Reading & Libraries
Author event: Louise Beech/Swanson
Join Louise Beech author of nine novels and a memoir, Eighteen Seconds (2023) for a talk about her …
Reading Well
About the scheme
Reading Well helps you to understand and manage your health and wellbeing using recommended books available from your library. The books provide information and advice for people with various physical and mental health conditions, their family, friends and carers.
Follow the links below to the 5 different booklists on the Reading Well website:
Reading Well for Mental Health
Reading Well for long term conditions
Reading Well Books on Prescription for dementia
You can also find out more about the Reading Well collections in the video below:
Borrowing the Reading Well books
You can be recommended a title by a health professional, or you can visit your local library and borrow a book yourself. You will need to be a library member to borrow a book. Joining is easy and free and you can either join online or visit a library. You just need one form of identification showing your name and address.
You can look to see which Reading Well books are available on the online catalogue or ask a member of library staff. Books can be borrowed for up to 3 weeks and renewed 4 times (if no one else has requested them.) You can renew your book online or by calling Ask Inspire on 01623 677 200.
Further help
If you find the book you are reading is not helping, you should contact your GP or a health professional. You can also visit
Further Information
There is a strong evidence that reading can improve your health and wellbeing. Through annual evaluation of the scheme, as well as several case studies, the Reading Agency can show the positive impact of Reading Well on individuals.
The books have been recommended by health professionals, using guidelines and quality standards from NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) and have been tried and tested by people with experience of the conditions covered.
Reading Well is delivered by The Reading Agency in partnership with Libraries Connected (formerly the Society of Chief Librarians) as part of their Universal Health Offer. It is funded by Arts Council England and Wellcome.
The Reading Well programme is supported by a wide range of professional health bodies including Public Health England, NHS England and The Royal College of GPs. Visit the Reading Well website to see all supporting health partners.
