A 2025 survey suggests public libraries don’t facilitate the informed debates needed to support democracy. We talk to Patrick Malone, Project Manager at GLL, about why democracy is in the spotlight in Woolwich libraries.

WHEN Scottish Book Trust asked how often libraries “operate as a community hub for informed debate or decision-making”, most of the 180 public librarians who responded said either “never” (22.8 per cent) or “rarely” (28.9 per cent)."

This political vacuum in libraries appears at a crucial time, crucial because of increasing problems of polarisation and disinformation, but also crucial because despite these problems, libraries still have their communities’ trust.

The problem

Patrick Malone is a GLL Libraries project manager who secured funding for a democracy project that has been evolving for over 18 months. He said Meet Me at the Library, a book about using libraries to fix communities in the US by Shamichael Hallman, provided good background to his work.

The problem being addressed in the book is explained in its introduction: “The role of libraries as civic institutions is critical as we find ourselves living in one of the most divisive and polarising times in US history… Americans are demonising and othering their neighbours and peers and breaking down community... ”

The extent of this polarisation and disinformation in the UK was explored by a CILIP conference Keynote speaker in 2024. Patrick agrees these are problems but said the original motive for him was the “central issue of declining voter turnout. In the 1970s, around 70 per cent of eligible citizens voted; today the figure is closer to 60 per cent. In the 2024 UK General Election, turnout in Greenwich & Woolwich was 58.82 per cent, slightly below the national average of 60 per cent.”

He said voter engagement is particularly relevant to public libraries because: “Libraries can exist under any political system, but their role changes. In authoritarian contexts, censorship may undermine their purpose. In democracies, by contrast, libraries must protect pluralism, ensure no party preference, and uphold freedom of access to information. Declining voter engagement poses a risk to the democratic representation libraries exist to support.”

Personal interest

Any work beyond the core mission of libraries often relies on the personal interests of librarians and Patrick has a longstanding interest in the democratic system.

“I am a member of a political party and attend local conferences and branch meetings. In the past, I have campaigned door to door, but the most interesting experience was working in data gathering. This involved speaking to residents about their priorities in the upcoming election. It was eye-opening to see how local data informs national strategy, and how parties can adopt rhetoric without necessarily committing to corresponding policies.”

This interest led him to spot how a change in the law might have implications for the community he served: “I initially chose to pursue this area in 2023, when I applied for European Challenge funding, because I recognised that new voter ID requirements might be a barrier in Woolwich.”

Patrick sought funding for a democracy related project and Woolwich libraries was awarded £10,000 by the European Cultural Foundation for its Democratic Library project. This has continued to evolve from helping voters access the system to exploring how “public libraries can and should be political in a neutral and meaningful way”.

Evolution

More changes in the democratic system have created more avenues for library involvement. “With 16-year-olds gaining the right to vote, we are exploring partnerships with secondary schools to help young people understand how to register, read manifestos, and review policies. We are also developing GLL libraries as centres of democratic engagement,” he said.

He added that he is “currently working with colleagues in Wandsworth and Bromley to expand this offer. In Greenwich, staff trained by the electoral department assist residents with online registration, taking photos for ID, and checking the electoral register. For the May local elections, we will work with community partners to reach demographics less likely to vote, including renters, non-graduates, and immigrants. This targeted approach is supported by research from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.”

Will it work?

Patrick goes into detail about the practical work being done – for more details see the latest edition of Information Professional. He also discusses whether libraries are able to help when polarisation is so rampant in communities that the bonds required for democracy are at risk as in the US.

Shamichael Hallman’s argument is that a sense of belonging needs to be recreated before tackling something as specific as voting. But Patrick doesn’t think this is the case here yet: “I believe libraries already achieve this to a large extent. Our trusted status and welcoming spaces mean residents feel a sense of belonging, which creates fertile ground for promoting voter engagement.”

His view may be local to Woolwich, but the sense that UK communities aren’t broken as badly as their US counterparts is borne out by the Scottish Book Trust findings.

The author of that report notes how enormous the gap is between the low-levels of democratic activity in libraries compared to the very positive responses to other measures of ‘active citizenship’ like having a strongly diversified audience, providing equal access to information and safe spaces.

With these foundations the issues that divide communities and the technical impediments to voting are surmountable. Patrick said: “I believe libraries must allow the free exploration of ideas, even when polarising. Bernard Crick’s defence of ‘messy politics’ resonates with me: disagreement within the same space is healthy and should not be avoided. We must be prepared for disagreement but not deterred. Debate is healthy, and polarisation should not prevent libraries from facilitating constructive engagement… Some libraries shy away from it, but I believe it is vital where space allows.”

This is part of a longer article published in the latest edition of Information Professional