In a bid to help put books into the hands of those who for don’t regularly read or own their own books, Glasgow Libraries will be donating 160 books to homelessness and addiction support organisations, as part of The Reading Agency’s World Book Night campaign.

The ninth annual World Book Night celebrated today (23 April) on UNESCO international day of the book, will see Glasgow Libraries gift more than 50 specially printed copies of H.G. Wells’ War of the Worlds books to members of Glasgow’s homeless community, through a partnership with Social Bite and The Big Issue.

Further copies of the book will be donated to addiction support charities including City Mission, Mungo Foundation, Elevate, Move On and Phoenix Futures.

Andrew Olney, Head of Libraries and Communities, Glasgow Life said:

In Glasgow, reading and books are available to everyone through our network of community libraries across the city.

Outreach initiatives such as World Book Night, help to ensure that the people of Glasgow, regardless of their situation, are able to take advantage of the power of a good book.

I’m delighted that Glasgow Libraries have partnered with local organisations including Social Bite and City Mission to promote the positive benefits reading can have on everyone’s lives.

World Book Night, a celebration of words and reading, has become a hugely popular annual event, and Glasgow Libraries hopes to create opportunities for people who don’t traditionally engage with books to reap the benefits of reading for pleasure by taking books to them.

Library customers will also be able to get their hands on one of the books at a special War of the Worlds listening party at Hillhead Library tonight (Tuesday), featuring the original broadcast of Orson Welles radio drama The War of the Worlds. The event begins at 6:30pm and is free to attend.

Since its inception in 2011, World Book Night has given books to millions of people across the UK and Ireland who do not normally read for pleasure. Last year, more than 42,000 people received a book with 98% stating that they were pleased to receive the book, 57% saying that they have read more since receiving the book and 64% stating that they had talked to other people about books more since the initiative.