Six Book Challenge: adult reading drive

Carlow County Library

Carlow Library Service and Kilkenny & Carlow Education and Training Board

Carlow Library Service and Kilkenny & Carlow ETB is joining up with The Reading Agency in the UK to get even more adults in Carlow reading, through the Six Book Challenge reading and adult learning programme.

Launched in 2008, The Reading Agency’s annual Six Book Challenge encourages less confident readers to develop a new reading habit and improve their skills at the same time. Participants are invited to pick six reads of their choice and complete a reading diary in order to receive incentives along the way and a certificate. Martina Cole, the acknowledged queen of crime drama, is the official ambassador of the latest Six Book Challenge.

Martina Cole said: "I really wanted to become an ambassador for The Reading Agency because reading is such a big part of my life. The wonderful thing about the Six Book Challenge is that people who don't normally read, or who think that reading isn't their bag, are encouraged to pick up a book. When you read a book you have to picture it all in your own mind. No one tells you what you're seeing or what you should be feeling. That's the secret of reading – it's such a personal thing."

Ninety per cent of respondents in a recent survey said that they were more confident about reading after taking part in the Six Book Challenge. The scheme has grown five fold over the past six years with 35,000 people across the UK and Ireland taking part in 2013 via public libraries, colleges, workplaces, prisons.

“Reading can open so many doors in life,” said County Librarian, Josephine Coyne. “This scheme is a positive and enjoyable way of supporting new readers and working in partnership with the Adult Literacy Organiser in Kilkenny & Carlow ETB is an important element of this initiative”.

“We are so excited to work with Carlow Libraries to bring the 6 Book Challenge to Carlow”, remarked Tara Kelly, Adult Literacy Organiser with Kilkenny & Carlow ETB.  “We look forward to sharing our love of books with participants through the project and hope that everyone involved catches the reading bug!”

Visit the Carlow County Library Service website for more details.