Unison warns of falling library numbers

Unison, the UK’s leading public sector union, is warning that falling footfall in libraries is a worrying trend, sparked off by service cuts and closures that will hit students of tomorrow hard.

The union called on local people to get behind their libraries, or risk losing the service, which is not protected by ring-fenced funding, and is seen as a soft target for cuts.

Heather Wakefield, Unison head of local government, said: “Libraries are a fantastic local service. They give people free access to education and support, including the young and elderly, provide a hub for communities, and help millions of people to discover the joy of reading. Many young people getting their GCSE results today would have used their local library to study.

“It is worrying to see library footfall going down, but many councils have been under-investing in this vital service for years. Spending on new books, and the total book stock has fallen by more than 15% over the last ten years.

“Libraries are set to be hit by massive cuts, following the Comprehensive Spending Review. Many councils are already drawing up plans to close libraries down, to replace trained staff with volunteers or to stop providing mobile library services altogether.

“Running local libraries into the ground will have a devastating impact on local communities. Unison is reiterating its call for local people to get behind their library service. The union is also calling on the government to put a statutory duty onto local councils, setting out the library service they have to provide. Well trained librarians, as well as investment in books, is crucial to making libraries attractive places for people to visit.”