National reading drives
- The UK designated 2026 the National Year of Reading, rolling out library guides and local outreach programs. - China also launched its first national reading week this week as part of a broader cultural push. - Both initiatives are pairing public events and outreach to widen reading access, per regional coverage ( ).
Britain and China are both using national campaigns this week to push more people toward books, with schools, libraries and public events at the center. (readingagency.org.uk, english.news.cn) In England, the National Year of Reading 2026 is a Department for Education initiative delivered with the National Literacy Trust, The Reading Agency, BookTrust, World Book Day, Bookmark and the Queen’s Reading Room. The Reading Agency says the campaign responds to a “steep decline” in reading among children, young people and adults. (readingagency.org.uk) The British government said on March 2 that public library services in England can receive up to £150,000 to support the 2026 campaign. The funding is aimed at areas “most in need,” and includes an extra £1,000 prize for each of the five English regional winners of The British Book Awards Library of the Year. (gov.uk) BookTrust says the 2026 theme is “Go All In,” tying reading to hobbies, interests and everyday life rather than treating it as a stand-alone school task. A local report from Cumbria on April 20 framed that national push through a practical guide directing residents to nearby library services. (booktrust.org.uk, nwemail.co.uk) China opened its first national reading week on Monday, April 20, alongside the fifth National Conference on Reading in Nanchang, Jiangxi province. Xinhua said events planned for April 20 to 26 include lectures, book fairs, salons and book donations across the country. (english.news.cn, english.news.cn) A notice published April 11 by China’s National Reading website said the 2026 reading week was organized after a State Council approval establishing a national “reading activity week.” The notice set the 2026 theme as “Promoting reading for all, building a book-loving society.” (nationalreading.gov.cn) The same Chinese notice laid out a broad outreach plan: school reading alliances, family reading programs, services for older readers, accessible reading for people with disabilities, book donations to rural and less-developed areas, and reading stations in transport hubs. It also called for digital reading and in-person events to be used together. (nationalreading.gov.cn) The British and Chinese efforts differ in politics and tone, but both are using the same machinery: national branding, local institutions and a mix of public events with targeted access programs. In both cases, the campaign is not just about selling books; it is about getting reading into schools, homes, libraries and daily routines. (readingagency.org.uk, nationalreading.gov.cn) What comes next is less a single launch than a year of small tests: whether cash for libraries, reading weeks, book donations and school programs can turn official campaigns into regular reading habits. (gov.uk, english.news.cn)
