Public libraries, austerity and homelessness
I am providing a link here for my recent presentation at the British Sociological Association, in April 2019. In the presentations I talked about public libraries, austerity and homelessness. I was keen, of course, I highight that public libraries do far more than lend books. They are one of the remaining freely accessible civil society institutions and, in their local form, provide a public sphere for civil engagement; from social arena, to providing opportunities for participation. However, austerity measures have cut public library budgets, resulting in limited opening hours, depleted stocks, reduced staff and a growing reliance on volunteers. Other services are fighting, or have succumb to, closure.
While cuts to public libraries affect us all, the consequences are unequal and reflect a widening gulf between rich and poor. Those who are excluded, less able or disenfranchised disproportionately rely on public libraries, not only as a source of information, but as a space of inclusion. To illustrate, this paper draws on ongoing research on the impact of austerity on public libraries. It presents the accounts of homeless people and their everyday encounters with their local library. On one hand the public library was relied on for access to information services necessary for navigating welfare reform, for informal education and books for enjoyment. On the other, it cultivated homeless users’ sense of belonging, providing a space of safety, peace and sanctuary. The paper demonstrates the vital contribution that public libraries make to supporting community well-being and social justice – but only when given proper investment and priority.
What I hope was that the presentation would be a stark rendering of what will be lost should statutory public library services continue to be cut, and of how austerity is creating the conditions for widening social divisions.
