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New government figures show a marked drop in the number of people using libraries in the last 7 years.
The Taking Part survey, a Department for Culture, Media and Sport survey into the population's engagement with arts and heritage, found that in the 12 months leading up to June 2013, 36% of people in England had used a library, down from 48% of people in 2005/6 when the survey was last carried out.
The biggest drop was seen among young users, with only 31% of the 16 to 24 age group using a library, down 20% on the 2005/5 figures.
Drops in library usage stand in contrast to rising engagement with arts and heritage generally, with the number of adults in England who had visited and museum or gallery up to 53%, compared to 42% in 2005/6, while 78% of adults had participated in arts as a whole.
Annie Mauger, chief executive of CILIP, the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals, told the Daily Express: "These figures are shocking but sadly not surprising. When there are less libraries, less librarians and less money to spend on stock, you can't be surprised if usage drops."
Laura Swaffield, chair of The Library Campaign, told The Bookseller: "We see these figures quoted in lots of different ways, but unless we look at libraries authority by authority, it is very hard to see a true picture. Some places are doing very well, and some are doing badly, and until we separate the good from the bad it is hard to tell what is happening. Of course in some areas usage will drop, simply because there are now fewer libraries to go to."
Research by Public Library News shows that 349 libraries have been closed or lost from local authority control since 1st April 2013.