Overview of libraries, archives and information services
Lifelong Learning UK (LLUK) represents librarians, archivists and information service providers working in publicly financed libraries, as well as those in universities and colleges.
Approximate numbers of staff working in libraries, archives and information services (LAIS) are as follows:
- 44,300 staff in England
- 380 staff in Northern Ireland
- 5,205 in Scotland
- 2,122 in Wales
(Source: LLUK Sector Skills Agreement Stage 1 Report).
There are approximately 2,000 libraries, archives and information service organisations across the UK, funded from a variety of sources.
Some of the main stakeholders in the LAIS sector are as follows:
- Library and Information Services Council (LISC)
- Museums Archives and Libraries Wales (CyMAL)
- the Chartered Institute of Information and Library Professionals (CILIP)
- the Chartered Institute of Information and Library Professionals in Scotland (CILIPS)
- the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) in England
- the national governments in the four UK nations
- the Scottish Library and Information Council
- the Society of Archivists
- the Society of Chief Librarians
Links to other organisations active in the LAIS sector are included in the relevant nations pages.
Detailed information about the LAIS sector is available in the relevant research pages, which include information on projects and reports covering this area.
For information on leadership and management and qualifications for careers in libraries, archives and information services, please view the relevant Standards and Qualifications pages.
To learn more about careers and professional development in the LAIS sector, please contact LLUK's Information and Advice Service.
