The document discusses a research study conducted by the Carnegie UK Trust on public library services in the 21st century. The study found that (1) most people see libraries as important community assets but fewer actually use them, (2) improving digital offerings, collections, and information about services could encourage more library use, and (3) there are open questions around measuring libraries' social impact, defining their core purpose, how services should be provided, the role of library buildings, and the benefits of national coordination. The Carnegie UK Trust aims to promote further debate on these issues to help strengthen libraries.

1. A New Chapter: public library
services in the 21st century
Liz Macdonald
Senior Policy Officer
Carnegie UK Trust
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2. Why is the Carnegie UK Trust
interested?
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3. The legacy

4. Why has the Trust
returned to this policy
area?
• Increasing calls about
Carnegie libraries
• The current
challenges:
• Public spending
cuts
• Digital
developments
• Changing needs
and expectations of
library use

5. What we did
• Commissioned Ipsos MORI to carry out
research
– Phase 1 – secondary analysis of existing data
– Phase 2 – omnibus poll in 5 jursidictions

6. Research data
• Importance of libraries to communities and to
individuals
• Use of libraries
• Reading status
• Analysis by gender, age, social class, working
status, family status
• Attitudes to possible service improvement

7. Very important or essential
Q. [Generally speaking], how important or unimportant do you think public
libraries [are as a service to the community]/[to you personally]?
% Essential/Very important
Community 76
Scotland
Personally 47
Community 74
England
Personally 47
65
N.Ireland Community
Personally 39
Community 79
Ireland
Personally 45
Community 77
Wales
Personally 38
Base: All adults in each territory: Scotland (1,002) August 25-29; England (1,301) September 2-8; Northern
Ireland (1,009), September 30-October 14; Ireland (1,000) September 13-22; Wales (1,018) September 16-
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8. Importance of libraries – personally,
by library usage
Q. [Generally speaking], how important or unimportant do you think public
libraries are to you personally?
% Not important % Fairly/very important/essential
Users 11 89
Scotland
Non-users 61 38
Users 14 86
England
Non-users 56 41
N.Ireland Users 11 11 89
Non-users 69 30
Users 11 88
Ireland
Non-users 58 40
Users 10 90
Wales
Non-users 31 69
Base: All adults in each territory: Scotland (1,002) August 25-29; England (1,301) September 2-8; Northern
Ireland (1,009), September 30-October 14; Ireland (1,000) September 13-22; Wales (1,018) September 16-
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9. Library use by territory
Q. Now thinking about all types of public libraries, including libraries
provided in public buildings, on-line library services and mobile libraries,
have you used or contacted a public library in <country> in the last 12
months?
% Yes
61
50 51
45
40
Scotland England Northern Ireland Ireland Wales
Base: All adults in each territory: Scotland (1,002) August 25-29; England (1,301) September 2-8; Northern
Ireland (1,009), September 30-October 14; Ireland (1,000) September 13-22; Wales (1,018) September 16-
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10. Library use by employment status
Q. Now thinking about all types of public libraries, including libraries provided in
public buildings, on-line library services and mobile libraries, have you used or
contacted a public library in <country> in the last 12 months?
Scotland England N.Ireland Ireland Wales
69%
65%
61% 59% 60% 61%
57% 58% 56%
52% 53%
50% 51%
45% 44% 46%45% 46% 46% 48% 48%
40% 41% 39%
27%
All Full time Part-time Not working Retired
employment employment
Base: All adults in each territory: Scotland (1,002) August 25-29; England (1,301) September 2-8; Northern
Ireland (1,009), September 30-October 14; Ireland (1,000) September 13-22; Wales (1,018) September 16-
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11. The value-
action gap
Value-
Action
(Gap
43% of
I value my local adults)
library as a
community asset
(93% of adults)
I use my local
library (50% of
adults)
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12. Improvements to encourage library use
Q. I’m going to read out a number of potential changes or improvements to Scotland
public library services. For each, please tell me if it would encourage you to
make more use of library services, or would it not make any difference to you? England
Northern Ireland
% Would encourage Providing better information on services Ireland
60 Wales
Offering more mobile services 50 Being able to reserve books online
40
30
Modernising or improving the library building 20 Improving the range and quality of books
10
0
Being able to access library services in other Providing other council
locations services in library buildings
Improving the IT facilities A café or coffee shop on site
Base: All adults in each territory: Scotland (1,002) August 25-29; opening hours
Longer
England (1,301) September 2-8; Northern
Ireland (1,009), September 30-October 14; Ireland (1,000) September 13-22; Wales (1,018) September 16-
25

13. Encouraging more use of library
services
Q. I’m going to read out a number of potential changes or improvements to
public library services in England. For each, please tell me if it would encourage
you to make more use of library services, or would it not make any difference to
you?
Would encourage Would not encourage
Improving the range and 46% 52%
quality of books
Being able to look for or reserve books 45% 53%
online
Providing better information on what
services libraries offer 45% 53%
Providing other council services in library
buildings, for example, adult education 42% 55%
classes or benefits advice
Longer opening hours 41% 57%
Base: All English adults 15+ (1,301), 2-8 September 2011

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15. Five key questions
• Can we get better at measuring the social value and
impact of public libraries?
• Do we need a shared vision of the purpose of a
public library in the 21st century?
• Is it OK to provide the service in new and different
ways?
• What is the future role of library buildings as
community assets?
• Would more effective ‘national’ coordination or
direction be desirable?

16. Measuring social
impact and value
• Individual and community wellbeing:
health, access to work, digital inclusion,
literacy
• Important in lobbying for services
• Quantitative or qualitative measures
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17. What is the core purpose or aim of the
public library?
• for all or excluded?
• literacy/ knowledge/ information/
culture or access to public services?
• Impact of digital opportunities and
challenges
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18. How should the service be provided?
• Trusts or local authorities
• Use of volunteers
• The role of the professional librarian
• In the library or in the community
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19. Future role of library
buildings as community assets
• Cultural hubs
• Business hubs
• Community hubs
• Public service hubs
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20. Possible benefits of national strategy/
leadership
• Local/ regional/ national
• Promoting
– Shared services
– Effective use of IT
– Efficient procurement
– advocacy
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21. Next steps
Promoting
Dissemination
debate
Meet with
Conferences
government
Explore
initiatives with
others
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22. • http://carnegieuktrust.org.uk/home
• @CarnegieUKTrust
• lizm@carnegieuk.org
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