A conference with a Resident Poet or what felt like a delightful Pop-up Poet! Kate Wakeling a poet and librettist took to the stage and shared poems from her work and at the end of the first day, performed one about the conference experience itself and we were entranced. It occurred to me that on National Poetry Day one could have a Pop-up Poet touring school and entering classrooms at the end of lessons, seizing the assembly stage, and jumping up in staff briefing to provide that exciting ‘flash mob’ moment. If one cannot afford a poet, as a librarian one might do the ‘Pop-up’ oneself and/or organize older pupils perhaps with a little Drama Dept pzazz to make some performance deliveries.
Do board books get a fair share of the display space in a library? Camilla Reid asked of the audience which consisted of both public and school librarians. Camilla, co-founder of Nosy Crow Publishing and creator of many award-winning and best-selling board books took us through her creative process from concept to construction with pull-out inserts. For many children these types of books are the beginning of their pleasure in reading journeys. If one works in an all-through school creating opportunities for older pupils to work with younger ones inspires and nurtures the reading journeys of all involved. From sharing a board book or picture book in a before school session as part of DofE voluntary service, or constructing a board book as an artefact project for EPQ and evaluating its use with younger pupils in the school community.
Camilla contrasted what a parent looks for in a board book (beautiful and sentimental) with what a child most enjoys (clear layout, bright colours and having agency in the task). How might parent and child preferences vary at different ages in relation to book choices and their design? Camilla shared that both want to make meaningful connections, be entertained and have a satisfying story. And indeed does that not apply to all of us in our reading habits? Camilla observed that parents often stop sharing books when a child reaches 4 years of age. This reminded me of Margaret Merga’s observations about ‘orphaned responsibility’ and ‘expired expectations’ where parents think teachers are reading with their children and teachers believe it is happening at home whereas in reality, it may be happening in neither space (Marga 2023). Both Camilla and Margaret’s words underline how important it is to involve parents and families when creating a reading culture in a school. Talking with parents about how to share reading with their children, take an interest in their book choices because it can create a bond that is for life. Even in those teenage years when communications can become strained, having a neutral topic like books where ideas can be shared with parity or the film of the book discussed, can provide that breathing space for continuing connection. Inviting parents into school to view a reading activity, or indeed to take part in one accompanied by a cup of tea can be enjoyable, build confidence and engage their support beyond the school gate.
The GLL Literary Foundation led by Rebecca Gediking, Library Services Director and Fellow of CILIP shared with us how they nurture new writers and aim to support a more diverse range of authors to become published and succeed in this career. Rebecca introduced us to award-winning author Nathaniel Lessore (King of Nothing) and he shared that his work aims to show readers that there is more than one way to be and treat others in this world as opposed to some of the insular messages they may be seeing online. Ryan Crawford (Cosmic Cadets comedy series) who has also begun his career with GLL is writing the books he knows his own children enjoy. It was inspiring to hear how public librarians are taking action to support authors and actively nurturing a greater diversity of voices and perspectives in the book world for children and young people to enjoy.
There were several author panels throughout the day and there is nothing like hearing a writer talk about their work to give one ideas of how that book could be used in school. Authors Rose Robbins (Cat School graphic novel series) and Lisa Williamson (Bigg School series) talked about how their stories support children in transition between schools, coping with change and disability representation is still overlooked. These would be great choices on that Year 6 recommended reading list!
Alison Tarrant, Head of Library Services at Peters, talked about creating reading communities and how ensuring a breadth of reading recommendations help those emerging readers take first steps into a story which is something a school librarian does when introducing Book Trust’s Book Buzz programme. Peters’ own Book Prize runs from November to March so do check out their shortlist when it is announced. There are many programmes and book prizes to choose from it is not possible to do them all. As Alison wisely pointed out, one cannot reach all of the children, all of the time so prioritise target groups and each term be clear about what you want to achieve with them.
Another idea suggested was to invite a critical friend to visit and ask them to look at library layout and give you feedback. This is something I have done several times and it can be very useful. With a school librarian colleague we each spent a day in the other’s respective library and wrote up our observations and suggestions. Outcomes can be small e.g. use a variety of marker pens on the board to differentiate between factors, or one can receive a revelatory moment e.g. are you aware in the assembly you address one side of the room, more than the other? On a smaller scale we can ask pupils and teachers what do you think of this display? If you could change layout of this space what would you choose to do? Look around at the classrooms and dept areas and identify staff who are really good at display and invite them to give critique on your area.
A panel of writers producing teen books: Kathryn Foxfield (Our Wicked Games, a dark and twisty romantasy), Nicola Garrard (On the Edge, set in Devon, inspired by her own brother and the conflict around holiday homes and the pressure it puts on housing for local people), Mina Ikemoto Ghosh (Hyo the Hellmaker, fantasy drawing on Japanese gods, literary writing style), Aleema Omotoni (Winners and Liars, thriller set in Kenfield House with history, secrets and puzzles to solve). All have some form of queer representation in their stories.
Barrington Stoke publisher and authors (including Bali Rai, Lucy Strange and Luke Palmer) talked about the company, its history and the process of writing accessibly and capturing a concept and story in 7-10,000 words. The publisher mentioned that the Barrington Stokes classic texts e.g. A Christmas Carol have been checked with exam boards to ensure all key characters and points have been included.
Laureates in conversation: Chris Haughton (Laureate na nÓg, Ireland’s Children’s Literature Laureate) and Patrice Lawrence (Waterstones Children’s Laureate) discussed a range of topics such as how often history is misrepresented and therefore how important the library role is in providing reliable information and guidance on fact-checking. The provision of history in a library needs to move beyond a Eurocentric collection so that when a pupil is looking at history of mathematics they can see the roots in Islamic and Indian history as well as those in Europe. This made me reflect that we need to be clear when talking about decolonising the curriculum and school library collection we are restoring voices, literatures, histories and enriching the keyword index to make the collection work harder for today’s educational experiences. Patrice recommended the Letterbox Library as a source of book-buying. They are an ethical bookseller whose business began pre-Amazon and books are vetted by three people to ensure the qualify of representation.
The final session of the day one began with the YLG Awards announcements, followed by a Q&A with the winners of this year’s Carnegie Medals. Beth O’Brien won both the Carnegie Medal for Writing and the Shadowers’ Choice Award for Writing for Wolf Siren (HarperCollins Children’s Books), a feminist reimagining of Red Riding Hood exploring power, accessibility and visual impairment through nuanced representation. Kate Rolfe won the Carnegie Medal for Illustration for Wiggling Words (Two Hoots), a striking picture book that uses innovative typography and contrasting colours to portray the experiences of people with dyslexia, journeying from confusion towards understanding and confidence. Together, both winning titles highlight the power of children’s literature to challenge traditional narratives, promote empathy and celebrate diverse experiences through meaningful representation and inclusive storytelling.
The second day featured an inspiring session with Neill Cameron, the talented cartoonist and author of the Donut Squad and Mega Robo Bros series. Neill delivered a fantastic workshop exploring the power of graphic novels and comics, offering valuable insights into how they can engage young readers and inspire creativity.
Neill began by introducing the history of graphic novels, explaining how they are structured and formatted, and sharing how his own passion for comics developed during childhood. He then took us behind the scenes of his creative process, explaining how he develops and brings his comic strips to life for The Phoenix comic. His session offered a fascinating insight into the imagination, planning and creativity involved in producing engaging comic strips, including some of the more unusual and inventive ideas behind his work.
The workshop also explored practical ways to encourage young people to read graphic novels and comics, particularly those who may be reluctant readers. Neill shared ideas for engaging children with this format and inspiring them to create their own comics. We also took part in several simple drawing exercises, which encouraged us to get our creative juices flowing and experience the fun of storytelling through pictures.
I would highly recommend Neill Cameron’s revised edition of How to Make Awesome Comics, published recently. It includes practical guidance and ideas that could be adapted for use in school libraries, making it an excellent resource for anyone looking to establish or develop a comic-making club. The activities and structured lesson ideas could help librarians encourage pupils to explore storytelling, develop their creativity and build confidence in their writing and drawing skills.
Following the workshop, we had the opportunity to network with fellow librarians and exchange ideas on a range of important topics, including information literacy lessons, artificial intelligence (AI), reading for pleasure and projects designed to support lower-ability readers.
Sessions like these highlight the value of attending professional conferences. They provide opportunities to discover new resources, learn practical skills and gain fresh ideas that can be taken back into the school library. Just as importantly, conferences allow librarians to connect with colleagues, share experiences, discuss common challenges and learn from one another. These conversations can spark new collaborations, introduce different approaches to familiar problems and help us reflect on how we can better support our students and school communities.
Professional development is particularly important in the changing world of school libraries, where encouraging reading for pleasure, developing information literacy and responding to emerging technologies are all essential parts of our role. Attending conferences helps us stay informed, feel inspired and return to our schools with renewed enthusiasm and practical ideas to put into action.
There is plenty to look forward to in 2027, with several significant anniversaries approaching: CILIP will celebrate its 150th anniversary, IFLA will mark 100 years, and both the School Library Association (SLA) and the Youth Libraries Group (YLG) will celebrate their 90th anniversaries of the Carnegie awards.
It promises to be an exciting year, with plenty of opportunities to celebrate the contribution of libraries and librarians. I would encourage colleagues to make the most of the events, conference, activities and professional development opportunities on offer. Investing time in our own learning, connecting with others and sharing good practice can make a real difference to the work we do and the young people we support.
Blog Written by Carol Webb & Gareth Evans
Photos taken by Gareth Evans