Librarians: Enhance Their Working Conditions to Improve Library Book Selection

Editorial

14:29 JST, February 3, 2026

When someone is not sure what book to read, a librarian’s advice can lead them to a book that unexpectedly stays in their heart forever. The working environment for librarians, who play such a vital role, should be improved to enhance the appeal of libraries.

An expert panel at the Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry has compiled a draft report urging the revitalization of public libraries operated by local governments and other entities. This comes amid a trend of declining reading habits and the fact that the number of library users has not returned to the levels before the COVID-19 pandemic.

The percentage of librarians employed as regular staff at public libraries plummeted from 76.9% in fiscal 1999 to 22.9% last fiscal year. In contrast, the number hired as non-regular employees on an annual basis has increased. This trend likely stems from the severe financial constraints faced by local governments.

Non-regular staffers often receive lower wages than regular staffers and many live with the anxiety of not knowing when their employment might be terminated. Consequently, the draft report proposed an increase in the proportion of librarians hired as regular staffers and improving their working conditions to enable long-term employment.

Libraries should ideally not only collect popular new releases but also curate collections reflecting local history and the specific features of local industries. Librarians who are knowledgeable about both books and the community should take the time to select such volumes, thereby enriching the library’s collection.

Librarians are often mistakenly believed to do only the simple task of checking out books at the counter. They actually play the truly important role of communicating with library users to appropriately select and introduce the kind of books users are seeking.

Local governments must recognize the importance of librarians and strive to secure adequate budgets. It is also essential to strengthen the central government’s financial support for local governments.

The budget for purchasing books per library averaged ¥8.62 million in fiscal 2024, a 20% decrease compared to fiscal 2005.

Libraries are regional hubs for supporting print culture. Libraries should increase the number of staffers, including librarians, collect distinctive books and foster more book lovers.

Collaboration between libraries and local bookstores is also crucial to expand opportunities for residents to encounter books.

At the Tottori Prefectural Library, librarians select and purchase books recommended by bookstores within the prefecture. In addition to stabilizing the management of bookstores, whose number is declining nationwide, the librarians boost their skills through their careful consideration of the books to be purchased.

The draft report also called for creating environments in which people with disabilities can enjoy reading and utilizing picture book specialists to foster familiarity with books from early childhood. It is also vital to establish a robust operational framework to enable libraries to fulfill their diversifying roles.

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Feb. 3, 2026)