Advocating for books

Too often, the value of books goes unrecognised

Books give people power. They transform how people see themselves and see the world around them. They inspire, inform and support education. And they are at the heart of achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

Around the world, millions of people have little or no access to books, while discussion about education and sustainable development often underplays the invaluable role of books. But at Book Aid International we see that there is both the will and the opportunity for positive change. That’s why we collaborate with our partners, supporters, and friends to advocate for the importance of books and to support initiatives that work towards creating a book-rich world.   

Speaking up for books 

In everything we do we take every opportunity to highlight the power of books: 

• When there are important discussions about reading and education, we actively engage to ensure that books are included. We also contribute to raising awareness of the global need for access to books, through our blogs and articles.  
• We participate in events such as The London Book Fair and Hay Literary Festival, which provide us with the platform to raise awareness and speak out about the need for books globally.  
• And when the readers we support and partners we work with share their inspiring stories about the impact that books are having, we publicise and share those accounts.  

Supporting our partners

Our library and NGO partners around the world are also doing vital work in advocating for books in their communities. They’re raising awareness of the importance of books in local communities, collaborating with local leaders and working every day to get more people reading.     

Every International Literacy Day in September, we work with library partners in over 13 countries, supporting them in publicising the library by running events and activities to promote reading. They open their library doors to inspire new readers, engage policymakers and use the press to amplify the message of the power of books. Every year, these events help to engage thousands of people in the joy of reading.   

The carefully selected, high-quality books we provide and the inspirational reading spaces we work with our partners to create are also vital advocacy tools, as they bring the power of books to life.