Masham girl, 12, completes tour of all North Yorkshire librariesNumber 36 buses to turn into mobile libraries‘Reading an actual book is a welcome change’ – are people returning to print?

(Image: Pixabay)

‘You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me’ – although this quote is attributed to author C.S Lewis who published his last novel in 1956, it seems as though it is no less true today.

In 2022, the UK’s book market experienced an unprecedented boom, with over 669 million physical books sold, according to a Publishing Association report. 2023 brought a 2.6 percent drop in sales, but the industry still raked in a staggering £1.83 billion per annum.

The generation fuelling many of these sales might surprise you. People aged between 13 to 24 overwhelmingly contributed to 2022’s record-breaking year, counting for 80 percent of purchases, research from Nielsen BookData found.

(Image: Pixabay)

It appears that Gen Z and later millennials – who have often been described as ‘digital natives’ – play a major role in this increased popularity for print.

Growing up so heavily influenced by the internet and social media could be one reason the younger generations have fallen back in love with reading – but are there any other factors that make flipping through the pages of a book attractive to so many?

‘We see such a lot of positivity and joy in our bookshop’

Gill Edwards, owner of The Little Ripon Bookshop, thinks that reading trends have shown a marked change since the Covid-19 pandemic.

She explained:

“We spent months delivering books to people in Ripon and beyond who were isolating, and I think they were very thankful for this service and have since become loyal customers.

“I also think that many people picked up a reading habit during lockdown which has continued and they have turned to books rather than screens because so much of life is now screen based and reading an actual book is a welcome change.”

The independent bookshop offered Zoom book clubs when restrictions were first put in place that still run to this day, alongside their face-to-face meetings which are described as ‘thriving and full’.

With The Little Ripon Bookshop’s 15-year anniversary approaching in July, Gill has many years of experience in the industry to reflect upon.

The Little Ripon Bookshop

She believes that a preference for physical books endures because customers like to be able to browse the shelves, read the first page and even see the typeface, discovering what appeals to them.

She added:

“This is particularly important for children, and we work hard to make sure that the young people of Ripon have somewhere to find their next favourite author.

“There’s been a lot of media noise about the decline of the high street, but we see such a lot of positivity and joy in our bookshop.

“New customers seem thrilled to find us, and visitors to Ripon often say they are delighted to find an independent bookshop.”

A new chapter for independent bookshops in Yorkshire

The region has enjoyed something of a boom of independent bookshops of late, reflective of the wider UK trend in which the industry has seen year-on-year growth since 2017.

Last year, four Yorkshire bookshops were shortlisted for Independent Bookshop of the Year – Imagined Things in Harrogate, Halifax’s The Book Corner, Kemp’s General Store & Bookshop in Malton, and Wave of Nostalgia in Haworth.

It appears that the indie market shows little signs of slowing; earlier this week, the Stray Ferret reported that Paper People Books will soon be opening in Pateley Bridge.

Kerry Thorpe, owner of Paper People Books

Commenting on the launch, owner Kerry Thorpe said:

“Reading should be fun, not a chore and we want people to feel happy and spread a bit of joy when coming into the shop.

“We feel everyone needs a book in their lives, we are all so busy and sometimes it’s just great to switch off, read a book and really escape.”

The next generation of book-lovers

If this emerging trend of favouring physical books continues to grow or if another technological innovation finally usurps print, remains to be seen in the habits of consumers.

Generation Alpha encompasses those born between 2010 and 2024 – perhaps they’ll be the next generation of book lovers, and will continue to fuel the thriving independent bookshop scene across Yorkshire and beyond.

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Harrogate primary school launches campaign to fill new library

St Peter’s CE Primary School in Harrogate has unveiled its new library.

The library aims to give children a place to build and nurture their love of reading. It was funded by the Friends of St Peter’s and a grant from local charity the Johnson and Mukherjee Trust. St Peter’s worked with York outdoor play company Playscheme to develop the design.

To celebrate the opening, the school and the Friends of St Peter’s have launched a wish list campaign in partnership with independent Harrogate bookshop Imagined Things, which aims to restock the school library with additional books.

Debbie Phillips, the manager and school’s co-ordinator from Imagined Things, said:

“We love partnering with local schools and encouraging that love for reading within their communities. We’re so excited by St Peter’s new library and can’t wait to help fill it with new books.”

Head teacher Paul Griffiths

Paul Griffiths, headteacher at St Peter’s, said:

“Reading from physical books in an inspiring environment is incredibly important to us all St Peter’s. It is at the heart of our focus on enabling children to become fluent, confident, lifelong readers, giving them access to all the wonderful opportunities available to them now and in the future.

“That’s why we are we are truly delighted to have been able to provide such a wonderful child-friendly and exciting space within our school.”

St Peter’s is a member of Yorkshire Causeway Schools Trust and is housed in a Victorian building formally home to Harrogate Hospital. The primary school is now looking at plans to further develop its nurture space The Nest.

Anyone can support St Peter’s library by visiting Imagined Things Bookshop on Montpellier Parade to buy a book of their choice that will be placed in the new library, including a personalised note if they wish.

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Ofsted says village school near Ripon ‘requires improvement’

A village school near Ripon has been told to make improvements to its teaching by the schools inspector.

Sharow Church of England Primary School has been rated ‘requires improvement’ by Ofsted in its latest report, with three of the five areas of inspection receiving that rating.

Inspectors found the quality of education, personal development, and leadership and management at the school no longer merited the ‘good’ rating previously given to the school. However, they said the early years provision, and behaviour and attitudes, remained ‘good’.

In a report published just before the end of term, lead inspector Paul Martindale said:

“Pupils, including children in early years, enjoy coming to school. Staff provide a supportive atmosphere where pupils behave well and are friendly to one another.

“Pupils are polite, well mannered, and respectful towards staff and their peers. They listen intently to what other pupils have to say and then build on this with their own ideas or comments.

“Pupils feel safe and say that bulling does not happen at school. They are clear about the school rules, rewards and consequences.”

He added:

“Pupils enjoy taking on many different responsibilities. They appreciate being a member of the school council or a well-being ambassador. Their desire to help others is not limited to these roles.

“Pupils have a friendship bench in the playground where they can help their friends. They enjoy spending time in the peace garden.”

Among the areas inspectors praised in the report was a new phonics programme. After visiting the school in early February, inspectors said the programme had been implemented effectively and pupils made good progress with their reading.

They said pupils who were struggling were given support to make more progress.

Inspectors also praised the “well-sequenced plans” used to deliver maths teaching. In both English and maths, they said teachers used effective assessment to get a clear understanding of what pupils knew and what they needed to learn next.

The report said:

“Staff have high ambitions for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff modify their teaching to help pupils with SEND learn the same curriculum as their peers, wherever possible.

“In early years, adults know the needs and interests of their children. They use ambitious and accurate language in their interactions with children, and this extends their understanding.”

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However, the report said the standard of education was not as high in all subject areas.

Inspectors found the quality of education was “variable” and learning was “not as deep” in some subjects as others.

Addressing personal development, they said:

“Staff provide pupils with a range of opportunities to support their personal development. This is evident through the different roles that pupils can carry out or the clubs that they can join, such as the lunchtime choir.

“However, pupils’ understanding of British values and protected characteristics is limited. Pupils also have a limited knowledge of religion. They are able to recall general principles, but cannot attribute them to any particular faith. Leaders acknowledge that this is due to previous weaknesses in the curriculum.”

The report acknowledged governors and leaders were aware there were improvements to be made and had begun to do so. It said governors needed to continue their strategic review to ensure they had the appropriate knowledge and skills to hold the school’s leaders to account effectively.

The Stray Ferret contacted Sharow Primary School for a response to the report before the Easter break, but had not received one by the time of publication.

Sharow Primary School has 103 pupils and is federated with Skelton Newby Hall Church of England Primary School, sharing an executive headteacher, Jacqui Palmer, and a governing body.

Skelton Newby Hall Primary School was rated ‘requires improvement’ in March 2020 and is currently under threat of closure by North Yorkshire Council, on the grounds of low roll numbers. Should it close this summer as proposed, the council suggested moving its 10 pupils to Sharow Primary School.

Ripon mum pens book about domestic abuse

A mum from Ripon will be signing copies of her book tomorrow about domestic abuse and the pain of losing a daughter to suicide.

Ally Garbutt said she decided to write Losing Lisa after escaping an abusive marriage that lasted 40 years.

The book is named after her daughter Lisa, who took her life aged just 23 after a difficult upbringing in the family home. She said she wanted to give Lisa a voice and tell her story.

Since splitting from her partner, Ms Garbutt has lost contact with her two youngest children and the book explores parental alienation, which is sometimes involved with family break up.

Ms Garbutt said:

“The book exposes what’s going on behind closed doors. It was traumatic writing it but also therapeutic. It helped me deal with abuse I had.”

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Profits from the book will go to domestic abuse charities. Ms Garbutt said she hopes the book will help other people in similar situations and show that there is a way out.

The author also reveals the traumatic psychological impact of coercive control, which is now recognised as a criminal offence.

She added:

“So many people are going through the same thing but you can get out and break the silence. After 40 years, I am free but it’s difficult.”

“I’m trying to get the message out there that people can break free from suffering and there is light at the end of the tunnel.”

The book is available to buy online from Amazon, WH Smith and Waterstones websites. Physical copies are available at Little Ripon Book Shop on 12-13 Westgate.

Ms Garbutt will be at the Little Ripon Book Shop from 11am-1pm tomorrow signing copies of the book.

Ripon library to close for refurbishment

Ripon library will close next month for a nature-inspired refurbishment.

The library, in The Arcade, will be redesigned with the beauty of the natural world in mind.

The new children’s area will include decorative shelving and brightly coloured furniture, along with a story wall for children to share their reading experiences.

Ripon library

North Yorkshire County Council has also spent £3,000 on reading material that includes picture books, board books and audio books, as well as popular junior fiction and non-fiction titles.

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North Yorkshire County Council’s libraries manager Chrys Mellor said:

“Ripon library is always filled with children and families so news of the refurbishment has been welcomed in the community. We are continuing to invest in new reading material for children in many of the county’s libraries to encourage them to support their local branch and start reading from an early age.

“Unfortunately the library will be closed to the public for a short time but we are doing our best to accommodate users. Loans will be extended over the closure period and arrangements have been made to cover home library service deliveries.”

The library will close for refurbishment at 2pm on Saturday, May 14. From Monday, May 23, it will reopen except for the children’s area, which will be temporarily moved to another space.

The library will operate its full services from Monday, May 30.

The nearest alternative libraries are Boroughbridge community library, Knaresborough library, Harrogate library, Mashamshire community library, and Nidderdale Plus community library.

Harrogate primary school sets £10,000 target for new library

Coppice Valley Primary School is hoping to raise £10,000 to improve its library and provide a space for students to be inspired by books.

The current space inside the Harrogate school is more than 20 years old and the second-hand shelving is beginning to collapse.

The plan is to use the funds to completely redesign the space with new storage, books and floor mats.

Ms Emma Meadus, headteacher, said the school set up a covid-safe book swap outside during the pandemic and because of that many books weren’t returned or were returned in poor condition.

The school wants to improve its current library.

The school has had a quote from a design company of £8,800. Any remaining donations will be used to buy new books.

Ms Meadus said:

“It’s been a make-shift, make-do area and the books are in need of an upgrade. We knew it needed to be better for our kids, we have a lot of catch-up learning to do after the pandemic and we want a beautiful space for the kids to be inspired.”

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The school is celebrating its 50th anniversary in September and hopes the library will be a legacy project.

Although the target is £10,000, the school wants to raise £20,000 over the next two years it so it can build another library for younger children in a separate area of the school.

To support the school’s appeal, click here.

Harrogate town centre to be ‘lit up with literature’

A pair of bicycles are to ride around Harrogate town centre projecting images and handing out free books to promote the forthcoming Raworths Harrogate Literature Festival.

The bikes will set off at around twilight on Friday, October 15 as part of the build-up to the festival, which takes place from October 21 to 24.

The three-wheeled cargo bikes are attached to projectors and stereo systems. Riders will hand out a selection of novels by inviting people they pass to ‘stop me and book one’.

Harrogate International Festivals chief executive Sharon Canavar said:

“Last year, we lit up the Raworths office on Station Parade. This year, we are taking our message to the streets.

“Two special bikes will be riding around the town projecting animations onto buildings and pavements. And for those who stop them, they will not be presented with ices or lollies, but free books.

“These mini mobile cinemas are great fun and a terrific excuse for families to bring out their torches, head into Harrogate, and be part of an entertaining and illuminating experience.”

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This year’s festival speakers include Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, former Labour Party leader Ed Miliband, comedian and broadcaster Robin Ince, ‘Dogfather’ Graeme Hall, 2020 Costa Book of the Year winner Monique Roffey and former chief prosecutor, Nazir Afzal