Australia’s public libraries are thriving as the cost of living rises. We can’t afford to lose them
- Written by: Heather L. Robinson, Research Associate - Creative Industries, Flinders University
Library visits in the United States have almost halved over the past decade. But in Australia, they’re up 10% compared to a year ago, according to a new report. In fact, our public libraries are thriving – and cost of living pressures seem to be playing a role.
Public engagement with library programs and events has increased by one million. Loans of books, DVDs and other items are at their highest rate in five years, and overall loans are up 23%. On average, every person in Australia borrowed 6.5 library items in the year 2023-2024. While libraries increasingly provide online access and borrowing (32% of all loans are now digital), physical borrowing is still important.
But there’s bad news, too: adjusted for inflation, Australian library funding has decreased 12% in the past five years. And spending on library collections is similarly down, by 14%. Libraries are also hiring less trained librarians, and relying more on volunteer staffers.
“This reduction in funding for libraries comes at a time when local governments are reporting cost-shifting from State and Federal governments to councils,” said Cathie Warburton, CEO of National and State Libraries Australasia, one of two organisations behind the report (the other is the Australian Library and Information Association).
I’ve published my own research into the cultural value of libraries and the vital services they provide for our communities, focusing on the State Library of South Australia. I found that libraries are highly prized by members of the public as free “politically neutral space”, and as shared community resources which are “part of a civilised society and must be upheld and adequately funded and staffed”.
Libraries are nothing less than our secret weapon in the war against ignorance and isolation.
‘I love that activity’
When times are financially tough, the public turns to libraries to help meet their social, intellectual and cultural connections.
Public programs fulfil this important function. A record number (409,444) were offered across Australia during 2023-24. They were tailored to audiences ranging from early childhood to seniors – and all ages in between. Public programs range from lifelong learning opportunities – family history lectures, art exhibitions, language classes and book groups – to early learning classes for pre-school children (with and without singalongs).
In my research, I surveyed and interviewed close to 200 people about their use of and relationship with public libraries. A recent arrival from Spain shared their experience of visiting an Australian library:
So I arrive … and at 10 o'clock, all the children singing in the library, oh I can’t believe it, it’s fantastic, I love that activity… because in Spain, a library means silent.
They continue libraries’ traditional role of improving reading levels and information exchange, but today libraries also offer a range of other benefits to communities.
One was providing a freely accessible source of “information that is true (i.e. not fake)” provided by staff who are “friendly”, “kind” and “helpful”. Another was being “a quiet and relaxed atmosphere to study, meet, discuss things”.
A wellbeing session for seniors is one program making a difference.
Leish/Pexels
Provided free of charge, this “makes us feel good about living here” and is a “great way of getting out, doing something new and for heading into the city”, my interviewees told me.
One program making a difference is Geri-Fit, a wellbeing session for seniors run in four Canberra libraries. Participants report finding new friendships as well as intrinsic physical benefits.
Digital access
For the third year in a row, the number of internet hours accessed in public libraries (through on-site devices and those brought to libraries) increased. It is now over 14 million hours.
Digital access is now a cornerstone of the services public libraries provide: through both onsite devices and free wifi.
These services have expanded rapidly, becoming vital in more remote and regions of Australia, where public libraries are addressing the absence of reliable internet coverage and commercial IT support services.
Some libraries now provide one-on-one technical assistance for their visitors. Librarians’ new role as “digital mentors” can create a challenge when staff levels outside of urban areas are comparatively low.
Librarians’ new role as ‘digital mentors’ can be challenging.
Kampus/Pexels
In my research on libraries, I interviewed some of Adelaide’s unhoused population, examining how the State Library’s free wifi enabled them to access health resources and stay connected to their online communities.
One regular library user from this community discussed how the library enabled him to “answer emails, look things up, like how to fix people’s computers”. The library also offered him a free space to enjoy air conditioning during the city’s notoriously hot summers.
Local history collections held in Australian public libraries have grown, too. (From 487 in 2021-22, to 554 in 2023-24.) This demonstrates the vital, decades-long role libraries play in preserving and maintaining access to our community cultural heritage. Libraries are also well known as an access point for family history and genealogy services.
Libraries need more money
Libraries, like other Australian cultural institutions, are expected to do more with less funding.
One thing lacking from the new report is data relating to the volunteers who contribute their time and expertise to Australia’s libraries. They provide much-needed support to both the public and professional staff, particularly in rural areas.
Since Covid-19 and the normalisation of digital literacy programs, volunteers have stepped in to fill staffing gaps, particularly in regional areas.
Heather Robinson interviewed and surveyed close to 200 people in her research on libraries.
I found volunteers play a vital role in the delivery of programs such as teaching English as as a second language at the State Library of South Australia. Students are encouraged to bring an example of a language challenge to discuss with a volunteer tutor.
One interview subject brought in his resume. He described his interaction with the person who helped him review and correct his resume and cover letter as “very lovely and helpful”.
The report also notes a concerning drop in positions at libraries across Australia that are required to be fulfilled by people with a professional (tertiary) librarian qualification. This may reflect a greater reliance on volunteers, or the challenge of attracting or retaining professional staff to regional areas. This is despite a slight increase in the number of library outlets and opening hours available to the public.
This is concerning for libraries in rural communities. They are, says Phillip Hider from the School of Information Studies at Charles Sturt University, one of the few remaining social infrastructure entities outside metropolitan areas.
Valuing our libraries
US libraries face declining visits, widespread censorship and book bans. Their example – and the mass cuts in UK libraries reported pre-Covid – reminds us of the importance of valuing our own libraries.
As one US writer argues:
Like punk rock, libraries are born from a desire for free thought and social rights. They offer information on many subjects, from all perspectives. Their world-changing ideas are meant to be shared with the community.
Right now, for around A$1.391 billion (a cost equivalent to a fraction of the Australian Defence budget (A$59.908 billion), Australian libraries continue to provide services and resources that go well beyond book borrowing.
Public libraries remain vital, valued community hubs: particularly during cost-of-living crises. To keep delivering their programs and services, they need reliable government support. Given what we get for a relatively small tax-payer investment, we cannot afford to lose them.
Authors: Heather L. Robinson, Research Associate - Creative Industries, Flinders University
