The DCSF is funding another National Year of Reading (NYR) in 2008. For those with long memories the last NYR was in 1998. It is again being managed by a consortia led by the National Literacy Trust.

While this was supposed to be a competitive tender there should have been little doubt in anyone’s mind as to who would be appointed. The NLT consortia includes The Reading Agency, Booktrust, Campaign for Learning, the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education, ContinYou, NIACE, Volunteer Reading Help and the National Youth Agency, with the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council, Arts Council England and Society of Chief Librarians! However, publishers are wary because the last NYR led to a significant drop in educational sales the following year. The 1998 event also included the Free Books for Schools programme funded by by Walkers Crisps and News Corporation. We imagine the DCSF may be keen on something similar, but we can’t see then choosing these two companies as partners for NYR 2008.

www.literacytrust.org.uk