Libraries are an essential part of our communities. In fact, libraries have been regarded as a ‘statutory service’ since 1964 when the Public Libraries and Museums Act came into being. Metropolitan, unity, and county councils are legally obliged to provide a comprehensive and efficient library service for everyone who lives, works or studies in their locality.
The Public Libraries and Museums Act puts the onus on the Secretary of State for Culture, Media, and Sport to make sure decision-makers from councils comply with this legal obligation.
Libraries depend on state and private funding
Councils are accountable for footing the bill for libraries in England and Wales, but have you ever wondered how they are paid for? Well, if you have ever been curious about it they actually ‘receive their revenue, income, and financial support from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Arts Council England, business rates, the collection of Council Tax contributions, grants from central government, and many other funding bodies’ for ‘capital expenses and specific projects’. A third source of income for libraries is the service it runs itself such as:
- services delivered on behalf of government or health agencies
- shops or
- cafes.
Lack of funding is a problem
Libraries Connected explains that ‘libraries have been left vulnerable to cuts. The group advised firstly, that local authorities are obliged to use their income for what are described as ‘other activities and services’. Secondly, the group also points out that in ‘recent years while the demand for services – particularly adult social care, school transport and homelessness has increased, the amount received by councils from the government has reduced significantly’ as local authorities ‘struggle to balance their budgets’. This is ‘despite libraries being a statutory service’ under the Public Libraries and Museums Act.
Libraries Connected observe that ‘net expenditure by local authorities on public library facilities has declined by nearly 50% between 2009 and 2023’. In monetary terms this is from a figure of “£1.2 billion in 2009 to £637 million in 2023’. The reduction in funding has caused the closure of nearly 200 ‘static libraries in the United Kingdom since 2016, which were regarded as statutory services and governed by the Public Authorities and Museums Act’. Deep-diving into the details of the static libraries which have sadly closed down, just shy of 30 of these facilities have ‘moved to being operated by an independent community organisation from a wholly run by the local authority’.
When comparing the least deprived and most deprived places in the United Kingdom, Libraries Connected found that ‘since 2016, 7% of libraries in the most deprived areas have permanently closed their doors. Measured against the ‘least deprived’ counterparts the research found that ‘3% of libraries located in these locations faced closure’.
Libraries are more than just books
Campaigners keen to stop the closure of our much-treasured library facilities see the situation as about more than just the loss of books, the knowledge, and stories contained in them. Those wanting to save the libraries from closure such as Judith Ankers view libraries as being at the heart of the ‘community’. She observes that libraries are a place where:
- “the community can escape into the enchanting world of different stories’,
- our children nurture their growing minds, and
- our neighbours find support and solace’.
Warrington’s Westfield Library
Ankers gave the example of Westbrook Library in Warrington, believed to stand out as it is the ‘only-non council-owned library building in the Westbook area of Warrington. The library facility has been threatened with closure over the last few weeks after Burtonwood and Westbrook Parish Council disclosed plans to shut it down seemingly in breach of its obligation to provide statutory library services’.
The Council claims that the potential closure is part of balancing the books. However, Alan Guthrie, a Westbrook councillor stated that the local authority ‘is already subsiding annual running costs of £5,000’ per annum. Mr Guthrie also asked for members of the community to support the campaign to save Westbrook Library as the entire community will be significantly impacted as ‘St Phillips School use the library’ for the purposes of providing education to the pupils under its care.
The campaigner also points to problems for elderly residents with the closure of libraries such as:
- the potential loss of ‘local resources’ for ‘elderly members of the community’
- being unable to travel far; and
- the potential loss of what Ankers described as a ‘hub of literacy’.
How can we take action
Suppose you as a reader feel strongly about the closure of our libraries. In that case, you cannot do better than following the advice of Councillor Guthrie who said as follows ‘If you are a user of the library and are unhappy with the decision, you should write to your borough councillors and the chief executive Steven Broomhead. Their emails are on the council website’.
Additionally, people can put their weight behind campaigner Judith Acker’s petition to stop the local authority from breaching its statutory obligation to provide libraries to its residents. At the time of writing, Mrs Acker’s petition has attracted 328 signatures, and the next target is 500 signatories. The Secretary of State should save this important community and educational resource.
Let’s see if we can stop another library from closing its doors for the last time.
