‘Look to your team’

One of the best pieces of career advice I’ve ever received (aside from ‘know your numbers’) was ‘look to your team’.

At a time when we often hear and read headlines concentrating on the acts of individuals it’s easy to forget that lasting, meaningful change is only ever achieved through the efforts of the many. This point has been illustrated to me repeatedly this year, as I’ve travelled across the country and seen the extraordinary work being delivered in and through our libraries.

It came through powerfully at the Innovators Gathering, where colleagues shared work that was as compassionate as it was creative. This ranged from initiatives making services more accessible for people living with dementia to projects that reached new and often marginalised audiences through engaging activities, cutting-edge technology and the simple, enduring power of stories.

It was equally clear across North Yorkshire, where volunteers work side by side with library teams to support digital confidence, introduce pre-school and primary-aged children to the library, and welcome community groups into safe, warm, inclusive spaces. Their contribution is woven into the rich tapestry of the service.

I saw it again at the London Libraries Conference, where staff spoke openly and proudly at their about the realities of delivering for diverse, multilingual communities: navigating complex demands, strengthening local partnerships, championing reading, and keeping their libraries rooted in the lived experience of the people who use them. Their honesty, expertise and ambition were deeply energising.

In every service I visited this year, the message was the same: it’s not a handful of individuals pushing things forward, it is the whole team putting their shoulders to the oar and pulling.

It’s also clear to me that the line we traditionally draw around 'our team' is becoming far more permeable. From the value volunteers bring in North Yorkshire, or strategic initiatives like Camden’s Reading Strategy, our libraries are fundamentally defined by the communities and partners around them.  They are not simply shaped by the public they serve; they are made by them.

Looking ahead: A broader movement for libraries

As I look to the year ahead, the question in my mind is how we harness this collective energy and build a broader, collective movement that delivers the national support public libraries deserve.

The revised Universal Library Offers give us a strong starting point: a clear articulation of what libraries can provide, why it matters and how we might focus our efforts where they will have the greatest impact. They offer not just a framework, but a shared language for the sector at a time when clarity is essential.

Alongside this sits the opportunity of the National Year of Reading 2026. If ever there were a moment to reignite a national conversation about reading and literacy this is it.  I believe that libraries can play a powerful, convening role for the National Year of Reading, bringing local stakeholders together to ensure we create a legacy that lives on into the next decade.

The newly formed Libraries Alliance will be key in supporting a national movement for libraries. Through the Alliance we will see public, national, academic and specialist libraries speak with a coordinated voice, building the evidence, partnerships and visibility required to shift public perception and political attention at scale.

Our ability to do this well is being strengthened by the new Policy, Evidence, Advocacy and Research (PEAR) Directorate within Libraries Connected. Having a dedicated team focused on building an authoritative evidence base and using it to shape national debate is transformational.  It ensures we’re not just telling powerful stories, but backing them with robust insight and credible data.  

Alongside this growing evidence base, the projects supported Libraries Connected this year illustrate potential of libraries. Know Your Neighbourhood has demonstrated the power of libraries to build social connections and reduce isolation. Partnerships such as Black British Ballet and Culture Nature England have broadened our cultural and environmental offer, while Poverty Proofing Libraries is revealing the hidden barriers faced by low-income families. 

Taken together, these initiatives form the underpinnings of a stronger, more confident sector that can drive a movement for change that carries literacy and learning beyond our library walls.  A movement rooted in evidence, powered by partnership and driven by the shared belief that libraries matter because people matter.  A movement that will imprint our services on the fabric of our communities, making our libraries relevant, cherished and indispensable. 

As the New Year starts I’d say once again: look to your teams.