@librariesrising.bsky.social
We are a collaborative network creating libraries of tomorrow with children and young people today. Libraries Rising is the working name of Association of Senior Children’s and Education Librarians (formerly known as ASCEL)
Orange background with smiling woman in right hand corner. Text reads 'Chief Executive, Tabitha Witherick Macaulay talks about the launch of SparkSpace and the role of libraries as vital community hubs for young people on BBC Kent'
This interview has also been shared across London-based radio stations, but if you missed it, you can listen to the full conversation on BBC Sounds from 36 minutes in:👂
gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com?url=https%3A...
SparkSpace is a new learning platform to support library professionals and volunteers to better connect, engage and co-create with children and young people. It gives library teams the resources and confidence to create services and spaces where young people feel understood, welcome and inspired. ⚡
05.02.2026 09:47 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0Did you catch Tabitha Witherick on the radio last week?
Tabitha was on BBC Kent talking about the launch of SparkSpace and the role of libraries as vital community hubs for young people!
Free and available for everyone, you can access the learning here: librariesrising.org.uk/sparkspace-c...
27.01.2026 10:27 — 👍 0 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0SparkSpace is finally here!
Co-created with children and young people with support from Participation People, SparkSpace is a free training platform for library staff and volunteers to help library teams meaningfully engage and empower young people. Funded by the Foyle Foundation.
pale pink background with libraries rising logo in top right hand corner. Text reads, communicate more confidently with children and young people and encourage their involvement. Green lightening bolt in bottom left corner and honeycomb hexagonal shapes opposite.
pale pink background with libraries rising logo in top right hand corner. Text reads, create more inclusive spaces, including for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities. Blue lightening bolt in bottom left corner and honeycomb hexagonal shapes opposite.
pale pink background with libraries rising logo in top right hand corner. Text reads, build confidence in working with children and young people. Pink lightening bolt in bottom left corner and honeycomb hexagonal shapes opposite.
pale pink background with libraries rising logo in top right hand corner. Text reads, use outreach and social media in relevant and creative ways that directly engage children and young people. Yellow lightening bolt in bottom left corner and honeycomb hexagonal shapes opposite.
SparkSpace is coming.
27.01.2026
Here's what SparkSpace can do for your Library teams...
The National Year of Reading has officially launched!
Yesterday, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson officially launched the ‘Go All In’ National Year of Reading campaign at Arsenal Football Club, alongside sector leaders and educators.
Read more here: literacytrust.org.uk/news/nationa...
Congratulations Anna and Annabel, and thank you for helping guide our journey from ASCEL to Libraries Rising. They are brilliant champions for children, young people and library services, and we're so grateful for their leadership and support.
What a brilliant start to 2026!
What a wonderful way to begin the New Year!
We’re delighted to share that our Chair, Annabel Gittins and Treasurer, Anna Simmons have been recognised in The New Year Honours List 2026.
🏅 Annabel Gittins: For services to Young People
🏅 Anna Simmons: For services to Libraries
🎉 Congratulations to the 20 libraries that have joined the Libraries Development Framework 🎉
We're so pleased to celebrate every service selected and we look forward to seeing their impact for children, young people and their wider communities!
Explore the full list: buff.ly/qE4jRj2
5. Engage young people directly
Involve young people as volunteers and ask them what they want from their library service.
Get their input on your social media strategy and what content feels relevant to them.
Build engagement with young people rather than for them.
4. Make sure you stay relevant
Entertainment has changed. Why not consider what alternatives your library service can offer? e.g. streaming services or film clubs.
Create more activities for the 'in-between' ages (13 to 25), such as film clubs or Zine making workshops.
3. Fun extras make a difference
Think about external motivators that would be appealing.
Consider what incentives or rewards you could offer to make the library feel exciting and personal e.g. The Summer Reading Challenge, treats or local partnerships (we've heard ice-cream vouchers work well!)
2. Be obvious in communicating your value
Make it clear libraries offer more than 'just books'. Advertise the activities and events already available, e.g. manga clubs and homework support.
Challenge the perception that libraries must be silent. Show they can be social, creative and lively spaces.
1. Make the space feel authentically welcome
Don’t just ask young people to come in. Show them they belong.
Make it clear libraries are community spaces, not just quiet places.
Provide facilities that make young people want to hang out, e.g. charging ports and places to sit together.
A Checklist for Engaging Young People in Library Spaces (from actual young people)
At our recent conference we held a youth panel, to hear directly from young people about what actually engages them in library spaces.
We’ve turned their thoughts and ideas into a simple checklist! 😊
And of course, we revealed our new brand and mission- Creating libraries of tomorrow with the children and young people of today
If you missed the reveal make sure you check out our website: www.librariesrising.org.uk
Thank you to all our speakers and everyone else who joined us
Our favourite quotes:
Keep it real and keep it chill- Youth panel response on how library services can engage young people
It all starts with libraries- Motaz Amer on empowering young people from the start
Spreading library joy- Mychal Threets on the power of kindness and connection 🌈🧡
Baroness Twycross opened the day sharing how she is proud to be championing libraries reflecting on her own childhood memories spent reading and visiting libraries.
She called for libraries to become the 'transformative hearts of communities'
Screenshot from Libraries Rising conference showing two speakers on a split screen one talking and one smiling
Need a reason to believe in the power of libraries?
We had over 200 people from public and school library services join us for our conference last week. Check out this photo of our Chief Executive, Tabitha, with librarian and mental health advocate Mychal Threets. The library joy was real!
The wait is finally over… our new brand is here.
Welcome to Libraries Rising!
We’re creating libraries of tomorrow with children and young people today, and we’re so excited to share this next chapter with you.
Watch Tabitha’s announcement and explore our new website: librariesrising.org.uk
Want more info about the Expo Zone...
Explore @peters-books.bsky.social (sponsor), @everywithwords.bsky.social, Guppy Books + more, and discover new children’s books, resources and ideas that could benefit your whole library service.
Only a few tickets left for our Annual Conference on 19 Nov
Creating libraries of tomorrow with children and young people today.
Why come?
📢 Speakers: Mychal Threets, Prof Laura Lundy & Motaz Amer
✨ Practical, interactive sessions
📖 Explore the Expo Zone
Don’t miss out!
We believe in the future of libraries. We believe in amplifying the voices of children and young people. We believe change can be good.
Be amongst the first to hear what’s changing for our charity at our conference, going live in 2 days.
Book your place: events.ringcentral.com/events/ascel...
Something new is coming...
Only 7 days until a new vision for our charity begins… curious?
Find out first at our Virtual Conference on 19th November: events.ringcentral.com/events/ascel...
We're delighted to be sponsoring @ascelnetwork.bsky.social's upcoming virtual conference on 19 November!
We were also delighted to welcome the ASCEL team to our bookshop earlier this month, discussing ways we can work alongside one another to ensure readers stay at the heart of what we do.
An older boy reads with a younger one in a library.
The new virtual autumn conference from @ascelnetwork.bsky.social on 19 November is all about fresh perspectives, innovative ideas and creative sparks.
Speakers will address the theme of creating the #Libraries of tomorrow, with children and young people today.
ascel.org.uk/ascel-confer...
We're delighted to announce @peters-books.bsky.social as sponsors of our conference in November
For over 90 years Peters has worked with libraries and schools across the UK helping children discover a love of reading
To celebrate our new partnership we went behind the scenes at the Peters bookshop
We welcome the news that the government have committed to 'providing a library in every primary school’. School Library Services provide a wide range of stock, expertise and resources. They're the most cost-effective model and need to be at the forefront of this important plan.
tinyurl.com/yapr86vd
FEA has launched England's Report Card, which highlights widening gaps & shared goals that will ensure no child’s success is limited by their socioeconomic background
'A child’s early years present the greatest opportunity to impact their life trajectory.'
Libraries have an important role to play
