APPENDIX 3
Memorandum submitted by Lancashire County
Council
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 The Sub Committee welcomes the opportunity
to comment on the future of public libraries to the Parliamentary
Committee. In particular, it feels that the public library system
is crucial to the delivery of the key policies of combating social
exclusion and promoting the concept of Lifelong Learning. A short
profile of Lancashire is attached as Appendix 1[2].
1.2 In many respects the public library
service is one of the great "unsung" institutions of
this country. That is in no way to suggest that it is an anachronism
providing as it does a wide range of educational, cultural, recreational
and information-based services, etc to over 60 per cent of the
population. Even in times of financial difficulty within local
authorities and changing social patterns its public has remained
particularly loyal. Whilst some aspects of book lending have reduced
in recent years, this is almost all within the field of recreational
fiction and has been more than compensated for with increased
usage in work with children, the elderly and retired, information
provision, and the use of Information Communications Technology
(ICT) facilities.
1.3 It is pleasing to note that the Government
has now recognised the importance of public libraries and the
recent emphasis on developing the role of libraries, particularly
using ICT, is to be welcomed. In this context it is important
to underline the key role to be played by the Museums, Libraries
and Archives Council (MLAC) in providing an independent link between
the Secretary of State and the library community. It also emphasises
the increasing synergy that should be created at a local level
between the three services it represents. We feel that the recent
recognition of the importance of public libraries owes much to
the former Library Information Commission under the inspired leadership
of Matthew Evans: it is vital that this role is continued.
2. SOCIAL EXCLUSION
2.1 Due to its neutrality and acceptance
by a wide range of social groups, its generally good hours of
opening during the day, and the sheer number of library buildings,
the public library service is ideally placed to play a key role
in delivering social inclusion policies. In Lancashire the County
Council has pioneered a "Building Better Communities"
policy to combat social exclusion in key areas of the authority.
Central to the strategy is a commitment to community involvement,
intended to meet the real needs of the community through partnerships
with local community groups, service providers, business organisations
and other local authorities. As part of this programme in the
centre of Skelmersdale a range of local organisations have come
together based on the town library to provide a true community
resource centre. It was considered a natural home for such a venture
and emphasises the pivotal role that can be played by the public
library in deprived areas given commitment and imagination by
all concerned.
2.2 As a part of this agenda it is therefore
vital that the traditional role of the public library in providing
information is now more readily combined with advice and guidance
given in conjunction with other agencies. The question of library
staffing and qualifications will need to be urgently reviewed
in the light of this changing role.
2.3 It is equally important to recognise
the role the library service must continue to play in providing
reading, recreational and learning opportunities to those people
in the community who are unable to visit public libraries. It
is vital that libraries receive resources to allow services to
people in homes for the elderly, day care centres and sheltered
accommodation to help maintain a quality of life for this increasing
element of the population.
3. OPENING TIMES
3.1 The Parliamentary Committee will be
aware of the national picture concerning the reduction in opening
times of public libraries over the last 20 years. Clearly the
financial position of local authority revenue budgets needs to
be addressed if this major issue is to be resolved. However, this
is only part of the problem since, in many cases, the current
pattern of hours of opening also needs to be considered. Sunday
opening and more targeted opening in the evenings can only partially
be dealt with by the redistribution of existing hours. Currently
families with young children and the elderly are heavy users of
public libraries and both groups find daytime use convenient.
To significantly reduce daytime opening in order to pay for greater
access in the evenings and at weekends would therefore penalise
existing users and not be conducive to family learning initiatives
or the Lifelong Learning agenda.
3.2 The question of access is particularly
important when considering the development of Learning Centres
(see later paragraphs). For people who work during the day and
who wish to produce CVs, require product information for job applications,
need ICT familiarisation etc, it is imperative that evening access
is available.
3.3 The opening hours of major town centre
libraries needs to be improved, particularly with the increased
number of students in both Further and Higher Education. It needs
to be recognised how important the public library network is to
the student population.
4. LIBRARY CLOSURES
4.1 As previously stated one of the reasons
for the continuing success of the public library service is its
significant network of branches. Particularly in rural areas and
in many urban conurbations public transport is poor and car ownership
is low. However, the topic can get somewhat emotive and a sense
of balance is required since in some areas a library may not be
delivering value for money. This may be due to a lack of investment
or wider sociological problems. In either case objective criteria,
preferably endorsed by MLAC, are required to assist Local Authorities
in this area.
5. LIFELONG LEARNING
5.1 Whilst it is understandable it is perhaps
unfortunate that the Government emphasis on Lifelong Learning
is an economic one. In Lancashire we have adopted a "cradle
to grave" definition which is, of course, very much the constituency
of the public library service. Our vision is:
"To promote learning and
cultural opportunities for people living, working in or visiting
Lancashire, enabling them to seize their life changes, achieve
personal growth, and lead fulfilling and active lives at home,
in the community and at work".
5.2 To enable this to take place a Lifelong
Learning Division was created in April 1998, comprising Libraries,
Museums, Arts, Archives, Youth and Community, and Adult and Continuing
Education. Whilst structures in themselves are not paramount in
the delivery of services it has enabled the authority to provide
a level of synergy which would not have been possible in the time
scale without the formal linkage of the above services. Central
to this delivery is the public library service. Initiatives include:
— Development of learning centres in
the community in partnership with colleges, community action groups
and the Lifelong Learning Division. Three opened in 1999-2000
and eight to be opened in 2000-01;
— Appointment of an Information Communication
Development Officer developing learning opportunities for people
through Working Men's Clubs, Age Concern Groups and family groups
in local schools;
— Development of a range of music literature
and arts activities in local communities;
— Development of family learning groups
and parents in education schemes to encourage parent and child
activity in learning experiences;
— Bookstart schemes for parents and
babies with Adult Education and Health Authorities; and
— Post 16 partnerships to create continuing
education opportunities within the context of the University for
Industry and the new arrangements for the funding of adult and
community learning.
5.3 In many respects the Lifelong Learning
role takes the public library service back to its roots contained
within the 1850 Act, where it was seen as a significant element
of the drive for the wider availability of educational opportunities.
6. NEW TECHNOLOGY
6.1 In association with the other services
in the Lifelong Learning Division and in close partnership with
the Further Education Sector, the library service in Lancashire
has a strategy for developing Learning Centres in libraries. The
programme aims to provide enhanced learning opportunities, public
access for information, improvements to educational guidance services,
access to the National Grid for Learning (NGFL), People's Network
and Homework Centres, Family Learning Centres and a major resource
for ICT promotion in the community. A significant programme of
development is under way in Lancashire combined with the recent
implementation of the advanced public library TALIS system. Its
current success has brought new learners to the library, enabled
the FE sector to deliver its courses through a wider range of
premises and to those who would not normally have enrolled, and
established the library as a key component in the practical delivery
of Lifelong Learning in Lancashire. The next stage is to forge
closer links with the NGFL thereby enhancing the partnerships
that already exist between schools and their local library.
6.2 The development of publicly available
ICT facilities in libraries is vital if the public library service
is not to be marginalised as a minor recreation based activity
over the next few years. ICT will be a different means of delivery
of many traditional hard-copy services but it will also broaden
significantly the public's perception and use of its facilities.
It is no exaggeration to say that the opportunity is there to
make the public library the central community facility of the
next generation. In this context the role of the public library
as an information provider in the age of digital television needs
to be debated.
6.3 Recent availability of additional funding
is to be welcomed. Much however remains to be done particularly
in the availability of broadband technology. The disparity in
the funding of ICT in schools with public libraries will not deliver
the Government's agenda.
6.4 The Government support for training
library staff in ICT skills is warmly welcomed as is the strategy
and funding for digitisation and creating the ICT infrastructure
for the public library network. We would urge the Parliamentary
Committee to look closely at the difficulties libraries will face
to maintain these developments if revenue funding is not made
available for increased opening hours; and additional, suitably
trained staff to provide advice and guidance on new learning technologies.
This revenue funding is vital to enable library services to sustain
these initiatives and help to build better communities.
7. BRITISH LIBRARY
7.1 The British Library continues to provide
excellent national services but its role in the co-ordination
of acquisitions throughout the public sector and within the regional
library network needs to be strengthened. It should always be
remembered that public libraries are very much practical organisations
and there is a danger that, especially in the debate currently
taking place on the new regional structures, this may be forgotten.
8. LOCAL AUTHORITIES
8.1 Lancashire considers it vital that the
public library service remains very firmly a community service
administered by the local authority. This needs to be set against
nationally agreed targets and standards which, in turn, should
be adequately funded. It is to be hoped that the proposed standards
currently being discussed within DCMS could form the basis of
this framework.
January 2000
2 Not printed. Back
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