Library Strategy

Our aim is to deliver a new 5 year Library Strategy for a modern, reliable and sustainable service that reflects the needs of residents and communities.

For the new strategy, we must understand:

1. what services people want to access and how
2. what people like about the current service and what they would change

Our new strategy will be informed by views and information gathered from residents.

We're taking a phased approach to enable community engagement:

• Phase 1, June 2025 to November 2025: set a direction of travel for engagement through a needs assessment and outline strategy principles.

This phase of our discovery work is complete, and we have developed an  pdf outline draft strategy(2.81 MB) for people to consider. 

• Phase 2, November 2025 to May 2026: build on the outline draft strategy with a detailed 5 year strategy for the future of the library service.

Only after more discussion and learning from communities will be confident to seek a final decision on the draft strategy. 

Bristol's libraries are for everyone, so we need to hear everyone's opinions to build their future.

We're holding in-person workshops, one online workshop, and an online survey to find out what you want from your libraries.

Public workshop 1: Sea Mills Library

• Tuesday 14 April 2026
• 3pm to 5pm
• Sylvan Way, Sea Mills, Bristol, BS9 2NA

Sign up here

Public workshop 2: Online

• Tuesday 14 April 2026
• 6pm to 8pm

Sign up here

Public workshop 3: Fishponds Library

• Wednesday 22 April 2026
• 10am to 12pm
• Hockeys Lane, Fishponds, Bristol, BS16 3HL

 Sign up here

Public workshop 4: Bedminster Library

• Tuesday 21 April 2026 
• 2pm to 4pm
• Bedminster Parade, Bedminster, Bristol, BS3 4AQ

Sign up here

Online survey

We'll be publishing an online survey at the end of April. You can use this to let us know your thoughts if you can't attend the sessions above.

• It's clear communities want access to a library service that's fit for purpose, accessible and reliable.
• Many respond positively to the range of services they can access, the activities in the libraries and the helpfulness of staff.
• Many, however, identify barriers to accessing services that include limited opening hours, the condition of buildings, and poor transport links.

We'll begin trialling some approaches that will help inform the final strategy. These could include:

• changing opening hours to better suit local need
• exploring options for potentially co-locating libraries with other community services (sharing space)
• improving publicity of our services to increase awareness and boost usage

The 2020 to 2024 Library Strategy built upon discussions with:

• the community
• Friends Groups
• staff
• councillors

The strategy was also informed by the work done nationally by Libraries Connected, particularly the Universal Library Offers, and partner organisations such as The Reading Agency and the Carnegie Trust. 

The Library Service worked collaboratively with the community to ensure that libraries were sustainable and relevant for the future. 

The strategy took into account what we knew about:

• the way the city was changing
• needs and ideas identified in previous consultations and engagement with communities, staff, service users and equalities groups
• measures about the current service provision and use
• costs to deliver library services

pdf Read the Bristol Library Strategy 2020 to 2024(4.32 MB)

You can stay up to date with our strategy plans and other news by signing up to our monthly library newsletter.

To stay up to date with future Bristol City Council consultations, sign up to the Ask Bristol newsletter.