Rachel Van Riel Email & Phone Number

Opening the Book has grown from a small group of freelancers to an established creative force in the world of libraries and reading promotion. We offer reader-friendly library design and installation; innovative staff training programmes; websites for readers; and consultancy on a wide range of topics relating to changing libraries. We are based in Yorkshire in our own-designed office just off the A1. Opening the Book Furniture, which I co-direct with Helen Thomas, is based in Birmingham and designs and manufactures display furniture for libraries and schools with an innovative approach to primary schools called BookSpace.

I headed a 3-year programme to work with 33 local authorities in England to create agents of change and transform the library service.

Yorkshire

This creative community publisher trailblazed new practice in making art from ordinary lives across books, plays and visual arts. I was one of a small team doing everything from directing shows to fundraising.

Sheffield, United Kingdom

The first community arts post to be based in a library service changed my life. With jobshare Chris Meade I set up a fantastic programme of creative reading and writing activities in libraries across the city, culminating in the Opening the Book Festival of 1989 which changed literary festivals in the UK - Peter Florence of Hay said so.

Yorkshire

I taught lots of OU arts and drama courses in the SW and Yorkshire and was Staff Tutor for Yorkshire.

Brighton, United Kingdom

Teaching across all 3 years of the syllabus, especially poetry, I have never read as much in my life as I did to keep ahead in this post.