Turning the page: £45,000 boost to bring more eBooks and eAudio to our libraries!
Thursday, 26 March 2026
Central Bedfordshire Council has committed £45,000 of UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) contingency funding to expand the e‑book collections in libraries across Central Bedfordshire.
The investment will fund the purchase of around 800 new eBooks and eAudio, ensuring residents can enjoy access to a wide range of digital titles.
By investing in more eBooks and eAudio for our residents, the council is expanding access to reading for everyone - offering flexible, convenient, and inclusive options that support busy families, remote users, people with disabilities, and anyone who benefits from a wider choice of titles available anytime, anywhere. This supports other UKSPF funded programmes and has a role to play in helping residents build skills, support lifelong learning, and improve access to resources that boost education, employment opportunities, and overall economic participation.
Councillor Tracey Wye, Chair of the Partnership Group, said:
This injection of funds is much welcome and ensures that everyone in Central Bedfordshire whether they prefer reading or listening can access high‑quality digital books. eBooks and audio books are essential for residents who rely on adjustable text, larger fonts, screen readers or audio formats. By expanding our digital stock, we’re supporting equality, accessibility and personal choice for all library users. We’re proud to ensure our libraries remain inclusive, modern and responsive to the needs of our diverse communities.
The new eBooks and Audio will be added to the digital library catalogue over the coming months, giving library members an even wider selection of titles to enjoy at home or on the go.
The UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) is providing £2.6 billion of funding for local investment by September 2026. It is positioned as the UK replacement for the European Structural and Investment Programme.
Central Bedfordshire Council has been allocated £4.71M from the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (formerly known as DHLUC) UKSPF programme which is being delivered alongside their £1.37M allocation from DEFRA’s Rural England Prosperity Fund.
The primary goal of the UKSPF is to build pride in place and increase life chances across the UK.