Could this be a new chapter for Sheffield Libraries? 

Reading enjoyment and English levels are declining across the Steel City and National statistics indicate that Sheffield ranks alarmingly below average amongst core cities for Key Stage four (2025/6 Children’s Services Performance). 

How can we take back control of Sheffield’s story? 360Wire calls for support for libraries to revive teenagers’ passion for reading.

Today, with the National Year of Reading in full swing, 360Wire is launching our ‘Turn The Page Sheffield’ campaign, which aims to further escalate celebrations in South Yorkshire by reinventing libraries as an enticing space for teens.

Sarah Bird, Regional Lead North for the National Year of Reading, said: “We are delighted to support 360Wire’s Turn The Page Sheffield campaign, which will help to make reading a visible, social and enjoyable part of everyday life.”  

The campaign will bring the ‘BookTok’ community offline and into real creative spaces, with planned events such as a ‘Book-swap’ connecting teenagers through reading.

Reading for pleasure has declined nationally for all ages, especially for teenagers. According to the National Literacy Trust (2026), there has been a 22.5% decrease in young people aged 8-18 enjoying reading in the last 10 years. 

Enjoyment in reading has increased this year for the first time since 2021.Can we change the narrative and keep this trending upwards?

Lindsey Beagles, the Chair of Trustees for Broomhill Community Library said: “I think it could be very exciting. I think it could look like the beginning of better coming together in safe spaces in our community.

“But I think this is an opportunity for resurgence, for teens to say, well, what else can we do? Oh, we could go to our local library. So I actually see a real opportunity we need to grab, not just for the sake of our library, but for the sake of our young people.”

In order to improve reading enjoyment, we want to work with libraries to encourage reading by creating a space for teenagers to share, discuss and find new books. We want to host a ‘Book Swap’ event for teens at the end of the campaign, to improve accessibility to reading during a usually costly festive period.

Louise Knowles, Independent Usborne Books’ partner agrees with the cause. She said: “Encouraging young people to read for enjoyment is something I’m really keen to support.”

Alongside their usual book clubs and events, which tend to target both younger and older ages, a group for teenagers in libraries will be valuable and fill the clear gap for secondary school students in these spaces.

With the National Year of Reading and the announcement of Sheffield as a contender for City of Culture, a campaign to enhance reading enjoyment has a lot of potential to spark a new wave of imagination in South Yorkshire. 

So help us Turn the Page for Sheffield’s young people and support us to create these spaces for South Yorkshire’s teens!