Oct 7-12 2019 is National
Libraries Week and this year the theme is the digital world, and the part our
community libraries play in it. For NLW this week we’ll be exploring and
celebrating how libraries engage and support their communities through
technology. We’ll be sharing lots of stories and case studies about how our
libraries build digital skills and digital confidence. All over the country libraries
support their users and helpt them to develop and improve their digital skills, and in doing
so improve quality of life, health, wellbeing and education.
During NLW we love
showcasing the extraordinary work that libraries are doing all over the country
to change lives, and having this annual platform to bring all this work into
the public eye is so important.
As the theme this year
is all about the digital world, it might at first seem a little more tricky for authors
and illustrators to immediately see how they can get involved. The simplest way is to share some of the facts about how your libraries are supporting
the digital needs of your communities – here are some facts and links...
- Libraries
are at the forefront of developing digital literacy skills that benefit
users in numerous ways. Research shows that people with good IT skills earn 3-10% more than
those without.
- Increasing digital literacy helps people to make
better lifestyle choices that can prevent health problems:
such as using trusted medical sites: NHS Choices, or Public Health England
approved apps on healthy eating.
- Digitally
competent and confident citizens are far more likely to lead healthier, happier, more
productive and satisfying lives.
- We
made over 233 million visits to libraries in 2018 and 115 million visits
online (CIPFA, 2017-18 Actuals).
- 99% of libraries have free WIFI access allowing
everyone to get online.
- In
2017-18, libraries across Great Britain provided people with over 82 million
hours of supported internet access (CIPFA, 2017-18 Actuals).
- In
Great Britain over 12.2 million ebooks were borrowed from public libraries
in 2016-17 (CIPFA, 2016-17 Actuals).
- Libraries
help to reduce inequality by providing safe, civic spaces open to all
located in urban and rural areas and part of this offer is access to
computers and the internet.
- Communities
that have access to timely and relevant information and to the internet
are better positioned to eradicate poverty and inequality and support
people’s health, culture, research, and innovation.
- The
critical importance of libraries in supporting digital inclusion and
skills development continues to grow, with nearly half of public libraries
reporting an increasing number of customers request this
kind of help.
Something that really adds to National Libraries Week every year is
when library supporters add their stories to those being shared online. Do you
do your research in the library? Do you take your laptop up to the library and
use their resources? Do you use the online resources available to you? Are
you aware of your library’s digital resources? Has your library helped you find
that last bit of information that escaped you? Have you used your library to
connect with others in the community? I know lots of you have also done other
digitally connected work in your libraries, and it would be fantastic if you
could share that.
Use the hashtag ( #librariesweek ), register as a supporter, follow on Facebook and Twitter, use the resources on the National Libraries Week site, and sign
up to Libraries Deliver to support libraries all year round. You can even change your social media banner or your email footer to show your support.
We all know how important libraries have been to us
over our careers and our lives, and National Libraries Week gives us a chance
to celebrate that.
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