Thirsty? Go to a library, not a coffee shop

Libraries must shed their old-fashioned image and become more like coffee shops with free Wi-Fi and comfy sofas, according to a report into the future of the service.

The era of libraries as hushed reading rooms with books as their sole product is over, and in order to survive they must become “vibrant and attractive community hubs”.

The recommendations are made in the Independent Library Report for England, commissioned by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport earlier this year.

The report's underlying message is that a library “does more than simply loan books”.

It recommends that the government roll out Wi-Fi to every library in the country. Currently, around 1,000 libraries (roughly a third of the total for England) do not offer it.

Other proposals include a scheme – similar to the Teach First programme for schools – in which the brightest graduates are encouraged to become librarians, bringing digital skills and commercial savvy to the role.

“The 21st century librarian will need to be more of a community impresario with digital and commercial expertise who can champion their communities’ needs and generate new business and audiences for the library,” the report sats.

The panel was chaired by philanthropist and publisher William Sieghart, founder of the Forward Prize for Poetry, and included novelist Joanna Trollope and British Library chief executive Roly Keating.

One of the key findings was that libraries have an image problem. They are failing to attract a younger, digitally-savvy crowd who would rather surf the internet from a coffee shop than a library on the same street.

“By not providing Wi-Fi and high quality computer facilities, libraries often present a negative image of being old-fashioned places that have little relevance in today’s society,” the report says.

“What we would like to see is a re-invigoration of the library network. It starts with a marked increase and improvement in digital technology, rolling Wi-Fi out to every library in the country.

“That Wi-FI connection should be delivered in a comfortable, retail-standard environment, with the usual amenities of coffee, sofas and toilets, and offer, in addition, such new services as would make the library a vibrant and attractive community hub.

“By providing computer facilities, whether they are tablets, mobiles, laptops or other devices, libraries will be able to meet user needs and free up more space to facilitate a wider range of services. It will also encourage a wider demographic to into the library.”

The report calls for better branding and promotion of libraries.

And it recommends setting up a local government-led taskforce to act as “advocate” for public libraries, drawing on the expertise of the British Library, the Society of Chief Librarians, the BBC and others.

While much of the report deals with attracting a new, younger, it also stresses the importance of serving those who have no computer access at home and rely on libraries to apply for jobs and fill out online forms.

Libraries need to be properly funded and resourced in order to continue their important work with children’s literacy and adult education, it adds.

“Despite the growth in digital technologies, there is still a clear need and demand within communities for modern, safe, non-judgmental, flexible spaces, where citizens of all ages can mine the knowledge of the world for free, supported by the help and knowledge of the library workforce,” the report says.