"The library is the gym for your mind": highlights from More than a Book 2026
September 23, 2026Posted by:
More than a Book is an annual reading week run by PeoplePlus prison education teams, and it has now run for four years. The idea behind it is simple: reading covers far more than sitting down with a novel, and every prison is free to mark the week in its own way, whether through one large activity or several smaller ones.
This year's theme was Read Well, Feel Well. Teams were asked to help learners see reading as a tool for relaxation, self-care, learning and personal growth, using books, comics, graphic novels, magazines or whatever gets people reading. Prisons across England took part between 7th and 11th September, and here is a selection of what happened.
A prescription for poetry
At HMP Sudbury, the library team ran a Poetry Pharmacy, "dispensing" poems to suit different moods, including heartbreak, homesickness, fresh beginnings, hope and joy. Many of the men took away copies of poems that meant something to them.
The library also hosted a Wellbeing Café, with mindfulness colouring, wellbeing word searches, bookmark making and a quiet space for reading. A Community Story activity invited men to add to a story throughout the week, starting from a wellbeing-themed opening line, and a new selection of books on health, fitness and wellbeing proved so popular that most were borrowed.
To close the week, psychotherapist Neil Barclay delivered two Expressive Arts workshops for 13 men, starting with meditation before moving on to art and group discussion. One participant said: "I found it helpful talking through the meaning of the picture I drew." Another asked for more: "Needs to happen more regularly. Brilliant session and very beneficial to mental well-being."
In their own words
HMP Stocken marked More than a Book with a celebration in the library on Thursday 10th September. In the weeks leading up to it, the library team asked the men what had helped them make positive changes in their lives, so their answers could be shared with others on the day. The team also put a spotlight on instruction books and guides, showing how reading can teach lasting skills, from plumbing and counselling to maths, Urdu and the drums.
The responses show how many different roles reading plays. For one man, it was a way back into learning:
"The last time I read a book was when I was in the Army. Since coming to prison and having time on my hands, I got back into reading and loved it. It allows me to escape from everyday pressures, also I forget where I am. Since reading I've had more confidence in myself resulting in myself to do Open University. Hopefully giving me more options when I leave prison."
For another, it was about looking ahead: "I enjoy reading the insight guides books as they tell you about other countries and the best places to visit when you're there. Gives me something to plan for when I get out."
Others described it as a simple routine that helps them rest. "I have found it relaxing when I read at least 20 pages a night just before I go to sleep," said one. Another said that reading the news "makes me feel more involved" in what is happening outside.
One response summed up the role of the library itself: "The library is the life-blood, the centre, the heartbeat of the prison."
Writing their own stories
At HMYOI Werrington, young people wrote poems in their English classes about life in Werrington and life on release. Music is a big motivator for many of them, so the activity built on something they already cared about, and the team described the finished pieces as insightful and moving. It also gave the young people a chance to see how writing can help during difficult times.
At HMP Ranby, learners were invited to write a letter to their younger self, or a list of things they wish they had known, and to set aside ten minutes a day to read. Their writing will be turned into a book and shared around the prison, the third book Ranby has produced through More than a Book.
Challenges, displays and prizes
HMP Highpoint set up displays in both of its libraries, labelling each book to show how it might support wellbeing: read to learn, read for self-care, read to escape or read for personal growth. The team also launched Read4You, a new challenge where participants read four books and write or draw a response to each, earning a certificate and a small prize on completion.
At HMP Hollesley Bay, one of the library orderlies put together a booklet on exercise, health and nutrition, including a challenge that men could complete for a prize. The library worked with the gym to promote it, alongside displays on breathing techniques, yoga and Pilates. At HMP Lincoln, learners took part in a Readopoly Challenge, and Bertie's restaurant added healthier options to its menu for the week, including a Tuna Niçoise salad.
A jigsaw that built a community
At HMP Whatton, the library set up a shared jigsaw, which turned out to be more popular than anyone expected. Officers dropped in during their breaks to pick up books and add a few pieces, and at the request of library users, the jigsaw will now keep its own table for the next few months.
Why it matters
For many learners in prison, the library is one of the few places where they can switch off, choose what they want to learn and plan for life after release. More than a Book gives education and library teams a focused week to show what reading can do, and many of this year's activities, from Read4You at Highpoint to the jigsaw table at Whatton, will carry on well beyond it.
PeoplePlus delivers education in 50 prisons across England and Scotland. Thank you to every library and education colleague who made More than a Book 2026 happen.
September 23, 2026Posted by:
