In the UK today, libraries are under more pressure than ever. It was ever thus, we hear you say. Whether it’s a school or college library serving hundreds of young learners, or an NHS hospital library quietly supporting healthcare professionals, the demands are huge, and so are the stakes.
The good news? With the right approach, these vital institutions can not only survive but truly thrive.
Why UK Libraries Are Under Pressure
- Funding cuts and reshaping services. As one recent article argues, “libraries are palaces for the people. Their ramparts need defending.” The public library sector in the UK has seen significant funding reductions in recent years, fewer staff hours, and in some places even closures.
- Changing expectations. Libraries are no longer simply about shelves of books. For example, the historic Ipswich County Library in Suffolk (just down the road from us here in South Suffolk) is being refurbished to include community hire spaces, a “Library of Things”, a digital learning hub and maker-spaces. Libraries must adapt to remain relevant.
- Physical and digital asset risk. In schools, colleges and healthcare institutions alike, library resources range from textbooks and journals to specialist research material. They are high-value and essential services. Loss, theft, mismanagement of stock and unauthorised borrowing have real operational consequences.
- Need for modernisation. Many libraries are embracing new roles: community hubs, digital access points, study & collaboration zones. But modern spaces need modern solutions in terms of management, security and service delivery.
Amid the doom and gloom headlines, it’s easy to overlook how vital libraries are, and of course, the vital work of the librarians and teacher-librarians who manage them.
The Value Libraries Bring to Communities
- Equality and access. The public library movement began with the idea of free access to knowledge for all classes. It remains the hallmark of social inclusion: a place where everyone is welcome, regardless of background.
- Community and wellbeing. As sociologist Eric Klinenberg argues, libraries are part of social infrastructure — they help connect people, build social cohesion and support wellbeing.
- Educational and economic role. In school settings, libraries support literacy, independent learning and research skills. In higher education and healthcare, they support critical decision-making and research.
- Adapting for the future. The Ipswich example shows a library reinventing itself: one hundred years old, but now being transformed with flexible spaces and community-centred functions.
How Libraries Are Adapting — And Why Protection Is Key for Library Security
As libraries evolve, several trends stand out:
- Creating multifunctional spaces. From children’s maker zones to digital learning hubs, libraries are becoming more than just book banks.
- Offering a “Library of Things”. The Ipswich refurbishment plan mentions lockers for borrowing useful items, not just books.
- Digital integration and self-service. Modern libraries offer online catalogues, e-resources, remote access and self-checkout kiosks.
- Emphasising asset protection and control. With more resources and a wider remit, theft, misplaced stock, and inefficient workflows are major risks. Libraries that fail to control their physical and digital assets risk wasted resources, frustrated users and diminished service quality.
In this context, protection isn’t just about preventing unauthorised borrowing and theft — it’s about safeguarding the library’s ability to deliver value, maintain trust, and operate efficiently.
Solutions from PSP Asset Protection — Ensuring Libraries Thrive
We should not only defend the concept of libraries, we also need to protect the physical space too! For UK libraries – whether school, college, university or healthcare – we offer several powerful solutions tailored to meet these challenges.
eRLS RFID Stock Control & Security
Our super-reliable, cost-effective eRLS RFID system offers both security and stock control in one:
- Lightweight, compact RFID-enabled antennas and discreet panels that blend into library design.
- Versatile HF & UHF options to suit different library sizes and layouts.
- Integration with self-service machines, stock-taking tools, returns systems and security gates. For example, one of our happy school librarian customers reported that after using an eRLS handheld scanner, they found “over 50” items previously marked missing — instantly improving catalogue accuracy and resource availability.
Infiniti School Library Management Software
Our Infiniti library management system (and virtual portals add-on LibPaths) underpins school library operations:
- A modern, intuitive interface that librarians and students alike can use easily – anytime, anywhere and from any device!
- Supports cataloguing, reporting, self-service integration and asset tracking.
- Works in coordination with stock control solutions to provide a seamless, holistic system.
Self-Service Machines & Smart Returns
All libraries can benefit from enabling users to serve themselves. Key benefits of self-service include:
- Kiosks for check-out/check-in, smart returns bins and affordable self-service desks make operations smoother.
- Frees up staff time for more value-added tasks (reader engagement, curriculum support, etc.) rather than routine administrative workflows.
- When integrated with security systems like eRLS, self-service doesn’t compromise asset control.
For NHS libraries, a smart, secure self-service solution means making the hospital library a 24/7 365 resource that could, quite literally, make the difference between life and death.
Why These Solutions Help Libraries Not Just Survive — But Thrive
Putting it all together, here’s how librarians and library management teams using PSP’s solutions can ensure their library remains an accessible, future-proof space :
- Improved asset visibility and control. Knowing what you have, where it is, who has it and when it’s returned means less “lost” stock, fewer unhappy users and better resource availability.
- Enhanced user experience. Modern, efficient checkout and return processes, a welcoming environment (thanks to unobtrusive security panels) and reliable access to resources build user loyalty and trust.
- Staff freed up for higher-value work. With routine tasks automated, librarians can focus on community engagement, digital skills, reader development and aligning services with curriculum or patient-care needs, resulting in better outcomes for all.
- Support for evolving library roles. As libraries become hubs of learning, collaboration and innovation (maker spaces, digital study zones, etc.), the underlying systems need to be robust — and with eRLS, they are!
- Cost-effectiveness. By reducing loss, improving workflows and maximising asset usage, libraries can deliver more value for the budgets they have — very important in a climate of financial constraint.
Final Thoughts
Alas, the current position brought into sharp focus by The Observer article is not a new one. Sadly, budget cuts, questions of relevance and being asked to do more with less now feel like the norm and are unlikely to change.
Libraries in the UK are at a crossroads. To be fair, we’d argue that libraries are at a constant crossroads – or certainly have been in recent years!
Many UK libraries face funding challenges, shifting librarian roles and growing expectations. At the same time, they hold immense value for communities: from schools nurturing the next generation, to NHS libraries supporting crucial healthcare decisions, to public libraries serving all walks of life. The challenge now is to figure out how an investment in technology can counter and mitigate the potential ill effects of cuts.
In this landscape, protection and management of library assets is not optional — it’s foundational. With solutions like eRLS RFID, Infiniti library management software and modern self-service options from PSP Asset Protection, libraries can turn risk into resilience. They can protect their collections, streamline operations and deliver the modern, inclusive library services that communities deserve.
If you’re a school librarian, university library manager or NHS Knowledge & Library Services worker, now is the ideal time to take stock (literally) of your library estate. Are your assets at risk? Could your workflows be smoother? Are you ready for the next generation of library service?
With the right tools and the right strategy, libraries won’t merely survive in the modern world — they’ll thrive.
To find out more about how PSP Asset Protection is shaping the future of library services with market-leading technology and expertise, please get in touch with us for a no-obligation chat.