According to the annual report of CIPFA – Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, there is a 3% rise in library spending in Great Britain. In the research, it has been found that the total expenditure on libraries was £12,551 per 1,000 people during the financial year 2022/23. It was £12,143 per 1,000 people in 2021/22. However, in 2018/19, this was only £12,646 per 1,000 people.
Hence, this year’s increase in library spending marks a positive shift. The CIPFA survey also revealed that the library income increased by 3% over the last financial year. This can relieve the financial pressure on libraries as high inflation continues to increase their running costs.
After the end of the pandemic, in-person visits to libraries have increased by 71% (1,215 per 1,000 people in 2021/22 to 2,082 per 1,000 people in 2022/23). Also, there is a rise in the number of books borrowed by 24% to 2,316 per 1,000 people, from 1,868 books in 2021/22. But, the web visits fall by 26% for libraries.
While there has been no increase in staff, the number of volunteers has shown a significant recovery since the COVID-19 pandemic. In 202/22, the volunteer number was 0.34 per 1,000 people; in the 2023 survey, it was 0.59 per 1,000. So, there is almost a 74% increase in the number of volunteers for libraries.
This increase in library spending offers hope amid ongoing financial pressures driven by high inflation, which have been steadily increasing the operational costs of libraries across the nation.
CIPFA CEO, Rob Whiteman, said:
“It’s encouraging to see service points and book issues increasing since the end of the pandemic, but while funding and income levels are slightly recovering, they still lag behind the rising demand for services. Libraries certainly require ongoing support.” “The fact that in-person visits and volunteers have dramatically recovered shows demand for library services is strong. Libraries are valuable to the communities they serve. Sustained funding is crucial if they are to remain a vital part of the community.”
How was the survey done?
The annual library survey of CIPFA for the 2022/23 financial year covered local authorities in England, Scotland and Wales. This survey data is based on a 61% response rate from various libraries. Due to the larger response rate for the 2022/23 financial year, there is a discrepancy between the 2021/22 data published this month and the 2021/22 data published on 2nd February 2023, which saw just a 43% response rate.
CIPFA said, “Figures have been presented as per 1,000 people to provide the most accurate data possible based on the survey response rate and to enable comparison to previous years.”
Total revenue income for libraries includes specific grants, overdue charges, reservation fees, lettings, hire of audio and visual materials, electronic revenue, etc. The total expenditure is how much was spent on libraries by central and local government.
Note: CIPFA does not release the overall report to the media. The information above is based on the headline statistics provided to the media in a press release.
Navkiran Dhaliwal is a seasoned content writer with 10+ years of experience. When she's not writing, she can be found cooking up a storm or spending time with her dog, Rain.