The annual summer reading challenge is well underway, and libraries across Leicestershire are ready for this year’s music-related theme. Leicestershire County Council’s libraries and community managed libraries across the county will be hosting the challenge, with “Read to the Beat” being this year’s theme to celebrate the joy of music. The national challenge runs through to 12 September, and children aged 4-12 taking part can borrow library books or eBooks, collect stickers

A partnership between local councils and universities that threw open the doors of three university libraries has driven hundreds of new memberships. New figures reveal that thousands of local residents have visited libraries at De Montfort University (DMU), the University of Leicester and Loughborough University since February 2025, when local people became able to join the university libraries for free. The initiative has transformed access to academic library resources for