25 million books are missing from UK libraries - but who`s counting?
(The Guardian Books News)

Librarians call for a national audit after inventory count of Suffolk libraries reveals 10,000-book discrepancy between physical checks and database numbersThe decline in books stocked by public libraries may be far worse than official figures indicate, with industry sources claiming that it may be many millions higher than the 25 million books recorded as missing, meaning that the number of books available to borrowers has plummeted by more than 50% since 1996.Librarians are calling for a national audit to reveal the true extent of the problem, with the news coming as the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (Cilip) sent an open letter to chancellor Philip Hammond calling on him to increase funding for the sector, to protect it from irreparable decline as part of his strategy for economic growth. Continue reading...