APPENDIX 15
Memorandum submitted by the National Association
of Citizens Advice Bureaux
The following submission concentrates on the role
of the local library as an information resource.
1. THE RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN THE
CITIZENS ADVICE
BUREAU SERVICE
AND LIBRARIES
1.1 Libraries provide access to reliable
information as well as entertainment and culture through books
and other reference material. With a skilled and knowledgeable
staff, users have the ability to use the large amounts of material
about their rights and responsibilities.
1.2 The Citizens Advice Bureaux service
is concerned with combating social exclusion by ensuring that
people know their rights and responsibilities. In doing so, we
aim to ensure that people do not suffer from the unreasonable
pressures of lenders, employers or landlords and can access the
help which society provides through national and local government
services.
1.3 Libraries can play a important role
in providing good information on rights and responsibilities—providing
the information for people to deal with their problems where they
can.
1.4 Citizens Advice Bureaux work in co-operation
with local libraries in several ways. These range from informal
referral arrangements to holding CAB advice sessions in the library—112
outlets were located in libraries in 1998-99. Libraries act as
a source of primary information for the communities that they
serve. The National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux (NACAB)
supplies an updated information resource—the Basic Information
Pack—which is held by many libraries. Since mid-1999, this
information pack has been available on the Internet at www.adviceguide.org.uk.
We have been working to raise awareness of the site with librarians
so that they are able to guide users to the site where appropriate.
2. THE ROLE
OF LIBRARIES
IN COMBATING
SOCIAL EXCLUSION
The CAB Service values its association with
local libraries and the help that both organisations can provide
in their community. If libraries are to complement the CAB Service
in combating social exclusion, our experience suggests that the
following factors are significant.
2.1 Libraries need to be easily accessible
within their communities and to be open outside traditional office
hours eg evenings and Saturdays.
2.2 The more widespread availability of
resources on the Internet and through internal library networks
should ensure that small branch libraries can offer most of the
information that would be available in the local authority's major
reference library.
2.3 Libraries should provide training in
IT both informally when required to access information source
and in a more formal way. This helps the local community by increasing
IT skills which are becoming almost as essential as reading.
2.4 Although much information is available
on the Internet, a relatively small proportion of the population
has access at present. This will undoubtedly increase rapidly
in the next few years but there will still be many people who
will not have any way to access the Internet unless the service
is provided by the local library. Commercial alternatives are
unlikely to be viable in local communities.
2.5 A significant part of the value of the
local library is the knowledge of the staff to guide users to
the right resources to meet their needs. Commercial, community
and kiosk alternatives are not equipped to provide guidance in
the same way.
January 2000
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