A parent and young child taking part in a lively early‑years activity at a Devon library run by Libraries Unlimited, with families gathered for shared learning and play.

Devon Libraries at the Heart of Communities

The Board of Libraries Unlimited published its initial response to the Devon County Council consultation on the future of public libraries on 2nd Dec 2025. Since then, it’s been truly heartwarming to see not only the support for libraries, and the fantastic work that they do, but that so many people share our view that they are truly at the heart of local communities. We decided the time was right to not just respond to the questions in the Devon County Council consultation, but to also set out a vision to demonstrate how the library service in Devon can be imagined from the community up, rather than county down. We hope that this paper shows that there is a bright future for libraries in Devon, and by working together, we can build something that is truly resilient and responsive to local community needs.

You can read the full ‘Devon Libraries at the Heart of Devon Communities’ paper here.

If you have any feedback please email us at letstalk@librariesunlimited.org.uk

Don’t forget that Devon County Council’s public consultation on the future of Devon’s libraries closes on 22nd February, if you haven’t already, please make sure you complete the survey and have your say.