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"The six book challenge has changed my life. Before I started this English course I was very underconfident with reading and writing and when Rosie our tutor suggested doing the six book challenge I thought it would be very hard for me. Instead I loved it and I’m now so much more confident. Myself and my family all take regular trips to the library and we enjoy reading together. Even my 10 year old who was struggling at school, is now happier with books. I did not finish full time school and didn’t learn what I should have, but now I feel as though I’m on track. I’m very happy that I did the challenge and I am now even into larger books not just quick reads." Challenge completer, Shoreham, West Sussex
The Reading Agency has launched an annual national Six Book Challenge™ in association with the Costa Book Awards, targeted at adults trying to improve their literacy skills, as part of the Vital Link programme. The challenge invites adult literacy learners to take up the challenge of reading six books whilst providing support and the chance to join in a national campaign.
This page outlines the background to the Challenge. Please see www.sixbookchallenge.org.uk for up-to-date information.
- 'Well done for starting this up as it got me to read more. Also it helps my English that I am doing with Adult Education.' - Challenge participant from North Lincolnshire
- 'The challenge has been an excellent tool to use to promote the library service during outreach work.' - Doncaster library service
- The Challenge runs from January to May - the preceding autumn can be used to establish partnerships and plan local delivery of the campaign.
- The Challenge is open to library services and to learning providers working in partnership with their public library service.
- The first year of the Challenge will coincide with the start of the National Year of Reading in 2008 making it an ideal opportunity for libraries to build and develop relationships with local adult learning providers.
- All participants will receive free Costa coffee cards and all those who complete the Challenge will have the chance to win an all-expenses paid trip to London for two, courtesy of the Costa Book Awards.
Piloted by Hull Libraries in 2006, the challenge has ben run successfully by all fifteen library authorities across Yorkshire & the Humber with support from BBC RaW and MLA Yorkshire. Nearly 600 people took part with around a third completing. Participants reported feeling a real sense of achievement. For example, in *one authority:
- 84 adults started the challenge and 30% completed it
- 56% of learners improved one literacy level
- 91% said they read more confidently
- 96% took part in book discussions
- 100% felt more positive about libraries
*taken from Hull Library service evaluation report on the Six book challenge
The experience in Yorkshire showed that the Six Book Challenge™ is an ideal way to develop partnerships between libraries and adult literacy providers in a whole range of settings such as colleges, community centres, day centres, workplaces and prisons.
For Library services the Six Book Challenge™ provides:
- A catalyst for creating an impact, linked to the Vital Link programme, the BBC RaW campaign and Quick Reads
- A way of supporting creative reading with adult literacy learners
- A clear way of showing the value of libraries' contribution to building the motivation, skills and autonomy of adult literacy learners
- A way to encourage increased library membership, use of emergent reader stock and greater awareness of what libraries have to offer
- An ideal package for developing and sustaining partnerships with Skills for Life and adult literacy providers
For Skills for Life and Learning providers, the Six Book Challenge™ gives:
- Easy access to motivational scheme to encourage reading for pleasure among your learners
- A starting-point for integrating reading for pleasure into curriculum delivery
- Increased awareness of the library offer to learners and adult literacy practitioners
- More potential for sustained partnership working
Through the Six Book Challenge™ adult literacy learners will have:
- Encouragement to try a range of fiction, non-fiction and other reading materials
- More experience of choosing, reading and expressing views about a range of books
- Improved skills, confidence and motivation to continue reading and learning
- Increased awareness of what libraries have to offer and confidence in using them
Developed in partnership with library services and Skills for Life practitioners, the Six Book Challenge™packs include:
- Reading diaries, invitation cards, certificates, A3 headers for branding appropriate books in the library and bookmarks as giveaways
- A resources CD (templates, activities, evaluation, staff briefing)
- Support from a website at www.sixbookchallenge.org.uk with links through to the First Choice Books database www.firstchoicebooks.org.uk and www.vitallink.org.uk
- A revised and up-dated booklist of titles selected specifically for the target audience using the Vital Link Stock Selection Criteria
If you are a public or prison library service please click here to order your packs.
If you are a learning provider please click here to order your packs.
Project managers:
Genevieve Clarke: genevieve.clarke@readingagency.org.uk
Ruth Harrison: ruth.harrison@readingagency.org.uk
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