Young people love libraries. That’s the conclusion of a huge new study of library use across the UK carried out by the Carnegie Trust UK.
The survey of 10,000 people revealed the number of young people using libraries across the UK has increased over the last five years. It defies the idea libraries are inherently old-fashioned and out-of-touch with the ways young people access information.
Young people aged between 15 and 24 are now the age group most likely to use libraries in England.
In Scotland, those aged between 24 and 34 are the most likely to use libraries. And library use among the millennial group – the 24 to 34-year-olds – has risen in England and Wales.
The Big Issue has been championing the tremendous value of libraries for people of all ages as part of our literacy campaign.
The Carnegie study provides plenty of evidence the public does indeed cherish local libraries. Around three-quarters of people in all parts of the UK – around 75% – say public libraries are important for their community. While roughly 50% of people have used a local library in the past year, two-fifths use their library regularly, at least once a month.