This Saturday, 26 April, City of York Council libraries are gearing up to receive an influx of new members on the first ever 'Join a Library Day', which is part of the new National Year of Reading initiative.

Supported by libraries across England, the event is part of the campaign to encourage parents, children and young people to join their local library.

The first 1,000 children, young people and families that join the library service in York on Saturday will receive a free copy of the exclusive National Year of Reading Ultimate Book Guide and a library welcome pack.  Staff at York libraries will also be on hand to advise on the range of reading opportunities available, and on other events and reading projects taking place in the library.

Join A Library Day is part of a diverse, on-going programme of activity in libraries across the country taking place throughout the National Year of Reading, including reading festivals and author visits. Full details of what's going on can be found at: www.yearofreading.org.uk

York libraries have lots of free resources and a host of services to support reading, including reading challenges, internet access, baby story times, readers’ groups and author events.

This Saturday, 26 April, Acomb, Tang Hall, Haxby and Clifton Libraries will be open until 3pm and will be hosting an under-fives story time events between 11 and 11.30am.

On Sunday 27 April York Library will be open and hosting lots of events and activities, including under fives story time from 11am until 12 noon and from 2pm to 3pm.

Ancestry.com sessions will take place between 12 and 1.30pm and 2pm and 3.30pm, although space is limited so booking is essential on 552824. Ancestry.com is an online resource for people tracing their family tree.

The library is also hosting an informal reading group session between 1pm and 3pm. New members are welcome to drop in to see the range of books available for reading groups in York.

Anne Mortimer of Read Write York said: “We wanted to launch the Year of Reading in York with an event that will remind people that we all have the right to read for free, and that our libraries are brimming with ideas that can change our lives. Libraries offer a place to read too – where you don’t have to buy anything!’’