Reading Well Mood-boosting Books
Reading Well Books on Prescription
Reading Groups for Everyone
The Reader Organisation
Society of Chief Librarians' (SCL) new Universal Offer strategy
The new English scheme has the backing of the Royal Colleges of GPs, Nursing and Psychiatry, the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies and of the Department of Health through its Improving Access to Psychological Therapies Programme. We've been working on this area since the late 1990s, and this current phase of the work is funded by Arts Council England.The new era Reading Well Books on Prescription builds on some fantastic English local schemes and on the successful Welsh approach developed by Professor Neil Frude. Having one shared scheme with the backing of major health partners is a big step forward for libraries at a crucial time when responsibility for public health comes over to local authorities.
For the first time the scheme will come under a Reading Well banner which also encourages people to use novels, poetry and reading groups to feel better. Our Mood Boosting Books initiative helps thousands of readers share recommendations for uplifting books. People will also be encouraged to join a reading group through their library and at Reading Groups for Everyone, a website which helps people find and join groups, including those run by partner charity, The Reader Organisation.
