In twenty years of reader-centred practice there are many projects which are no longer running but are still worth mining for ideas and inspiration.  Explore some of the most successful reader-centred projects in the UK below.

National Programmes

Branching Out: 1998-2006

Branching Out was awarded a grant of £300,000, one of the largest literature grants made by the lottery and a great recognition of the potential of libraries and reader development. SCL invited tenders for the work of directing the project and Opening the Book won the contract.

Estyn Allan: 2002-2005

A three-year project for readers that united every library service in Wales.

Reader Development Network in Scotland 2002-2008

In 2002, Opening the Book was contracted by SLIC/CILIPS to deliver a two-year training programme involving all 32 Scottish Library authorities, funded by the Scottish Arts Council and SLIC/CILIPS.

Websites

4ureaders

This site for readers aged 11-16 was developed in 2002-3 with East Ayrshire Libraries with the support of the Scottish Arts Council through the Local Authorities Partnership project. The site divided into three separate sections to appeal to different audiences within the age group. School and children's librarians worked with young readers to help plan the content of the site.

What are you up to?

All nine library authorities in the East Midlands participated in this project to attract readers between 16 and 25 as part of the East Midlands Reader and Library Development Project (EMRALD) which ran from 2000 to 2003.

Give me a break

This was the first dual language Welsh/English site for readers. The site enables readers to choose their books according to the kind of break they are looking for; eg, a break from the kids (rhag y plant) or a break from stress (rhag y bwrlwm).

Projects

A Touch of ...

A Touch of... was a national project run by Opening the Book, Branching Out librarians and the National Library of the Blind in 2001. The project created reader-centred taster compilations in large print, Braille and audio formats to give visually impaired readers a new way to choose what to read.

Stock Quality Health Check

The Stock Quality Health Check was developed by Opening the Book for the Audit Commission, the Department of Culture, Media and Sport and Arts Council England.

Early History