News

A new support model for public libraries has been announced today that will be a game changer in how they face future challenges. 

Libraries Connected today announce a new initiative to drive diversity in library leadership. Leading Libraries aims to tackle the lack of diversity among library staff by working with female and minority ethnic library staff who have the potential to lead libraries in the future. While public libraries attract more diverse audiences that any other cultural activity, this diversity is not reflected in the library workforce, in particular*:

Libraries Connected met with JISC to discuss the future of the Digital Library Framework. The framework was introduced in 2018 to help simplify the process of accessing online services for users. However, given the low take up of the service, we consulted with library services to determine its future viability. The survey found that:

Libraries Connected today launches their refreshed Universal Library Offers, which demonstrate work that every public library service does to enrich the lives of individuals and their communities. The four revised offers are:  Reading Digital and Information Culture and Creativity Health and Wellbeing. The four offers were announced after an eight-month independent review, carried out by Shared Intelligence. This involved extensive discussion with heads of service, library staff, funders and other key stakeholders.

This year's seminar theme was Libraries: A place for us all. Here are a some of the speeches and presentations from this year's seminar. Over 150 people from the library sector joined us to explore the role of libraries in placemaking at the heart of communities. These included representatives from CILIP, British Library, DCMS, ACE, ASCEL, Carnegie UK Trust and The Reading Agency. Libraries Connected and Carnegie UK Trust also awarded bursaries to two aspiring leaders to cover the costs of their attendance. 

Lesley Sim and Martin Burton have today been named on the Queen’s Honours list. Both Lesley and Martin are trustees of Libraries Connected and will receive a BEM for their committed and inspiring work in libraries.

Libraries Connected welcomes the new report on digital transformation in libraries from the British Library,  which is based on extensive research over the past year. 

Libraries Connected believes that reading is and should be at the forefront of library activity and 182,895,337 books were issued in 2017/18. However, reading is not only a solitary activity and libraries have had huge success engaging communities around reading.

The BBC will bring the BBC VR Hub to more than 40 local libraries across the UK from May to July in partnership with Libraries Connected and Scottish Library and Information Council. 

Somerset Libraries have been nominated as finalists in the Digital Leaders 100 Awards for the delivery of the Somerset Digital Skills Academy where they have worked with school students to encourage them to consider a career in the digital industry. 

Libraries Connected has been awarded £75,000 from the Arts Council to explore the support required by our regional networks.

The latest CIPFA figures are extremely worrying for anyone who cares about libraries.