Memorandum submitted by the Local Government
Association
The LGA welcomes the opportunity to submit evidence
to this inquiry on Public Libraries and would welcome the opportunity
to give oral evidence to the committee. As the representative
body for local authorities in England and Wales the LGA recognises
the importance libraries play in our communities. However, what
we want to stress is the wider role that libraries are taking
in meeting the needs of communities. Whilst we continue to support
the role of libraries as stores of information there must be wider
recognition of the role they have in supporting education and
learning for all ages, tackling social exclusion, supporting communities
and bringing communities together.
In supporting this work the LGA commissioned
NfER to undertake research into the extended role libraries are
now playing within their communities, the partnerships they are
working in and the objectives to which they are contributing.
The research surveyed all 172 library services in England and
Wales and received a 109 completed surveys, a 63% completion rate.
The research also looks at extended service delivery in more depth
in 10 cases studies. This response to the Select Committee's Inquiry
is based on this research and focuses on the expanded role many
libraries are undertaking alongside their more traditional roles
as stores of information.
This research is not launched until 22 November
so we would appreciate it if you could not use this information
publicly until after that date.
NEW MODELS
OF PROVISION
AND NEW
POLICY DEMANDS
(SUCH AS
TACKLING SOCIAL
EXCLUSION)
Many local authorities have realised that libraries
cannot act solely as repositories of information and places for
quiet study and research. They recognise the importance of these
services but realise that libraries can play a much wider role
within our communities and support a range of objectives set by
both themselves and central government.
Libraries have been evolving for a number of
years now to meet the demands of new policy initiatives many of
which look to address social inclusion but that also have wider
benefits for all communities. They support education for young
and old alike, not only do they provide information, both paper
based and through ICT, some libraries are also becoming sources
for face to face advice on council services, benefits, health
etc. They are using their unique position within communities to
act as hubs where people can access advice, learning and information.
For example libraries can act as:
— Centres for learning—many libraries
support both children and adults in their learning. Homework clubs
support children who may not have the space or support at home
to do their homework, Learning centres such as Wandsworth's "Life
Skills Centre" in one of its libraries that provides free
basic skills training. Libraries are also working with Learn Direct
to provide advice on improving skills. 67% of libraries surveyed
have developed learning centres since 2002. Since 2002 the percentage
of libraries providing basic skills courses has risen by 45%.
61% of libraries are involved with Learndirect.
— Centres of advice—provide advice
for young people through ConneXions, support for small businesses,
advice and information on council services and benefits, health
advice through partnerships with PCTs.
— Centres for communities—libraries
can also become centres for communities to meet and interact.
By using their space more creatively and sharing space with other
services, even private sector concerns, libraries can attract
the full cross sector of communities bring young and old into
the same space allowing communities to mix. Libraries must be
a resource for communities not just a store of information.
THE ACCESSIBILITY
OF LOCAL
LIBRARIES MEET
THE CURRENT
DEMANDS OF
THE PUBLIC
Opening hours increasing to meet the demands
of customers. NfER research showed that half of all those surveyed
opened a quarter or more of their libraries more than 45 hours
a week. Library services also have on average 27% of their opening
times outside of normal office hours. There appears to have been
a fairly widespread extension of opening hours however, in many
areas this has been confined to the main libraries in an area
with only a significant minority of libraries extending opening
in most of their libraries.
The survey revealed that the only groups to
be frequently targeted for extended opening hours were working
people/commuters and families. New sources of funding were the
cited most as financing extended opening hours however, some library
services had reallocated budgets within the service to fund extra
opening hours.
The impact on increased opening hours was mostly
seen in the use of ICT facilities with 51 of those services surveyed
saying they saw increased use during non traditional hours. Relatively
few saw an increase in the amount of books lent during these times.
SUFFOLK—WHOLESALE
SUNDAY OPENING
Publication of the Audit Commission report Building
Better Libraries (Resource, 2004) has led to the library service
identifying several areas in need of improvement, including opening
hours, buildings, book displays and customer service.
The main thrust of improvement, from the summer
of 2003, has been Sunday opening in all 44 libraries, accompanied
by a marketing campaign. Sunday opening was aimed particularly
at people under 40 including families with children, school and
university students, ethnic minorities, and the 20 to 30 year-olds
who increasingly are using bookshops.
The location of libraries has also changed in
certain circumstances, reflecting the move towards shared service
sites and one stop shops. In some circumstances libraries have
been used to house other services (which we will discuss later)
but in other cases libraries have become part of other projects
such as extended schools, civic centres and even art galleries.
Obvious benefits in terms of sustainability but caution with placing
public libraries within schools. Libraries are often seen as a
neutral place of learning separate from school. Placing them within
the school could deter people who have had or are having difficulties
within schools from visiting libraries. Libraries seen as non
threatening and non judgemental services that are open to all
an attribute we are keen to see kept.
The changes seen within libraries has not been
done without regard to the needs of the communities they serve.
Almost all libraries surveyed (107 form 109 response) had used
some kind of survey to assess the needs of the communities they
serve.
WHAT CAN
BE DONE
TO INCREASE
THE PUBLIC'S
USE OF
LOCAL LIBRARIES?
The increasing range of services provided by
and within libraries are contributing to increasing the numbers
of people who are using libraries. The provision of free ICT through
the People's Network is seen by libraries as a key factor in increasing
use by the public. Around 97% of library services surveyed believed
that this had increased use of library services in general.
However, it is not just ICT that is seen as
contributing to increasing use, changes in library spaces, the
provision of advice services, changing public opinion of libraries
and in some cases providing a coffee shop within the library are
all being used to attract people back to libraries. Library services
have seen the need not only to provide a range of services that
people need but also to provide it in an environment that people
are comfortable in and want to visit. Our research has shown that
working with national initiatives such as BookStart and Learndirect
have increased library use in 85% and 73% respectively.
However, this has not been at the expense of
more traditional services. Improving traditional library services
is still seen as an important way of maintaining and increasing
use of public libraries. 90% of libraries who responded to the
survey said they had improved the stock of books since 2002 in
order to increase the use of libraries.
Libraries are not only looking to increase the
overall use of public libraries but also looking to increase the
use of libraries by groups that have, in the past, not been traditional
users. Libraries have been targeting specific users, for example,
disabled people and pre school children and parents through changing
spaces within libraries and providing specific sessions to support
these groups.
The research showed that 88% of libraries responding
to the survey were improving resources and access for disabled
people. Other groups that have been widely targeted include pre
school children and their parents (94%), Adults with basic skills
(86%) and children in care (67%). Whilst a significant minority
of authorities have been targeting services for prisoners and
Travellers.
THE JULES
THORN CENTRE
FOR PEOPLE
WITH SENSORY
IMPAIRMENTS—LONDON
BOROUGH OF
ENFIELD
It was established that Enfield library was
not serving people with sensory impairment, and so consultation
between the library, Enfield Vision and Enfield Association for
the Deaf culminated in the Jules Thorn Centre. It was set up in
1999 by a private charitable donation of £200,000. The money
funded the set-up, the refurbishment of the library and the running
costs for three years. Since then the part-time specialist member
of staff has been financed through mainstream sources. A specially
trained member of staff runs 12-week ICT courses for six to nine
people.
FUNDING AN
EXTENDED ROLE
FOR LOCAL
LIBRARIES
Our research showed that libraries are using
a range funding sources to expand their services to meet a wider
range of objectives as well as expand their traditional services
to meet the demands of existing users as well as attract new ones.
The main source of funding for extended library services, 81%,
comes from partnership funding from the public sector. Central
government (66%) and increased annual library budgets (69%) have
also supported the expanded role of public libraries.
However, the extended role many libraries are
playing is based on external funding with more than half of libraries
surveyed in our research saying that they would not be able to
continue delivery of these services. However, some libraries,
where projects have been particularly successful, had managed
to secure money from general library budgets for projects that
expand the role of the library.
Other areas for concern with regard to funding
where the cost of providing staff training and development to
deliver many of the new agendas libraries are addressing. There
are also concerns amongst local authorities regarding the large
amounts of money needed for major building works. DCMS undertook
an asset management survey of local councils earlier this year
that estimated the backlog of maintenance for those library authorities
who responded (about a third or all local authorities) is £79.8
million. If libraries are to deliver against a wider range of
an authorities objectives many libraries need to be updated and
refurbished. The lack of capital funding available for such projects
is slowing the pace of change and improvement.
RECRUITMENT AND
TRAINING OF
LIBRARY STAFF
The role of library staff is changing. Libraries
are employing more specialist staff to address their work on basic
skills and to act as learning mentors as well as training existing
staff to undertake this role. There has been a percentage increase,
since 2002, of 26 in the number of libraries employing specialist
staff in these roles. In Birmingham job descriptions for library
learning centre staff includes the requirement for them to act
as mentors to help learners reflect on the learning process.
Library staff are increasingly being asked to
get out from behind their desks and work with groups both inside
and outside their libraries. Libraries are also offering more
training for existing staff on outreach and development work and
the needs of different communities, often to support the development
of basic literacy skills within these communities. Some libraries,
Nottinghamshire Library Service for example, are even working
with prisoners on literacy skills and supporting greater interaction
with their children through reading.
LINCOLNSHIRE—RE-ORGANISING
FOR THE
FUTURE
The library service has developed a strategy
for extending their user base that fits with the recently-developed
County Council ambitions and objectives and will give them more
focus. In order to achieve their objectives, the library service
is embarking on a re-organisation programme designed to create
a more flexible and collaborative organisational structure that
can respond more successfully to change.
Libraries had in the past been assigned to five
tiers which the head of libraries said had "governed everything
we do", including resource allocation. The arrangement is
now viewed as "too hierarchical" and future resources
will follow needs. Library managers and staff will be asked to
identify needs and their requests for resources will have to be
evidence-based.
Leaders and managers have also undertaken training.
In the past, middle managers had operational responsibility for
libraries in part of the county, as well as individual key result
areas which they worked on alone rather than cooperating, since
networking was not encouraged. However, they have now been set
some generic targets that require them to work together to achieve
them. This strategy is already providing opportunities for managers
to discuss developments more freely.
There has also been extensive staff training
with all staff gaining National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs)
and the service gaining Investors in People status.
Our research showed that training was an ongoing
need for library staff as services change and expand. Sufficient
funding is needed to ensure that the appropriate training is in
place to ensure staff are able to deliver these new services and
are equipped to deal with groups that can be more challenging
in attitude and behaviour.
THE PERFORMANCE
OF THE
PEOPLE'S
NETWORK IN
PROVIDING UNIVERSAL
INTERNET ACCESS
AND ITS
FUTURE DEVELOPMENT
Libraries have a vital role in delivering the
government's agenda on ICT through the People's Network. The impact
of the People's Network has been huge giving many people who cannot
afford access to ICT the opportunity to access the wealth of information,
communication and opportunities that the internet provides. Our
research showed that every library surveyed had been involved
with the People's Network and that around 90% of those were offering
free access to the internet. Our survey also showed that 97% of
libraries have seen an increase in library use since the introduction
of the People's Network.
The network has had clear benefits in reaching
out to disadvantaged groups who have not, previously, had access
to information technology or the ability to use it. Evaluations
have shown that the People's Network has uncovered a huge latent
demand for public access to internet services and attracted new
library users. However, there has been some negative impacts on
existing library users who feel that book stocks are making way
for ICT and feel uncomfortable with the changing focus of libraries.
There are also concerns that staff are needing to constantly update
their skills in order to meet the needs of users and whilst many
were positive about this some did feel negatively towards this.
12 November 2004
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