CILIP believes that a strong and vibrant public library sector is the foundation of a better society. We know that regular access to a quality library service led and developed by professional librarians has a positive impact on learning, literacy, wellbeing, social mobility and skills.

CILIP supports the IFLA/UNESCO Public Library Manifesto, which sets out how a strong and adequately-resourced public library service strengthens our democracy and acts as a ‘living force for education, culture and information’. Specifically, we endorse the principles that:

• All public libraries must be free at point-of-use
• Public library services are provided on the basis of equality of access for all;
• Public libraries should not be subject to any form of censorship or commercial pressures
• Public libraries should meet professional standards of operation
• Public libraries should be staffed by professional librarians
• Public libraries should undertake outreach and promotional activities to encourage use

Advocating for public libraries

We advocate for public libraries in four main ways:

• Setting clear standards and guidelines for public library provision
• Making the positive case for public libraries with both local and central Government
• Harnessing public and media support for public libraries, nationally and locally
• Challenging decisions that we believe are counter to the statutory rights of library users

Welcome to Libraries induction pack

Welcome to Libraries is a magazine-style guide funded by Arts Council England, designed to impart valuable insights and links for frontline public library staff, and welcomes new librarians from their very first day, providing all the information needed to start their career journeys.

Public and Mobile Libraries Group

CILIP’s Public and Mobile Libraries Group (PMLG) is the 2nd largest CILIP Special Interest Group. It provides an active and dynamic community of practice for public library workers and is an invaluable way to support your career development in the sector.

If you’re interesting in working as a public librarian, check out our Careers page for more information and head to Information Professional Jobs for current vacancies.

A Four Nations agenda

CILIP acknowledges and celebrates the differences in governance of public libraries in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. We work jointly with our partners CILIP in Scotland and our colleagues in CILIP Cymru Wales and CILIP Ireland to tailor our approach to advocacy for public libraries to the national context.

CILIP in Scotland regularly makes representation to local authorities over proposed closures and service reductions and has provided a handy Guide to Advocacy and Lobbying for use by library workers and supporters.

Our vision for the leadership of libraries

CILIP believes in a vibrant public library sector that is locally-led, regionally-developed and nationally-promoted for the benefit of library users.

Library services should always be defined around their locality and the needs of local communities. We believe that the strongest model for the leadership and development of local libraries is a partnership between the community, local councils and professional librarians.

We believe that in an age of increased devolution, there are significant opportunities for regional coordination, including building inter-Authority partnerships, developing joint services and configuring library services around devolved structures such as city-regions.

We believe that there are development activities for public libraries that are best coordinated nationally. These include media and political engagement, lobbying for adequate funding and ensuring that libraries are embedded in cross-Government strategies (particularly those relating to health, wellbeing, education and skills). As part of this work, CILIP participates in the English Public Libraries Strategic Working Group convened by the Arts Council England.

Challenging cuts and closures

CILIP is deeply concerned about the impact of austerity and public sector cuts on the provision of public library services. As a Charity, we are committed to protecting the interests of library users to standing up for their right to a quality service, wherever they live and whatever their socio-economic status.

Since 2017, we have intervened, campaigned, made representations to and otherwise spoken out over cuts to libraries in 24 out of 151 library authorities. We always aim for any representation from CILIP to be constructive, focused on solutions and better outcomes for local people. To this end, we adopt a 6-point process for local engagement:

1. We always reach out to the local Head of Service and other stakeholders to gain a more accurate picture of what is happening ‘on the ground’ (since local media coverage is not always accurate);
2. We actively encourage local councils to engage with the Library Team at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) before embarking on proposed service changes. The Library Team has considerable experience and expertise and can advise councils on whether they are likely to fall foul of their statutory responsibilities;
3. If there is an active consultation over proposed service changes, it is vitally important for local people to engage with it. We use local media, press and our own Libraries Deliver database of library supporters to encourage people to lodge their opposition to closures through the official consultation process. We may also engage with local campaigners or campaign groups at this point to discuss any opportunities for a more joined-up approach;
4. At this stage, we may also reach out confidentially to CILIP members or library workers affected by the proposals (and a Union representative if they are involved) to discuss the situation with them, find out what their ‘best case’ outcome is and how we can support it;
5. If the consultation has concluded and is either demonstrably flawed or prejudicial, or produces recommendations which in our assessment materially damage the public’s statutory right to a quality library service, we may raise an objection with the council or local stakeholders and decision-makers, including where appropriate the Member of Parliament;
6. If we cannot divert the course of the proposed cuts or closures, we may reach out to the council and seek to engage with them on an ongoing basis to encourage them to recover and rebuild services when funs allow.
7. DCMS has published a useful guide Libraries as a statutory service which provides valuable information for councils on their statutory duties under the 1964 Public Libraries Act.

What we cannot do

As a national professional association, CILIP does not have capacity to be the lead campaigner or to intervene effectively in every local consultation process. We have developed the above process to enable us to engage with local stakeholders and library workers, and to seek to use our influence in as targeted and effective a way as possible.

As a UK-registered Charity, we can campaign against cuts and closures and engage directly with representatives of political parties (which we do frequently) but we cannot be politically partisan.

We have learned that the initial phase of announcements concerning cuts and closures, particularly on social media, often includes information that is partial or inaccurate. That is why we commonly seek direct confirmation and clarification. Because of this, our response on social media and in public fora may not be immediate.

We commonly have members on both ‘sides’ of the implementation of cuts and closures to public libraries. On the one hand, this means we are well-placed to support a balanced dialogue, on the other it means that we may not always be as definitive as people would like about the situation. Under these circumstances, we always act on the basis of our ethical principles, in a way that places the emphasis on the employment of our members and the public right to benefit from quality library services.

Setting clear standards and guidelines

We believe that sector-wide standards are an essential mechanism for the strategic development of the public library sector. We appreciate the sector’s complex history with standards, but we also recognise that without clear standards in place, it is difficult to make the case for a consistent quality of service (and to intervene when that threshold is crossed).

We are pleased to be working closely with Libraries Connected on the Arts Council-supported Accreditation for Libraries project, to develop a new standards framework for public libraries.

At the same time, we are clear that public funding is the best means of securing a public library service that is accountable, ethical and universally accessible. We advocate for fair funding to local Government and the Devolved Nations to enable Councils to sustain and improve their library services.

In support of this, CILIP has worked with the Local Government Association to support the publication of Delivering local solutions for public library services: A guide for Councillors, a free best-practice guide for Councils to use when planning the improvement of their libraries. The graphic below shows the key elements of this guidance:

Making the case for public libraries

CILIP has worked with The Big Issue to develop Public Libraries, the Case for Support. This comprehensive evidence-based document acts as our ‘calling card’ for policymakers, funders and other stakeholders who are in a position to help us secure a better future for public libraries.

We are pleased to work with our fantastic Library Champion, Bobby Seagull to ensure that we can advocate for the value and impact of public libraries beyond the immediate library community. Bobby has helped secure national media coverage, political engagement and engagement from fellow celebrities and media personalities on behalf of public libraries.

All of our advocacy activities run through Libraries Deliver, the ACE-funded advocacy platform we have developed in partnership with the US-based EveryLibrary Institute. Libraries Deliver has enabled us to develop a database of more than 12,000 local library supporters and users willing to lend their voice to our advocacy work.

Alongside this, CILIP also runs Libraries Week, an annual high-profile celebration of the value and impact of libraries, based on a specific theme each year. Previous themes have included the impact of public libraries on health and wellbeing and on digital skills. Libraries Week garners national media coverage and attracts an audience of 6m-13m people in a given year.