From 10th-14th June Manchester City of Literature’s Festival of Libraries, the county-wide celebration of Greater Manchester’s 133 libraries, returned to highlight the rich variety of resources that these community hubs have to offer. Indicative data reveals that the festival saw over 94,000 people attend events at libraries across the city region, an increase of 339% YOY.

Data collected from the audience following Festival of Libraries 2026 found that around 37% of event attendees visited a library fewer than every few months, with 11% visiting once a year or less. The feedback also found that 61% travelled under five miles to attend an event, with a fifth (21%) travelling on foot, while 32% used public transport. With a library never too far away but so few people seeking them out on a regular basis, the vital role of libraries feels more crucial than ever, particularly in the National Year of Reading. 98% of festival attendees agreed, feeling that libraries are an essential community service.

The value of local libraries to their wider community cannot be understated, with the UK losing them at a rate of around 40 per year as of 2025.[1] Festival of Libraries, and its array of community events, exhibitions and workshops across the ten Manchester boroughs and their local libraries, has left 73% of attendees agreeing that the festival made their library seem more connected to their community, and more than half pledging to attend other library events and encourage others to engage with them as well.

With events ranging from Census, where award-winning theatrical duo Malandra Jacks performed a love letter to working-class communities and the Great Big Green Event, which shone a spotlight on community groups championing sustainability to the Inspired By Libraries events with Bobby Seagull, Divina De Campo, DJ Paulette and more exploring the impact that their libraries have had on their life stories, Festival of Libraries 2026 has emphasised not only the importance of patronising local libraries, but the extensive offering they have to enrich their communities.

The festival has proven itself pivotal in engaging people with their local libraries as more than just a repository for books but as community hubs, taking a central role in something that seems sure to expand to a national level. As Mayor of Greater Manchester, Prime Minister frontrunner Andy Burnham tasked every borough with supporting more than 100 community-led spaces through his flagship Live Well Programme, creating a web of local support across the region. And just last month, he pledged £1 million in funding to go towards reviving the historic Ashton Library in Wigan, which has been closed since 2024.[2]

Having stated that “public libraries are so important and they should be cherished” [3], there is a renewed hope that Burnham’s dedication toward libraries and community spaces as a whole might expand nationally with a move to Prime Minister, particularly considering the Labour Party’s existing pledge to ensure there is a library in every primary school across England by 2029.[4]

Ivan Wadeson, Executive Director, Manchester City of Literature, said: “2026 has been a huge year for libraries, and to get to come together and celebrate that across all 10 boroughs in Greater Manchester is incredible! The festival team have seen first-hand those moments of magic that happen in libraries more than ever this year, like when a child sees an exciting dance performance for the first time, a favourite author answers your question, and all the artists debuting work in community spaces. To see libraries, books and literature celebrated on this scale and be supported by so many organisations and people is incredible. We can’t wait to do it again in 2027!”