Join us for an inspiring webinar that will delve into the intersection of reading and wellbeing.

Library professionals play a vital role in connecting readers with transformative experiences. In this session, we will be joined by researchers and expert practitioners sharing their insights into the importance of inspiring adults to read.

This is the second in a series of webinars on reading with a special focus on wellbeing. This webinar will explore the outcomes of two recent research projects with adults about reading and share a case study of reading and wellbeing and older adults from Newcastle Libraries.

We will be joined by Dr Nicola Currie. Dr Currie was a Research Fellow on the Leverhulme Trust Reading and Wellbeing project and is a Lecturer in Psychology at Edge Hill University. The Reading and Wellbeing project explored readers’ perceptions of whether, and how, reading narrative fiction supports wellbeing across a lifespan. Building on the outcomes of this research, Nicola carried out an ESRC-funded Knowledge Exchange Placement in collaboration with Libraries Connected and Scottish Book Trust. In this webinar she will discuss findings from in-depth interviews with older adults, as they share their experiences of how reading fiction supports their wellbeing, focusing on positive emotions, connection and personal growth and provide insights for those working with older adults on how these findings can be used to improve the quality and depth of older adult’s reading experiences.

Nicola will be followed by Helen Parker, Reading for Wellbeing Officer at Newcastle Libraries, who will talk about her experiences with older adult reading and wellbeing. The Reading for Wellbeing programme aims to support people to discover and share the health and wellbeing benefits of reading for pleasure. Newcastle Libraries joins the wider regional Reading for Wellbeing programme that has been in place across the North East since its initiation by author Ann Cleeves in 2019. Helen will reflect on insights gathered from the initial NIHR Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) North East and North Cumbria (NENC) evaluation, and share how this is being applied to the early stages of the project in Newcastle, with a particular focus on older aged adults. She will share some of the barriers to reading that have been prevalent in the early stages of the project, as well as how a bespoke training package by Opening the Book has informed some successful strategies to support reader engagement.

Finally we will hear from The Reading Agency, whose recent report, 'The State of the Nation’s Adult Reading: 2024 Report' was published in July. This is the only annual nationwide survey and report of its kind in the UK. This research provides a detailed look into the state of adult reading habits, covering reading frequency, confidence, benefits, barriers, and attitudes. In this webinar, they will discuss findings related to nation’s relationship with reading and health, and the potential positive wellbeing outcomes of a regular reading habit.

Please note that this webinar will be recorded.

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