● Physical library collections have shrunk and spend per person has fallen, even as borrowing levels have held steady, meaning libraries are being asked to do more with less
● Nearly half of all library services cut their physical stock budgets in 2024/25, with an average reduction of almost £19,000
● More than 85% of library services surveyed spent less than 86p per person on new physical stock in 2024/25
● Digital licensing costs are rising and competing for the same shrinking budgets, with libraries locked into inflexible, expensive models
● The research calls for a national strategy, reformed funding models, and coordinated action from Government, sector bodies and suppliers
England’s public libraries are facing a quiet hollowing out, according to a major new study from the University of Sheffield. With physical collections shrinking and maintenance budgets falling in real terms, the research warns that libraries risk becoming unable to meet the diverse needs of their communities in the years ahead.
The research, commissioned by The Combined Regions (TCR) and conducted by the University of Sheffield, gathered data from 36 public library services across England and consulted a wide range of industry stakeholders. It paints a picture of a sector demonstrating resilience under serious structural pressure, but one increasingly stretched beyond sustainable limits.
Between 2022/23 and 2024/25, the average number of physical items per person held by library services fell from 1.49 to 1.26. Physical stock budgets were cut by an average of £18,761 in 2024/25. Yet over the same period, issues per person - a measure of how much libraries are actually used - rose from 3.62 to 3.73. Libraries are lending more from smaller collections, with less money to spend.
At the same time, the cost of digital resources has risen sharply. Spend per person on eResources increased from 16p to 74p between 2022/23 and 2024/25, growth that has come partly at the expense of physical collections, which saw spend fall from 87p to 72p per person over the same period. Libraries and sector stakeholders alike describe digital and physical collections as complementary but increasingly in competition for the same limited budget.
Professor Briony Birdi, Professor of Library and Information Science at the University of Sheffield’s School of Information, Journalism and Communication who led the research, said: “Public libraries are one of the few genuinely universal services we have left, which are free to use, open to all, and deeply embedded in the communities they serve.
“What this research shows is that the collections which sit at the heart of that offer are quietly being eroded. Budgets are falling, collections are shrinking, and the structural conditions that allow libraries to develop diverse, high-quality stock are under real strain.
“Libraries are doing a remarkable job of maintaining borrowing levels despite all of this, but that resilience has limits. Without coordinated action from government, sector bodies and the wider supply chain, the cumulative effect of these pressures will be felt most by the people who rely on libraries most.”
The research identifies several structural problems compounding the financial squeeze. Library services are increasingly reliant on short-term grant funding, which participants describe as complex, resource-intensive and ill-suited to sustaining core services like collections and staffing. Grant processes can disadvantage smaller services, and the distribution of funding does not always reflect the need.
Collection development is also increasingly shaped by a small number of commercial suppliers. While supplier-driven acquisition can offer efficiency and value, the research finds that this can come at a cost to the breadth and diversity of collections. Smaller publishers, niche or local titles, and materials representing underrepresented communities can be difficult to access through mainstream supply chains.
One library service described the tension starkly, saying: "Efficiency often means automation, which now means making choices in a vacuum.”
Staffing pressures compound the problem. The number of specialist collection development roles has declined, reducing the professional capacity to manage supplier relationships, analyse borrowing data, and make the nuanced decisions needed to maintain diverse, community-responsive collections.
Sector stakeholders who contributed to the research (including Arts Council England, CILIP, Libraries Connected, and the Local Government Association) broadly agreed with the findings. Many called for stronger national coordination, a shared data infrastructure, and clearer strategic leadership from central government.
Dr Jo McKenna-Aspell, Post-doctoral Research Associate at the University of Sheffield, said: “What comes through consistently from both library services and the organisations working with them is that the challenges are systemic, not isolated.
“Individual libraries are doing remarkable work in difficult circumstances, but the structural problems in funding, procurement, digital licensing and data collection require coordinated action at a national level. The opportunity to shape a new national library strategy is one the sector should seize.”
Mark McCree, Chair of The Combined Regions, said: “These are challenging and changing times for public libraries; even more so than normal. Being evidence-led, and having robust and academically-sound research to inform discussions and decisions is vital. As Chair of The Combined Regions, I am hopeful that this report will directly contribute towards positive developments and debate in this area.”
The research comes at a significant moment for the future of public libraries. Recent government announcements suggest a national library strategy is being developed, alongside initiatives to support reading and library use. The report argues this represents a genuine opportunity to put public libraries on a more sustainable footing.
The report sets out a series of recommendations for government, sector bodies and suppliers. Central to these is the case for protecting and strengthening investment in physical collections, and for reforming the digital licensing models that are placing growing pressure on already tight budgets. The research also calls for greater investment in specialist library staff, better nationalised data and benchmarking to support evidence-based decision-making, and a renewed commitment to ensuring that collection development serves the full breadth of communities.
Reflecting the University of Sheffield's commitment to independent thinking and a shared ambition, this collaborative project demonstrates how creative minds at Sheffield are shaping solutions to national and global challenges.