Library is the most visited in region

Date published: 17 December 2014


DESPITE the North-West seeing the largest drop in the number of local authority-run libraries in the UK in 2013-14, Oldham’s is still thriving and is the region’s most visited library.

There were more than 610,000 visits to the town’s main library in the period — the closest to this in Greater Manchester was Bolton Central Library with 529,287 visits.

The North-West now has 14 fewer libraries than it did in 2012-13 and there was also a fall in the book stock of 8.7 per cent, a larger drop than any other area of the UK.

These figures come after the region suffered the country’s largest reduction in spending on libraries in 2012-13.

Rob Whiteman, chief executive of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy’s (CIPFA), said: “Despite the decline of libraries, borrowers and books, the growth in volunteers show that many local councils are committed to ensuring that their libraries explore new ways of keeping the doors open and engaging with their communities.”

The CIPFA annual library survey covers the whole of the UK and saw the continuation of many of the recent trends for local authority-run libraries.

The survey saw the total number of libraries fall to 4,145 in 2013-14, a net fall of 49 libraries and a drop of 1.2 per cent.

Visitors to libraries also fell, down 2 per cent in the year to 282 million visits in 2013-14 and down from 322 million in 2009-10.

Last year also saw a 6 per cent decrease in the number of books lent, from 262 million issues in 2012-13 to 247 million in 2013-14, and down from 309 million books lent in 2009-10, a drop over five years of 20 per cent.
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