1. The Public Library Equation Equality + Happiness = Well Being

2. Inequality $26.7 billion Wall Street bonuses = double the pay of 1 million minimum wage workers Wealth of 85 global billionaires = wealth of half the world’s population, 3.5 billion people Wealth of Britain’s 5 richest families = wealth of the poorest 20%, or 12.6 million people ‘The redistributive state is fading in Canada’, Banting & Myles (2013)

3. Canada ‘As the gap between those at the top and those at the bottom continues to grow in Canada...the evidence shows negative impacts are not just felt by those at the bottom of the socio-economic ladder, even the wealthiest suffer decreased health and well-being in societies that are unbalanced.’ Canadian Index of Well Being (2014)

4. The Spirit Level ‘There is a startling correlation between income equality and a whole range of issues including happiness, physical health, mental health, drug abuse, education, imprisonment, obesity, social mobility, trust and community life, violence, teenage births and child well- being.’ The Spirit Level by Wilkinson & Pickett (2009)

5. Equality Income gap/23 Finland2 Sweden4 Denmark5 Canada12

6. Library Visits /21 Finland1 Denmark3 Sweden4 Canada17

7. Equality & Visits EqualityVisits Finland21 Sweden44 Denmark53 Canada1217

8. Cultural Value ‘All of the research reviewed suggests an undeniable connection between cultural value and inequality. Future research must focus on understanding how the relationship between inequality and cultural value functions, in the context of consumption and production.’ O’Brien, David & Oakley, Kate (2015) Cultural value and inequality

9. Libraries Transform Program ‘Income inequality limits the upward mobility of people, especially the ability of those at the bottom of the distribution, to rise.’ ‘Library service in support of skills development will likely become more important, but libraries will need to make sure the skills they seek to develop align with the types of skills needed in the economy’ ALA (2015) Income Inequality

10. Happiness Happiness provides a better indicator of human welfare than do income, poverty, education, health and good government. Inequality of well-being provides a broader measure of inequality. People are happier living in societies where there is less inequality of happiness. The World Happiness Report Update(UN, 2016)

11. Happiness /156 Denmark1 Finland5 Canada6 Sweden10

12. Library Circulation Circulation/21 Finland1 Denmark2 Canada4 Sweden5

13. Happiness & Circulation HappinessCirculation Denmark12 Finland51 Canada64 Sweden105

14. Reading For Pleasure Readers feel happier about themselves and their lives Reading produces greater life satisfaction, enhances social connectedness and sense of community spirit Reading helps protect against and even prepare for life difficulties. Reading between the lines (Billington, 2015)

15. The Untold Power of The Book ‘Reading for pleasure is a pivotal way to empower, enlighten and guide us through our everyday lives. Reading acts as a window to the outside world that challenges our thinking and changes our lifestyles for the better.’ Quick Reads (2015), in partnership with the Centre for Research into Reading, Literature and Society (CRILS) at the University of Liverpool.

16. Well Being ‘The presence of the highest possible quality of life in its full breadth of expression focused on but not necessarily exclusive to: good living standards; robust health; a sustainable environment; vital communities; an educated populace; balanced time use; high levels of democratic participation; access to and participation in leisure and culture.’ Canadian Index of Well-being (2014)

17. Well-Being /36 Denmark3 Canada4 Sweden7 Finland9

18. Library Membership Membership/21 Finland3 Denmark4 Sweden9 Canada14

19. Well-Being & Membership Well-BeingMembership Denmark34 Canada414 Sweden79 Finland93

20. Speaking Volumes Social hub – isolation, connecting citizens Cultural centre - literature, music, art, dance a Learning hub – literacy, lifelong learning Economic enabler – maximising income; access to employment Speaking Volumes: the impact of public libraries on well being (Carnegie UK Trust, 2014)

21. Health & Well Being The value of engagement in library services in terms of the impact on people’s overall quality of life. This represents the primary benefits of library services. The value to society of the health benefits of library services. This represents the secondary benefits of library services. The Health and Well Being Benefits of Public Libraries (Fujiwara, 2015)

22. Conclusion ‘Canada is facing difficult challenges ahead. In these uncertain times, we are fortunate to live in a country where we have choices about how we want the future to look. The choices we make as a society will determine whether we face a distressed future or a better quality of life.’ Canadian Index of Well Being (2014)

23. Questions? John Pateman et al (2000) Open to All? The Public Library and Social Exclusion John Pateman (2003) Developing a Needs- Based Library Service John Pateman & John Vincent (2010) Public Libraries and Social Justice John Pateman & Ken Williment (2013) Developing Community-Led Public Libraries