Devon School Library Service Newsletter September 2025

Devon County Council sent this bulletin at 05-09-2025 10:15 AM BST

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September 2025

School Library Service

Centre news for September

Welcome back!

We hope you had a restful summer break.

As the new school year begins, the School Library Service is here to support you with fresh resources, exciting initiatives, and helpful guidance to inspire your readers.

Check out the SLS homepage for ideas, tips and themed booklists.

FREE School library network meetings - dates for your diary!

Primary meeting will take place on Thursday 2 October
Secondary meetings on Wednesday 12 & Thursday 13 November

Please email us for more details and to book your place.

Teen audio

We have a selection of teen audio CDs that we are going to dispose of. Before we do, we'd love to offer them to any school library that would find them useful. Please contact us if you are interested.

Email us

NEW - Epic reading challenge

A fantastic collection of 54 brilliant books for your top classes.

Prepare pupils for secondary school by giving them a thorough grounding in children’s literature. We have chosen some fantastic books to create a 6-part reading challenge.

Booklists, challenge sheets and certificates are available to download from our webpage.

Epic reading challenge

Hope to see you soon!

SLS attendance at DCC conferences

We will be attending several upcoming conferences and would love to see you there! Our stand will feature a wide range of relevant titles for you to browse, so please come and say hello and see what we have to offer.

Out of school play and childcare conference, 26 September at Exeter Racecourse

Early years foundation stage conference, 9 October at Sandy Park

New and updated booklists from SLS

Protecting our oceans: pollution awareness

Dive into the depths of one of the planet’s most pressing environmental challenges with this selected booklist on ocean pollution.

From the devastating impact of plastic waste to the hidden dangers of chemical runoff and oil spills, these titles explore the causes, consequences, and potential solutions. Click here for the full list.

Graphic novels

Graphic novels make reading more accessible and enjoyable for children by combining engaging visuals with text, which helps reluctant readers feel more confident. They also teach important skills like interpreting visual cues and emotions, which are essential in today’s media-rich world.

KS3 & KS4 Pre-publication booklist for October

With a large list of new titles being published in October we have selected those likely to be in demand in your library!! Click here for the full list.

Click for booklists

Exciting announcements from Government

National Year of Reading

In July the Secretary of State for Education, Bridget Phillipson, announced that 2026 will be The National Year of Reading, a UK-wide campaign led by the Dfe and the National Literacy Trust aimed at reversing the decline in reading for pleasure among children and young people.

To learn more about promotions and events check out their webpage National Year of Reading 2026.

Libraries for Primaries

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has announced that every primary school in the UK will have a library by the end of this Parliament - a milestone achievement for the Libraries for Primaries campaign. This initiative aims to ensure all children, regardless of location, have access to the transformative benefits of school libraries. For more information click here Government announcement.

We can help!

Don't forget we can assist with providing experienced library advisory support (special offer coming soon) and a discount of 25% off rrp for all books purchased through us.

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