Reading Hack Planning your Reading Hack programme

What is Reading Hack?

What is a hack? A hack is “a clever solution to a tricky problem. To hack is to modify or change something in an extraordinary way” [Urban Dictionary definition, 2009]. Examples include Lifehack, Museum Hack and IKEA Hackers which all take something established and remake or redefine it. Young people redefine reading through their involvement with Reading Hack.

How does Reading Hack work? Young people: do hacks in their library or school Share their hacks online and get ideas for new hacks Get skills, badges, prizes and compete with others in the Reading Hack League

Hack reading by doing an activity with reading at its heart Create a poetry - themed DJ set Run a Manga Night Play novel-inspired Minecraft Make a book trailer for a Book Trailer Cinema night Remix the Internet into poetry Inspire a child to love reading Turn a book into a song Make a Dystopian comic strip Get more ideas from

Five things Reading Hack gives libraries A framework for running existing and new year round activities and volunteering An exciting brand and online platform to inspire young people A scheme for incentivising young people A menu of activities, ideas and campaign hooks that makes reading fun and relevant A bank of toolkits, resources and training to support our work with young people

Benefits for libraries Adds value to our work Helps our staff develop skills and confidence Increases our influence with local partners and organisations Demonstrates our contribution to key local authority priorities Supports our ambitions for youth involvement as part of the library sector Universal Offers and Children’s Library Journey.

Reading Hack pathways

Planning

Brainstorming Brainstorm two lists on sheets of A4: Things we are already doing Things we want to do Short-listing Put all your ideas on a wall or lay them out on a table. Get ready with the post-it notes. Time to shortlist! Scheduling Arrange your final ideas into a rough order Jot down some potential dates Get more ideas from (young people) and

Your Reading Hack programme Next Steps Plan another session to put your ideas into action and think about how you can get more young people involved.

Further support Printed materials including – Reading Hack toolkit, Guide and flyer – Staff poster Exclusive lock down area – Resources for getting started and developing Reading Hack – Hack sessions Reading Hack Network Newsletter – Sharing good practice and new thinking