Living Libraries:
The case for public libraries in the words of those who use, work in and run them
A policy intervention using original oral histories.
Hear the voices behind Living Libraries
We spoke to people who use, work in, volunteer at and run Falmouth Library, Peterborough Central Library, Colliers Wood Library, Storyhouse, Chester, and Newcastle City Library, as well as key figures in the national library sector. They told us why and how public libraries matter: for health and wellbeing, for our communities, our ability to access trusted information, and in times of crisis. Libraries equip us to face the new challenges unfolding in our present and our future.
You can hear extracts from these interviews here, or…
immerse yourself in our soundscape collaboration with Seadog Theatre
listen to our documentary featuring voices from libraries across the UK
watch a short film of the team discussing the Living Libraries project.
listen again to our three shows on Soho Radio, as part of Libraries Week 2020
The Living Libraries archive
Living Libraries: Interviews with people who run, work in and use the UK’s public libraries is a new archive of oral histories which is preserved in perpetuity by National Life Stories at the British Library.