Baroness Sanderson's independent review of public libraries, published on 18 January 2024, makes eight wide-ranging recommendations for the future of public libraries including the establishment of a national data hub and a national branding campaign.

We welcome the publication of the report, in particular the suggestion of automatic library enrolment for children. We believe that the review’s recognition of the cross-cutting impact of public libraries – on digital inclusion, health, literacy, loneliness and much more – will be especially appreciated by our members. We recognise at the same time that the underlying issue for the sector remains underinvestment in the public library network. To help shape our formal response to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), we are now asking Libraries Connected members to complete this short survey. 

Please read the full review before completing the survey. The deadline for responses is Friday 9 February at 5pm.

All responses will be anonymised before being shared publicly or with DCMS.