LIBRARY AND LITERACY THEMES

How to create an inspiring library wall

BLOG 18 OCT 2023

Highwood primary school library wall art

A school library wall can be any space that celebrates the magic of reading.

You don’t need a dedicated school library in order to create a library wall. In fact, any wall space in your school is suitable. This includes corridors, stairwells, classrooms and communal spaces.

At Promote Your School, we design library walls for all types of schools around the world. And schools often tell us that their library walls are an effective resource to fuel literacy. Pupils of all ages are drawn to the books, authors, quotes and storylines featured.

Let’s take a look at some examples of library walls in action. You might even feel inspired to create your own school library wall!

Should I invest in a library wall?

Literacy provides a gateway to limitless opportunities in life. Children who read for pleasure are proven to be healthier and happier, and they achieve better learning outcomes at school.

Reading provides many other benefits too;

Reading is magic

In short, reading is magic! And a library wall is a fantastic resource to show pupils that reading can offer many benefits.

Of course, most schools would love a beautiful, dedicated library. But limited budgets are often a big blocker to achieving this. Luckily, there are many ways to encourage reading, without the need for a dedicated library.

We’ve worked with many Primary and Secondary schools who use the walls of their buildings to promote reading and fuel literacy. A library wall can feature pretty much anything you can imagine that relates to reading.

For younger readers, fairytales and mythical creatures work well. While older pupils respond best to nonfiction and stills from literary classics and curriculum based setbooks.

The imagery on your library wall can be tailored to appeal to the age group of all pupils, or a specific age range you’d like to focus on. For example Early Years, Older Primary School pupils, Secondary School or Sixth Form.

Choosing your space

The first step to creating a library wall is to decide where it should be. Think about the goals you have in mind and start there.

If you’re keen to introduce younger pupils to reading, you might pick a wall in the Early Years building. Perhaps the corridor where pupils hang their coats, or a communal space where younger pupils spend a lot of time.

Feature quotes and images from age appropriate books. This will get little ones talking and inspire them to think about books that they might like to learn to read. When we design library walls for Early Years settings, we’ll often create enchanting backdrops featuring castles, mythical creatures and dreamlike settings.

For older pupils, we tend to take a factual approach. We may showcase quotes from setbooks, or images that depict particular storylines, against striking backdrops. Some schools have dedicated spaces for older pupils, like subject departments or Sixth Form blocks.

There’s usually some available wall space in these areas, like corridors and stairwells. And these spaces are ideal to serve as library walls.

What to include

Your library wall can include absolutely anything related to reading.

Here are a few popular aspects the schools we work with tend to feature;

library wall

Can I DIY my library wall?

It’s always possible to do-it-yourself for any school improvement project. But there are a few things to consider…

Longevity is crucial. You may save a bit of money in the short-term through a DIY approach. But if you need to regularly update or replace DIY/temporary displays, you’ll spend more money in the long run. It’s worth investing in a long lasting solution which will remain as good as new for many years.

Content. You can use off-the-shelf decals and posters to create a library wall. But the content will be generic and may not appeal to pupils. Personalise your designs where possible.

Time is always in short supply for education leaders. So it might be worth outsourcing your Wall Art to a credible partner. At Promote Your School, we have over two decades of experience in education and design. We create bespoke Wall Art for schools around the world.

Our new library is the highlight of the school. Children, staff, parents and visitors are all impressed with the amazing designs and the atmosphere it helps create!” – Sunny Bank Primary School

Want to know more? Get in touch to find out more about our bespoke Wall Art.

We offer a free, no obligation consultation (at your school) to discuss your goals and explore your options. From there, you’ll be guided through design, print and installation of your Wall Art.
Library and Literacy Themes School Improvement

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BBC’s 500 Words Competition 2024 – win a literacy Wall Art project!

The UK’s largest writing competition encourages children aged 5-11 to submit their original story and stand a chance of winning amazing prizes. This year, we’re once again donating a bespoke, literacy Wall Art project. One lucky UK school will win Wall Art to create a magical space for reading.

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We’ll visit your school to understand your goals, explain our process and provide you with a no-obligation quote.

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