The Reading Agency Reading Well

Free

Reading Well is a national "books on prescription" initiative developed by the charity The Reading Agency alongside Libraries Connected. The service bridges the gap between waiting lists for clinical talking therapies and immediate, cost-free self-care interventions. The program curated five distinct, rigorously vetted booklists targeted at specific demographics: Adult Mental Health, Teens, Children (ages 7–11), Families (covering pregnancy and early years), and Dementia. The selections mix clinical self-help workbooks, personal memoirs, and mood-boosting fiction or poetry. Individuals can be formally "prescribed" a specific title by a GP, school nurse, or counselor, or they can simply self-refer by walking into a public library and borrowing the books completely free of charge.

• Information & advice
• Mental health support