INSIGHT ‘‘ President’s View
M Connection and value – now and into the future
For many of us, our regular engagement with CILIP starts here, so it is a particular pleasure to reach out to you through these pages.
UCH of my professional involvement came from putting my hand up as a volunteer, and meeting new people and learning new ‘stuff’ by rolling up my sleeves to get something done together. Occasionally, I’ve been fortunate to get to a Conference, either HLG or CILIP. They give such a buzz, and the benefits have a long ‘tail’ – expanding my thinking, expanding my contacts, expanding my understanding of how and where we can influence.
The agenda for CILIP Conference 2025 is ‘on the nail’, reflecting the challenges of navigating our times, how best to position our expertise, exert our influence and demonstrate impact. This year’s keynote speakers are top-notch. Gene Tan, acknowledged as a transformational leader, equal parts librarian and creative director, is speaking on Singapore’s ambitious GenAI projects, and come prepared to laugh and cry as you hear from poet and author Michael Rosen. If you’re going to be there, please come and say ‘Hi’. Conference will look at how we can demonstrate our expertise and the relevance of our services. While it seems perverse that a profession so highly trusted (see the 2023 Ipsos Veracity Index 1
) has to sweat to get our message across,
nevertheless the challenge of demonstrating impact comes up time and time again as I meet members – right across from the East of England network to meeting with CILIP Ireland and LibrariesNI. This has led me to revisit some of the research on which we can draw.
Arts Council England has sponsored valuable work. An evidence review of the economic contribution of public libraries concluded that their positive outcomes far exceed the perception of libraries as places that lend books. They “contribute to long term processes of human capital formation, the maintenance of mental and physical wellbeing, social inclusivity and the cohesion of communities.” 2 ACE has also supported reports on health and wellbeing benefits of libraries. Using methods consistent with the HM Treasury Green Book guidance, The health and wellbeing benefits of public libraries (2015) found “libraries generally have an important role in library users’ quality of life and wellbeing.” Being a regular library user is associated with a 1.4 per cent increase in the likelihood of reporting good general health, very relevant as we see today’s pressures on the NHS. 3
Summer 2025
IFLA has reported on different approaches used to demonstrate the Return on Investment (RoI) of libraries including the wider value of public, academic and special libraries. Tuck into the report to understand how contingent valuation and private market analogues have been applied, how direct and less tangible benefits have been assessed, and how the time and travel costs users commit can be taken into account. Income generation, the value to students as part of the educational experience, time saved, the expenses that users avoid, are ways to look at value which academic and special libraries have found helpful. 4
A study into the Value Proposition of NHS libraries, again using methods consistent with the Green Book, framed economic benefit in terms of the gift of time to healthcare staff. The report also outlined the direct and indirect effect on patient care, the positive impact of NHS libraries on services as a whole, and indicated an economic value of millions of pounds to the NHS. Drawing on international research, the team adopted a benefit: cost ratio of 2.4:1. 5
My ‘take’ is that there is much to be gained by looking at how previous work was conducted as leaders plan future research. It makes me wonder if services might collaborate, applying the same methodology in different settings? In the weeks ahead, I will be joining several CILIP communities as we discuss our next strategy. #WeAreCILIP was launched five years ago. Emphasising equity and diversity, sustainability, digital transformation and leadership, it remains pertinent plus I like the reminder that it is we who make up CILIP. Yet these are changing times and my hunch from talking with members is that in our next strategy we will be wanting to look forward and outward to where we can influence – whether that’s up, down and sideways. IP
References
1. Ipsos Veracity Index 2023: Public Trust in professions. Ipsos Dec 2023.
www.ipsos.com/sites/default/files/ct/news/documents/2023-12/ipsos-trust-in-professions-veracity-index-2023- charts.pdf
2. The value of libraries, Arts Council England.
www.artscouncil.org.uk/research-and-data/value-libraries
3. The health and wellbeing benefits of public libraries, IFLA, 2019.
www.artscouncil.org.uk/research-and-data/health-and-wellbeing-benefits-public-libraries
4. Library Return on Investment: Reviewing the evidence from the last ten years. IFLA
www.ifla.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/assets/hq/library_roi.pdf
5. NHS Library and Knowledge Services Value Proposition: The Gift of Time, HEE, 2020.
www.hee.nhs.uk/our-work/library-knowledge-services/value-proposition-gift-time
INFORMATION PROFESSIONAL 15
Being a regular library user is associated with a 1.4 per cent increase in the likelihood of reporting good general health, very relevant as we see today’s pressures on the NHS.
Sue Lacey Bryant is CILIP President.
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