Give someone a sausage and they’ll eat for a day, give them a library and they’ll create a successful charcuterie

By Rob Green

Unbelievably, sausages are more important than libraries to our legislators if the parliamentary guide Hansards is anything to go by. Access to public libraries and their resources has a positive impact on individuals, communities and the economy – yet in recent times, sausages have been spoken about more often than libraries in parliament.?

It was good to watch the House of Lords Grand Committee debate on Public Libraries in the UK. Inspired by the recent release of Baroness Sanderson’s Independent review of Public Libraries in England the debate was a chance to look at, and celebrate, the many positives that stem from the public library network (not just in England, but across all four home nations).?

Mentioned in the debate is the fact that sausages have featured in Hansards more often than public libraries. It’s true that the British Public eat 175,000 tones of sausages every year, and we are not denying they deserve their time in Parliament. But recent figures about library use show that they are an invaluable part of millions of people’s lives and deserve their space in parliamentary debate. There are more than 7 million active borrowers, 214 million visits, and around 165 million books loaned (not including the growing trend in ebook loans). Although these figures are a few years old now, they do reveal how well-used, and well-loved, libraries are. ?

And we know that public libraries are facing real difficulty in terms of funding, closures, and cuts to services. So, it is hugely welcome to hear Peers from all parties talk with passion about library services and the value they bring. ?

Just in terms of savings to families through the loan of books, 165 million loans (at ￡10 per book if they were being bought) is an impressive ￡1.65bn a year. And it’s worth remembering that a lot of these readers move on to purchasing books from their favourite authors after discovering them in their local library. ?

But books are just one element of what public libraries do, and the list of services they provide is growing all the time. From maker spaces and study areas to business support and health advice our public libraries are a vital part of building and supporting successful communities.?

In a timely reminder of the often-hidden impact of libraries and the people who work in them, Libraries Connected has released a report highlighting how they are helping to fuel the UK’s creative industries – an area that provides a living for around 2.4 million people and generates an annual ￡126bn for the UK economy. The report, Public Libraries and the Creative Industries, reveals that libraries are not just places where authors go to write their latest blockbuster (although many of them do), they are places of research and learning. They are spaces that allow people to experiment and discover their talents. Libraries give access to digital tools and they provide workshops and expertise that helps light a path into the creative industries.?

These activities are being repeated across the country in other sectors of the economy – helping entrepreneurs to build a business from scratch, and crucially supporting their business journey to ensure they have a long-term, sustainable future. ???

I could carry on listing the many benefits that library services bring to their communities, but someone will always be able to add “one more thing”. Library services adapt to the needs of their local communities and are ever evolving – great news for library users, but something of a Sisyphean task for those of us trying to compile a list of benefits and services. ?

In her opening remarks, Baroness Sanderson was quick to recognise the huge amount of good emanating from libraries. She was also quick to point out that often this work goes unrecognized by many. The debate was a chance to shine some light on that work, and CILIP has played its part in helping Peers to understand some of the different facets to a library’s output. Our Libraries Change Lives project was one of those mentioned during the debate – the interactive map is a fantastic way to amplify your work and it’s good to know that our politicians are taking notice. You can add your own services story to the map and tell the story of libraries, raising awareness levels among decision makers and beyond.?

It was also good to note that Baroness Sanderson’s opening remarks began with a call for a longer session to be set aside to discuss libraries (speakers were limited to just a minute to make their points). This suggestion was greeted with a chorus of approval, so fingers crossed that we will see more discussions like this, alongside much-needed support for the library network. ?

Next month CILIP will be co-hosting an event in Parliament with dozens of MPs and Lords expected to come along and find out more about the work going on across all sectors of the library, information and knowledge management professions. It is a fantastic opportunity to connect directly with politicians and explain to them how valuable you and your services are. It would be fantastic if we could share even more of your stories, so do please look at Libraries Change Lives and add your own case study. ?

And if you want to contact your own local political representative we have just released CILIP Connect, a free guide to help you build connections with MPs, councillors and other key decision-makers through a positive and constructive dialogue. You can find the toolkit here.?

I’ll leave you for now with Baroness Sanderson’s summary of the magic of libraries. She said: “No matter who you are or where you are from you can walk into any library in the country and ask for help. In return you will be asked for precisely nothing. There will be no charge, you will never be asked to justify yourself – you simply be welcomed in. And there is no other institution today, be it public or private that can say the same. And that is something worth preserving.”?

Watch the debate here and add your support for libraries by uploading a Libraries Change Lives Case Study or using the CILIP Connect toolkit to help you speak directly to your local MP and council about why libraries are more important than sausages.?

CILIP Connect is a new Member benefit that sets out to provide guidance, key messages and resources, including template letters, to enable librarians of any sector to contact Government, local MPs, and councillors, and raise awareness of the power and value of libraries in our institutions and on our high streets.