£135m levelling-up funding goes to seven libraries but concern remains about long-term investment

The government has awarded seven public library services a share of its £2.1bn round 2 Levelling Up Fund. But while library bodies have welcomed the money, they have also expressed concern about the lack of long-term investment. 

Successful bids include a combined library, music and arts venue in Harlow, a state-of-the-art leisure centre, library and cultural space in Farnborough, a creative workspace and redesign at Hackney Central Library, and a new modern library in Reading. More than £135m has been awarded to projects involving libraries. 

The aim of the Levelling Up Fund is to provide greater investment in communities that will create new jobs, drive economic growth, help restore people’s pride in the places where they live and spread opportunity more equally. 

Isobel Hunter, chief executive of Libraries Connected, said: "We’re thrilled for all the libraries that were successful in this very competitive process and extend our commiserations to those who weren’t awarded funds this time. 

"Libraries have been levelling up for over 170 years so it seems natural that they should feature prominently on this list of successful projects. With so many benefits for literacy, health, culture, digital inclusion and business, libraries have a crucial role to play in tackling place-based inequalities.” 

But the charity, which represents public libraries in England, Wales and Norther Ireland, warned that the Levelling Up Fund did not make up for real-term cuts to local authority budgets and called for a more sustainable funding model for libraries. 

"Without a more secure long-term financial settlement many councils have no option but to consider making cuts to frontline public services, including libraries. We need government to take decisive action now to avoid a crisis in our libraries over the coming years,” she said. 

Nick Poole, chief executive of the Chartered Institute of Library & Information Professionals (CILIP), told The Bookseller that a competitive grant pot “was never going to replace the opportunities and billions of pounds of investment lost through a decade of cuts to local councils”. 

He said: “We are glad for the projects and locations that will be funded but the best way to secure opportunity for everyone everywhere is to provide fair and sustainable funding to local government."