GLOUCESTERSHIRE libraries will be supporting this year’s annual World Book Night on April 23 in a bid to encourage more people to pick up a book.

The World Book Night event seeks to recruit thousands of reading enthusiasts to distribute books to people who don’t regularly read or have lost the book bug.

This year, 25 Gloucestershire libraries will act as a collection point, allowing volunteers to pick up boxes of books to hand out in the community.

The libraries in Gloucestershire taking part are:

  • Bishops Cleeve
  • Charlton Kings
  • Cheltenham
  • Chipping Campden
  • Churchdown
  • Cinderford
  • Cirencester
  • Coleford
  • Dursley
  • Fairford
  • Gloucestershire County Council Headquarters
  • Gloucester
  • Hesters Way
  • Hucclecote
  • Lechlade Community
  • Longlevens
  • Lydney
  • Mitcheldean
  • Moreton-In-Marsh
  • Newent
  • Quedgeley
  • Stow-On-The-Wold
  • Stroud
  • Tetbury
  • Tewkesbury
  • Up Hatherley

For the first time, The Reading Agency is inviting people to take part in the annual giving of books, without having to apply for titles from the official list. Community givers will be responsible for donating their own books, old or new, to a place or person of their choice.

Special World Book Night branded stickers and bookplates will be available from the libraries involved.

Cllr Dorcas Binns, cabinet member responsible for libraries, said: “If you haven’t picked up a book for a while, World Book Night is the perfect occasion to do just that.

"We are also encouraging everyone to use this opportunity to visit their local library and urge friends and family to come along too."

Since it began in 2011, World Book Night has created a group of 46,000 volunteers, giving books away to over 2 million people.

Visit worldbooknight.org for more information.