11 November

In his introduction to the Public and Mobile Libraries Group (PMLG) Teachmeet in Huddersfield, Nick Poole CILIP CEO reflects on the power of public libraries, the year so far as we navigate the cost of living crisis, and lays out his plans and hopes for the year ahead.

I see Jon (Jon Davis, Co-Chair of the CILIP Public and Mobile Libraries) has put me down as ‘Director of Enthusiasm’, which is quite the introduction. But it is true, I am never going to apologise for being relentlessly enthusiastic about public libraries.

I was online teaching the Library and Information Science course at University of Belfast recently, and one of the students asked me how I remain so positive about the future of libraries. I will give you the same answer I gave them – because libraries do the most extraordinary and important thing. You provide access to knowledge and information, books and reading, a safe space for learning, somewhere people can come and do homework, get online or simply escape the pressures of daily life.

No other public institution does that. No other public institution focuses on the rights and dignity of every single person who walks through the door.

And it is profoundly important right now. It is not just the cost-of-living crisis or the fact that people are having to choose between heating and eating. Our country has experienced a national trauma – people are stressed, anxious and fearful about the future. The local library is a sanctuary – both figuratively and literally – for every single one of us.

And I know the pressures this places on you as the people who lead and run public library services. It is vitally important that you protect your own wellbeing, which is why I think networks like PMLG are so important as a place to come together for mutual solidarity and support.

2023 marks the 125 anniversary of the granting of CILIP’s Royal Charter next year and we will be celebrating 125 years of British librarianship, including the life-changing work of public libraries.

Working with our new Vice President, Sue Williamson, previously director of St Helens Public Libraries and more recently Head of Libraries for Arts Council England, we will be launching a new campaign to grow the visibility, relevance and impact of CILIP’s work in public libraries. So I wanted to share some of the work we are doing.

On a national scale, we have been supporting the LGA in lobbying for a fair funding settlement for Local Government. We anticipate a very challenging budget settlement on November 17, and it is vitally important that public services aren’t cut further to protect private sector profits.

We are working with Baroness Sanderson of Welton on her strategic review of public libraries. I have spent time working with her and she is very clear on the huge value of public libraries to their communities and the need for adequate funding to support this work.

Similarly, we have seen Lord Parkinson return as Libraries’ Minister – he is highly-connected across Government and very committed to supporting our calls for sustained investment.

We are also working with Arts Council England, Libraries Connected and the Local Government Association to implement the outcomes of our independent review of public library funding, which includes making the case for extending financial support from the Health and Social Care and Education budgets.

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) are also being far more proactive in working with us on superintendence – running an early-warning system and engaging with council leads before cuts are implemented to seek a better outcome. So while it will still be challenging, libraries are better defended than they were.

To highlight a couple of the programmes we are leading or working on:

• Green Libraries has secured a significant new investment enabling us to grow the grant fund for public libraries wishing to implement sustainability initiatives.
• We will shortly be launching the new Welcome to Libraries induction pack aimed at front-desk staff and library workers
• We will also be launching the outcome of our work with Libraries Connected on a Workforce and Skills Strategy which demonstrates how we will support professional development in public libraries
• We have been supporting the initiative to implement an accreditation scheme for public libraries and there is some really exciting news on this front shortly to be announced by the Arts Council
• We have worked with the Money Saving Expert, Martin Lewis on the new guidance A Warm Welcome [LINK] for people wanting to set up warm spaces. This has been downloaded thousands of times by libraries and other local organisations

These are challenging times, but equally I can’t recall a time when public libraries have had as much public and political support as they do today. We are working on a policy slate which includes a new call to rebuild the sector and invest in life-changing libraries for every community.

We know that libraries are fundamental to the fabric of British society and to the future of our democracy. I believe that we can and will be able to mitigate some of the impact of the damage that has been done while looking to brighter days ahead.”