Communities fighting to keep their libraries open

Communities in the West are coming together to save their libraries, with the number of users growing for the first time since the pandemic.

Bristol City Council has released a study showing that the library use in the city has recovered to about 75 per cent of pre-Covid levels in the last year.

Library support groups are hosting events to help their local facilities, with the Clifton Lit Fest in Bristol drawing more people in every year.

Phil Leonard, a member of the Friends of the Clifton Library, said: "We are under constant pressure. The battle is never won - we have an ongoing case to make."

The group is one of many groups supporting libraries under the umbrella title of Libraries West, a group of facilities in Bristol, Somerset and Gloucestershire who work together and share resources.

The Clifton group has been going since 2017, when members started a petition to save the library.

"We realised the library in Clifton is important. It's the only community building we have," Mr Leonard said.

"We have a reputation that it's only for posh people, but we get people who are lonely and have mental health problems."

The group also runs the Clifton Lit Fest, which it calls "the main money maker", and which has raised £5,000 in 2024 for libraries in the city in more disadvantaged areas.

"It brings the community together. I joined to get to know people and I believe communities should help themselves," Mr Leonard said.

Library use has fallen by around a third since 2010, according to the council report.

However, following the period of closures and restrictions during the pandemic, library use is beginning to recover to near pre-pandemic levels in 2024-25 across England.

Meanwhile, Bristol City Council is working on a new strategy to get "more people through the doors" of the local libraries.

Councillor Stephen Williams, chair of the Public Health and Communities Policy Committee at Bristol City Council, said: "The library budget is protected in its entirety. It will give people the confidence that the council cares about our library service."

Mr Williams added that usage is still below pre-Covid levels, but is steadily growing.

"I think libraries are an example of a civilised society," Mr Williams said.

"We know there were libraries going back thousands of years.

"Loneliness is a big issue in modern society and libraries can be a warm and welcoming place for people to gather."

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