Finding this in the way home from #LCSeminar2025 is perfect.
We’ve had 2 days exploring the ways libraries and those working there make a huge impact on creating resilient communities.
So really good to see libraries don’t see their jobs as bullshit, because we know they’re not!
A female librarian shows a picture book to a young child.
Closing #LCSeminar2025, @edjewell.bsky.social focuses on the theme of resilience. Libraries, he says, are a particularly resilient 'circulation system' pumping information around the community. Their role going forward will be to strengthen all forms of #Literacy, including around climate.
Cllr Green cont
Need to look at ‘proportional universalism’
So universal services rather than targeted, but more effort put into encouraging and engaging specific groups to take part.
[I think this brilliantly sidesteps the tension between universal and targeted services]
#LCSeminar2025
Cllr Green cont
In 10 years time see greater coherence and coordination between libraries, culture, leisure service.
Need to understand how best to do this - may involve collocation etc and LGR will push this.
#LCSeminar2025
Cllr Green cont
I’m confident libraries will be here in 10 years time.
Local government reorganisation could be a really positive thing - being a Unitary authority means that children’s services / social care etc aligned at the same level of gov making joined up working easier
#LCSeminar2025
Cllr Green - cont
In 10 years:
Hope that prevention takes a front foot over acute services and libraries well placed
[my view - we do need a massive shift towards prevention but this really requires some leaps of faith in testing services that can’t (yet?) demonstrate ££ impact]
#LCSeminar2025
Two people look at pictures on a wall in a library.
How can #Libraries influence change at local government level? Liz Green of @local.gov.uk suggested to #Librarians at #LCSeminar2025 to speak directly to councillors. Invite them into your library for a tour!
Cllr Liz Green and Isobel Hunter sitting talking on a stage
Cllr Liz Green talking to Isobel Hunter about how libraries can influence change with current obstacles
She advocates direct engagement with councillors - invite them to events and so working across the structures and silos of local gov.
#LCSeminar2025
A young woman is seen working in a library.
At #LCSeminar2025, @lucybanks.bsky.social spoke about the @ascelnetwork.bsky.social Youth Engagement Network. ASCEL is working with #Libraries across the country to ensure young people's voices are heard within our sector.
Find out more about the pilot phase results here:
ascel.org.uk/node/357
Outcomes for young people • 90% of young people felt more welcome in the library • 100% felt that their opinions, ideas and feelings were listened to • 76% said that the co-created activities helped to improve their communication • 71% gained new knowledge and skills, in digital marketing, creative skills, writing, and library-related knowledge
Some brilliant outcomes of the youth engagement network here - the approach definitely does work:
Particularly 100% felt listened to - something that’s typically a huge issue for government and gov services
@lucybanks.bsky.social
#LCSeminar2025
Lucy banks standing in front of a slide. The slide shows: Giving children and young people power in their libraries Learn something new (Children Young People and us) Building cohesion across libraries - supporting each other Co-creating with children and young people
Hearing from
@lucybanks.bsky.social
of @ascelnetwork.bsky.social
About their youth engagement network, how it works and what they tell us about libraries
Great fundamentals here on what it’s based on
#LCSeminar2025
Black British ballet dancer Brenda Garrett-Glassman.
Kelly Saini Badwal from Sutton #Libraries updated us at #LCSeminar2025 on the progress of 'Into the Light: Pioneers of Black British Ballet'. This is a collaboration between us and Oxygen Arts, funded by @heritagefunduk.bsky.social.
Find out more:
www.librariesconnected.org.uk/projects/bla...
Two women talk over cups of tea in a library.
At #LCSeminar2025, @davidbarclay.bsky.social from Good Faith Partnership reminded us of the power of the @warmwelcomeuk.bsky.social map. Can #Libraries use the map to explore the power of partnership working with other organisations?
www.warmwelcome.uk/find-a-space
'Social cohesion gives us all more freedom', Kelly Fowler, CEO of @belongnetwork.bsky.social said at #LCSeminar2025. #Libraries play an essential role in stimulating contact and conversations between diverse groups of people.
Find out more about Belong's work:
www.belongnetwork.co.uk/about-belong/
In our panel session at #LCSeminar2025 on community cohesion, @davidbarclay.bsky.social from Good Faith Partnership noted how public #Libraries must show the vital role they play in maintaining the national social infrastructure.
Find out more about the work of Good Faith:
goodfaith.org.uk
In the first of our Ignite Talks at #LCSeminar2025, Jacqueline Widdowson from @oldhamlibraries.bsky.social explained how Oldham's #Libraries became Community Hubs.
Find out more about Oldham Heritage, Libraries and Arts here:
hla.oldham.gov.uk
Rebekkah Smith Aldrich of @mhlibrarysystem.bsky.social mentioned the DCMS funded #KnowYourNeighbourhood project as an example of how to engage communities in collaborative projects to tackle societal and environmental problems.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDao...
#LCSeminar2025
Awesome idea in the states:
Library allotments with raised beds that you can ‘borrow’ with your library card
(No cannabis policy!)
This would be brilliant in the UK where allotments are difficult to get and too big for most to manage.
@rebekkahsa.bsky.social
At #LCSeminar2025
There’s a simple approach to climate action:
• creating safe places to live
• recognise and value everyone for their differences
• help people to see and work towards a future for themselves
that really fits with what libraries can influence and control
@rebekkahsa.bsky.social at #LCSeminar2025
Brilliant definition outline of the ALA defn of sustainability from @rebekkahsa.bsky.social
Sustainability comes from meeting the triple bottom lines:
• environmentally sound
• socially equitable
• economically feasible
And a good reminder that every job is a climate job.
#LCSeminar2025
Public #Libraries hold extraordinary loyalty in their local communities, Rebekkah Smith Aldrich, Executive Director of @mhlibrarysystem.bsky.social told us at #LCSeminar2025. These connections mean they are ideally situated to tackle many of the greatest problems we face.
sustainablelibraries.org
A woman shows a young person how to read a book in a library.
'We are living in an age of hyper-uncertainty,' our Chief Executive Isobel Hunter said to start the second day of #LCSeminar2025. Yet, she added, public #Libraries can and will support staff and communities in a time of chaos by leaning on the strong values that have lasted for almost 200 years.
We were so pleased last night to be able to recognise the achievements of public #Library workers. Our Awards would not be possible without the continued support of OverDrive, creator of Libby, Sora, Kanopy and much more!
Find out more about their work here:
www.overdrive.com
#LCSeminar2025
Tonight at #LCSeminar2025 we announced the winners of our annual Awards. Congratulations to Zoe Williams, Gail Mallett and James Ryan from Manchester Libraries, winners of our #CultureAndCreativity Award for 2025!
Me with my award. I'm wearing a long flowery dress and the award is small and glass
The award in its box. It says "Libraries Connected Awards 2025 Mary Burgess Cambridgeshire Libraries Runner Up Information and Digital"
The Information and digital finalists I'm one up from the bottom and it says "Mary Burgess, Local Studies Librarian, Cambridgeshire Libraries"
Not every day you get a gong at the Libraries Connected Awards. Very cool! This was for all my work making local studies more accessible, particularly setting up Picture Cambridgeshire. #LCSeminar2025
An older man sits with a young child in a library.
Public #Libraries play a vital role in preserving local stories. This afternoon at #LCSeminar2025 we heard from Wolverhampton and Doncaster libraries on strategies for fostering community pride through storytelling.
www.librariesconnected.org.uk/2025-annual-seminar-resilience-age-uncertainty
'Public #Libraries have all the apparatus within them to build happiness', @frankcottrellboyce.bsky.social told us at #LCSeminar2025.
Thank you Frank for a wonderful endorsement of libraries.
You can read 'Reading Rights' in full here: www.booktrust.org.uk/about-us/new...
@booktrust.org.uk
Last summer's young rioters lacked public space, @frankcottrellboyce.bsky.social told us at #LCSeminar2025. 'The real story of the riots is what austerity has done to our children,' he added. Public #Libraries stand as vital spaces fighting youth isolation.
www.booktrust.org.uk/about-us/new...
We were delighted to welcome @frankcottrellboyce.bsky.social to #LCSeminar2025. Frank's recent 'Reading Rights' report, published with @booktrust.org.uk, calls on national and local leaders to come together to make reading a part of daily life for every child.
www.booktrust.org.uk/about-us/new...
Public #Libraries are the first place many people feel safe in - this should be reflected in how they approach volunteering roles, CEO of @volunteeringuk.bsky.social Amanda Naylor told us at #LCSeminar2025. A happy volunteer is a useful volunteer!
volunteeringmatters.org.uk
