When was the last time you went to a library? Did you go as a child, and have you stopped now as an adult? These are questions sparked by the Roundtable conversation ‘The Reading Crisis: Time for Solutions’ with Sanjee de Silva, Debbie Hicks, Mark Galway and Alison David at The Bookseller Children’s Conference 2024. 

Two key issues discussed were that ‘we should be attempting to create ways that make reading more accessible not just to younger individuals but to everyone’ (Silva, 2024) and that ‘libraries are a good way to have this accessibility if funding was there to support libraries more’ (Hicks, 2024). But is this true? And what support is there for adults? 

According to Arnott Smith and Eschenfelder, ‘[…] the library profession has never agreed on the proper role of librarians in relation to adult education.’ (2013, p.300) which suggests the library systems have forgotten and are failing to assist adult members of the community. Arguably, adults may want to use the library more than children, as Arnott and Eschenfelder suggest that ‘As governments cut public service staff and rely more on online applications processes […] the public’s demand for assistance […] increases while library budgets decline.’ (Arnott Smith & Eschenfelder, 2013, p.316). It is clear the online services of the library have become more important to adults than going to the library to borrow a new book or to read. 

Furthermore, the Roundtable discussion mentioned inclusivity of the library space, with speakers arguing that ‘significant efforts need to be made in order to enable accessible literature for all, and particularly for those with learning difficulties including dyslexia’ (de Silva, David, Galway, and Hicks, 2024). Unfortunately, this argument highlights the flawed accessibility of the library that may be a result of the ‘library budgets decline’ as suggested by Arnott Smith and Eschenfelder (2013, p.316). If libraries are not being given the resources to make their spaces available to all members of the community, then what is the incentive? This lack of inclusivity does nothing to encourage parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles to explore their library or bring their family along! 

Therefore, in order to begin changing views about libraries being inaccessible to adults, we need to actively engage with the libraries near us to help them become more accessible. If you see an event there, tell people about it and invite them. If we can start by getting more people to access their library for fun and engaging events, then perhaps we may see a change in views towards the library! 

By Philippa Thompson

Bibliography: 

Arnott Smith, C. & Eschenfelder, K. (2013) ‘Public Libraries in An Age of Financial Complexity: Toward Enhancing Community Financial Literacy’, The Library Quarterly: Information, Community, Policy, US, Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 83 (4), pp. 299-320. Available at: https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/671912 (Accessed: 18th October 2024).

David, A. Galway, M. Hicks, D. and de Silva, S. (2024) ‘Roundtable: The Reading Crisis: time for solutions’ at The Bookseller Children’s Conference, London 30th September 2024. London: The Bookseller. Available at: http://www.thebookseller.com/login?magic=9wsgb2j2b38nd8 (Accessed/Attended: 30th September 2024)

Image Used: Picture of Bookshelf taken by myself at my home