As public libraries expand what they’re doing for communities, long-term underinvestment means they need support

A strategy still awaited

In June 2026, former libraries minister Baroness Twycross said the government was developing a five-year national strategy for libraries and reading in England. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport was expected to publish it over the summer, but a new libraries minister is now in post and the strategy remains unpublished.

England’s previous public library strategy covered 2016 to 2021, while the law underpinning the service dates to 1964. Research cited in the article finds that the Public Libraries and Museums Act remains relevant but does not clearly set out the purpose and expectations of a modern service.

Wider roles, limited resources

Library services report declining funds for buying and maintaining books and other resources, costly and complicated access to digital reading materials, and ongoing workforce pressures. At the same time, government expects libraries to contribute to a growing range of public policy goals.

Change adds uncertainty

Libraries’ ability to support these partnerships depends on skilled staff, welcoming buildings, current collections and sustainable services. Their resilience, the research argues, can conceal the accumulated effects of long-term underinvestment.

Local government reorganisation could reshape many library authorities as existing county and district councils are replaced by unitary authorities. In September, the process was halted for a government review, leaving libraries to serve communities while preparing for structural changes that may or may not go ahead.

Protect the core offer

The research describes shrinking physical collections, including books, comics, graphic novels and audiobooks on CD, alongside persistently low investment in new stock. These materials support reading for pleasure, literacy, lifelong learning and access to information, and are central to the identity of public libraries.

The forthcoming strategy will need to address whether it strengthens libraries’ core services or further broadens what they are expected to do. Celebrating contributions to health, education and economic growth without improving core functions risks leaving the underlying problems unresolved.