Resources

Edinburgh International Book Festival

Each August the Edinburgh International Book Festival brings writers from all over the world to Charlotte Square gardens, programming over 650 events annually and attracting over 200,000 visitors. Now running separate schools' programme as well as events exclusively for children and families. Its website includes a selection of audio recordings and transcripts of events with authors including J.K. Rowling, Michael Morpurgo and Jacqueline Wilson.

Live Literature funding (LLF)

Live Literature funding is a unique funding scheme that takes Scottish writers, playwrights, poets, storytellers and their work to every corner of Scottish society. LLF financially supports up to 1500 events a year in schools, libraries, writers groups, prisons, hospitals, community groups and festivals throughout Scotland.

National Library of Scotland

The National Library of Scotland holds one of the biggest book collections in Scotland. Browse the catalogue, find out about exhibitions and look for resources in the digital library.

Read Together: The Home Reading Initiative

The Read together website, from the Scottish Executive, is filled with lots of ideas to help promote the sharing of reading between adults and children. This website also gives details of the Home Reading initiative. The Home Reading Initiative funds literacy projects in Scotland that link to reading at home. Details of previously successful projects can be found on the website. You will also find information about 'Reading Champions' as well as lists of recommended books for children of all ages. Reading Champions on the site include Richard Wilson, Fred MacAulay, Sandy Lyle, Cathy Macphail and Matthew Fitt .

Scottish Book Trust

Scottish Book Trust is Scotland's national agency for reading and writing. They are a unique organisation committed to the promotion of reading and books. A wide range of information including links to the Live Literature Scotland scheme, Words at Work, as well as information on authors, book tours, training and much more.

The Scottish Poetry Library

The place for poetry in Scotland: with a remarkable collection of written works, as well as tapes and videos. The emphasis is on contemporary poetry written in Scotland, in Scots, Gaelic and English, but historic Scottish poetry - and contemporary work from almost every part of the world - features too. Find out about National Poetry Day, find poems about Scotland on the interactive poetry map and link into the Best Scottish poems 2004 website.

Also available is the Poet's pub which is part of the Scottish Poetry Library's multi-media essay Access to Scottish Poetry. The essay offers an introduction to twentieth-century Scottish poetry through the eight poets represented in the painting Poets' Pub (1980) by Alexander Moffat. Each of the eight poets is linked with a decade, from the 1920s to the 1990s.

Scottish Storytelling Centre

The Scottish Storytelling Forum is Scotland's national organisation for storytelling. Works extensively with schools, libraries and local authorities on storytelling projects. Separate education section for teachers and librarians. Its detailed website includes Tell-a-Story Day, the Scottish Storytelling Centre Network and Storymaker for Kids.

Books from Scotland

Books from Scotland.com is an information and bookselling site dedicated to Scottish books and writers. They offer the very latest information, extracts from interesting, topical books, interviews with Scottish authors and poets, guides to book events across Scotland, and information about children's books and teenage fiction. Books from Scotland.com is part of Publishing Scotland.

Slainte

The SLAINTE website has two distinct components: a set of web pages containing information and services; and a search engine; offering one-stop retrieval of a wide variety of resources, related to librarianship and information management in Scotland. The site also offers information on the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals in Scotland and the Scottish Library and Information Council. Also find information on training events around the UK, publications and news from the world of libraries. 

Birth to Three: supporting our youngest children

Guidance for all those involved in caring for babies and very young children. This may include early years workers, social care and health practitioners, and students preparing to work in early years settings.

National Qualifications: English

The NQ Online English page provides support materials and external web links for teaching and learning. News, events and feature articles are included to assist professional development.

Bookstart

Bookstart is a national programme that works through locally-based organisations to give a free pack of books to babies with guidance materials for parents and carers. It aims to promote a lifelong love of books and is based on the principle that every child in the UK should enjoy and benefit from books from as early an age as possible. The website is broken into four sections for different interested groups including carers, parents, journalists and health professionals.

Booktrusted

Booktrust is an independent educational charity working to bring books and people together. It administers book prizes including the Nestlé Children's Book Prize and the Early Years Awards, as well as a number of projects including the 'books for babies' scheme Bookstart and the Children's Laureate award.

The Booktrusted website is designed to help teachers, librarians and parents find out about books for young people. It details children's book awards, news articles and research on literacy and books with a dedicated area for parents, free resources for teachers and a topical talking point area on all aspects of literacy and reading.

The Federation of Children’s Book Groups

The Federation is a national, voluntary organisation concerned with children and their books. The aim is to promote enjoyment and interest in children's books and reading, and to encourage the availability of a range of literature for all ages, from pre-school to teenage. The Federation liaises with schools, playgroups, publishers, libraries and other official bodies. We provide a meeting point for parents, professionals and everyone who shares our aim. 

National Association for the Teaching of English (NATE)

NATE is the UK subject teacher association for all aspects of English from pre-school to university. NATE supports effective teaching and learning, keeps teachers informed about current developments and provides them with a voice at a national level. In addition to its periodicals, NATE publishes a varied list of books including teaching resources and critical theory across the full range of English teaching - from early years to university, and initial teacher training. 

National Centre for Language and Literacy (NCLL)

The National Centre for Language and Literacy supports teachers, parents and governors in a wide range of ways – through their unique collection of resources; publications; an extensive programme of courses and conferences; ongoing research; and a membership scheme designed to meet the needs of individual schools. Formerly the Reading and Language Information Centre (RALIC), this is an important centre for research, training, information and resources relating to children's language development, based in Reading University. Website includes detailed information on finding authors, illustrators and storytellers for your school.

The National Literacy Trust

A major source of information relating to literacy. The website has a Scottish section, but many of the non-Scottish areas are also of great value. National campaigns include Reading Connects, Reading Champions, the Vital Link and Talk To Your Baby. It offers a free online support network to help get the whole school reading by connecting families, children and all members of the school community to a culture where reading is accessible and acceptable to all. Detailed sections on literacy research, and literacy events and training around the UK.

The reading agency

The Reading Agency was formed in 2002 by merging three smaller agencies - LaunchPad, The Reading Partnership and Well Worth Reading - all of whom worked with libraries to promote reading. Their mission is to inspire a reading nation by working in new ways with readers, writers, libraries and their partners. Main activities include developing projects, resources and training. Extensive section of projects going on around the country including Orange Chatterbooks, Children’s Book day, Richard and Judy book-club, Enjoy Reading and the Big Book Share.

Reading is Fundamental

Reading Is Fundamental, UK is an initiative of the National Literacy Trust that helps children and young people (aged 0 to 19) to realise their potential by motivating them to read. They promote the fun of reading, the importance of book choice and the benefits to families of having books at home. Projects provide motivational activities, opportunities for family and community involvement, and free books for children to choose and keep. Projects have taken place in Scotland, in particular Dundee City. The website has useful material for parents on helping children to read at all stages.

United Kingdom Literacy Association (UKLA)

The sole object of the United Kingdom Literacy Association (UKLA) is the advancement of education in literacy. The Association is committed to promoting good practice nationally and internationally in language teaching and research; a unique network for teachers and researchers; a voice for language and literacy issues; a forum for discussion; a means of providing professional support. The UKLA was formerly the United Kingdom Reading Association (UKRA). Provides a forum for professional support and discussion and publishes a journal, Reading, three times a year.