07 Reacting to Covid


In March 2020 the Government announced a nationwide lockdown. Libraries were shut and a quarter of library staff were redeployed as part of their local authority pandemic response. But libraries didn’t stop – they were deemed an essential activity and many services took on new responsibilities, such as coordination and delivery of shielding operations, arranging food and medicine deliveries.


Over 32%


increase in membership despite library buildings being closed for 4 months


130,000 phone calls were made by 130 library services†


214m


people were proactively contacted by libraries


30%


of adults engaged with public library services during lockdown‡


Over 75%


of libraries delivered online events


3.5m more ebooks were


loaned by mid-August Over 60%


of services continued their Home Library


Service, providing vital


comfort and books to very vulnerable users


Almost 1in5


library services operated an enhanced Home Library Service to more people to


help combat loneliness and improve digital skills


63%


of people surveyed said that the library


service helped them to feel more connected to their community


† England, Northern Ireland and Wales; ‡ UK


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