Building a Nation of Readers - a conversation with Anna Burkey

In this episode, Anna Burkey, CEO of Australia Reads, joins Lily from the For the Love of Libraries  team to explore how a national, collaborative approach can strengthen Australia’s reading culture. She shares insights from the Understanding Australian Readers report, focusing on the reading journey, and highlights practical and innovative ways schools can support diverse readers while also addressing challenges around access, equity, and advocacy. The conversation emphasises the importance of visibility, choice, and community partnerships, and introduces the Lit Up program, which brings authors into schools to spark engagement and connection with reading. Additional linkshttps://schools.alia.org.au/research/Children’s and young people’s reading in 2025Understanding Australian readers: Behavioural insights into recreational readingDiscovering a good read: Exploring book discovery and reading for pleasure among Australian teensReading for pleasure: scrutinising the evidence base – benefits, tensions, and recommendationsALIA Schools aims to facilitate networking, support, professional development, and resources for the Information sector with a focus on Schools group practice. Subscribe to the ALIA Schools newsletter and keep up to date with professional development opportunities. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.