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S years go, 2022 has certainly been a difficult one to get a handle on. Even as things returned


to some sense of ‘normality’ following the pandemic, we’ve seen turbulence and instability in most areas of life.


Against this backdrop of change and challenge, libraries have continued to bring stability and support to people. Library stock and content buyers have faced a somewhat paradoxical task, on one hand working towards post-pandemic stability, whilst on the other being responsive to unpredictable demands.


Looking at lists of the year’s most- borrowed items, what we see is very familiar and expected. Despite the unpredictability seen elsewhere, or maybe even because of it, 2022 has not brought many major surprises in the reading world.


For Suffolk libraries, adult fiction is dominated by Richard Osman, Elly Griffiths and Lee Child, each with multiple titles in the top 20 – so far, so standard. Perhaps some welcome variety is found in the likes of Delia Owens’ Where the Crawdads Sing and Maggie O’Farrell’s Hamnet. The expected celebrity biographies feature in the adult non-fiction list this year, with Bob Mortimer and Miriam Margolyes leading. Perhaps the biggest curveball came out of nowhere and then never actually amounted to anything: the ill-fated biography of Liz Truss.


In Suffolk, though, the non-fiction top 20 has a distinctly nature-related flavour, with books by Winn Raynor, Simon Barnes and Dara McAnulty all taking spaces in the top five. This is undoubtedly influenced by our Wild Reads promotion in partnership with the Suffolk Wildlife Trust. The aims were to connect people with nature, offering comforting experiences


December 2022


The arrival of Ukrainian refugees has seen libraries taking a key role in local mobilisation to create a meaningful welcome.


through nature writing. Our figures show it tapped into a need, with the more bucolic content offered acting as a tonic to these turbulent times. For children’s fiction we’re back to the usual suspects. Kes Gray, Julia Donaldson, Dav Pilkey, Jeff Kinney and Tom Fletcher all have multiple titles at the top. In children’s non- fiction LEGO, Minecraft and Star Wars dominate, alongside the perennial dinosaur and solar system books. While we sometimes complain about the lack of variety this reflects, in times of such change, and while we are trying to rebalance everything else, perhaps this is somewhat reassuring. It makes our jobs as selectors easier, it gives us some no-brainer, auto-pilot buying decisions. However, we also want and need to be creating varied, dynamic and exciting collections that help people discover new reads, support up-and-coming authors and represent a range of diverse voices. The dominance of familiar authors and subjects can keep loyal audiences engaged, but alongside this familiarity, the wider social context has required stock buyers to act responsively and think laterally.


The arrival of Ukrainian refugees has seen libraries taking a key role in local mobilisation to create a meaningful welcome. While supply of materials in Ukrainian has proved problematic, stock and content buyers have gone above and beyond in tracking down and acquiring the best range possible, as well as lending our infrastructure and capacity for distributing materials from various national and local initiatives.


Similarly, as the realities of the cost- of-living crisis have unfolded, libraries have responded, positioning our offers for people who really need them. Many people have found themselves in ‘need’ for the first time and are looking for non-stigmatised sources of support. In some cases, just a warm, safe space is


Paul Howarth (paul.howarth@suffolklibraries.co.uk) is Head of Content and Resource Development, Suffolk Libraries. www.suffolklibraries.co.uk


enough. However, library stock buyers have helped ensure that when in those spaces, visitors are presented with an inviting and enriching range of stock and resources.


Another big theme of the year has been sustainability. Libraries have been on this for a long time, but many have stepped-up efforts in recent times. In Suffolk Libraries we are trialing ways of reducing plastic in our stock and lending processes, including a trial of books without protective jackets and stock purchasing teams are driving these approaches.


Change is something we have all had to get used to, and with their combination of trusted familiarity and authentic responsiveness to need, libraries are perfectly placed to help people navigate changing circumstances. By working to understand the needs of our communities, using real life data to inform planning, long may we continue to provide a welcome constant, and the resources people need to keep enriched and well in these challenging times. IP


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