www.cilip.org.uk
NEWS
Official launch for UK’s Libraries Alliance
THE UK’s new Libraries Alliance was officially launched in April, bringing together library organisations from across the UK.
THE alliance was launched to mark the 175th anniversary of the Public Libraries Act. The aim is to highlight the common thread that links libraries at every stage of people’s lives. CILIP is a key partner in the alliance and the only alli-
ance member that represents librarians from all sectors. Representation from individual sectors and organisations will help deliver a broad coalition of voices. Joining CILIP in the alliance are Bodleian Libraries, Cambridge Univer- sity Library, Independent Library Association, Libraries Connected, Libraries Rising, National Library of Scotland, Research Libraries UK, School Library Association, Scottish Library Association and Sconul.
The alliance has three main aims:
1. Change how we work – Skilling up together, Shaping the library of the Future, and Improving the user experi- ence.
2. Support better policy making
3. Speak with one voice – Starting a new conversation, Standing up for our values, and Supporting each other. All activity from the alliance will come under the umbrella
of “Libraries through life”, highlighting the different ways people access libraries as they move through different stages of their lives. CILIP Chief Executive Louis Coiffait-Gunn welcomed the coalition, saying: “The Alliance brings together public, academic, school, independent and many other types of libraries to champion the sector’s positive impact, the need for sustainable long-term investment, and to push for ambitious political leadership to unleash the sector’s future potential. “CILIP is proud to be part of this coalition, helping to con- nect and empower all types of library professionals to work together for the public good, and to make a coordinated and evidence-backed case for greater support for that vital work.”
Richard Ovenden, Bodley’s Librarian, had the initial idea
of bringing different organisations together to speak with a unified voice. He points out that there libraries, wherev- er they operate, have an important role in society, adding: “Libraries are essential for a healthy, open, democratic soci- ety. Libraries are part of the infrastructure of our democracy and part of what makes a healthy, educated society possible. A society that’s able to enrich the lives of its citizens to equal
April-May 2026 Richard Ovenden.
the opportunities for its citizens and for its citizens to be able to engage with the institutions of democracy.” Libraries Minister Baroness Twycross was among those attending the official launch, and she described the alliance as an important partnership in ensuring the benefits of libraries reach a wide range of communities, including those most in need. Speaking after the launch, Isobel Hunter MBE, Chief Exec- utive of Libraries Connected said: “Over the last 18 months we’ve been part of a movement to bring together library bod- ies from across the whole breadth of the library sector and across the UK. Together we are a mighty force, with over 4500 libraries and lending over one billion items every year. “We support people at every stage of their lives – from tiny babies encountering their first story at rhyme time, through to the home library service late in life – and supporting work, study and leisure.
“The Alliance will allow us to speak with a strong voice about the impacts we make, and to champion our values of freedom of access to information.” Find out more about the Libraries Alliance at https://librarie-
salliance.org.uk.
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