than ever, especially if we are serious about reducing our children’s screentime and providing them with more enriching and accessible alternatives. You can learn more about the Summer Reading Challenge here: https://summerreadingchallenge.org.uk/#library