Public Libraries Review (Hansard, 19 February 1997)

The Government have today published "Reading the Future", the Government's review of public libraries in England.

Public libraries are a great national asset. The Government are committed to ensuring that the public library system is equipped to face the challenges of the future, of which the single most important one will arise from the impact of information technology. Libraries are likely to be a key element in providing access to electronically stored information. Technology is changing so fast that plans for introducing new systems of technology need to be flexible enough to take account of both the changes and their cost and the need for libraries to play the fullest appropriate role in this revolution. The Government have therefore asked a working group set up by the Library and Information Commission to report by the end of July on how public libraries in England should respond effectively to this challenge.

The other main issues addressed by the review are: that the core book lending and reference services will remain free of charge; public libraries should match opening hours to the needs of their users; after 2001, the money that currently goes on millennium projects will go to a new Information and Communication Technology Fund, from which libraries should greatly benefit; a £3 million contribution over three years from the Wolfson Foundation to the £6 million challenge fund to improve facilities in English public libraries announced in my Department's budget statement; that libraries need to take further advantage of the opportunities offered by private sector partnerships, and a more commercially aware management style, including franchising, voluntary contracting-out of operations, and sponsorship; libraries will benefit from the new £300 million information and communication technology fund post-2000; to raise standards in public libraries, all English library authorities will be required to produce annually a Public Library Plan which will set out how libraries have performed compared with what they achieved the previous year, the standards they set themselves for the latest year, and the standards achieved by other libraries; libraries are the focal point at the heart of many communities and service providers should build on that, for example by being more responsive to what local users want; using local volunteers; offering homework facilities for children; and encouraging appreciation of literature among users through activities such as live readings by authors.

I have today placed copies of the review in the Libraries of both Houses and am arranging for copies to be sent to a wide range of interested parties. Further copies are available on request from my Department.