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A commitment from government that funding for the library service will be safeguarded is among the recommendations made by public service union UNISON in the newly released report from its "People's Inquiry" into the public library service, held on 11th February.
The event, chaired by broadcaster Sue McGregor and held at the British Library, heard directly from library staff and users about the challenges currently facing the service. The inquiry recommendations focus heavily on library funding and calls for councils to move away from the "silo approach" to budgeting that, in the report's words "penalises library services by imposing greater demands without the funding to pay for them."
The report warned that "cutbacks are already taking place", with one delegate from Birmingham reporting that in the UK’s second city, the book fund has been frozen for ten years. Over 40% of themembership survey respondents (42.7%) reported that their library had cut services or delayed the introduction of planned new services over the last two years, while almost two thirds of respondents (62%) stated that staffing levels were inadequate in their library.
The report concluded that "publicly owned and accountable, publicly provided library service needs to have sufficient funds to maintain and develop an attractive book stock in welcoming and functional premises, open at times that are convenient for users".
It also recommends a "New Deal type building programme in which libraries are strongly featured" to address the issue of building renewal.