SLA Training and Events Manager, Anna Bray shares the moments she is most anticipating as we look ahead to the 2026 Annual Conference:
As we head into this year’s conference, what I’m most excited about isn’t just the range of incredible speakers, although we’re very lucky to be welcoming several thought-leaders from across the sector, as well as authors including Jamie Smart, Patrice Lawrence and Jacqueline Wilson, but the purpose behind the programme. Our central theme, Changing Narratives, asks an important question: how can school libraries and the staff who run them positively impact children and young people's reading, learning and wellbeing?
This theme comes through strongly in our opening panel, which brings together various expert voices to explore what reading looks like for today’s young people, and to ask how schools can support it in ways that feel authentic and relevant. The discussion will offer an opportunity to reflect on how we can adapt our own perceptions of what it means to be a reader, in order to better engage young people with the written word.
The weekend will also offer plenty of opportunity for practical application. Across both days, our conference workshops are designed to offer strategies that you can take back and use in your own setting with immediate effect.
For example, Friday’s session on SEND and wellbeing explores what an inclusive library actually looks like in practice: from creating spaces that feel safe for students with anxiety or ASD, to small changes that can make a meaningful difference for all members of the school community, while Saturday’s panel discussion about building reading communities will focus on how to create a culture of reading through enrichment and engagement, drawing on real examples from schools and national initiatives to explore what works, and how those approaches can be adapted to different contexts.
We’re also tackling some of the more complex challenges that young people are facing today. I’m so pleased to welcome Sarah Pavey and Stéphane Goldstein to the programme for a media and information literacy workshop exploring the idea of the library as a “third space” - a dynamic learning environment where pupils can develop vital critical thinking and independent learning skills.
Representation and engagement are another key thread running through the conference programme. From discussions about engaging reluctant readers through diverse narratives, to panels on issue-led fiction and the role of graphic novels, we’re really asking how libraries can better reflect, and connect with, the young people they serve.
As well as all this brilliant content, I'm looking forward to the opportunity for school librarians, literacy leads and senior leaders to come together. Many librarians are working under real pressure: balancing budgets, advocating for their role, and supporting everything from curriculum delivery to behaviour management and extended learning. Having space to connect with others who understand those daily challenges really matters and I'm proud that the conference creates that opportunity. I look forward to seeing the conversations that unfold across the two days and to enjoying a moment of celebration at our Friday night dinner!
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