Fewer children are going to libraries

LIBRARY visits by young children have plummeted over the past five years, government figures show.

The number of five- to ten-year- olds who had used a library in the previous seven days fell by a quarter, according to a survey by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

In 2010, 18.7 per cent of children had done so, compared to 13.8 per cent in 2014. The number who had made a trip to their library at some point over the previous 12 months had fallen from 76.4 per cent in 2010 to 67.7 per cent.

There was a smaller drop in the number of five- to 15-year- olds who had used a library in the past week, down 6 per cent, and a 7 per cent fall in those who had done so at least once in the year.

But the number of 11- to 15-year- olds who had visited a library in the previous week rose by 15 per cent.

The fall in numbers comes despite an i ncrease i n the number of l i braries. There are 3,450 l i braries i n England, according to the most recent figures from the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy – an increase of 2 per cent from 2010.

Writer and illustrator Chris Riddell, the UK’s Children’s Laureate, said the fall in young library visitors was ‘ of great con- cern’. He added: ‘I am passionate about the role of libraries, both in schools and in the wider community.

‘They are unique places where children can begin their journey as readers, as well as being creative hubs. Some of my favourite events have taken place in libraries and over the next two years I intend to visit as many libraries as I can.’

But Diana Gerald, chief executive of reading charity Book Trust, said the figures were ‘amazing’.

She added: ‘Over recent years children’s use of libraries has been consistently high, and even with all the other modern attractions libraries are still visited by 70 per cent of under-15s – that’s quite amazing.’