
British libraries in crisis

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According to a recent article in The Independent, a British new magazine, libraries in Britain are in crisis due to cuts in funding and declining attendance. Since 2011, 324 libraries have been closed and the decline will continue unless urgent action is taken, says William Sieghart, author of the Independent Library Report for England, which was commissioned by the Government. He recommends a complete overhaul of the library system, with every library being fitted for wi-fi. Apparently only a third of Britain’s libraries do not have wi-fi. Compare that statistic with wi-fi in our public libraries, where 91% offer free wi-fi, according to the 2014 Pew Report. Sieghart’s report also calls for the appointment of a National Task Force, led by councils but supported by groups such as the BBC, Arts Council England and the British Library – to improve national standards.

One Response to “British libraries in crisis”

  1. Maria Says:

    In the US the health of a library has a direct correlation to how the library is funded. Libraries whose budgets go up for a public vote are universally better funded than libraries who rely on politicians to supply the funds.

    I wonder how the British libraries are funded.

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