Access to books is not a luxury but a fundamental driver of educational success. For many children, schools are the first and only place they encounter a wide range of books and stories. School libraries are not optional enhancements but essential infrastructure—powerful equalisers that ensure every child, regardless of background, can engage with reading and realise their potential. School libraries must form a central pillar of the National Reading Guarantee which we are recommending. (Conclusion, Paragraph 159)