Cumbria County Council’s continued investment in its Library Service is in stark contrast to a national trend of deterioration in library facilities highlighted in a report published by the Culture, Media and Sport Parliamentary Select Committee.
The County Council’s ongoing programme of investment has, since 2000, seen major refurbishments of the main libraries in Barrow, Kendal, and Workington. There have also been improvements at Ambleside, Barrow Island, Brampton, Dalton, Distington, Frizington, Kirkby Stephen, Longtown, St Bees, Sedbergh, Shap and Ulverston libraries. The libraries at Appleby, Carlisle, Egremont, Keswick, Kirkby Lonsdale and Windermere are scheduled for refurbishment in the coming 2 years.
According to the Select Committee the situation is not as positive nationally. Their report states that in recent years there has been "a significant deterioration in the public library estate…a scandal which must be rectified". It goes on to suggest that a capital investment of over £650 million will be required to bring library buildings up to the standard expected of them by the public.
However the Select Committee acknowledges that the picture is not uniformly gloomy and that pockets of excellence do exist. While no library authorities are mentioned by name in the report, the County Council believes it is bucking the national trend by investing heavily and steadily in its public library buildings.
Cumbria County Council Cabinet spokesman for Culture, Councillor Roger Bingham, says:
"Public libraries are a vital part of everyday life in Cumbria, providing a wide range of information to a growing cross section of the population. They are also the first point of contact between members of local communities and the County Council itself. We want to encourage people to use libraries and be proud of them. Our libraries have to be welcoming places, which is why we continue to invest as much as possible in improving library facilities all over Cumbria."
If it is the case that library buildings are showing signs of under investment elsewhere in this country then Cumbria is certainly bucking the national trend."