Exeter gives away 300 books
- Exeter libraries planned to distribute 300 free books on April 23 through branches including St Thomas and Pinhoe. - The giveaway is scheduled for World Book Night to boost local reading engagement. - Community distributions like this are presented as practical complements to national reading initiatives. (bookstoreadonline.com)
Exeter libraries are handing out free books on Wednesday, April 23, with St Thomas and Pinhoe joining a Devon-wide giveaway of 300 copies. (news.exeter.gov.uk) The books being distributed are copies of *The Last Bench* by Carmel Harrington, and the giveaway is tied to World Book Night, the annual reading campaign run by The Reading Agency. (exmouthjournal.co.uk) Libraries Unlimited said 12 Devon branches are taking part: Barnstaple, Ivybridge, Tiverton, Bovey Tracey, South Molton, St Thomas, Pinhoe, Paignton, Okehampton, Bideford, Kingsbridge and Appledore. Some branches planned to hand out books during regular events, while others were taking them into town. (librariesunlimited.org.uk) World Book Night in 2026 is built around the “Go All In” campaign, which asks adults to try reading in whatever format fits, including paperbacks, magazines, graphic novels and audiobooks. The national campaign also promoted a #ReadingHour from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. on April 23. (worldbooknight.org) The Exeter giveaway also lands on the 10th anniversary of Libraries Unlimited, the charity commissioned to run Devon County Council’s public libraries on April 23, 2016. The charity launched that day at Exeter Library with author Michael Morpurgo. (librariesunlimited.org.uk) Exeter City Council said the charity receives council funding, and city officials framed the book drop as part of a local effort to widen access to reading. Libraries Unlimited said it also offers eBooks and audiobooks through BorrowBox and a Home Library Service for people who cannot visit in person. (news.exeter.gov.uk) Sophie Crofts, reading development manager at Libraries Unlimited, said the aim was to help people “find joy in the act of reading” during the National Year of Reading 2026. The campaign materials say the yearlong program is meant to reconnect reading with everyday interests and routines. (devontoday.com) (worldbooknight.org) For Exeter, the immediate change is simple: two neighborhood branches are giving away books for free on April 23, while a countywide library network uses World Book Night to bring new readers through the door. (northdevongazette.co.uk)
