The Department of Education, Sport and Culture has confirmed it is not in a position to fund the Family Library in Douglas, following last week’s announcement that the much-loved community service is facing permanent closure.

In Tynwald on Tuesday, Paul Craine MLC, political member for the department, responded to questions from Ramsey MHK Lawrie Hooper and other members, stating: ‘In our current budgetary constraints, we're not in a position to fund this library.’

Mr Craine acknowledged the value of the Family Library’s work but said it does not fall within the department’s remit or statutory responsibilities.

‘Everyone involved in education values the work that the library does, but it's not fundamentally an educational resource,’ he told members.

‘The mobile library only visits two of our schools regularly.

‘The services provided are to the wider community – and while those are important, they are not part of our remit or something we have a budget for.’

His comments follow last week’s announcement from the Family Library’s directors that, after 14 years as a charity, the service is planning to close on July 31, 2025, due to an unsustainable annual funding shortfall of around £100,000.

The closure would mean the end of not just the Douglas-based Family Library and Children’s Library, but also the Mobile Library, Home Delivery Service and Bibliotherapy sessions.

Members of Tynwald raised concerns that no department appeared to be taking the lead on finding a long-term solution.

Arbory, Castletown and Malew MHK Jason Moorhouse urged Mr Craine to consider whether the department could coordinate discussions across government.

‘They may not be able to provide the money today,’ he said, ‘but they might be able to pull things together and find a solution.’

In response, Mr Craine reiterated that the department does not have the resources to take over the service but said he would raise the matter with the Minister in a future meeting.

While the DESC does not directly fund the Family Library, it does provide the Westmoreland Road building on a peppercorn rent of less than £1 per week.

Mr Craine also acknowledged that Treasury had provided significant financial support in recent years.

Concerns were raised about the impact on schools, particularly those that rely on the library because they do not have their own.

Mr Craine said that while 10 schools currently use the Family Library, only one of them, the one closest to the facility, lacks its own school library.

Tynwald members, including Douglas East MHK Joney Faragher and Douglas Central MHK Chris Thomas, called for a broader review of library provision and asked whether the department would consider re-assuming responsibility for libraries, which was relinquished in 2011 during a previous round of austerity.

Mr Craine said the department is not in a position to lead on library policy or staffing, but added: ‘There’s no lack of desire to see a successful outcome here. But budgets have never recovered since 2011, and that’s the position we’re in.’