English and literacy resources from Kent Libraries and trusted websites

BookTrust
Play games, win prizes and test your knowledge in book-themed quizzes, or even learn how to draw some of your favourite characters!

Oxford Owl
Expert advice, top tips, eBooks and activities to help you with your reading and phonics at home.

Words for Life
Words for Life is created by the National Literacy Trust and supported by UK publishers. It provides parents, children and young people with activities and support to improve their language, literacy and communication skills from home.

eLibrary
With no waitlist for loads of classic titles, explore Shakespeare's plays and more with our free eLibrary apps...

Check out our free selection of eMagazines for kids and teens including Scoop, a magazine for 7 to 12 year olds that publishes all forms of story, told by world renowned authors and illustrators. Each issue includes short stories, non-fiction, poetry, comics, interviews, reviews, activities and quizzes.

Learn about your favourite authors and find titles to help with reading and writing via the Kent Libraries catalogue...

STEM resources from Kent Libraries and trusted websites

CoderDojo
Are you interested in creating apps for your phone or building your own website to show off your interests? Young people can learn to do all this free at CoderDojo! Dojos are fun spaces where children and teens can use their imagination and creativity to learn cool new skills, and make new friends.

See if there's a Coderdojo or Code Club in a library near you. Search our clubs and activities

Interested in starting a club? We'd love to hear from you! Apply to volunteer with us

Fun Science with Diatom Dave!
To learn about flight with Diatom Dave, you'll need some A4 paper, scissors, sticky tape or a stapler and string. If you want to have a go at some of his more experimental experiments (with an adult present at all times!) you'll need a teabag, a lighter, a ping pong ball and a hairdryer.

Big thanks to Dave for hosting such fantastic sessions for the Summer Reading Challenge. Tickets were offered to families across Kent with support from Reconnect Kent.

See what's available in our eLibrary

Check out our free selection of eMagazines for kids and teens including Smore Magazine an inspirational STEM magazine for young children to learn about interesting careers in science, technology, engineering and math and remarkable role models of today while having fun with puzzles, games, and crafts.

Reading Sparks Activity Kits
Aimed at children between 8 to 11 years old, Reading Sparks are boxes containing a book, activity sheets and materials to conduct your own science experiments at home! Check to see if kits are available to borrow from your local library via the listings below.

Reading Sparks is a library-led programme that supports engagement with Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) and reading among families, children and young people.

The overall aim of Reading Sparks is to build confidence and engagement with STEM among children, young people and families and to demonstrate the role that creative reading and activities can play in sparking engagement with STEM

History resources from Kent Libraries and Archives and trusted websites

Kent Archives and Local History
We hold the largest collection of historic material about Kent dating back to 699 AD, from the earliest charters written on sheepskin to state of the art digital images!

Book a slot to come and visit us at the Kent History and Library Centre in Maidstone.

Researching your local area? Many of our library branches have their own local studies collections, including maps, photographs, newspaper archives and ephemera.

Get in touch with your local library to see if they can help.

Research your family tree!
Discover your ancestors and bring your backstory to life! Visit your local library to access Ancestry and Find My Past for free via our public computers

Heritage Maps
How old is your house? What’s different on your street from 100 years ago? Find out how things have changed from all the way back in the 1800s to now with our historic maps

Kent Historic Environment Records
Explore Kent’s past with our database of archaeological sites, finds and buildings… try searching by time period or by map to find out more about the history of where you live

Screen Archive South East is a public sector moving image archive serving the South East of England. The archive’s collections of magic lantern slides, films, video, and associated materials capture the many varied aspects of life, work and creativity from the early days of screen history to the present day and serve as a rich and invaluable historical resource

Gypsy Roma and Traveller History
Watch an animated history, film from the Archives of a Roma family in Kent or take a look at The Travellers Times' Online FAQ Pack.

Black Britain and Asian Britain 
Historical and contemporary resources on the experience of people of African, Asian and Caribbean heritage in Britain from the British Library, plus facts, figures, a brilliant timeline plus links to videos, online exhibitions, museums and more!

We also recommend The Black Curriculum, a social enterprise which addresses the lack of Black British history in the national curriculum.

Why not reserve these titles from our catalogue:

• Black and British: A Short, Essential History by David Olusoga
• 100 Great Black Britons by Patrick Vernon and Angelina Osborne
• Walter Tull's Scrapbook: Star Footballer and War Hero by Michaela Morgan
• Empire's End: A Roman Story by Leila Rasheed
• Diver's Daughter: A Tudor Story by Patrice Lawrence
• Son of the Circus: A Victorian Story by E.L. Norry
• Now or Never: A Dunkirk Story by Bali Rai
• Coming to England by Floella Benjamin

Explore history with our free eLibrary apps...

...or discover Horrible Histories at your local library: