Libraries Connected, the national membership body for public libraries, has received funding from the Government’s Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund to lead a landmark digital inclusion programme. Inspire is one of the four local library authorities which have been chosen to lead the way forward in developing a strategy to increase digital inclusion nationwide.
Delivered in partnership with Good Things Foundation and WSA Community, the programme will develop a new practical digital inclusion guide for public libraries, designed to ensure vulnerable communities are not left behind by AI and rapid digital change.
Titled Innovating in Trusted Spaces: Libraries Advancing the Digital Inclusion Action Plan, it will be financed by a £310,400 grant through the Fund, which is provided by the Department for Science, Industry and Technology (DSIT).
The project will run from November 2025 to March 2026 across four library services – Newcastle, Northumberland, Nottingham City and Nottinghamshire (Inspire) – covering a population of 1.8 million through 121 individual libraries. Target groups include older people, low-income families and individuals with disabilities.
Launched in April 2016 Inspire delivers culture, learning and libraries on behalf of Nottinghamshire County Council. Inspire will play its part in this flagship programme by testing a variety of approaches aimed at drawing library customers into conversations and promoting learning opportunities, which will involve basic digital literacy; media literacy around mis/disinformation; and uses of AI as a creative or helpful tool.
There are two phases of this programme:
The first phase – taking place before Christmas 2025 – involves visiting already-established community groups (Places of Welcome sessions, craft groups, heritage groups, and ESOL drop-ins) and inviting people to participate in a discussion, activity or demonstration relating to various areas of the digital world.
Phase two will develop these activities further, based on insights from the first phase, in order to create a usable model for the potential future rollout of findings and practices nationwide. This second phase will also include the development and display of a thought-provoking exhibition about how our lives are impacted by the digital world. The exhibition – taking place at Newark Library from 2nd February 2026 – will raise awareness of the potential dangers or misleading outcomes of certain digital activities, whilst also demonstrating the value, impact and usefulness of increasing technological inclusion and digital literacy.
Approximately 8.5 million adults in the UK lack basic digital skills which are necessary for life and work, with less than a third of adults (27%) feeling confident that they could recognise AI-generated content online.[1] Public libraries are the nation’s leading provider of free internet access and digital skills support. There are around 3,000 individual libraries in England, which provide a warm, safe and quiet environment in which people can take advantage of the 25,000 free-to-use public PCs and devices – last year these were used for an estimated 14 million hours.[2] But rapid digital change – including widespread adoption of AI, the spread of online disinformation and growth of immersive tech – means established approaches to digital inclusion need to adapt and evolve.
The project will lead to the creation of a new practical guide for library staff, co-designed and tested with communities, to build digital confidence among those most at risk of exclusion. The guide will have a particular focus on the benefits and risks of AI tools and media literacy, including mis- and disinformation. A national network for sharing ideas and experience among library workers will also be established.
CEO of Inspire, Peter Gaw, commented:
“In an age of rapid digital transformation, this programme will help so many people from vulnerable communities to get connected, gain digital confidence, and participate safely and securely in the digital world. At Inspire, we are so pleased to be taking part in a programme which will restore independence to those currently left behind by the digital boom, as well as reducing social isolation and broadening the employment opportunities of those currently affected by a lack of digital skills. Inclusion is at the heart of so much of what we do here at Inspire and, thanks to this programme, we hope to be able to reach and connect with more people than ever.”
[1] https://www.goodthingsfoundation.org/policy-and-research/research-and-evidence/research-2024/digital-inclusion-datasets
[2] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/secondary-data-analysis-of-arts-council-englands-english-public-libraries-activity-dataset-2324
Posted on 17 December 2025
