Listening Books takes part in Love Audio week, an annual week-long digital celebration of audiobooks. It is designed to showcase the accessibility, innovation and creativity of the audio format. #LoveAudio involves audio publishers across the UK joining forces to raise the profile of audiobook publishing amonst the publishing industry, early career professionals, and jobseekers.
Axe the Reading Tax is a campaign calling for the removal of VAT on all digital publications to bring them in line with print books. As of 1st May 2020 the 20% VAT on ebooks and digital newspapers, magazines and journals has been removed. However, the reading tax still applies to audiobooks, acting as a barrier to reading and learning for many people across the UK.
Miss Lawrence is an audiobook reviwer, writer, editor and the resident librarian of a lively audiobook discussion group for people with chronic illnesses and disabilities. Audiobooks became important to Miss Lawrence when, due to many years of autoimmune diseases and a decade wrangling with ME/CFS, she became unable to read novels in print at the same rate she had previously.
Book Riot celebrates all things books and is home to a host of media, from podcasts to newsletters to original editorial content, all designed around diverse readers and across genres. They have a dedicated audiobooks section discussing all things in the audio format.
Read for Good runs an annual Readathon in over 3000 schools to raise money to help the charity provide hundreds of thousands of books for children in hospital. Listening Books have worked with Read for Good for many years to expand this offer and provide tablets with audiobooks for children in hospital so that even those finding print books not very accessible can escape into a story.
BookTrust is the largest UK charity dedicated to getting children reading. They run several campaigns which include The Letterbox Club, which sends reading parcels to looked after children. They also have several great features on their website about what books children might enjoy, especially their What To Read After... series.
The National Literacy Trust works to ensure that literacy levels are raised across the UK, especially in the most disadvantaged communities. Their campaigns support schools as well as promoting the importance of literacy to politicians. They also carry out regular research into literacy levels and how audiobooks support children's literacy and wellbeing.
The Reading Agency works with communities across the UK to improve reading including campaigns like the Summer Reading Challenge for younger people and the Quick Reads books for adults. They want to help people tackle challenges in life through reading, such as impacts from physical and mental illness. They work closely with libraries across the UK to help provide access to books for everyone.