Libraries across the South East play a key role at the heart of communities, of education and academic research.
There are an estimated 2500 library collections located in the major university, public, college, health, school and workplace sectors.
There are:
- 148 workplace libaries identified so far in the business, voluntary, trade association and government sector, including military and government agencies.
- 550 public library service points and 69 mobile libraries.*
- 102 higher libraries in higher education institutions, including the Bodleian library in Oxford, one of three National Copyright Deposit Libraries in England, with a collection of global significance.
- an estimated 3000 school libraries, many managed by volunteers.
- 105 health libraries and four NHS Direct offices and a wide range of commercial, voluntary, government and military sector libraries.
- 420 libraries in cultural institutions such as museums and archives.
- 51% of all adults in the South East have visited a library (compared to 48% of all adults in England – equating to 19.1 million adults. 50% of those visitors said they go to a library at least once a month.) **
*Public Library Statistics 2004-05 Actuals CIPFA 2005
**(In the 12 months prior to their interview:Taking Part Annual Report 2005/06, Department for Culture, Media and Sport, May 2007)
(All other figures from: Realising Our Potential: A Library and Information Development Strategy for the South East 2002-2006)
MLA South East actively supports Framework for the Future (the public library improvement plan) and works with Public LIbrary authorities in the region to identify regional development needs. Information on activity can be found on the Regional Framework Activity Page.
