Public Libraries in the UK

Have you ever found yourself wondering about the situation with public libraries in the UK? Me too, which is how I found myself with a seemingly infinite number of tabs open in my browser, all with various Guardian articles from the past year. From these articles, it seems that public libraries in the UK are facing many of the same problems of those in the US. A reduction in usage has led to massive budget cuts, which has led to a shocking number of libraries being closed (over 900 between 2012 and 2014) (Flood, 2014). What isn’t quite the same is the UK’s response to it.

The library community’s response to the crisis is very similar to that in the US. The ALA’s UK counterpart is the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals, or CILIP. On their website, CILIP states their belief that public libraries’ success in the future lies in having “a more important role in learning and in access to digital technology” (Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals, 2015). In a 2012 OCLC survey of librarians in the UK, public librarians stated that they expected both the use of online resources and using the library as a meeting place would be in the top three library uses within the next five years (OCLC, 2012). A government-sanctioned 2014 report called for the government to provide funding to roll out Wi-Fi in every public library, along with better computer equipment (Flood, 2014). All of this should sound familiar and logical to members of the library community in the US.

But it isn’t quite that simple. The government, of course, is unimpressed with library usage and, therefore, not willing to give as much money as libraries want. This, too, is similar to the situation in the US. However, there are also members of the library community, people who are campaigning to help save libraries, that don’t necessarily agree with all of these changes. One member of the Library Campaign said that the only reason people aren’t using libraries as much is because “there is nothing remotely interesting to read” (Flood, 2014). This response is worrying on multiple levels. For one, it demonstrates a complete misunderstanding of the issues libraries are facing. For another, it shows an unwillingness to change in order to meet these challenges, which could mean the end of public libraries in the UK. Overall, my introduction to public libraries in the UK. was an alarming one, and one I hope that they can resolve.

References:

Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals. (2015). Public libraries — CILIP activity. Retrieved from http://www.cilip.org.uk/cilip/advocacy-campaigns-awards/advocacy-campaigns/public-libraries/public-libraries-cilip-activity

Flood, Alison. (2014). Experts demand urgent overhaul of England’s public library service. The Guardian. Retrieved from http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/dec/18/experts-demand-urgent-overhaul-of-englands-public-library-service

OCLC. (2012). A snapshot of priorities & perspectives: UK public libraries. Retrieved from https://www.oclc.org/content/dam/oclc/reports/uk-libraries/214758ukb-B-Member-Communication-Survey-Report-UK-public-web.pdf