Digital Library

From 7pm to 8pm on 23 April, people across the UK will dedicate time to reading.

Encourage your youngsters to take part in this wonderful national event by accessing Lote4Kids, the brilliant free service available at your local library.

It doesn’t matter if your first language is not English, with Lote4Kids your youngsters can still take part. This service enables them to read stories in the language of their choice.

So why not take a look at the thousands of stories available, and enjoy joining in with The Reading Hour.

Enjoy Shakespeare Week with ComicsPlus.

Shakespeare Week 2026 runs from Monday 23rd to Sunday 29th March 2026, and aims to bring Shakespeare's world to life for school children across the UK.

You can find many of the Shakespeare classics beautifully recreated as graphic novels at ComicsPlus - a free service available from your library. The works of William Shakespeare come alive in these stunning graphic novels adaptation using the original Shakespearean dialog.

Classics like 'Comedy of Errors' for example. The world-class art, comedy, disguises, and romance of The Comedy of Errors will capture the attention of reluctant readers. Supplement your traditional Shakespearean sources with the graphic novel adaptation that will help readers imagine the action like never before.

Pop into your local library or visit their website to find out more about this great free service.

Pop into your local library today to find out about this great free service.

Looking for a fun, free way to keep your kids’ reading? Your local library card is now a passport to a world of stories! 🌍✨

LOTE4Kids is a digital library that lets children explore over 7,000 digital books in more than 100 languages. Whether your family is maintaining a native language or starting a brand-new learning journey, our collection offers an incredible variety of stories to keep little ones engaged.

Why families love it:

100% Free: Access everything through your local library’s online service using your library barcode.
Earn as you Read: Reading becomes a game! Kids earn feathers as they finish stories, which they can swap for fun accessories to personalise their Lekti avatar.
Safe & Ad-Free: The LOTE4Kids app is secure and easy for children to navigate on both iOS and Android.
Authentic Voices: Every story is narrated by native speakers, allowing children to hear the natural rhythm and melody of different languages from around the globe.

Get started in seconds:

Download the LOTE4Kids app (or visit the website).
Find your local library.
Enter your library barcode and start exploring hundreds of stories for free!

From interactive flipbooks to printable activities, there is so much to discover. Happy reading! 📚🤟

A Comical Time of Year!! -

Comics Plus is your free, all-access pass to a world of comics, graphic novels, and manga—with over 25,000 titles to choose from. With unlimited, simultaneous use and no waiting for a copy of your favourite to become available. New stories land every week, so there’s always something exciting to discover!

And just in time for the season… enjoy 60 merry and bright Christmas comics—perfect for holiday relaxing and cozy winter reading. Visit your local library to get signed up to this brilliant free resource.

National Grief Awareness week is approaching on 1st to 8th December and with the festive season upon us this a very hard time for those who have lost loved ones.

There is a great article this month in Psychologies (available free via your library's PressReader service) which addresses this issue, follow the link to read it in full.

Not quite the Christ­mas you asked for? | Psychologies (UK) Cop­ing when the sea­son brings up dif­fi­cult emo­tions For weeks before Decem­ber arrives, the world begins its annual trans­form­a­tion: fairy lights bloom across shop­fronts, Christ­mas music hums from every speaker, and adverts beam fam­il­ies...

Motivate Your Youngsters to Read More

Enjoy even better reward-driven reading and learning on the LOTE4Kids App – available from your local library.

Your youngsters can build reading and learning streaks across four areas: the number of days they use the app, books read, activities completed and languages explored. As streaks grow, so do the rewards – children earn feathers for their Lekti avatar and collect special books that celebrate their progress.

Even better, every child gets a personal bookshelf in the app. It’s their home base to see streak progress, view rewards, and proudly showcase what they’ve been reading and learning! Perfect for sparking motivation and keeping the habit going.

Speak to your local library to find out more about Lote4Kids. This great service enables your children to enjoy over 7000 digital books in over 95 languages together with English translations, from the comfort of home.

Broaden young learners’ horizons with KidSpeak - a free service available from your local library. Youngsters work their way through fun and engaging activities with their cartoon “friend” and his or her playful pet.

Available languages:
Chinese, English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish.

Easy to access:
KidSpeak is included with the Transparent Language Online available from your local Library and can be accessed on a computer, laptop, or tablet.

Hundreds of words and phrases:
Children can add to their seemingly endless vocabulary (and energy!) with over 700 words and expressions per language.

Age-appropriate content:
Designed for ages 6 and up, children will learn words and phrases suitable for their age, needs, and interests.