The public library – so often overlooked, and yet so invaluable to us as a society. It is easy to become disheartened when we hear that spending on British libraries has fallen by 17%1, or that there has been a long-term fall in the number of people using public library services2. I’m sure that many of us avid bookworms and literary enthusiasts share fond memories of the library from our childhood. I know that for me, our local library was a safe-haven amongst the mayhem of early adolescence. And yet this romantic tendency to consider libraries as a space reserved for those intellectuals or book enthusiasts overlooks the vast array of services the library offers – and more importantly, which they offer for free. 

Fig.1

The accessible nature of libraries is perhaps one of their most distinguishing features, and this is exactly what was emphasised during Lending Lessons: What we can learn from (and about) libraries today, a panel discussion at this year’s The Bookseller Children’s Conference. Library professionals Emma Braithwaite, Stella Hine, Katy Vaughan and moderator Adam Tulloch (CEO of ASCEL) discussed what libraries can offer beyond simply lending books. 

The decline in reading for enjoyment was highlighted throughout the conference: earlier in the day, Farshore director Cally Poplak revealed that only 20% of children read daily for pleasure3. But beyond this number, there are even greater disparities among children from lower socio-economic backgrounds. Children who receive free school meals read even less frequently than their peers4, while 1 in 5 children say that they do not own their own book5. These figures are discouraging, but the solutions are there – and that is where libraries come in. 

Libraries serve as a community hub. They are safe, trusted places where children can engage with science events, arts and crafts, and story time sessions. And, as Emma Braidwaite noted, they are vital for social mobility. Not only do libraries offer children independence with their book choices, which has been shown to directly influence reading motivation, but critically, they are accessible for all families. For disadvantaged children, they are an indispensable resource which simply cannot be found elsewhere. 

During the panel, Katy Vaughn (Bournemouth Library) presented the shocking statistics that 42% of disadvantaged children leave primary school unable to read well6, and stated that ‘libraries are for everybody,’ – especially those who may not have the resources to purchase their own books. This alone draws attention to how important libraries can be for low-income families, especially during a cost of living crisis, and how important it is that we continue to champion their funding and promotion. 

As Vaughn suggested, publishers and librarians must work together to secure a brighter future for libraries, and to ensure that all children have access to the resources they need to discover the joy of reading.

@shaunydavis_

  1. Shaffi, S. (2023) ‘Spending on British libraries falls 17% as in-person visits soar’ The Guardian, 2 March. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/mar/02/spending-on-british-libraries-falls-17-as-in-person-visits-soar#:~:text=Figures%20released%20by%20CIPFA%2C%20the,%C2%A312%2C646%20in%202018%2F19. (Accessed on: 14th October 2023) ↩︎
  2. Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (2020) ‘Libraries: Taking Part Survey 2019/20’ Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/taking-part-201920-libraries/libraries-taking-part-survey-201920 (Accessed on: 14th October 2023)
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  3. Poplak, C. (2023) Bookseller Children’s Conference. ‘Publishing with purpose’. [Presentation] 2 October, Waterloo: County Hall. ↩︎
  4. National Literacy Trust (2023) ‘Children and young people’s reading in 2023’ Available at: https://literacytrust.org.uk/research-services/research-reports/children-and-young-peoples-reading-in-2023/ (Accessed on: 13th October 2023)
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  5. Braithwaite, E. Hine, S. Tulloch, A. and Vaughn, K. (2023) ‘Lending Lessons: What we can learn from (and about) libraries today’ (Panel discussion) 2 October, Waterloo. County Hall ↩︎
  6. Braithwaite, E. Hine, S. Tulloch, A. and Vaughn, K. (2023) ‘Lending Lessons: What we can learn from (and about) libraries today’ (Panel discussion) 2 October, Waterloo. County Hall ↩︎