Where to read, write, browse and fall in love with books in Plymouth
Whether you devour novels, haven't picked up a book in years, love comics, listen to audiobooks, want to write your own stories or simply fancy finding somewhere quiet to sit and read, there are plenty of ways to get involved with Plymouth's reading community.
2026 is a particularly good year to rediscover reading in Plymouth. As the city celebrates 150 years of Plymouth Libraries, the UK is also marking the National Year of Reading, encouraging us to think differently about what being a reader actually means.
Because reading doesn't have to mean working your way through an enormous novel.
It might be sharing a picture book with a toddler, listening to an audiobook on the bus, disappearing into a graphic novel, researching your family tree, swapping recommendations over a drink, writing poetry, discovering local history or finally starting that story you've been carrying around in your head.
So, whether you're six or 96, an avid reader or someone who insists books aren't really their thing, here's where to read, browse, write, meet other readers and find some inspiration in Plymouth.
Start with your local library – it's free
Perhaps the easiest place to begin is Plymouth Libraries – and if you haven't been into your local library for a while, you might be surprised by what's available.
Plymouth has 11 libraries across the city, and membership is completely free for anyone who lives, works or studies in Plymouth.
Joining gives you access not only to books, but eBooks, eAudiobooks, digital magazines, newspapers and comics through BorrowBox. Members can also use library computers and Wi-Fi for free, research local and family history and take part in activities and events.
For families, regular activities include Rhymetimes, Storytimes, crafts, Lego and coding, while adults can find book groups, family history sessions and other opportunities to meet people.
That makes the library a particularly good place to experiment with reading without spending anything. Borrow a crime novel. Try manga. Download an audiobook. Take your child to Storytime. Pick something purely because you like the cover. If you don't enjoy it, return it and try something else.
Cost: Free to join. Many activities are also free.
Find out more and join Plymouth Libraries:
https://library.plymouth.gov.uk/
Find activities and events:
https://library.plymouth.gov.uk/en_GB/-/activities-and-events
Find out about library membership:
https://library.plymouth.gov.uk/en_GB/-/your-plymouth-libraries-membership
Reading for company and wellbeing: Feel Better with a Book
You don't even have to read alone.
Feel Better with a Book takes place at Central Library and brings people together to enjoy novels, short stories and poetry in a small, friendly shared-reading group.
There's an opportunity to read aloud, but the emphasis is on sharing stories, meeting people and enjoying the experience together. The sessions are intended to support wellbeing as well as providing a welcoming social space.
Sessions currently take place weekly on Tuesdays from 2pm–3.30pm and Wednesdays from 3.30pm–4.30pm.
It's a lovely reminder that reading can be as much about connection as solitude.
Cost: Free.
Where: Central Library, Armada Way.
Find out more:
https://www.plymouth.gov.uk/events/feel-better-book-central-library
Image: katerinakucherenko
Read, relax and connect with Devon Mind
For a book club with wellbeing and connection at its heart, Devon Mind runs a monthly book club and social get-together at Mrs Browns Bakery in Plymouth.
The group offers a relaxed space to meet other readers, share recommendations and talk about the books that have made you laugh, cry, think differently or simply provided a welcome escape from everyday life.
Each month, the group chooses a fiction or non-fiction title to discuss, often exploring books with themes around mental health or particularly inspiring stories. But there's no pressure to keep up: you don't have to read the book of the month to attend. You're welcome to bring along something you're already enjoying, grab a coffee and cake and join the conversation.
The group is part of Devon Mind's wider focus on supporting wellbeing and reducing isolation, recognising the role reading can play in relaxation, connection and taking some time away from everyday stresses and screens.
It's another great option if you'd like books to become a more social part of your life, particularly if a very formal book club doesn't appeal.
Where: Mrs Browns Bakery, Plymouth
When: Monthly – check Devon Mind for upcoming dates.
Find out more about Devon Mind:
https://www.devonmind.com/
Mrs Browns Bakery:
https://www.mrsbrownsbakery.co.uk/
Find your reading community
Traditional book clubs are great – but they aren't for everybody.
Perhaps you don't want a reading deadline. Perhaps you don't fancy analysing chapter 17. Perhaps you'd simply like to sit somewhere with other book-loving people and talk about whatever you've happened to pick up.
Keep an eye on Plymouth's growing number of informal reading meet-ups, book clubs, writing groups and social reading events.
September is a particularly good month to explore them because Read Write Yap, Royal William Yard's first literary festival, is taking place throughout the month.
The festival celebrates reading, writing and spoken word with local authors, independent booksellers, creatives and community groups, with activities ranging from workshops and talks to book clubs, storytelling and opportunities simply to enjoy books.
There's even a Blind Date with a Book pop-up in the Arcade until 30 September. Books are wrapped with only clues about their genre and mood showing, so you can take a chance on something you might never normally choose.
Look out too for events including Write Out Loud Ideas Jam and Write & Share with Plymouth Writers Network on Saturday 19 September, plus a Story Walk around Royal William Yard on Sunday 20 September.
Some events are free while others carry a small charge, so check individual listings before attending.
Explore the Read Write Yap programme:
https://royalwilliamyard.com/readwriteyap
More about the festival:
https://royalwilliamyard.com/news/royal-william-yard-launches-its-first-literary-festival-this-september
Prefer to read together… quietly? Try Plymouth's Silent Book Club
Love the idea of a book club but not so keen on being told what to read – or having to discuss it afterwards? Plymouth Silent Book Club might be for you.
Part of the global Silent Book Club movement, the Plymouth group has been bringing readers together since 2023 and offers a brilliantly low-pressure way to enjoy reading while still being part of a community. There are no assigned books, no homework and no obligation to speak. Simply bring whatever you're currently reading – whether that's a paperback, e-reader, audiobook or even a textbook.
Meet-ups usually include some optional time to chat and grab a drink, followed by around an hour of companionable silent reading, with more time afterwards for anyone who fancies swapping recommendations or getting to know other readers.
The group meets once or twice a month at welcoming Plymouth venues including Boston Tea Party at Sutton Harbour and The Treasury, and has grown into an online community of more than 2,000 members. It also runs other events including Books & Breakfast and The Writers Room.
It's particularly lovely if you're new to Plymouth, would like to meet people without the pressure of constant conversation, want to carve out some dedicated reading time, or simply like the idea of sitting quietly with a good book in the company of others.
Cost: Free to attend – and there's no need to buy a particular book.
Find Plymouth Silent Book Club on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/262547829968667
Follow @silentbookclubplymouth on Instagram for upcoming meet-ups and events.
Read together and make new connections with Chapter 25
If you do love the idea of everyone reading the same book and getting together to talk about it, Chapter 25's Plymouth Book Club offers a sociable monthly option.
The group meets at Seco Lounge on the first Tuesday of every month from 7.30pm until around 9.30pm, bringing people together to discuss a chosen book, share recommendations and, importantly, make new connections.
There's a big emphasis on the social side of reading, so it could be particularly appealing if you're new to Plymouth, looking to meet people or simply want to carve out some regular time for yourself. Members can also keep in touch between meetings and access online events including author Q&As, bookish quizzes, craft nights, cook-alongs and genre-specific book clubs.
You can read each month's choice however suits you – physical book, Kindle or audiobook – although you'll need to source your own copy.
Cost: £9.99 per month, with a minimum three-month commitment, or £99.99 annually. The monthly book isn't included in the membership price.
When: First Tuesday of every month, 7.30pm–approximately 9.30pm
Where: Seco Lounge, Royal William Yard
Find out more and join Chapter 25:
https://www.chapter25bookclub.com/
Want to write rather than just read?
Maybe reading other people's stories has made you wonder whether you could create your own.
Plymouth Writers' Group welcomes both established and newer writers and covers everything from short stories and poetry to longer works and occasional screen, stage and radio scripts.
The group meets at the University of Plymouth on the second Saturday of each month from 10.45am–1pm.
It isn't tutor-led. Instead, members support one another, share skills and offer feedback – making it an interesting option if you've already started writing and want to meet other people doing the same.
Potential members can enquire about attending as a guest or observer.
Cost: £3 monthly subscription, paid by members attending the session.
Find out more about Plymouth Writers' Group:
https://plymouthwritersgroup.uk/
And if you're only just thinking about writing, don't assume you have to call yourself a "writer" before you're allowed to begin. Look out for one-off creative writing and poetry workshops across Plymouth too. They can be an easy way to experiment without committing to a regular group.
Step inside a library that's more than 200 years old
For a completely different library experience, discover Plymouth Proprietary Library on St Barnabas Terrace.
Founded in 1810, it's older than Plymouth's public library service and offers a wonderfully atmospheric place to read, research, attend talks and explore its collection.
Membership provides a quiet reading and study environment, borrowing rights for up to ten books, Wi-Fi, computer access and free or reduced admission to talks and events.
Annual membership in 2026 costs £80 for an individual, £140 for joint membership and £40 for students, or there is a £20 quarterly membership option.
But you don't always need to be a member to go inside.
As part of Heritage Open Days on Saturday 19 September, the library is holding a free Rare Book Display from 10.30am–12.30pm, featuring treasures including a first edition of John Milton's Paradise Lost, a third edition of Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre and a 1724 edition of The Plymouth Weekly Journal.
Later that day, at 2pm, author and library patron Judy Leigh will discuss her novel The Three Witches, written as Elena Collins and inspired by the sisters in Shakespeare's Macbeth. This event is also free.
If you like old books, history or simply the smell of a proper library, put this one in your diary.
Find out more about Plymouth Proprietary Library:
https://www.theppl.org.uk/
Talks and special events:
https://www.theppl.org.uk/events/talks-and-special-events
Browse an independent bookshop
There is something about browsing books in person that no algorithm can quite reproduce.
At The Old Queeriosity Shop on Bretonside, you'll find an independent, queer-run bookshop specialising in LGBTQIA+ literature, including fiction, non-fiction, poetry and children's books.
The shop describes itself as both a bookshop and a community hub, creating a welcoming space for members and allies of the LGBTQIA+ community.
It's also a good example of why exploring an independent bookshop can help if you're stuck in a reading rut. Talk to the bookseller. Tell them the last thing you loved – whether that's a television series, film, game or book – and ask where you should go next.
Books vary in price, of course, but simply browsing and discovering what's out there costs nothing.
Where: 41 Bretonside, Plymouth.
Find out more:
https://toqs.co.uk/
Browse their books online:
https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/toqs
Go big at Waterstones
For sheer choice, Waterstones Plymouth on Charles Street is another easy place to lose an hour amongst the shelves.
Alongside new fiction and non-fiction, you'll find extensive children's and young adult sections, graphic novels, manga, cookery, biography, history, travel and plenty more.
It's worth keeping an eye on the shop's event listings and displays too, particularly for new releases, author activity and seasonal recommendations.
And remember: you don't have to buy something every time you browse. Bookshops can be useful places simply to discover authors, genres and ideas you haven't encountered before.
Find Waterstones Plymouth:
https://www.waterstones.com/bookshops/plymouth
Comics and graphic novels absolutely count
If the phrase "National Year of Reading" immediately makes you picture a worthy classic you were forced to study at school, we're giving you permission to forget that image.
Comics count. Graphic novels count. Manga counts.
Plymouth has specialist comic shops including The Hive Mind Comics at Frankfort Gate and Final Frontier on Cornwall Street, both worth exploring if illustrated storytelling is more your thing.
Graphic novels can be particularly brilliant for reluctant younger readers – but they are emphatically not just for children. Horror, fantasy, memoir, history, romance, superheroes, literary fiction and incredibly sophisticated visual storytelling all live on those shelves.
If you don't know where to start, ask.
The Hive Mind Comics:
https://www.thehivemindcomics.com/
Final Frontier:
https://www.finalfrontierplymouth.co.uk/
Read without buying anything
Reading can be one of the cheapest ways to escape somewhere else for a few hours.
As well as Plymouth's free library service, keep an eye out for second-hand books in charity shops, community book swaps, Little Free Libraries and shelves where books can simply be exchanged.
During Read Write Yap, the Blind Date with a Book pop-up at Royal William Yard includes a mix of new and second-hand books available for a small fee.
And don't overlook books you already own. The unread novel on the bedside table counts just as much as this week's bestseller.
Listen instead
Still convinced sitting down with a book isn't for you?
Don't sit down.
Audiobooks count too.
A free Plymouth Libraries membership gives you access to eAudiobooks through BorrowBox, alongside eBooks, magazines and newspapers. Download something to your phone and listen while walking the dog, commuting, cooking, exercising or doing the housework.
For people who struggle to find uninterrupted time to read – and for some people with visual impairment, dyslexia or other access needs – audio can completely change their relationship with books.
Cost through Plymouth Libraries: Free with membership.
Find Plymouth Libraries' online resources:
https://library.plymouth.gov.uk/en_GB/web/arena/online-resources
Get children involved – without making reading feel like homework
One of the best ways to help children enjoy reading is to allow them to discover what they actually like.
That might be a novel. But it could equally be comics, football facts, joke books, dinosaurs, Minecraft, mythology, animals, magazines or a book they've heard 47 times and still want you to read again.
Plymouth Libraries' regular Rhymetimes and Storytimes introduce babies and young children to language and stories through play, songs and sharing books, while activities such as Lego and coding offer another reason for older children to feel that the library belongs to them too.
Check the Plymouth Libraries events calendar for what's happening at Central, Crownhill, Devonport, Efford, Estover, North Prospect, Peverell, Plympton, Plymstock, Southway and St Budeaux libraries.
Many family library activities are free.
Find children's activities and events:
https://library.plymouth.gov.uk/en_GB/-/activities-and-events
Research your own story
Sometimes the most fascinating story is your own.
Plymouth Libraries provides access to local and family history resources, including Findmypast, Ancestry Library Edition and the British Newspaper Archive from library computers.
Central Library's collections include local and naval history material and historic newspapers, giving you the opportunity to delve into Plymouth's past.
So if novels aren't your thing, perhaps start by discovering who lived in your house, finding a long-lost relative or seeing what was happening in Plymouth a century ago.
Library members can access many of these research resources for free.
Explore Plymouth Libraries' family history resources:
https://library.plymouth.gov.uk/en_GB/web/arena/family-history
Find somewhere and simply… read
And finally, you don't need an event, club or activity at all.
Take a book somewhere you enjoy being.
Find a seat at Central Library. Head to your neighbourhood library. Settle into a café. Take a paperback to the Hoe. Read beside the water at Royal William Yard. Find a bench in a park. Sit on the Barbican with a coffee. Or stay at home and put your phone in another room for half an hour.
There isn't a correct way to be a reader.
You don't have to finish every book. You don't have to read literary fiction. You don't have to read quickly. You don't even have to read printed books.
Read a comic. Listen to an audiobook. Share The Gruffalo for the hundredth time. Join a group. Write a poem. Browse a bookshop. Research your family. Pick up a thriller. Read five pages.
Start with what you love and see where it takes you.
Keep discovering
Throughout the National Year of Reading and Plymouth Libraries' 150th anniversary, we'll be exploring more of Plymouth's reading and writing community – from the people who write and sell books to the groups bringing readers together and the stories that have shaped the city.
We'll also be asking people across Plymouth what they're reading, what they recommend and, perhaps most importantly, what they'd give to somebody who thinks they don't like books.
So watch this space – and tell us where you go to read, write, browse or talk about books in Plymouth.
