Digital inclusion in England's libraries

What role do libraries play in supporting digital inclusion?

Our report, produced in collaboration with Libraries Connected and supported by Arts Council England, revealed that libraries play a vital role in supporting digital inclusion – both as an individual service offer and – more importantly – as part of a wider ecosystem of support for communities.

Digital inclusion in libraries: key findings

• Libraries play a vital role in the ecosystem of digital inclusion support in communities. They are positive, trusted, universal, and free.
• Provision varies between and within library services. Some support is delivered directly; some through partners.
• Collaboration is key. Partnerships were commonly with the voluntary and community sector to reach communities or meet specific needs.
• Over 80% of services were at least partly confident they were meeting needs. Not everyone feels comfortable using a library; some needs may be hidden.
• There was appetite to develop support, innovation (e.g. a mesh network to offer free connectivity), and early adoption (e.g. using the National Databank).
• Some libraries have growing demand for help with online form-filling – such as for health, benefits, or council services.
• Limited staff, volunteers, funding and, for some, outdated IT infrastructure – limit what libraries can offer.
• Half of library services did not have a digital inclusion strategy; those which did found it useful.

Recommendations to improve digital inclusion support in libraries

For Government

• Department for Culture, Media and Sport and Department for Science, Innovation and Technology should work together and with others – including the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to:

• Develop a new digital inclusion strategy for England
• Recognise the role of libraries, community organisations, and others as critical social infrastructure for digital inclusion.

For local authorities

• Take active steps to promote the existing role of libraries, and local voluntary and community sector organisations as part of digital inclusion strategies.
• Embed digital inclusion in wider strategies, such as economic growth, learning and skills, health and wellbeing.
• Coordinate local ecosystems of support for digital inclusion – map what is on offer, listen to local expertise, and tap into national networks and resources.<br
• Support library services with information, as well as funding, so they can better respond when asked for help with online transactions.

For library services

• Use the Framework for Digital Inclusion in Libraries to identify whether / how to evolve the service’s digital inclusion offer. 
• Develop a digital inclusion strategy – if not already in place – to set a clear direction for delivery and partnerships.
• Use funding opportunities (such as Arts Council England’s National Lottery Project Grants programme) to evolve and embed digital inclusion provision.
• Partner with community organisations and others – locally and nationally – and coordinate efforts on digital inclusion, playing to respective strengths.

For Good Things Foundation and Libraries Connected

• Harness the appetite of libraries to do more, and respond to their interests to evolve their digital inclusion provision.
• Support sharing of library innovation and good practice – between libraries and more widely.
• Advocate nationally for more funding for libraries, community organisations and other providers – so they can better meet local needs for free internet access and help to build digital skills and confidence in communities.

Get more information on digital inclusion for libraries

The research report and a resource for library services were done with WSA Community Consultants.

Statistics about service provision are based on analysis of an England-side survey sent to 151 library services in March 2023 as part of this research, with a response rate of 75%.

Statistics about digital inclusion are from multiple sources cited in Digital Nation 2022.

Find out about Libraries Connected, the Universal Library Offer on Information and Digital, Libraries Basecamp and e-learning on www.librariesconnected.org.uk or info@librariesconnected.org.uk