How we work with libraries

We use our convening power to foster partnership working to maximise libraries’ potential locally, regionally, nationally and internationally.

We work with a range of partners and stakeholders from across the library sector and beyond to develop public libraries and to drive innovative change.  This collaboration provides communities in every corner of the country with more opportunities to enjoy culture, learn new skills, and to connect with others.

The Libraries team at Arts Council England works with:

Association of Senior Children’s and Education Librarians - The national network of senior managers in Children’s, Public and Schools Library Services.

Booktrust - The UK’s largest children’s reading charity, dedicated to getting children reading.  

British Library - The national library of the United Kingdom, giving access to the world’s most comprehensive research collection.

Carnegie UK Trust - An independent charitable foundation, working to improve the lives of people throughout the UK.

Chartered Institute of Information and Library Professionals - The UK’s library and information association. CILIP work to improve services, develop members’ expertise and champion the sector.

Community Managed Libraries Network - Helps community managed libraries (CMLs) to run effectively and successfully by sharing ideas, learning, experiences and inspiration.

Department of Culture, Media, and Sport - The government department with responsibility for culture and sport in England.

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities - The government department responsible for housing, communities, and local government in England and the levelling up policy.

International Federation of Library Associations - The global voice of libraries, representing the interests of the profession and working to improve services worldwide.

Libraries Connected - A membership organisation, made up of every library service in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, working to promote the value of libraries, brokering national partnerships, sharing best practice and driving innovation in the sector.

Libraries Ireland - The national network of local authority libraries in Ireland.

Local Government Association - The national membership body for local authorities, working on behalf of member councils to support, promote and improve local government.

Research Libraries UK - A consortium of the leading and most significant research libraries in the UK and Ireland

Scottish Library and Information Council - the independent advisory body to the Scottish Government on library and information related matters.

The National Archives - A non-ministerial department, and the official archive and publisher for the UK Government, and for England and Wales.

The National Literacy Trust - An independent charity working with schools and communities to give disadvantaged children the literacy skills to succeed in life.

The Reading Agency - A UK charity with a mission to empower people of all ages to read.

Libraries can apply to our National Lottery Project Grants for a wide range of activities that support, enhance and enrich libraries’ work, and develop the role of libraries as cultural providers in their communities.

What libraries can apply for:

All libraries

All libraries can apply to National Lottery Project Grants for new creative and cultural projects that focus on any of the disciplines that come under the Arts Council’s remit: literature, visual arts, theatre, music, dance, and combined arts.

Local authority library services

In addition, local authority library services (as defined by the Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964) can apply to Project Grants for Universal Library Offers activity through our Universal Library Offer Time limited priority. This includes projects that do not focus on any of the disciplines that we support.

The Universal Library Offers are:

• Reading

• Culture and Creativity

• Information and Digital

• Health and Wellbeing.

Full guidance on National Lottery Project Grants can be found in our information sheets.

Guidance for libraries can be found in the Library Projects and Universal Library Offers information sheet.

Guidance on applying for Project Grants for libraries that are part of the National Portfolio can be found in the Funded Organisations and Project Grants information sheet.

Please contact our Customer Services team with funding enquiries.

Explore National Lottery Project Grants in Libraries

We support a number of libraries as part of our National Portfolio, ensuring that more people in more places can find fantastic, fulfilling art and culture on their doorsteps.

• Barnsley Libraries
• Cambridgeshire Libraries
• East Riding Libraries
• Explore York
• Gloucester Libraries
• Hull Libraries
• Inspire
• Leicestershire Libraries
• Libraries Unlimited
• London Borough of Barking & Dagenham Libraries – Pen to Print
• London Borough of Merton Libraries
• Kent Libraries
• Sefton Libraries – At The Library
• South Tyneside Libraries
• St Helen’s Libraries – Arts in Libraries
• Suffolk Libraries
• Warwickshire Libraries

We are committed to developing libraries and improving quality across all their creative work and processes, and in the way in which they run their organisations.  We invest in Investment Principles Support Organisations who focus on supporting other organisations and individuals in the cultural sector to embed one or more of our Investment Principles in their work.

We currently support Libraries Connected and Association of Senior Children’s and Education Librarians (ASCEL) to develop the public library sector in England.

Take a look at some of our other funding programmes related to libraries using the links below.

Capital funding programmes

Capital funding programmes like the Capital Investment Programme and Libraries Improvement Fund provide grants to support libraries in adjusting buildings and equipment to improve access, seize on technological opportunities, and reduce environmental impact.

Discover our funding programmes and development resources to support capital projects >

Case study - Building excellence in the Cultural Sector: Merton Libraries

In 2019, Merton Libraries undertook a refurbishment of the children’s sections of each of its seven local libraries.

Find out more >

Unlocking Collections

As part of the our commitment to funding museums and libraries and their collections, Unlocking Collections is a Time Limited Priority within National Lottery Project Grants, aimed at enabling museums and libraries to develop their collections-based work and increase public engagement with, and use of, their collections.

Find out more>  

The Collections Purchase Fund

The Arts Council England/V&A Purchase Fund Purchase Fund uses National Lottery funds to contribute towards the acquisition of objects relating to the arts, literature and history by museums, galleries, record repositories and specialist libraries in England and Wales which are not funded by central government.

Find out more >

Libraries Improvement Fund

To enable library services across England to invest in a range of projects to upgrade buildings and technology so they are better placed to respond to the changing ways people are using them.  

Find out more >

Digital Culture Network

Arts Council England’s Digital Culture Network provides free support and advice to cultural organisations, including libraries.  It can help libraries to:

• develop digital skills (data analytics).
• find new ways to reach and engage audiences (digital marketing; social  media; websites; accessibility; search engine optimisation).
• develop business models (digital strategy).

The Digital Culture Network supports libraries in different ways:

• One-to-one support from a team of Tech Champions specialising in digital skills.
• Practical workshops and webinars to improve skills and engage with peers.
• Signposting to resources and training from us and our partners.
• National and regional training days delivered with technology partners.