This report seeks endorsement of the strategic principles/ themes for library improvement following consultation.

Further to Minute 29 of the meeting held on 11 March 2025, the Committee considered a report that set out a final version of the strategic principles and priorities proposed for libraries improvement following public consultation. The six principles, set out below, were referred to as ‘themes’ for ease of understanding:

·         Ensuring all libraries in the borough’s network responded to the needs of communities and partners and building these into external funding applications.

·         Supporting children and young people with reading, literacy and language development.

·         Improving digital provision, access and content to support learning and skills.

·         Supporting improvements for Reading’s health, wellbeing, literacy and cohesion.

·         Bringing arts, culture, heritage and creativity into library spaces.

Details of the results of the public consultation were attached to the report at Appendix 1. The consultation exercise on the priorities had also gathered feedback regarding the new Reading Central Library design.

The report explained that the Council’s ambition with these new themes was to deliver a library service across Reading with a high-quality community offer of books, IT and support. This supported the new flagship Reading Central Library in the town centre, with Reading’s residents and organisations using all library buildings for reading, work, digital skills and study, increasing users and usage of Council services. It was proposed that Libraries in the Borough would be spaces that further supported equality, development and wellbeing achieved, in part, through successfully securing external funding.

The report stated that the endorsed themes would start immediately and feed into the next round of service planning for libraries, covering the period including the opening of the new Central Library anticipated in 2026.

Resolved:

(1)          That the strategic principles for the library service for 2025-2029, noted at section 3.13 of the report, following the July 2025 public engagement on the draft principles agreed on 11 March 2025, be adopted;

(2)          That the feedback given regarding the new Central Library from the exercise carried out in July 2025 and the huge opportunity arising from Reading opening a new Central Library during the 2026 National Year of Reading be noted;

(3)          That the success of the library service in delivering against the strategic principles since inception in 2021, meaning that library issues in Reading have increased year-on-year since the pandemic, be noted.

(Councillor Nikulina declared an interest in this application as her partner had been involved in the library development.  She left the meeting and took no part in the debate or decision.)