A new report is calling for Scotland to move “beyond adequate” in the way public libraries are supported, measured and funded, warning that without clearer national expectations, communities could face widening inequalities in access to essential services.
Public Libraries: Beyond Adequate, published by the Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC) on behalf of a national advisory group convened for the Scottish Government, sets out a series of recommendations to ensure equitable, sustainable and modern library services across all 32 local authorities.
The report makes 10 recommendations covering innovative service delivery, funding and costs, measurement and accountability, leadership awareness and national and local positioning.
Central to the report is the proposal to develop a Universal Library Offer — a clear national framework defining the essential services and experiences every person in Scotland should expect from their local library.
While councils already have a legal duty to provide an “adequate” library service, the report highlights that the term is not clearly defined in legislation, leading to growing differences in provision across the country.
The advisory group warns that without stronger national clarity, there is a risk of incremental erosion of services, increasing geographic inequality and missed opportunities to use libraries to support major national priorities.
The proposed Universal Library Offer would define core areas of service that every community should be able to access, including:
- Promoting reading and literacy for all ages
- Free access to trusted information and digital support
- Health and wellbeing programmes and safe community spaces
- Cultural activity and opportunities for creativity and learning
The framework would maintain local flexibility in how services are delivered while ensuring greater national consistency and transparency.
Libraries remain among Scotland’s most trusted public services, providing vital support for literacy, digital access, learning, culture and community wellbeing.
The report positions public libraries as essential partners in delivering Scotland’s wider national ambitions, including the National Performance Framework, child poverty strategy, digital inclusion and preventative public services, highlighting how libraries act as cost-effective civic infrastructure, helping tackle child poverty, improve digital inclusion, support preventative health and strengthen local communities.
It argues that investing in libraries represents a high impact policy lever because they already operate as trusted, place-based services embedded in every community.
Alison Nolan, chief executive of SLIC, said: “Scotland already has a powerful foundation for delivering public services through its library network. They are one of Scotland’s most trusted and far-reaching public services, and access to them should never depend on where you live.
“The recommendations in this report set out a clear path to move beyond the ambiguity of ‘adequate’ and towards a shared national understanding of what every person in Scotland should be able to expect from their local library.
“A Universal Library Offer will provide greater clarity, transparency and fairness so that people across Scotland can rely on consistent access to the services libraries provide, while still allowing local authorities the flexibility to respond to the needs of their communities.”
The report also calls for:
- A national exercise to identify the true cost of delivering equitable library services across Scotland
- Multi-year funding settlements to support sustainable planning
- A strengthened national improvement and peer-review framework for all library services
- Minimum national standards for digital access and infrastructure
- Research to quantify the social return on investment delivered by Scotland’s libraries
The advisory group presented its recommendations to Mr Angus Robertson, Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture earlier this month, with the Scottish Government welcoming the proposal, signalling full support to take the package forward.
Mr Robertson said: “I welcome the hard work that SLIC and the Public Libraries Beyond Adequate Advisory Group have put in to develop these recommendations over a short period of time. It will be for the new administration to consider and decide how they are taken forward.”
These recommendations will help inform the next phase of Scotland’s public library strategy, building on the progress of Forward: Scotland’s Public Library Strategy 2021–25 and its 2026 Fast Forward refresh. Together, the proposals aim to ensure libraries can continue to act as vital community anchors supporting learning, inclusion, culture and wellbeing across the country.
A formal national review of progress is proposed within twelve months to ensure the recommendations translate into measurable improvements.
The full report and recommendations have been published by SLIC and the Scottish Government.
Find out more: https://scottishlibraries.org/public-libraries-beyond-adequate/
