The National Year of Reading in Scotland was launched yesterday by Her Majesty the Queen at the National Library of Scotland in Edinburgh.
The joint initiative by the Department for Education and the National Literacy Trust focuses on tackling the steep decline in the nation’s reading enjoyment. The Queen – who is patron of the National Literacy Trust – was joined by local school children, authors and representatives from key organisations backing the year-long campaign including SLIC Chief Executive Alison Nolan.
During the event, the Queen joined a roundtable featuring SLIC, the Scottish Government, the Scottish Book Trust, DC Thomson, Publishing Scotland, The Saltire Society, CILIPS, the Reading Agency and Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. SLIC Chief Executive Alison Nolan spoke to the Queen about the important role of both librarians and libraries during the year ahead.
The Queen then joined local school children from Granton and Clovenstone Primary Schools who had spent the morning creating their own fictional comic book characters with help from DC Thomson staff.
Award-winning Scottish authors Jackie Kay, Val McDermid and Sir Ian Rankin were also unveiled as National Year of Reading Ambassadors during the event.
Jonathan Douglas CBE, chief executive of the NLT, said: “The national year of reading provides us with a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reinvigorate the UK’s relationship with reading and change people’s life stories.
“With incredible ambassadors, events and partnerships at the fore, in addition to the invaluable support of the National Literacy Trust’s patron, Her Majesty The Queen, the national year of reading can inspire every child, young person and adult to go all in on their passions, feed their curiosities and connect with others through reading – in 2026 and beyond.”
Go All In Campaign
Throughout 2026 the campaign is asking the nation to ‘Go All In’ on their interests and passions. Whether it’s film, music and food or sport, crafts and family time, it’s all about (re)discovering how reading can unlock the things we already love.
The campaign is based on research conducted by the National Literacy Trust which reveals children and young people in Scotland said reading materials based on their passions, as well as visual media, would motivate them to read. Song lyrics, fiction, non-fiction and comics were also found to be the most popular reading materials for children and young people in Scotland.
The National Literacy Trust is leading the delivery of the National Year of Reading in Scotland with a network of partnership organisation including The Scottish Library and Information Council. Find out how to get involved at www.goallin.org.uk
