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“I have always imagined that paradise will be a kind of library”

Jorge Luis Borges

The Next Chapter

How can public libraries fulfil their historic purposes in a world changed so utterly from the world in which they were founded?

In 2020 Hull City Council adopted a new ten-year strategy for its library service. This is a progressive document that takes a positive view of the role of public libraries in the growth and development of the city, and the James Reckitt Library Trust looks forward to providing financial support for this strategy.

Through the implementation of the strategy, and through other opportunities, the Trust will continue to advocate for its core beliefs about public libraries.

A belief that the fundamental purpose of public libraries is to help people to expand their knowledge and understanding of themselves, their lives and the world about them, in the wider interest of building strong knowledgeable communities.

A belief that libraries are in the business of knowledge, learning, creativity and imagination, and that they are not defined by buildings or by any of the traditional ways in which they have fulfilled their purpose.

A belief that in a divided and fractured world, the role of public libraries continues to be of fundamental importance.

A belief that partnerships and collaboration are essential to success.