Reduction in Funding to Public Libraries

The Museums, Libraries and Archives Council, will be abolished from 2012. Despite the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS)’s pledge of continued support for libraries, with a focus front-line, essential services 1, reduced funding available to local government has resulted in 495 of the UK’s 4517 libraries being under threat, recently closed or removed from local authority control 2.

Evidence for possible benefits:

There is evidence of current voluntary community participation in libraries. In 2009/10, 17,111 people volunteered in libraries, an increase of 7.7% from the previous year 3. Funding cuts or community ownership of libraries may lead to increased levels of volunteering, of which there are known health benefits 4.

Evidence for possible risks:

A recent evidence review found the following health benefits of public libraries 5:

• Higher literacy rates are associated with improved mental and physical health and wellbeing
• Higher literacy rates are associated with increased rates of civic engagement, trust and participation (which may have indirect health benefits)
• Library provision of information to support patients in choosing a hospital is satisfactory to patients, and reaches excluded groups such as older people and the homeless.
• Bibliotherapy (books on prescription) improves patient self-management and patient-doctor collaboration

Libraries also provide other health-related services, including a range of health information, physical activity programmes and therapeutic reading groups. There is however a lack of evidence for the impact of these services on health.

Lack of staff and financial resources have been identified as barriers to provision of health-promoting activities in libraries 6. There is therefore a risk that funding cuts or library closures could remove the health benefits currently offered by libraries. There is however no evidence of whether these benefits could be maintained in an alternative system of library provision, such as community run-libraries.

Implications for health & well-being:

There is evidence for health benefits associated both with general literacy, and with some specific programmes offered by libraries. Closure of libraries or reduction in their funding is likely to lead to a loss of these benefits. It is not known if these benefits could continue to be provided through an alternative system of library provision, such as community run libraries.

Author: Flora Ogilvie, Specialty Registrar Public Health, LKSS Deanery.

UK area affected: UK wide

References:

1. DCMS improves efficiency and cuts costs with review of arm’s length bodies. Department for Culture Media and Sport, 2010. (webpage) http://www.culture.gov.uk/news/media_releases/7297.aspx accessed on 01.04.11.

2. Cuts and closures by local authority. Public Libraries News. (webpage) http://publiclibrariesnews.blogspot.com/p/cuts-and-closures-by-local-authority.html accessed on 01.04.11.

3. About libraries. The Reading Agency. (webpage) http://www.readingagency.org.uk/media/libraries/ accessed on 01.04.11

4. The health benefits of volunteering: A review of recent research. Corporation for National and Community Service. Washington, 2007. DCMS 2009. http://www.nationalservice.gov/pdf/07_0506_hbr.pdf accessed on 01.04.11.

5. Capturing the impact of libraries. Department for Culture, Media and Sport. London, 2009. http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/http:/www.culture.gov.uk/images/publications/Capturing_the_impact_of_libraries.pdf accessed on 01.04.11.

6. Public library activity in the areas of health and wellbeing. Museums, Libraries and Archives. London, 2010. http://research.mla.gov.uk/evidence/documents/library-health-final-report-20-May-2010.pdf accessed on 01.04.11.