The Department for Communities has launched a public consultation on a new Public Libraries Policy for Northern Ireland, seeking views on how to shape the service over the next decade. The consultation, which runs until 25 November 2026, invites the public to help determine priorities for the 96-branch library network at a time when the sector has faced what Libraries NI described as “one of the most challenging years” in 2023/24.
The initiative forms part of the Heritage, Culture and Creativity (HCC) Programme, established by Communities Minister Gordon Lyons in July 2024 to address a policy vacuum the Department identified in its 2025 framework document. The current libraries policy, “Delivering Tomorrow’s Libraries,” dates back to 2006 and was published before Libraries NI was created as a single authority in 2009—a structural change the framework identifies as a key reason for review.
What the consultation covers
The Department is seeking feedback on 16 draft policy aims spanning several areas:
- Promoting literacy and learning
- Supporting health and wellbeing
- Growing library membership
- Providing welcoming community spaces
- Expanding collaborative working
Respondents are also asked about their experiences of library services and how facilities might better meet the needs of current and future generations.
Minister’s statement
Launching the consultation, Minister Gordon Lyons said:
“I know the value of our public libraries and of the people who work in them. Our public libraries are there for everyone to use and enjoy, and through the new policy I want to make sure they stay that way.
“This consultation provides an opportunity for everyone to help shape how my Department and Libraries NI will support and develop our public libraries through the opportunities and challenges of the next ten years. I encourage everyone to take part and share their views.”
Context: A decade of financial pressure
The consultation arrives against a backdrop of sustained funding challenges for Libraries NI. According to the HCC Programme Framework published in July 2025, the opening budget for libraries in 2015/16 was £29.4 million, rising only to £31.1 million by 2024/25—having dipped to £25 million in 2018/19. When inflation is accounted for, this represents a real-terms decline.
The consequences have been tangible. In 2023, Libraries NI was forced to stop purchasing new books for several months due to a £1.7 million funding shortfall. The organisation’s 2023/24 Annual Report described this as “one of the most challenging years we have faced,” with financial control measures remaining in place for much of the year.
Previous rounds of cuts have already reshaped the service. A 2012 Northern Ireland Assembly research paper noted that three consultations since 2006 had resulted in the closure of 12 libraries and a reduction of 238 opening hours per week across the network.
The HCC Programme: Progress to date
The Heritage, Culture and Creativity Programme was launched in July 2024 with the stated aim of providing “for the first time, a comprehensive collection of culture-related policies in Northern Ireland.” The Programme covers arts, museums, public libraries and the historic environment.
A framework document published in July 2025 set out draft policy aims for each sector. For libraries, these include supporting literacy and learning, promoting health and wellbeing, fostering digital inclusion, and preserving local heritage.
However, the framework itself acknowledges that “new policies being developed through the HCC Programme will not, by themselves, secure the continuing contribution of these sectors.” It notes that “realising the full potential of culture and the historic environment will also require a reassessment of the nature of Executive investment.”
Questions the consultation leaves unaddressed
Analysis of the consultation documents suggests the launch focuses on policy direction rather than specific funding commitments. Several important questions remain unanswered:
- No specific budget or investment pledge accompanies the new policy framework
- The consultation document does not quantify what “challenges” the next ten years might bring or how they might be met
- There is no mention of recent service disruptions, including the 2023 book-buying freeze or ongoing temporary library closures
- The HCC Programme’s own budget and staffing resources have not been disclosed
The Department’s press release describes public libraries as “among Northern Ireland’s most valued and accessible public services”—a characterisation supported by usage data. Yet the gap between this rhetoric and recent funding decisions raises questions about how the new policy will be resourced.
Questions for consideration
- How will the new policy ensure that funding keeps pace with inflation and demand, given the real-terms decline in budgets over the past decade?
- Will the consultation lead to specific investment commitments, or is it primarily a strategic exercise?
- How does the Department plan to address the maintenance backlog and infrastructure needs of an ageing library estate?
- What mechanisms will be put in place to monitor implementation of the new policy and hold decision-makers accountable?
- How will the voices of rural communities, where mobile library services have faced recent disruptions, be reflected in the final policy?
How to respond
The consultation is open until 25 November 2026. Members of the public can respond online through Citizen Space or submit written responses by email to hccpublicconsultation@communities-ni.gov.uk or by post to Culture Policy Branch, Department for Communities, Causeway Exchange, 1-7 Bedford Street, Belfast BT2 7EG.
The Department has also published an Equality Impact Screening document and Rural Needs Impact Assessment alongside the consultation. All responses except those marked confidential may be published.