Walk into a busy public library on any given afternoon and you will see far more than people quietly turning pages. A grandmother might be learning to read for the first time, a group of children could be acting out a story, and a young person with a visual impairment may be listening to an audiobook through headphones. Public libraries have always been about books, but their deeper mission is to spread literacy, spark creativity, and bring communities together. They serve every section of society, regardless of age, background, or ability, and in doing so they become one of the most democratic institutions we have.
Table of Contents
The library’s role in literacy
Literacy sits at the very heart of what a public library does. The IFLA/UNESCO Public Library Manifesto lists support for literacy activities and programmes for all age groups as one of the core missions of every public library, even calling on libraries to start such programmes where none exist. This is not limited to children. Adults who never had the chance to attend school, neo-literates who have just learned to read, and people picking up a new language all rely on the library as a learning space.
The need is real and pressing. Problems of literacy remain as urgent as ever, in developing and developed nations alike, which is why libraries treat reading skills as the key that unlocks all other knowledge. A person who cannot read cannot fully access government schemes, health information, employment notices, or even the news. By offering reading rooms, basic education materials, and guidance, libraries help close this gap one learner at a time.
Post-literacy services
Teaching someone to read is only half the job. Without continued reading material, a newly literate adult can quickly slip back into illiteracy. This is where post-literacy services matter. Libraries supply simple, interesting, and locally relevant reading material that keeps new readers engaged and helps their skills mature. The goal is to move a person from “I can decode letters” to “I read for information and pleasure.”
A striking example comes from Kerala, where the Aksharadeepam doorstep book delivery programme carries books directly to rural homes. A study of this grassroots initiative found that it increased reading frequency, reduced screen time, and improved mental well-being, especially among economically disadvantaged women, with local Kudumbashree volunteers managing the operation. It shows how a community-driven, volunteer-supported model can sustain literacy long after the first lesson ends.
Children’s services and creativity
If literacy is the foundation, children’s services are where it begins. The Manifesto explicitly calls on libraries to stimulate the imagination and creativity of children and young people and to create opportunities for personal creative development. Libraries do this by making reading feel less like a chore and more like an adventure.
Story times, book clubs, and reading challenges are among the most common tools. These programmes introduce children to a wide range of books and genres while giving them a safe, welcoming place to explore ideas. Early literacy work often starts before a child can even read. Frameworks built around simple daily activities such as singing, talking, reading, writing, and playing help parents and caregivers prepare children for school and reading through easy and fun routines, building language skills in everyday moments.
From reading to making
Modern children’s services go well beyond books. Libraries now run art workshops, craft sessions, science experiments, and creative writing contests that turn young readers into young makers. Many libraries host hands-on programmes that spark curiosity and help children develop problem-solving skills through activities like coding and simple robotics. Some children even attend creative workshops that improve fine motor skills and encourage self-expression.
These activities matter because they support cognitive and social growth at the same time. A child who builds something, performs in a drama group, or enters a poetry contest is learning to express ideas, work with others, and think independently. The library becomes a place where reading and imagination feed each other.
Services for disadvantaged groups
A truly public library belongs to everyone, which means it must make special efforts to reach those who face barriers to ordinary services. The 2022 IFLA/UNESCO framework advocates services that guarantee equality of access regardless of age, ethnicity, gender, religion, nationality, language, or social standing, with specific accommodations for linguistic minorities, persons with disabilities, people with low literacy, and those confined to hospitals or prisons. Inclusion is not an add-on; it is part of the core promise.
Linguistic minorities
In a multilingual society, language can quietly exclude people from the very institution meant to serve them. The IFLA/UNESCO Multicultural Library Manifesto urges libraries to develop culturally diverse and multilingual collections, provide resources in appropriate languages, and create outreach materials in different media and languages to draw in groups who might otherwise stay away. Stocking books, newspapers, and digital content in regional and minority languages signals that the library is for them too.
Persons with disabilities
Accessibility is now recognised as a right, not a favour. Under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, libraries as public institutions are obliged to implement accessibility and inclusion so that people with disabilities can participate fully and equally in society. IFLA’s guidelines recommend a combination of universal design, assistive technology, staff training, and outreach. In practice this can mean Braille books, audiobooks, screen readers, ramps, and large-print collections.
The principle guiding this work is captured in the motto “nothing about us without us,” meaning that decisions about services for people with disabilities should be made in partnership with those very users. India has its own history here. As far back as 1999, advocates were presenting the case for equality in library services for the country’s disabled population at international forums, a reminder that the demand for inclusive libraries is not new.
The elderly and other groups
Older adults form another important group, and their needs go beyond large-print books. Many struggle with the digital tools that now dominate daily life. Some library projects have developed gamified learning models to teach digital skills to older adults in an accessible and enjoyable way, helping them stay connected and independent. Libraries also serve youth, women, and people in hospitals or care facilities, recognising that each group benefits from a slightly different approach.
A good model of this group-based approach comes from Kerala, where public libraries run dedicated forums for different sections of the community: Balavedhi for children, Yuvajanavedhi for youth, Vanithavedhi for women, and Vayojanavedhi for senior citizens. Each forum tailors its programmes to the people it serves, turning the library into a genuine community centre rather than a one-size-fits-all institution.
Collection development for a diverse society
None of these services can work without the right materials behind them, which is why collection development is so important. A collection is not just a pile of books; it is a deliberate selection meant to reflect and serve the whole community. The Manifesto is clear that public libraries should provide collections and services which meet the needs of all users, including potential users, and offer special encouragement to develop reading skills.
This means thinking across formats and audiences. A balanced collection today includes printed books for casual readers, simple texts for new literates, multilingual material for minority groups, large-print and audio formats for people with print disabilities, children’s picture books, reference works for students, and digital resources for those building computer skills. The Multicultural Library Manifesto specifically calls for collections that include digital and multimedia resources alongside printed material, reflecting how people now consume information.
Why variety matters
Variety is not about filling shelves; it is about removing barriers. A farmer might need agricultural information in a local language, a student might need exam guides, a child might need a story book, and a retired teacher might need an audiobook. A thoughtfully built collection anticipates all of these needs at once. The updated Manifesto frames public libraries as agents of sustainable development and publicly accessible spaces for the exchange of information and the promotion of civic engagement, a vision that only holds true when the collection genuinely belongs to everyone.
Collection development should also stay free of bias. The Manifesto insists that collections and services not be subject to any form of ideological, political, or religious censorship, ensuring the library remains a neutral, trustworthy space for learning. When libraries select widely and fairly, they protect both intellectual freedom and the right of every reader to find themselves on the shelves.
Bringing it together
Literacy, creativity, inclusion, and a strong collection are not four separate jobs. They are four parts of a single mission. A library that teaches an adult to read must then provide post-literacy material to keep that skill alive. A library that wants children to love reading must offer creative programmes that make books exciting. A library that claims to serve the whole community must reach linguistic minorities, persons with disabilities, and the elderly. And all of this depends on a collection deliberately built to reflect a diverse society. When these pieces work together, the public library stops being a quiet warehouse of books and becomes a living centre of learning and connection.
What do you think? If you were redesigning your local public library to serve every group in your community, which service would you prioritise first, and why? And how might libraries balance the cost of specialised services for disadvantaged groups against the goal of remaining free and open to all?
References
- https://repository.ifla.org/bitstreams/2c4f3384-67da-4728-8a2e-117f86cbd495/download
- https://origin-archive.ifla.org/IV/ifla60/60-nieh.htm
- https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01616846.2025.2591553
- https://centervillelibrary.info/activity-ideas-to-help-every-child-get-ready-to-read/
- https://www.aupaircare.com/stories/library-activities-for-children
- https://www.ijrls.in/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/ijrls-1968.pdf
- https://www.ifla.org/ifla-unesco-multicultural-library-manifesto/
- https://www.ifla.org/g/eals/access-to-libraries-for-persons-with-disabilities-guidelines/
- https://www.ifla.org/news/just-published-ifla-guidelines-for-making-libraries-accessible-for-people-with-disabilities/
- https://archive.ifla.org/IV/ifla65/papers/044-132e.htm
- https://blogs.ifla.org/lpa/2024/10/18/the-public-library-manifesto-in-action-good-practices-in-sustainability-literacy-and-democracy/
- https://nepjol.info/index.php/access/article/download/88812/67581/254795
- https://www.ifla.org/news/ifla-and-unesco-launch-an-updated-public-library-manifesto-at-the-87th-world-library-and-information-congress-wlic/
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