Libraries in Northern Ireland cannot afford new books in 2023/24

Northern Ireland's library service does not have the money to buy any new books this year.

That is according to Libraries NI, the body responsible for running the library service.

In a statement to BBC News NI, Libraries NI said it could not afford to buy new books due to a "significant funding gap" in its annual budget.

A number of libraries also have had their opening hours reduced until the end of October to save money.

Libraries NI is funded by the Department for Communities (DfC), which has previously warned that it was given £111m, or 15.5%, less in day-to-day spending in its budget than it had asked for.

Secretary of State Chris Heaton-Harris set the budget for Stormont departments for 2023/24 in the absence of an executive.

Some departments, like education, subsequently had to make significant savings by ending or cancelling previously funded schemes.

Libraries NI is responsible for 96 branch libraries across Northern Ireland, as well as services like mobile libraries.

Their duty, set out in law, is to "provide a comprehensive and efficient public library service for persons living, working or studying in Northern Ireland".

According to Libraries NI, the budget to run the library service has fallen by about £1.75m since 2022/23 as costs have risen.

The body received an opening budget of just more than £29m in 2023/24 compared to about £30.8m in 2022/23.

But that has had a particular impact on buying new books.

According to a meeting of Libraries NI's board in June, the body expected to spend about £4.3m a year on "book stock and related resources".

But the board heard that the book-buying budget for 2023/24 was "an allocation of £0.26m which would result in insufficient funds to purchase books for the library service during 2023/24".

Following queries from members of the public, BBC News NI asked Libraries NI if they were able to buy any new books this year.

In response, a spokesperson said that "the funding deficit is causing considerable financial challenges for Libraries NI".

"For this year, at this stage, Libraries NI is only able to cover existing subscriptions and no new book stock can be purchased.

"Libraries NI staff will continue to engage with the Department for Communities for an adequate level of funding to support the essential work of libraries in communities across Northern Ireland, including for book purchases."

BBC News NI understands that the "existing subscriptions" Libraries NI are continuing to pay are annual subscriptions to newspapers, magazines and journals that are free to read in libraries.