Memorandum submitted by Ms Julia Fieldhouse
These are my own views as a Head of Service,
not those of the authority.
1. Bath and NE Somerset are very aspirational
in regard to libraries. We aspire to fulfil national and local
agendas both in terms of Framework for the Future, and in terms
of delivery of e-government and social inclusion agendas. Please
find enclosed our "Way Forward" document (not
printed) which is aimed at the public but illustrates our
objectives. Libraries have a key role to play in many national
and local agendas, but it is difficult to embed our service with
others such as Social Services and Education. It would help if
national direction could be given in this regard to other services
and work done to join up in central government, as many objectives
regarding the above agendas are set from central government.
2. Advocacy in Central Government. I am
not convinced that libraries are well represented either through
DCMS or MLA powerfully enough centrally.
3. Money from central government is not
ring fenced for libraries, and therefore funding amounts allocated
to libraries across the country varies enormously. It is difficult
to compete locally with the "big hitters" for funds
such as Social Services and Education.
4. Size—libraries are often quite
a small service in comparison with others in a council—in
terms of staff and budget. We often lack critical mass so it is
difficult to be heard and advocate against others. It is also
difficult to transform and be innovative with such small critical
mass. Closer integration with key agendas and recognition as an
important delivery vehicle for them would therefore help.
5. We suffer in this authority further by
being a small service within a small unitary authority—so
the critical mass issue is further exacerbated—even though
we work as part of a consortium to manage this to an extent.
6. Sustainability of PN. This has never
been addressed by central government and not at all clear how
to resolve in the context of still being held to standards, which
still talk about absolute numbers of books for example. Redirecting
existing resources for PN is very difficult in this context.
7. Framework for the Future is a
good start to greater advocacy and selling the message of what
we can do. The roll out needs to be better funded and faster.
It needs to be better advertised beyond libraries and better communicated
within.
8. Recruitment and retention. It is difficult
to attract good staff. We are likely to hit a demographic bulge
soon as staff retire. It is not clear if library schools/courses
are relevant and provide the profession with what's needed.
9. Our buildings are of a poor standard,
and it is difficult to maintain or develop when have to find capital
money locally.
10. Standards. The value is limited as they
are too qualitative, do not come with funding, and the consequence
of not achieving them is vague. I hope the impact measures will
help here.
11. There is no general understanding of
the wider role of libraries. The national marketing campaign needs
to start delivering quickly so that we can start using it to integrate
with.
12. Skills of staff need updating with the
changing role of libraries. However the amount of training is
very difficult to fund.
17 November 2004
Memorandum submitted by Friends of Reading
and Education (FORE)
FORE is the umbrella organisation for all library
support groups in the Borough of Haringey. We reported to the
first Inquiry, providing information which included our 1999 report
LOOKING FORWARD, a document which was instrumental in persuading
Haringey to reverse its policy of closing branch libraries.
FORE members are now in the enviable position
of operating in a borough where the Library Service has undergone
a complete change of direction, resulting in successful statistics
for visits and for issues of books (an increase of 7.5% over five
years according to CIPFA figures). We are one of only two boroughs
in London to achieve this positive result, and thus FORE is in
a position to comment from strength on the items the Committee
is asked to consider.
In 2001 Haringey's Chief Executive and several
councillors decided to act positively on an appalling Audit Commission
Best Value report on its libraries (failing and unlikely to improve).
They hired a consultant, Instant Library, Inc. Under their managing
director, Diana Edmonds (who became the Acting Head of Service),
the Library Service was reorganised and revitalised to conform
to the original Public Library Standards. Libraries were refurbished,
stock management was overhauled, and opening hours were increased.
Finances were put on a firm footing, staff management and training
were upgraded, and the People's Network was installed and serviced.
This resulted in the service being awarded two stars in the most
recent Audit Commission report in 2003.
FORE has several comments drawn from the experience
gained from this successful approach, and would like to offer
these now.
1. ACCESSIBILITY
OF LOCAL
LIBRARIES
All libraries should be open fully throughout
the week (including Sunday) and have full access in accordance
with the terms of the Disability Act. The public are visiting
in larger numbers in boroughs such as Haringey where these policies
are in operation.
Local councils are in a position to know where
their greatest need for new libraries is, and should be flexible
in positioning them. The new Standards are not helpful in this
respect.
Flexibility is also important in the use of
opening hours—later and on Sundays would often suit the
public better and increase use.
2. INCREASING
THE USE
OF LOCAL
LIBRARIES
Promoters of community activities should be
encouraged to use the library spaces by being offered reasonable
hire rates (or by being allowed free use of the space). FORE believes
that the emphasis should be on events and activities focused on
children, who are the next generation of users. More events, parenting
courses, Reading Agency initiatives and evening and Sunday openings
will be helpful in achieving this.
Modern and diverse stock should be available
for readers, and information on the possibilities of cross-borrowing
of stock should be fully advertised and promoted to the public.
Specific programmes related to increasing public
use of the Internet should be part of the Library Service's outreach.
This can also begin to open wider library use to young internet
users (as has been done successfully in Haringey). Funding
of local libraries and balance of spending.
FORE! would like to see a capital investment
by the Government in the structure of library buildings,
as this is beyond the financial grasp of most councils. This is
one key reason why many areas of the country have such problems
in their library services. Users have been calling for this investment
for many years. Capital for rebuilding libraries could transform
many failing services whose resources have had to be spread so
thinly that their old libraries have become liabilities.
Traditional investment in books is vital
and should not be diluted by the need to reinvest in computer
technology for the People's Network. This point should be made
forcefully, and perhaps the stock funds should be ring-fenced
to protect them in the future. Funding for IT should not be a
burden on the Library Service, just because the buildings were
the best place to begin the People's Network.
Much of local authority spending is badly audited
and historically cramped in application. There is little use of
imagination in acquiring grants and finance from outside sources
or even government programmes as well as linked areas of Council
provision. Commercial sponsorship of initiatives such as Books
for Babies, Sure Start, Toy Libraries and reading groups should
be pursued.
Library Service finances should be overhauled,
and more use made nationally of available grants and services.
As the Service is historically linked with Education, there should
be cross-referencing on finance within councils, especially with
regard to school libraries.
Heads of Service should be required to make
the best use of these funding sources.
3. NEW MODELS
OF PROVISION,
AND NEW
POLICY DEMANDS
Each council has different problems, and each
new model of provision needs to be carefully studied and evaluated
before being applied in other localities (for example, Ideas Stores
are not suitable for all locations). Most councils are tackling
social exclusion: FORE believes that this is best done in library
programmes and initiatives aimed at the young (thus including
parents, carers and the education services) and at specific refugee/cultural
groups. Young refugees are especially vulnerable and respond very
well to specialised training, taking information back to their
parents and communities.
The main purpose of a library is to provide
books—any new policies and programmes must take account
of this and build into it. Funding for special initiatives must
not come from library funds at the expense of stock.
4. THE EFFECTIVENESS
OF LEGISLATIVE,
STRATEGIC AND
ADMINISTRATIVE FRAMEWORKS
Statutory responsibility for providing a library
service has been historically important in preserving libraries
where councils have tried to remove or reduce them for financial
reasons. Action against these trends led to the first set of Public
Library Standards which were, in Haringey, the reason the Council
felt it had to act to improve the service. The newest version
of the Standards, FORE feels, are a dilution of the originals
and should be strengthened to protect libraries.
The new Auditing inspections are also less effective
in preserving a high standard in library services.
5. RECRUITMENT
AND TRAINING
OF LIBRARY
STAFF
It is crucial to provide a clear career path
for new recruits, and to clarify the means of retraining and upgrading
the skills of existing staff. Much can be done with imaginative
use of part-time staff and those with family responsibilities.
(Staffing Sunday openings has not been a problem commercially.)
There is a need for staff to understand the
financial and administrative policies beyond work at the desk.
For the user, the staff they meet are very important to the atmosphere
in the library. Training should reflect this as well as technical
skills, as many new initiatives must be put in place by this level
of staff.
Top positions should be filled by qualified
librarians who have been given training to meet their modern responsibilities.
6. ROLE OF
INSTITUTIONAL AND
SPECIALIST LIBRARIES
AND LINKS
TO LOCAL
LIBRARIES
For the reader/user of local libraries, the
more links which are available the better. Perhaps start with
a ticket that can be used more widely?
7. THE PEOPLE'S
NETWORK
FORE applauds the success of the PN, but is
very concerned that the cost of new equipment and upgrades for
this national service aimed at a policy of e-government should
not come from local library funding at the expense of book stocks
(see comments above).
FORE believes that the amount of space allocated
to computers should now be stabilised. There should be no more
removal of book space to provide for the PN. Future development
should proceed slowly, and should do so in conjunction with schools,
Life Long Learning programmes, and e-government.
Use of the internet is vital in our economy
and for the future, so there should be emphasis on skills training
for the library user of all ages to reflect this.
The People's Network should remain a free service,
as it is vital for those who cannot afford either computers or
servicing the connections.
8. OTHER COMMENT
The user groups in Haringey have been fortunate
in being consulted during the process of change. We feel confident
that if other councils look seriously at the reasons for the success
of Haringey (and the very few other services who did not see visits
and issues drop drastically over the past five years) they would
find good reasons to make changes. They would also find support
from the people who use and care for libraries—the local
readers.
11 November 2004
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