King's College London

Between 2010 and 2020 the number of service providers who have reportedly ceased the statutory provision of library services in their area has tripled. This change in the landscape of English libraries has attracted numerous news headlines but has not been researched academically. The closure of local authority libraries and the emergence of community-run libraries is acknowledged, but data remain scarce and disconnected.

Fully funded London Interdisciplinary Social Science Doctoral Training Partnership CASE studentship (LISS-DTP) aims to investigate changes in the provision of library services in England and their socio-economic impact in local communities.

Throughout the project, the research will be enhanced by the collaboration with the Arts Council England and the wider English Public Library Strategic Working Group.

The Studentship is supervised by Dr Salvatore di Novo, Lecturer in Culture, Media & Creative Industries (Economics), and Professor Roberta Comunian, Professor of Creative Economies in the Department of Culture, Media and Creative Industries at King’s.

The Studentship is open for candidates with MA/MSc qualification in the relevant study area (e.g., public policy, economics, economic geography, cultural policy) and is primarily available as a 3-year full-time PhD studentship. Suitable candidates currently studying at Master's level may be considered for a 1+3-year Master's and PhD Studentship.

The Studentship covers annual stipend, tuition fees and paid internship.

Students will receive a stipend at the UKRI rate (was £21,237 for the year 2024/25) and UK tuition fees are paid. An International Doctoral Scholar Award will cover the difference between UK and International tuition fees, where the selected candidate is an international student (pending approval).

The Studentship will also provide 3-month placement funding. Opportunities to apply for additional funding, including for the costs of research training and development, will be available during the course of the studentship.

The application deadline is Friday, 7 March 2025 (5 pm UK Time). For more information on how to apply, please visit this page. Interviews will take place between the third and fourth week of March 2025.