24-02-2025
Library income in Great Britain has increased by 18% over the last financial year, according to the latest annual library survey published today by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) and Infoshare+.
The survey finds that library income rose from £830.90 per 1,000 people in 2022/23 to £978.9 per 1,000 people in 2023/24. This rise in income comes at a critical time for local authorities, helping to ease some of the demands of rising running costs. At the same time, total library expenditure rose by 2.0%, reaching £12,732 per 1,000 people in 2023/24.
In-person and online visits also continue to rise. Physical visits increased by 13.5%, from 2,114 per 1,000 people in 2022/23 to 2,400 per 1,000 people in 2023/24. Web visits saw an even more significant jump of 36.9%, from 1,760.1 per 1,000 people in 2022/23 to 2,410.5 per 1,000 people in 2023/24.
Despite this positive momentum, the survey finds a worrying trend in staffing levels. While volunteer numbers grew by 7%, the number of paid library employees declined by nearly 1.7%, dropping from 0.213 per 1,000 people in 2022/23 to 0.210 per 1,000 people in 2023/24.
Joanne Pitt, CIPFA Senior Policy Manager, said:
"It's encouraging to see in-person visits continuing to rise, highlighting the ongoing demand for these vital services. However, rising operational costs remain a significant challenge and the rise in income will not negate cost pressures. Sustainable funding is essential to ensure libraries can keep delivering resources and support communities rely on.
"The decline in library staff is concerning. Volunteers are providing invaluable support, but we cannot expect this to keep propping up library services indefinitely. We should be investing in a skilled workforce, so that libraries can continue serving communities across Great Britain.”
Steve Thorn, Executive Chair at Infoshare+, said:
“The increase in library website visits by nearly 40% evidences the public’s increasing comfort accessing and engaging with public services online. This is not surprising; as technical literacy continues to grow across the population, digital service delivery presents local authorities with an efficient way to meet their constituents’ needs. Savvy local authorities seeking to maintain strong service delivery in the face of squeezed budgets may indeed look at the results from the survey with an eye on how to ensure they are fully harnessing the efficiency gains that digital services can bring.”
|
Indicators |
2022/23 |
2023/24 |
% Change |
|
Book issue per 1000 population |
2,186.7 |
2,197.9 |
0.5% |
|
Physical visit per 1000 population |
2,114.7 |
2,399.8 |
13.5% |
|
Web visit per 1000 population |
1,760.1 |
2,410.5 |
36.9% |
|
Revenue expenditure per 1000 population |
£12,488.4 |
£12,732.3 |
2.0% |
|
Revenue income per 1000 population |
£830.9 |
£978.9 |
17.9% |
|
Volunteers per 1000 population |
0.58 |
0.62 |
7% |
|
Employee (FTE) per 1000 population |
0.213 |
0.210 |
-1.7% |
Notes to editor
- The time period for the data covers the 2023/24 financial year.
- CIPFA and Infoshare+’s annual library survey is sent to all local authorities in England, Scotland, and Wales. The figures for the 2022/23 financial year are based on a 48% response rate to the survey.
- 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.
- Averages are based on the authorities who submitted data to us both years; therefore, the 2022/23 figures will not match exactly the 2022/23 figures supplied last year.
- Total revenue income for libraries includes specific grants, overdue charges, reservation fees, lettings, hire of audio and visual materials, electronic revenue, provision of library services to other local authorities, receipts from the public (e.g., photocopying), corporate income, and other miscellaneous sources. The total expenditure is how much was spent on libraries by central and local government.
- These statistics are based on provisional questionnaire returns from local authorities and are liable to adjustments and alterations before the final dataset is released.
- For further enquiries, please contact the CIPFA Press Office press@cipfa.org.
About Infoshare+:
Infoshare+ is a UK-based public sector partner offering innovative and responsible data and software solutions. The company’s team of experienced public sector experts are trusted by hundreds of organisations across local and central government, as well as health and emergency services. Infoshare+ focuses on empowering customers with software that enhances decision-making and helps them.
About CIPFA:
The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) is a global leader in public financial management, dedicated to improving public services and governance through innovative research and practical solutions.