READERS young and old will be poring over their favourite fiction today as they celebrate the wonderful world of books.

They will mark World Book Day in libraries across Swindon which last year loaned more than a million books.

Fionuala Foley, deputy leader of Swindon Council and lead member for libraries, said: “Both numeracy and literacy are the bedrocks in children’s education. We have got to encourage reading.”

To celebrate World Book Day there will be a coffee evening at the Central Library café for participants in the Six Book Challenge to talk about their progress today from 7pm.

The Six Book Challenge invites less confident readers to read six books and record their reading in a diary with the chance to win prizes in return.

Highworth Library is today open its doors to readers’ groups from 7pm to 9pm and there is a storytime at Even Swindon Library at 3.30pm.

Issues across all Swindon libraries for the last year were 1,058,500 compared to the previous year of 960,000 and visits have increased from 866,000 last year to 952,500 this year.

The Central Library alone accounts for around 30,000 issues a month and 35,000 visits a month.

Coun Foley said reading in the town is more popular thanks in part to the new Central Library. She said: “Years ago a library used to be a ‘shush, no talking place’ – now it’s very much a social space.”

According to Swindon Council, the most popular book this year so far is The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown at 143 loans. Leon Flower, librarian at the Central Library, said crime and thriller novels proved most popular.

He said authors such Stephanie Meyer, author of the Twilight series, and Harry Potter writer JK Rowling were always high on the loan list.

While elderly women generally take out the most books, he said the service was trying to reach out to people who might not think the library is for them, particularly people from ethnic minorities.

He said: “We just want to get people from all walks of life through the doors.”

Swindon’s community poet Tony Hillier, who chose Lord of the Flies as his favourite book, said: “The pleasure of entering into the world that a book gives you is unique.”

And Swindon Literature Festival organiser Matt Holland named Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy as his favourite book from a shortlist of 143.

He said: “When you read a book you are the producer, director, actor.”