New funding announced for state secondary school libraries

A £5 million funding package for secondary school libraries was announced by the government as part of the Autumn Budget, to support schools in establishing or developing their libraries.

This funding commitment follows an earlier pledge of £10m to ensure that every primary school in England has a library by 2029, and the announcement of a National Year of Reading in 2026, to address a steep decline in reading among children and young people. A new parliamentary inquiry has also been established to investigate the reasons behind the decline in children's reading for pleasure. 

The £5m investment will give every secondary school in England some £1,400 to rejuvenate school book stock. Alongside funding to develop playgrounds, the Chancellor said  that there should be "no doubt that this is a government on the side of our kids".

While library group CILIP welcomed the Budget announcement of £5m for secondary school libraries, CEO Louis Coiffait-Gunn called for "a long-term strategy to secure statutory status for school libraries, with ongoing funding for professional library staff in every school".

Victoria Dilly, CEO of the School Library Association, said it was "heartened" by the recent announcements about school library provision, which indicate that the government "recognises their value". However, she added that schools also need a school librarian to make the most of the funding: "School librarians have the skills and knowledge to develop book collections, library spaces and reading cultures that are accessible and inclusive for the whole school community, and to ensure that any investment is spent is the wisest ways possible."

Looking beyond the promised initial funding for both primary and secondary schools, she added, "We would like to see every school setting equipped with the staff, skills, and funds they need to maintain, manage and promote their school libraries, both now and into the future."