Keeping school reading collections fresh, relevant and inclusive is vital in helping young readers find books that genuinely excite them. However, for many schools with limited library budgets, this isn’t always easy. Bringing together free book-gifting schemes, fundraising ideas and community support, this guide shares no- and low-cost ways to help you refresh your school library, expand classroom book corners and put books directly into children’s hands.

Free book-gifting schemes and book donations

One possible route to securing additional reading books for your school is through organisations that offer grants, donations or book-gifting opportunities. From smaller grants of several hundred pounds to larger offers that will transform a whole library space, these organisations are worth exploring – particularly if you are a school in a disadvantaged area or have a specific reading for pleasure project in mind.

1. Libraries for Primaries is a fully funded, nationwide programme that helps primary schools create a school library or dedicated reading space. The programme provides a comprehensive package of support that includes books, resources and training to help eligible schools develop a vibrant, whole-school reading culture. Applications for the 2026–27 academic year are now open to UK primary schools without a school library or dedicated reading space.
2. Dedicated to bringing the joy of reading to children and young people with limited access to books, the Siobhan Dowd Trust awards grants to support reading projects. Schools can apply for funding to take small groups of pupils to a local bookseller, where they can browse and choose books for their school library. Grants are awarded monthly and schools can apply via the website.
3. Inclusive Books for Children runs a UK-wide book-gifting scheme dedicated to improving access to inclusive books in state-funded primary schools. Each IBC Book Box contains 100 picture books, board books, chapter books and anthologies for children aged 3–11, all hand-picked by experts. Applications for the next round of IBC Book Boxes are open until 16 July 2026.
4. Read for Good also offers a free book-gifting scheme. Their Brilliant Box of Books contains a wide selection of the latest fiction and non-fiction titles to motivate children to read for pleasure. At present, due to high demand, they are only accepting applications from SEND schools and alternative provisions. Details of how to apply can be found on their website.
5. ABC Book Club works with nurseries, primary and SEND schools to provide boxes of high-quality, pre-loved books from community donations. Eligible schools can receive a tailored selection of up to 500 books to help stock libraries, update classroom book corners, or gift to children who don’t own books of their own. The charity works with a range of schools but priority is given to settings in deprived communities and there is a small fee of £10 per 100 books. Apply via the website.
6. Independent publisher Pushkin Children’s is gifting 50 books to 10 state-funded primary schools across the UK. The books will include a full set of Pushkin Children’s Classics plus additional titles selected from a tailored list spanning different ages, levels and interests. Apply by 30 September for the chance to win a collection of inspiring stories from around the world.
7. To celebrate their 10th anniversary, World Kid Lit is offering schools the chance to win one of 10 global book bundles in the lead-up to World Kid Lit Month in September. Schools can register to be entered into a prize draw to receive a starter pack of 10 books from across five continents. Two winning schools will be selected in June, July and August, and four in September.

How to organise book donations from your school community

There are many ways to encourage donations of books from your immediate and wider school community. Projects will take a little time to set up and monitor but, if you’re fortunate enough to have an established Parent Teacher Association (PTA), this is something they can manage for you. Alternatively, you could involve older learners with the project to enable them to develop valuable enterprise and employability skills while building a useful collection of books for your school. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

1. Take inspiration from charities such as ABC Book Club and organise your own book drive, setting up a book donation point in school or in the local community to collect gently-used, high-quality books. Use these to update and replenish your school reading collections or create a pop-up book shop where students can choose books to take home.
2. Give pupils a real purpose for writing persuasive texts by asking them to write letters to local businesses requesting book donations or sponsorship for a specific reading project in exchange for displaying their logo in newsletters or on the school website (check your school policy first). Larger companies may have specific departments dedicated to corporate social responsibility with funding pots ready to allocate to worthy causes. Local business networks can help you identify organisations that you could approach.
3. Once you have engaged parents, carers or sponsors from the local community, set up a wish list with a local bookshop or an online children’s bookseller such as A New Chapter. A wish list allows you to identify a bespoke collection of books that donors can choose from, with the bookseller delivering directly to the school. You can find your local independent children’s bookseller on this map created by teacher and reading for pleasure advocate Jon Biddle.

Fundraising ideas to earn free books or book credit

Fundraising remains a reliable way for schools to supplement limited budgets and secure additional books for libraries and classrooms. While organising events can feel daunting alongside an already busy workload, many organisations offer ready-made fundraising programmes that are straightforward to run and provide free books or book credit by way of commission. The ideas below are worth exploring if you are looking for sustainable ways to refresh your book stock while promoting reading for pleasure across the school community.

1. Readathon’s free kit makes it easy to organise a sponsored reading event that motivates pupils to read for pleasure while raising money to provide books and stories for children in hospital. Pupils collect sponsorship for their reading, and schools receive a book voucher worth 20% of the money raised to spend on new books for their library or classrooms. The event is simple to run, inclusive and helps children to build empathy, community awareness and citizenship.
2. Alternatively, you can run a Ready, Steady, Read sponsored read with the support of an Independent Usborne Partner. They supply the resources and support needed to run the event, with children collecting sponsorship for reading or listening to books over a set period. Once the fundraising is complete, Usborne contributes up to 60% of the total raised in free books, enabling you to refresh library and classroom collections at no additional cost. An Independent Usborne Partner may also be able to help you raise money from your local business community, earning up to 60% of the total raised in additional free Usborne books.
3. Hosting a school book fair continues to be an excellent way to top up your library, with rewards of up to 60% of the value of book sales available as free books or credit. There are several providers to choose from, each with a slightly different package. You can find out more about each of them here.
4. Apply for grants with local supermarkets through their community support schemes. You will usually need to have a specific project in mind that fulfils the grant’s criteria, but this is something that your PTA and pupils could help to plan. Visit the PTA+ website for up-to-date information and advice on how to benefit from these schemes.
5. Use crowdfunding platforms to raise money for a specific literacy project, such as refreshing your library, creating a reading corner or purchasing books for a particular year group. While platforms such as JustGiving and GoFundMe can be used, Support Your School is specifically designed for schools and allows you to create a fundraising page, collect donations and share your project with families, local businesses and the wider community.
6. Set up an account on the LoveReading4Schools portal and encourage parents, staff and members of the wider community to nominate your school when purchasing books through the LoveReading and LoveReading4Kids online bookshops. Your school will receive 25% of the cover price of eligible purchases as credit to spend on future books. Schools can also earn credit on their own purchases, making this an easy way to build funds for new books throughout the year without any additional fundraising.

Free books for children to take home and keep

While it is vital that school reading collections offer a diverse and enticing range of texts, it is also important to remember that some children have very limited access to books at home. Research consistently shows that children who have books of their own are more likely to enjoy reading, read more frequently and see themselves as confident readers. The organisations below provide opportunities for children to receive free books to keep, helping to foster a lifelong love of reading beyond the classroom.

1. The Children’s Book Project provides free books and resources to help eligible primary and secondary schools in London, Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds run book-gifting events that give children the opportunity to choose and take home books of their own. Applications for the 2026–27 academic year are now open on the charity’s website.
2. Boost your collection of STEM books and engage pupils with high-quality non-fiction by signing up to judge the Royal Society’s Young People’s Book Prize. Successful judging panels receive a free set of the shortlisted books, along with judging guidance and resources. Applications to judge the 2026 award will open in September 2026.
3. The Children’s Bookshow delivers an annual programme of live events with authors, illustrators and poets in theatres across England during the autumn term. While tickets to the theatre performances are chargeable, every child who attends receives a free book by the featured artist to take home and keep.
4. BookTrust’s Bookbuzz programme is a subsidised book-gifting scheme that allows primary and secondary schools to give pupils the opportunity to choose a book from a carefully curated selection to take home and keep. Participating schools also receive a package of digital and printable resources to help them run engaging book-based sessions through the autumn term that support reader choice and create a buzz around books and reading. Register before 18 September 2026 for the 2026–27 Bookbuzz programmes.