About us
About us
- The Reading Agency is an independent charity with a mission to inspire more people to read more.
- The Reading Agency believes that reading changes lives and benefits wider civil society and that everyone has a right to the equal life chances that come with being a reader.
- The Reading Agency aims to help children, young people and adults across the UK feel inspired and confident about reading. We particularly champion reading with children in their formative years, work with young people who find it difficult to develop reading skills and with adults who find reading a challenge.
"What stands out is The Reading Agency's passion for reading and readers." Kate Mosse, bestselling author
Our work
- The Reading Agency is the UK's leading development agency specialising in spreading reading through libraries.
- The Reading Agency works with every UK local authority and also reaches readers through broadcasters, publishers, workplaces, schools, prisons and youth services.
- The Reading Agency runs a number of high profile national initiatives such as the Summer Reading Challenge, and has developed five key tools to engage readers - reading challenges, reading groups, author contact, promotions and volunteering.
The Reading Agency and the Free Word Centre
The Reading Agency is one of the eight founder organisations that have come together at the Free Word Centre. The other founder organisations are Apples and Snakes, Article 19, Booktrust, English PEN, Index on Censorship, The Arvon Foundation and The Literary Consultancy.
Free Word is many things: a venue, a meeting place, an office space, a thinking space, a place of debate and risk taking, a window to the world, a robust voice for the word. At Free Word you will hear known and unknown voices, the expected and the unexpected, and will be encouraged to engage with debate and controversy. And for the first time literature, literacy and free expression organisations will be working under one roof.
There's a friendly cafe on the ground floor too so if you are passing by please drop in and see all the wonderful and exciting things that are happening in our home.