Every audiobook accessed by our members represents an opportunity to learn, laugh, escape, and to feel included. From children discovering their first adventures to adults continuing a lifelong love of reading, the Listening Books service supports connection and independence for thousands of people across the UK.
Beyond individual enjoyment, our service helps break down barriers to literacy and inclusion, creating lasting social impact by ensuring that stories and knowledge are shared widely across communities.
We are proud to deliver a service that has such a positive impact, you can find out more about us in our annual review, and we've brought together insights from our members below.
*stats taken from a survey of 740 members conducted in 2025.
I love Listening Books. Through all the hard days, I have a good place to go. Thank you.
Jacqueline
I also want to thank you for providing this fantastic service for people as I have been unable to read physical books for about a decade now and when I found Listening Books I hadn’t read a book for about five years. You gave me back my love of books and I am so grateful to you for opening up the world of audiobooks for me!
Alison
Listening Books has made texts being studied in English lessons much more accessible to those pupils who struggle with the printed word alone. They have therefore been able to concentrate far more on classroom activities to accompany the texts as they are spending less time and energy on reading them. One pupil has made great progress in his reading assessments through being able to follow along with the book as he reads as he now derives pleasure from reading rather than it being something he avoids....All in all, discovering Listening Books has been really helpful in promoting the joy and benefits of reading to pupils for whom it is not an easy or natural thing to do.
Head of Library, Oakham School