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22/06/2006 What young people think of public libraries |
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Public libraries must continue to evolve to keep pace with the expectations of young people, a major new report confirms.
Released at a seminar in London today, the report, commissioned by the DCMS (Department for Culture Media and Sport) and funded by MLA (Museums, Libraries and Archives Council) and the Laser Foundation, studies the views, perceptions and attitudes towards public libraries of people aged between 14 and 35.
MLA Head of Library Policy, John Dolan said:
“The report confirms that public libraries face significant challenges in terms of this age group. We must accept that change is necessary and that libraries need to adapt to meet the evolving needs and expectations of the community.
“We chose to look at the views of this age group, because we know that this is the age range of people who don’t use libraries – it’s important to understand why they don’t, in order to plan for the future.”
Culture Minister, David Lammy, said:
"This report throws a vital light on what 14 to 35 year olds think of public libraries. This is an important and, at times, vulnerable sector of this country’s population and many would benefit from closer engagement with the public library service.
"The Government is committed to finding ways to encourage libraries to be more inclusive so they reach out to all members of the community. This is a key focus of 'Framework for the Future', the Government's strategy for public libraries and we are working with the MLA and local authorities to help libraries engage more actively with the communities they serve. To meet the needs of 21st century audiences libraries must be more attractive, relevant and welcoming spaces."
Today’s launch of the report included a presentation by the Define group (the Qualitative Research Organisation which conducted the study), and discussions and debate about the findings and recommendations. Library users and non users in these age groups were at the seminar, to discuss what they want, if anything, from a public library, along with examples and people from other sectors where transformation of the image and service has been successful.
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