04 Hello,


I’m Luke Burton, Director, Libraries at Arts Council England, the national development agency for public libraries.


Public libraries are about people and communities


We support libraries through our grant funding programmes and through research that enables sector development. I work with key stakeholders to facilitate a thriving, resilient and relevant public library sector.


Welcome to the beginning of your career in the public library service. You have joined one of the most rewarding and well-regarded professions, with a strong identity, clear ethics and values. According to the Ipsos Mori 2021 Veracity Poll,


public library staff are trusted by 93 per cent of the population to tell the truth and give accurate information.


Public libraries are about people and communities.


Library leaders want their service to reflect the rich diversity of the populations they serve. They want them to be welcoming and inclusive, providing a service, free at the point of contact, to all, from the cradle to the grave.


Photos (from left): Manchester central library; Library of Birmingham; Essex County Council mobile library; Herne Hil (London) Carnegie library.


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