Literacy news
Public libraries in Wales proving their popularity against UK trend
4 Nov 2010
Book-lovers have helped boost library use in Wales at a time of declining visitor numbers elsewhere in the UK.
Total library visits across the nation rose from 13.9 million in 2008-09 to 14.7 million 2009-10, up 5.4%, while the number of active borrowers rose from 645,000 to 681,000, up 5.6%.
Peter Finch, chief executive of Academi, the Welsh National Literature Promotion Agency, said the figures proved the benefits of today’s modern multimedia centres.
“I’m really pleased to see that the declining use of libraries has been stopped.
“I think this is the policy to turn libraries into media centres rather than repositories of books. All you’ve got to do is go into the multi-million-pound, splendid library in Cardiff to see the marvellous suite of computers. This has got to have something to do with it.
“Libraries are great spaces for information, you can get access to local documents, maps and you can talk to people in libraries that can help. I think they’re really valuable institutions.”
Mr Finch said going to a library would hopefully encourage the book-borrowing habit. But he added that with books going digital, libraries were right to increase their multimedia offerings.
Read more on the Wales Online website.
