Opportunity to shadow The Libraro Prize 2026!

Libraro is inviting six UK-based book clubs to shadow its inaugural year of The Libraro Prize 2026 with a chance for you to get exclusive experiences and share your experience. Each group will receive instructions on how to take part in feeding back on sample chapters which have been submitted to the prize, and how you engage with the Reader Engagement Prize with a chance for you to win £10,000. You will be reading entries via the Libraro platform (you will not be receiving physical titles).

All groups with members aged 18+ are welcome to apply, whether you’ve been meeting for years or are thinking about forming a new book club. We are keen to have some groups who are engaged with social media to increase the reach of the Prize, but don’t let this put you off applying. We hope to see participants of all ages and genders from across the UK.

Selected clubs will be spotlighted on The Reading Agency’s and Libraro’ s social media platforms, have support from the Prize to help create a bespoke experience and will have the chance to share vital feedback on how you engaged with the Prize to help us shape future years!

To be considered, please complete the form below by midday on 27 February 2026. Selected clubs will be notified 2 March 2026 and will be invited to an exclusive meet the prize virtual meeting on 5 March (World Book Day) at 6pm. In this meeting you will be able to meet other clubs taking part, hear directly from the Prize and hopefully an author who has entered the Prize. You will then be asked to read as many of the entries as possible by 20 March 2026. To help us capture your clubs experience you will then be asked to fill in the feedback questionnaire by 10 April 2026.

Please do not enter if your club members will not be able to engage with the activities outlined.

More about The Libraro Prize

Libraro is a community-driven platform connecting writers, readers and publishers in a secure, data-driven environment.

The Libraro Prize 2026 reimagines how authors are discovered, by giving readers an active role in championing emerging talent. The winning entry will win a £50,000 package from Libraro and a book deal with a major international publisher – Hachette UK.

The value of the role that readers play is recognised with The Libraro Reader Engagement Prize worth £10,000 where readers are incentivised to engage with entries.
Key dates and involvement

27 February, noon – Closing date for book clubs to apply to shadow The Libraro Prize. All groups who pitched to be notified of outcome by 4 March

5 March, 6pm (provisional) – The Reading Agency to host a virtual meeting with two members of the six selected clubs to introduce them all to each other, set expectations and answer any questions

w/c 2 March – 20 March – Book club members to read and write feedback for as many entries to The Libraro Prize as possible to help the judges create a shortlist

10 April - Questionnaire and photos from each group to be sent to The Reading Agency for final feedback for the Prize

21 April - Shortlist Announced

13 May - Winners Announced


Benefits for selected book clubs

  • Your club will be included in two spotlight articles at the start of the shadowing process and in April. This will be shared on The Reading Agency’s Book Club Hub and on social media
  • Social media spotlight and content for your channels about your experience
  • Exclusive opportunity to hear directly from those running The Libraro Prize in a virtual meet up
  • Support to help your club make the most of the Libraro platform
  • The chance to help authors be discovered, by playing an active role in championing emerging talent
  • Be part of the inaugural year of The Libraro Prize
  • The chance to win £10,000 with the Reader Engagement Prize
  • We also have 2x passes that we will offer selected book clubs (first come, first serve) to London Book Fair on 10 March with a drinks reception

Expectations of those involved
  • We will use your book club bio and photo submitted for this survey to do a Meet the Book Clubs article similar to this
  • Your book club members to all engage with the Libraro platform and read and leave feedback for as many entries as possible. The Libraro Prize will support you by sharing links to submissions for particular sub genres your club would like to read as well as a how to guide (2 March – 20 March)
  • Two members of your club to attend our exclusive virtual meet up with those involved so that you can hear directly from the Prize (tbc)
  • As a club, answer a questionnaire to help us capture your experience of shadowing the Prize and using the Libraro platform (10 April)

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