Libraries In Devon Celebrate World Book Night by Gifting Books
Libraries in Devon are working with The Reading Agency to give away 300 books this World Book Night.
Celebrated on April 23rd, World Book Night encourages people to find joy in reading and boost adult literacy. Reading has many health and well-being benefits. Research by the University of Sussex has been found to reduce stress by 68%, yet according to YouGov, 40% of Britons did not read a book in the last 12 months.
On April 23rd, participating libraries will gift local community members copies of The Last Bench by Carmel Harrington. The Last Bench is a title from The Reading Agency’s Quick Reads programme. Quick Reads are short books written by popular authors, designed to support adults to explore new genres and find joy in reading.
Everyone can celebrate World Book Night by joining in with the #ReadingHour between 7 pm and 8 pm. Or share a reading recommendation with friends, family or online with #WorldBookNight. Reading isn’t restricted to physical books; World Book Night recognises all kinds of reading. From magazines, articles, to audiobooks, it’s all about finding enjoyment in knowledge and storytelling.
Library staff will present books to people during crafting, baby, and even coding groups. Some libraries are even going into their local towns to gift the books to people. During the 2026 National Year of Reading, staff have been encouraging everyone to read, no matter the form it takes. From graphic novels, magazines and paperbacks to audiobooks, this year’s Go All In theme aims to motivate the UK public to explore their interests through reading.
This World Book Night will mark 10 years since Libraries Unlimited was commissioned to run Devon County Council’s public libraries. The charity celebrated its launch on April 23rd 2016, at Exeter Library with guests including acclaimed author Michael Morpurgo.
Sophie Crofts, Reading Development Manager at Libraries Unlimited, shared: “We are really excited to invite people to find joy in the act of reading this World Book Night. Especially during the National Year of Reading! Stories can bring people so much happiness and understanding; they offer everything from introspection to adventure. Libraries are trying to remove the barriers to access stories: we offer books for free, eAudiobooks and eBooks for download through BorrowBox, and volunteers deliver books to those unable to access the library due to health, mobility or caring responsibilities through the Home Library Service.”
The libraries participating in the World Book Night book giveaway are:
Barnstaple, Ivybridge, Tiverton, Bovey Tracey, South Molton, St Thomas, Pinhoe, Paignton, Okehampton, Bideford, Kingsbridge, and Appledore libraries.
