The engagement phase of Future Libraries has now closed.
Thank you to all who took part in our online questionnaires and engagement exercises. Any respondent that has provided an email address will receive a copy of the report once completed. The report will also be available for download.
This page will continue to be updated with relevant information and the next steps of consultation process.
Background information
In December, the Council agreed to develop a new strategy and vision for Edinburgh’s Libraries to provide the framework for service delivery and development for public and school libraries over the next five years. You can read a copy of the full report considered by the Culture and Communities Committee and the agreed amendments.
To help shape the new strategy and inform future proposals for change, it was agreed to carry out an engagement and consultation process to gather views and feedback on service provision. The first stage of this process took place between 26 January to 19 April, the first part of a two stage process.
Stage one
Engagement from January 2024 to April 2024. Citizens, stakeholders and colleagues were invited to share what works well and how we can improve the service for all our customers.
Stage two
Consultation – which will shape the draft strategy and any proposals for future change based on the feedback we gather from stage one and available budgets. More details of the timescale of stage two will be available at the end of August, following the meeting of full council.
Decisions
A progress report was presented to the Council’s Culture and Communities Committee on 16 May 2024, which outlined key findings of the engagement and set out recommendations for the scope of consultation phase. This report was referred to full Council, which will meet on the 29 August 2024. You can read the Future Libraries progress update.
Future Libraries documents
Download the engagement plan for the Future Libraries strategy development, 2024 to 2029