Alan Gibbons’ Blog

The Campaign for the Book

The Campaign for the Book is a combination of individuals and organisations united around the following Charter.

We, the signatories of this Charter commit ourselves to campaigning for the following:

1. The central place of reading for pleasure in society.

2. A proper balance of book provision and Information Technology in public and school libraries. We welcome the integration of new technologies but believe that they must not erode the key place of books and the need for a healthy and expanding book stock.

3. The defence of public libraries and librarians from attempts to cut spending in a ‘soft’ area.

4. An extension of the role of the school librarian and a recognition of the school library as a key engine of learning. All staff employed in school libraries to have access to appropriate and adequate support and training.

5. The recruitment of more school librarians. It is a national scandal that less than a third of secondary schools has a trained librarian.

6. The defence of the professional status of the public and school librarian. We oppose downgrading. In some places this has reduced librarians’ salaries by up to half.

7. A higher profile for reading for pleasure in schools, including shadowing book awards, inviting authors and illustrators to visit, developing school creative writing magazines.

8. To support the sustainability and future development of Schools Library Service provision nationally.

9. To promote a more positive reading culture in school, in which the reading of whole books is preferred to studying extracts alone

It is supported by the following:

Michael Rosen

Philip Pullman

Anne Fine OBE, FRLS

Sue Palmer

Jacqueline Wilson

Malorie Blackman

Society of Authors

National Union of Teachers

Orion publishers

Cilip

ASCEL

Barrington Stoke publishers

Hachette Children’s Books

Sarah Marshall, Lollypop Publishing

National Literacy Association

Beverley Naidoo

National Association for Primary Education

David Almond

Geraldine McCaughrean

Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance

Toby Litt

Robert Muchamore

Tony Mitton

Doncaster Save Our Libraries Group

Jeremy Strong

Gillian Cross

Caroline Pitcher

Mike Lindley, bookseller

Joy Court, chair elect YLG

Tricia Adams Chair YLG 2008

Helen Melone, Chair SLG Scotland

Dr Rona Tutt OBE, past president National Association of Head teachers and chair of the National Literacy Association

Andrew O’Brien, Managing Director, Micro Librarian Systems Ltd

Fiona MacDonald Head of Library and Education Sales, Walker Books

Frank Cottrell-Boyce

Tom Woodcock, President Cambridgeshire National Union of Teachers and Secretary Cambridge TUC (in a personal capacity)

Cathy Cassidy

Tim Bowler

Debi Gliori

Berlie Doherty

Dave Cryer

Steve Skidmore

Mike Cole

Bali Rai

Francesca Simon

Adele Geras

Jacky Atkinson

Steve Barlow

Kath Langrish

Linda Newbery

Catherine MacPhail

Eleanor Updale

Celia Rees

Alan Gibbons

Steve Bowkett

Liz Laird

Michael Foreman

Ann Turnbull

June Crebbin

Echo Freer

Helen Craig

Jack Foreman

Mary Hoffman

Catherine Johnson

Bob and Brenda Swindells

Val Bierman

Dr Krishna Basu

Dr Ganesh Balasubramanian

(directors: The Literacy Consultants)

Bernard Ashley

Fiona Dunbar

Laurence Anholt

Jamila Gavin

Alex Shearer

Anthony Browne

Penny Dolan

Naomi Kingston

Peter J Murray

Julia Jarman

Ros Asquith

Graham Marks

Jane Ray

Gwen Grant

Tony Bradman

Tommy Donbavand

Helena Pielichaty

Caroline Harper

Anne Morddel

Carol Wootton

Gulay Dalkilic

David Hague

Jane Bassett, Head of English, Stoke

Newington School

Sue Jennings

Bridget Collins

Catriona Nicholson

Prue Goodwin

Benjamin Scott

Mary Goudge

Anne-Marie Perks

Lisa Joy Smith

Moira Munro

Jack G Priestley

Penny Kease

Chris Honeywill

Karen Wilkinson (Bookstart coordinator)

Madhavi Bhargava

Angela Robinson

LInda Kempton

Julia Jarman

Kathleen Milne

David Conway

Sandra Saer

Geraldine O’Brien Meade

Gaynor Cooper

Liz Chapman

Heather Bignold

Gus Grenfell

Renee Deans

Sue Eves

Sophia Nasaf

Alan Corkish

Michelle Shufflebottom

Nicola Smee

Kathryn Cave

Linda Kempton

Shana Nieberg-Suschitzky

Mary Green

Bridget Strevens-Marzo

Eugenie Summerfield

Sarah Mussi

Liz Brownlee

Amanda Lees

Eleanor Burnside

Beth Smith

Jane Carlton

Jillian Connolly

Lynne Roulstone

Philip Carter

Susan Morley-Smith

Lynn Varley

Shaun Case

Angela Patchett

Meg Harper

Leonie Wynne, Head of English, Park High School, Birkenhead

Lesley Hall, Y6 teacher

Jane Haywood

Dr Sue Jennings

Dyane Basinger

Gillian McClure

Anne Rooney

Pippa Goodhart

Ann Jungman

Sally Nicholls

Bridget Collins

Alan Davidson

Anna Ganley

Steve and Sue Weatherill

Patricia Kennon

Lesley Sims

Carole Seawert

Mara Bergman

Jan Ormerod

Ann Vrombaut

David Richardson

Jenny Alexander

Sue Purkiss

Anne Marie Young

Anne Marie Peters

Stephanie Baudet

D.J Blanch

Diane Lorriman

Graham Gardner

Mike Brownlow

Melissa Parker and Tom Ridge, Save Bancroft Library Campaign

Fay Sampson

Hilary Hawkes

Jan Oke

Richard Bradbury

Bernadette Main

Cat Magner

Amanda Hall

Sue Ferraty

Di Hofmeyr

P Thomas

Martin Kromer

Ali Sparkes

Daniel Blythe

Kate Eccleston-Wirtz

Sheila Rhodes

John Moore

Janet Bingham

Meg Harper

Chris Barton

Dee Shulman

Paul Shipton

Chris Buckton

Becky Stradwick

John Dougherty

Amanda Rainger

Birgit Bottner

Penny Dale

Jamie Scallion

David Thorpe

Lynne Chapman

David Bedford

Diana Kimpton

Rosemary Hayes

Nicola Killen

Rachel Kress

Chris Stephenson

Lynne Benton

Muz Murray

Laura Watkinson

Linda F Lawlor

Kathy Henderson

Dennis Hamley

Griselda Gifford

Catherine Henderson

Maureen Irving

Dawn Woods

J A Blanch

Lookman

Rebecca Colby

Anne Brine

Alison Allen Gray

Corinne Gotch

John Shelley

Rhona Whiteford

Catherine John

Julia Green

Liz Brownlee

Susan Isaacs

Michaela Morgan

Janine Amos

John Pilkington

Oisin McGann

Colin Dowland

Emily Dirmand

Penny Kendal

Ellen Renner

Gillian Shields

Hannah Broadway

Sarah Hayes

Jackie Marchant

Gill James

Sandy Stopher

Robbie Dodds

Ruth Colenso

Sian Smith

Ebru Keyman

Stephen Scianski

Bridget Frampton, Headteacher, Sacred Heart Primary School, Southend

Valerie Dewhurst

Enid Stephenson

Karen King

Nikki Heath

Karen Hans (CILIP NC member)

Elizabeth Bentley

Fiona Crawford

Dr Eddie Halpin

Dr Steve Wright

Lynne Hackett

John Foster

Stuart Paulley

Siobhan Ward

Bev Humphreys

Hazel and William Powell

Jean Coats

Wendy Mitchell (Senior Cultural Officer, Wakefield Schools Library Service)

Jennifer McFadyen

Steve and Julie Hird

Lucinda Neall

Liz Cullen

Richard York

Patsy Moody

Lynne Coppendale

Annike Dase

Paul Fletcher

Hayley Ramsey

Carla Tate

Christine Ball

Lin Stanley

Deirdre Livingstone

Wendy Smith

Sue Taylor, WEA Sheffield

Jol Miskin, WEA Sheffield

Tracey Collins, Right to Read coordinator, Kirkby Library

Rachel Bide

Dawn Knox

Shaun Case

Dyane Basinger

Susan Morley Smith

Lynn Roulstone

Philip Carter

Maureen Pavey, Libraries Consultant

Giles Miskin

Kay Waddilove

Harry Shapiro, author

Lisa Myers

Harriet Simpson, English teacher

Pam Parish, Senior Librarian, Children and Young People, Shropshire Libraries

Steve Goddard, Lib Dem parliamentary candidate

Ruth Wilkinson, librarian, Unison steward and Lib Dem city councillor

David Smith, Education and Projects director, Mid Pennine Arts

Lynne Loy

Sarah Matheison

Tim Davies

Anne Robinson

Bridget Rogers

Chris Beckingham

Charlie Alcock

Mark Robson

Claire Broadbelt

Barbara Egglesfield

Anne Harding

Rosemary Reed

Janis Wilson

Gyl Wood

Elaine Patterson

Helen Farrar

Liz Clinch, English teacher

Susie Hodge

Carol Wootton

Danny Middleton

Philip Caveney

Hazel Riley

Peggy Aylan

Jayne Gould

Tracey Paddon

Margaret Houston

Janet Painting

Emma Ostler

Cat Wand

Susan Westwood

Matthew Imrie

Vivienne Squire

Rosemary Hill

Anne Dawson

Anne Hetherington

June Taylor

Sharon Spreling

Hannah Fraser

Carl Cross

Dorothy McKenna

Susan Deering-Punshon

Jane Sandell

Ferelith Hordon

Matthew Watson

Ian Dodds

Karen Robinson

Margaret Pemberton

Tracey-Ann Dickinson

Janetta Otter Barry

Alex Williams

Valerie Nicholson

Robin Griffiths

Sue Roe

Jackie Cairns

Niamh Brown

Gillian Gardiner

Julie Musselwhite

Chris Turner

Emma Carrick

Judy Ottaway

Madeleine Fogelman

Hazel Sharrock

Mandy Turnbull

Liz Smith

Tracy Hager

Claire Harris

Emily Jacques

Sarah Smith

Nicola Vaughan

Julie Atkinson

John Birdsail

Michael Stead

Ayesha Johnson

Liz Rose

Helen Kenward

Helen Griffiths

Lionel Clauzon

Linne Omissi

Liz Rowling

Carol Hales

Janette Tuckwell

Gary Wilson

Jean Burke

David Lamont

Jackie Howse

Patrick Howse

Susie Cornfield

Ian Edwards

Agnes Guyon

Karen Usher

John Birdsall

Niamh Brown

Gary Wilson

Jackie Howse

Patrick Howse

Julia Hale

Alyson Bryant

Jan Dawson

Angela Parkin

Judith Harridge

Amy Breakwell

Diana Barnes

Ingrid Hopson

Diana Barnes

Margaret Taylor

Linda Lucas

Jayne Crawshaw

Alex Kingsbury

Sue Taylor

Nita Patel

Mentoria

Hannah Plom

Maureen King

Karen Crompton

Kate Stevens

A Gardner Medwin

Sally Anne Flemons

Gwen Woods

Linda Jenkinson

Margaret Fennick

Judi Steen

Sheila Corbishley

Elizabeth Lawson

Dorothy Massey

Urszula Piotrouska

Damaris Wade

Sam Burt

E Phethean

D Court

N Liller

W Heath

B A Harms

C Bell

W McArdle

Maria Kirkby

Sue Brown

Karen Compton

Jane Stack

Nikki Gamble

Ms T Head

John Malam

Marie Harper

Denise Woodgate

Bev Robertson

Carol Ballard

Gail Savage

Lynn Ashworth

Caroline Howick

Heather Holder

Kathy Roberts

Anne Woodworth

Amanda Stirrup

Kate Cann

Cathy Gould

G Lato

Emma Green

Sheila Compton

Nikki Packer

Leonard Elwell

Alan Summer

Stuart Aken

Frances Green

Alison Roberts

Pam Plowman

Anne Walker

Anna Franks

Phil White

Alan Nash

and several hundred others