📅 12 May
📢 Birmingham and online

Find out more and book your place: librariesrising.org.uk/product/hybr...

Why this matters

As educators it's important we recognise the power we have to support young children to develop. The early years are a key opportunity to shape how children and families experience library services, building lifelong library users and showing the impact early engagement can have.

Man smiling wearing glasses with dark curly hair. Text reads, featuring Dr Shaddai Tembo, anti-racist practice in the early years

Tackling social issues starts in early childhood.

This is the starting point for Dr Shaddai Tembo’s session at our upcoming conference, Belonging from the Beginning.

He’ll explore how anti-racist thinking shapes everyday practice and share practical ideas you can apply in your own library setting.

You’ll hear from Shaddai Tembo and Dr Alice Haynes on antiracist practice and young children’s mental health, alongside hands-on workshops with Early Years Alliance and StarCatchers focusing on the voice of the baby and inclusive practice.

Book now: librariesrising.org.uk/product/hybr...

Conference - LibrariesRising 12th May 2026 Hybrid Conference Belonging from the beginning Supporting inclusive early years practice in libraries We’re delighted to welcome you join us at the Libraries Rising Conference: Belonging...

Have you seen the agenda for our annual conference Belonging from the Beginning?

When: 12th May
Where: Birmingham, or join us virtually

librariesrising.org.uk/training-and...

We’re really looking forward to them being part of our conference and sharing how their work is helping create more inclusive library experiences across services.

You can find out more here: librariesrising.org.uk/headlinespon...

That focus on access and creating a welcoming experience is one of the reasons we’re excited about this partnership. Inclusion isn’t only about what happens inside a library, it’s about what people need to feel welcome to visit (virtual tours help build that familiarity and confidence with a space)

conference sponsor announcement, BookingsPlus. Orange background with BookingsPlus logo centre of page. 2 images below showing old building with text 'find and book space for your activity' and image of virtual tour within a library. Conference tagline is at bottom of page: Belonging from the beginning: Supporting inclusive Early Yeats practice in libraries.

We're really pleased to share that BookingsPlus is our headline sponsor for our 2026 conference!

They provide venue hire software and virtual tour services to Library Services, Local Authorities and schools, helping people find, book and explore spaces more easily before they visit.

This work is part of our support for the Local Government Association who are delivering the National Centre for Family Hubs

If your library service is working alongside Family Hubs, we’d love to hear from you! Please get in touch at info@librariesrising.org.uk.

You can also explore our other case studies from North Tyneside Council, Harrow SLS Harrow Council, Sefton Council Suffolk Community Libraries as part of our weekly series.

librariesrising.org.uk/resource/lib...

As part of our weekly 'the role libraries play in supporting Family Hubs', we’re looking at how Reading libraries work with Family Hubs to strengthen early years support for children and families, particularly in socially disadvantaged areas.

Read more: librariesrising.org.uk/wp-content/u...

You can also explore our other case studies from library services across the country as part of our weekly series.

This work is part of our support for the Local Government Association who are delivering the National Centre for Family Hubs

By taking place in a the library, (a familiar and local setting), it creates space where:

✨Children can explore and build confidence through play
✨ Families can connect and feel less isolated
✨ Library staff and artists can learn together and develop new ways of working with very young children

Libraries are playing an important role in Family Hubs.

Squish! in Sefton Libraries is one way this is happening! Bringing weekly, artist-led sensory play sessions into library spaces for children aged 12 months to 3 years.

📖 Read the full case study here: librariesrising.org.uk/wp-content/u...

Development and Delivery Manager - LibrariesRising We're looking for a Development and Delivery Manager (Projects) to join our team. This is a new role for the charity.

Interested in joining our team as our new Development and Delivery Manager?

We’re looking for someone who can help us secure and shape the work we want to deliver, bringing a values-led approach to funding and development.

Closing date: 9:00am 8th April

librariesrising.org.uk/resource/dev...

Title reads: Belonging from the beginning: Supporting inclusive Early Years practice in libraries. Sub heading : Hybrid conference: Birmingham and online 12th May 2 pictures of pairs of babies and toddlers playing

Whether you attend in-person or online, you’ll leave inspired, empowered, and ready to take new ideas on supporting Early Years, straight into your services and organisation.

Book your ticket: librariesrising.org.uk/product/hybr...

What can you expect?

Explore new approaches in Early Years practice including, inclusive practice and the voice of the baby

Connect with peers across public libraries, SLS, and early years settings

Actively contribute to discussions influencing the future of Early Years services

Tickets are now live for our Libraries Rising annual conference

Belonging from the Beginning – Supporting inclusive early years practice in libraries

Date: 12 May
Location: The Studio, Birmingham and streamed online

Want to find out more about what our members are doing for World Book Day? You can read more here:
librariesrising.org.uk/world-book-d...

Thanks to Brent, Knowsley, Bolton, Leeds, North Tyneside and Cornwall Libraries for sharing!

World Book Day Library Bingo, see what are members are doing. 16 square bingo card with activities from libraries across the country or what they are doing for world book day. Including author visits, storytelling workshops, live theatre, book token exchange hub, £1 ticketed author events

Happy World Book Day

Fancy a game of bingo?

To celebrate, how our members, both public libraries and Schools Library Services, have 'gone all in' with World Book Day, we’ve turned their activities into a Library Bingo to showcase all the creative ways our members are celebrating.

A communication guide with tips on creating clear, friendly, accessible, motivating, and collaborative messages. The right side features a phone screen with a Facebook post inviting parents and carers to involve young people in a Listening Lab. The lab aims to understand young people's priorities, offering benefits like sharing experiences, meeting new people, and earning £40. The post emphasises inclusivity and young voices being heard.

If you haven’t signed up for SparkSpace yet, you can access the full set of tools and resources for free here.

librariesrising.org.uk/sparkspace-c...

Sparkspace has been designed to help you feel more confident engaging children and young people in your library service, especially if you’re not quite sure where to begin with co-creation or more interactive sessions.

Looking to engage children and young people more meaningfully in your library?

Here’s a snippet of our useful comms guide resource to help!

This come from SparkSpace, our free online learning model co-created with young people and designed for all library staff and volunteers.

Developing SparkSpace: A collaborative, co-creative process - LibrariesRising How SparkSpace was developed through co-creating with children, young people and library teams to create confident, inclusive practice.

How do you actually develop something co-creatively?

Our Programme Manager, Lucy Banks, shares her insights on how we approached this question while creating SparkSpace.

Read Lucy's reflections here: librariesrising.org.uk/developingsp...

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. ⚡

Did 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!

SparkSpace Course Intro - LibrariesRising SparkSpace will help you to… Who is SparkSpace for? SparkSpace is free to access. It’s for anyone working with or alongside children and young people in libraries. While it focuses on working with you...

Free and available for everyone, you can access the learning here: librariesrising.org.uk/sparkspace-c...

SparkSpace 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...