15/05/2026
In Professor Larissa Behrendt AO's powerful opening keynote for the ALIA 2026 National Conference, she explores why libraries are spaces of hope, how reading strengthens social cohesion, and why we need a coordinated national reading strategy.
“A national reading program would strengthen the entire cultural ecology. It supports writers by building audiences. It supports publishers and booksellers by sustaining demand. It supports libraries by deepening engagement. And most importantly, it supports social cohesion by creating a shared space where ideas, stories and perspectives can be encountered with depth and with care.”
In Professor Larissa Behrendt AO's powerful opening keynote for the ALIA 2026 National Conference, she explores why libraries are spaces of hope, how reading strengthens social cohesion, and why we need a coordinated national reading strategy.
“A national reading program would strengthen the entire cultural ecology. It supports writers by building audiences. It supports publishers and booksellers by sustaining demand. It supports libraries by deepening engagement. And most importantly, it supports social cohesion by creating a shared space where ideas, stories and perspectives can be encountered with depth and with care.”
Read the full keynote via our website and join the call to support reading in the next National Cultural Policy.
