Library numbers continue to decline, CIPFA survey finds

11 Dec 14
The number of council-run libraries in the UK fell in the last financial year as cuts to local government funding continued to hit services, a survey by CIPFA has found.

By Richard Johnstone | 10 December 2014

The number of council-run libraries in the UK fell in the last financial year as cuts to local government funding continued to hit services, a survey by CIPFA has found.

The institute’s annual library survey found the number of libraries fell by a net total of 49 to 4,145 in 2013/14.

The total number of libraries is down from 4,482 in 2009/10 – the last financial year of the last Parliament – equating to a total drop over the period of 7.5% and a net loss of 337 libraries as councils deal with spending cuts.

Visits to libraries also fell by around 6 million visits in 2013/14 to 282 million, while the number of active borrowers fell from 10.3 million to 9.8 million over the year.

This continues the decline in the number of visits and active borrowers since 2009/10, when there were 322 million visits and 12 million active borrowers.

Publishing the details, CIPFA chief executive Rob Whiteman said the landscape for local libraries in the UK was changing rapidly.

‘While local authorities are continuing to seek new ways to make sure libraries can continue to act as a vital part of our communities, the statistics show that there is significant pressure on library services across pretty much every area of the UK,’ he said.

‘Despite the decline of libraries, borrowers and books, the growth in volunteers show that many local councils are committed to ensuring that their libraries explore new ways of keeping the doors open and engaging with their communities.’

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