Author:
Liz Macdonald
Year: 2012

What Next For Public Libraries in England?

  This factsheet provides a summary of English data on attitudes to and use of public library services. The research shows that people in England still love libraries, with around three-quarters (74%) believing that they are either very important or essential to their community, and that exactly half had used a library at least once in the last year.  There is however a gap between the value placed on libraries and levels of use: just over half of those who had used their library in the last year had used it at least once a month (52%). The data was collected  by Ipsos Mori on behalf of the Carnegie UK Trust in an omnibus poll carried out in all five jurisdictions covered by the Trust in its work (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland). The poll was conducted over the period August – October 2011. A total of 1301 people aged 15 and over were surveyed in England. The full research report containing data from across the UK as well as review of the current policy debate can be found here and additional factsheets for Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland are also available. A discussion paper which sets out the main questions which the Trust believes need to be answered in order to move towards a public library service fit for the 21st century can be found here.

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