The Bookseller.com

5th July 2009

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Third year of library book spend fall, says LISU

28.10.08 Benedicte Page

Book spend in UK public libraries has declined for the third year running, according to the latest statistics.
Newly released headline figures from the LISU Public Library Materials Fund and Budget Survey, which is backed by Nielsen BookData, show spending on books falling -1% in 2007/8. The fall represents an increase in the rate of decline on the two previous years (-0.6% in 2006/7 and -0.2% in 2005/6).

Budget estimates for 2008/09 suggest there will also be a further -0.5% decline in library spending on books over the next annual period.

The decline in book spend comes against a background in which total library expenditure has remained flat year-on-year. Thirty-eight "service points" have been lost across 42 authorities, a decline of -1% overall. However library opening hours have increased (up 0.5%), with a further increase of 0.4% estimated for 2008/9. Total reported staff numbers have fallen by 1.2%, with professional staff hit particularly hard, down 6.2%.

Clare Creaser, director of the LISU research and information centre at Loughborough University, said: "The headline figures from this report show a broad overview of public library spending on materials, but conceal a wide variation between individual authorities. Although the overall picture
is one of declining budgets, a number of authorities have seen budget increases, in some cases substantial."

The full report, including actual figures, will be published on 3rd November.

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