Key statistics about England's public libraries

- as used by MLA in evidence to the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee Inquiry Into Public Libraries

(all CIPFA actuals unless otherwise stated)

Book acquisitions rose by 8.5% between 2001/02 and 2002/03
The five year trend shows a rise of 8.9% - 10,980,000 in 1998/99, 11,959,000 in 2002/03

6.4% increase in expenditure on stock (all materials) between 2001/02 and 2002/03
Per head of population, book expenditure increased by 4.8% in the year 2002-03, to £1.59 ( LISU Annual Library Statistics 2004)
The average price paid for books was £7.79 in 2002‑03, a fall of 3.6% over the previous year ( LISU Annual Library Statistics 2004)
5.7% rise in expenditure on staff between 2001/02 and 2002/03
Public libraries in the UK spent over £1 billion in 2002‑03 – an increase of 8.5% over the previous year (real expenditure per capita increased by 4.1% to £17.15) ( LISU Annual Library Statistics 2004)

4.3% fall in all books issued between 2001/02 and 2002/03
1.9% fall in children’s books issued between 2001/02 and 2002/03
Balance of lending stock moving towards books for children (35% adult fiction, 36% adult non‑fiction and 29% for children at 31 March 2003) ( LISU Annual Library Statistics 2004)

Service points open ≥ 60 hrs a week: 1998/99 0.4% (16); 2002/03, 1.3% (54)
Service points open ≥ 45 hours a week: 1998/99 16.9% (688); 2002/03, 21.8% (848)
Total service point hours available per week increased to 2.45 per thousand population, highest level since 1996‑97 ( LISU Annual Library Statistics 2004)

80% increased opening hours in three years of standards to 2004
71% increased stock purchase (items per head) in three years of standards to 2004
66% graded good or excellent in 2004, more than double the number in 2003

More statistical information can be found in the advocacy material contained within the Building Capacity section of this site.