Memorandum submitted by UNISON
SUMMARY OF
UNISON'S
SUBMISSION
— UNISON has always recognised the
value of publicly funded libraries as an essential contribution
to the social, educational, cultural and economic wellbeing of
local communities throughout the UK. UNISON wishes to see this
reflected in the planning and financial policies and practices
adopted by both central and local government.
— Many local authority libraries suffer
from staff shortages, due to a number of factors which include
the shortage of funding for local government, creating tighter
resourcing of local authority libraries.
— Local authorities have difficulty
recruiting due to low pay and often little or no career development
structures/paths for library staff, particularly library assistants.
— There is a growing trend towards
the use of casual and temporary staff, many of whom are non-professional
and untrained staff, to fill vacancies. Such staffs have no security
of employment.
— In other authorities vacancies remain
unfilled, sometimes with existing staff working more hours.
— All these trends have meant that
the quality and level of service to the public has deteriorated.
It has also led to the demoralisation of library staff some of
whom are suffering from stress.
— In a number of authorities, staff
training budgets have been reduced with library staffs not being
adequately trained to perform all the tasks demanded of them.
— There is a conflict between service
delivery and releasing staff for training and personal development.
— Local authorities must provide sufficient
funding to ensure that there is enough trained and adequately
paid staff, to work longer opening hours in libraries.
— Local authorities should not provide
longer opening hours by imposition and by the running of skeleton
staffs across wider opening hours or to arbitrary changes in library
workers' conditions of work.
— UNISON is opposed to job substitution
by volunteers who take over those areas of work traditionally
provided by paid library staff, creating unemployment and with
a knock-on impact on service delivery.
— UNISON is concerned about reported
increases in the level of abuse in terms of aggression and violence
towards library staff.
— There is still a shortfall in the
funding of many local authority libraries. This should be seen
in the context of the overall funding gap for local government.
— There is an imbalance in funding
and spending between books and ICT. It seems that at the same
time as the development of the People's Network, fewer resources
have been provided for books. Public demand for more and new books
has been running parallel with public demand for access to ICT.
— Despite the prudential framework,
many local authorities are still unable to finance the renovation
or new build required to update their library buildings.
— The continued success and development
of initiatives to tackle social exclusion depend on an adequately
trained and full complement of library staff, which is under threat
in some local authorities.
— UNISON believes that public libraries
need to remain a statutory responsibility incumbent on local authorities.
— There is a lack of funding available
for the maintaining the infrastructure for the People's Network.
— There must be proper investment from
central and local government in resources to allow library services
to be accessible to all local communities, to train well-paid
library staff to enable that access to take place and to be a
viable and rewarding experience for all.
UNISON represents all library staff employed
as librarians, library assistants and managers in all UK library
authorities and welcomes the opportunity to respond to the House
of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee Inquiry into the
Government's policy on public libraries, the current state of
the service and its future development.
UNISON is disappointed at the short time scale
given for consultation, particularly as public libraries perform
a vital public service for everyone. Local authority libraries
promote and provide social inclusion through lifelong learning
for all in a safe learning environment at the heart of local communities.
We would therefore have liked more time to consult with our members
providing library services.
UNISON has always recognised the value of publicly
funded libraries as an essential contribution to the social, educational,
cultural and economic wellbeing of local communities throughout
the UK. UNISON wishes to see this reflected in the planning and
financial policies and practices adopted by both central and local
government.
UNISON's submission is based on reports and
submissions provided by UNISON local authority branches/library
worker members who as front-line staff delivering library services
to local communities have first hand experience of the state of
library services.
RECRUITMENT AND
TRAINING OF
LIBRARY STAFF
In general, many local authority libraries suffer
from staff shortages, due to a number of factors. An important
factor is the shortage of funding for local government creating
tighter resourcing of local authority libraries.
Most of UNISON local authority branches identified
the inability to recruit qualified librarians and library staff
in general as a major problem. This is caused by low pay and often
little or no career development structures/paths for library staff,
particularly library assistants. There is a widespread lack of
recognition of the multi-skilled nature of library work, with
its high degree of customer contact and the need for skills in
Information Communications Technology (ICT). Some branches have
also reported severe problems in retaining library assistants
due to low pay and the lack of career paths.
Another common and growing problem raised by
UNISON library worker members is the trend towards the use of
casual and temporary staff, many of whom are non-professional
staff, to fill vacancies. In several authorities the casual staff
are employed solely at weekends. Such staffs have no security
of employment. In other authorities vacancies remain unfilled,
sometimes with existing staff working more hours. All these trends
have meant that the quality and level of service to the public
has deteriorated in many local authority libraries. It has also
led to the demoralisation of library staff some of whom are suffering
from stress. A UNISON branch commenting on the impact of the shortage
of staffing on the service to the public stated that the shortage
of "front line staffing levels are an issue, as it's often
impossible for staff to spend the time helping each customer to
the level they need."
A typical response from one UNISON branch states
that:
"Recruitment would be aided by better salaries—although
the authority is better off than most—elsewhere you still
see adverts for qualified librarians on £13,000 to £15,000
a year, not calculated to attract high flyers. Also career structures
in many authorities have been wrecked by previous rounds of cuts."
Another major difficulty is that library staffs
are not being adequately trained to perform all the tasks demanded
of them. One branch whilst welcoming the training for ICT commented
that:
"The People's Network has enabled training,
which has resulted in the improvement of employees' computer skills.
The result has been priority being given to ICT training, rather
than training in other skills, where there is a conflict with
service delivery versus release for training. Many members of
staff are not being trained in the skills they require to do the
job-from enquiry and customer service training, to manual handling,
risk assessment and supervisory skills."
A significant issue for the development of libraries
is the conflict between service delivery and releasing staff for
training and personal development, which occurs due to staff shortages
and an increased level of demand. A UNISON branch commented that:
"Libraries will only succeed as Lifelong
Learning Centres if this is extended to employees. Successful
learning experiences enthuse people about learning and this can
be very infectious as has been shown by the Union Learning Representative
experience."
Unfortunately such lifelong learning is not
always provided for library staff. There is also little or no
help for professional training of library assistants in terms
of money or time off for studying.
In some library authorities there are serious
problems recruiting specialist librarians including music and
children's librarians. Since many libraries no longer employ specialist
library staff, this results in fewer universities offering specialist
courses.
UNISON also supports the view put forward by
a local authority UNISON branch that there is no substitute for
having motivated, trained and committed staff. However, staff
need to be adequately remunerated. Library assistants who do most
of the interfacing with the general public are currently on low
salaries. Library workers are committed to the ethos of public
libraries as a tool of lifelong learning. The same UNISON branch
noted that:
"Libraries need employees who are passionate,
lively and enthusiastic about books, learning and information
provision to enthuse about reader development and lifelong learning.
Many current library assistants are graduates. This will not be
the case in the future as salary levels will not enable graduates
to pay off their student loans."
In a number of authorities staff training budgets
have been reduced. A UNISON branch confirmed this stating that:
"The training budget for library staff is
far less than a few years ago. Training now tends to be what they
have to do to fulfil statutory duties (eg kinetic handling for
Health and Safety reasons) and stuff that is focussed on implementing
new central government initiatives and anticipating Best Value
inspections. On the job training takes place but new staff have
to get up to speed pretty quickly as there is no staff time to
waste."
Another UNISON branch stated that as the training
budget is very small this has led to a lot of poor quality cascade
training.
A UNISON branch suggested that one way to deliver
library development and enable training and recruitment of staff
would be to provide workplace cre"che facilities, accessible
to the children of members of staff, learners and visitors engaged
in activities within the library. The branch pointed out:
"It is particularly difficult to recruit
to posts which include evening hours (after 6.00 pm as most nurseries
close), and weekends when nurseries are closed. This limits work
at the weekends to people who have a family member to look after
children."
WHETHER THE
ACCESSIBILITY OF
LOCAL LIBRARIES,
IN TERMS
OF OPENING
HOURS, LOCATION
AND COMMUNITY-WIDE
APPEAL, MEETS
THE CURRENT
DEMANDS OF
THE PUBLIC
UNISON is aware that there is a varied pattern
of provision in terms of the accessibility of local authority
libraries. UNISON library staff recognise that lifestyle patterns
have changed, and they need to change reflect this. So UNISON
is fully supportive of increased accessibility of local authority
libraries both in response to public demand and as a way of tackling
social exclusion. However, local authorities must provide sufficient
funding to ensure that there is enough trained and adequately
paid staff, to work longer opening hours in libraries.
Opening hours
UNISON believes that local authorities should
not provide longer opening hours by imposition or by the running
of skeleton staffs across wider opening hours or by arbitrary
changes in library workers' conditions of work. One UNISON branch
commented that:
"We can't just stretch existing staff numbers
more thinly over more opening hours."
UNISON wants central and local government to
recognise that library employees need to juggle the demands of
their lives, particularly families and caring responsibilities,
with the public demand for longer opening hours. UNISON encourages
good employment practices whereby library staff and their representatives
are consulted on any changes to working patterns, including longer
working hours. Any such changes should reflect a better work-life
balance as well as providing a better service to local communities.
This is illustrated by the views expressed by
a UNISON branch which pointed out that central and local government
should be aware that "While libraries, which are open on
Sundays are a great boon to families for leisure and homework
purposes, they can mean parental deprivation for the children
of members of staff and also have an impact on partner-relationships."
Whilst some local authority libraries have been
able to improve accessibility, funding is a major factor that
impacts on the opening hours and accessibility of local authority
libraries. A UNISON library representative stated that:
"Until there is a better budget for the
libraries, I cannot see an extension of opening hours happening—it
is more likely to be the reverse. Two mobile libraries came off
the road last year and it is almost certain that at least another
one will go next year. Plans for Sunday opening were shelved following
last year's budget cuts."
Indeed there continue to be library branch closures
in a number of authorities partly due to lack of funds.
Use of Volunteers
UNISON is concerned about the increasing use
by local authorities of volunteers, particularly where they take
on roles currently undertaken by paid library staff. UNISON is
opposed to job substitution by volunteers who take over those
areas of work traditionally provided by paid library staff. This
creates unemployment and contributes towards social exclusion
and can have a negative impact on the quality of service. UNISON
also remains opposed to situations where library workers are made
redundant or dismissed and then volunteers brought in to replace
them. Any use of volunteers to provide additional services may
be acceptable, provided that local authorities and volunteering
agencies involved consult staff and their trade union representatives
on what is the best and most acceptable pattern of volunteering.
Any such volunteers must also be properly trained and supervised
in order to ensure a high quality of service to the public.
Accessibility and abuse of and violence towards
staff
Of great concern to UNISON have been reports
from several UNISON branches of an increased level of abuse and
violence towards library staff. A UNISON local authority branch
outside London reports that:
"The People's Network has resulted in an
increased use of libraries by young people and brought some new
young people into the libraries, but policing their use of the
internet has meant increase pressure on staff and increased workloads.
There has also been an increase in the level of abuse in terms
of aggression and violence experienced by library staff. Last
year, 2003-04, there were 62 assaults reported against front-line
library staff. This represents only those incidents reported.
In some libraries, abuse from young people has become a daily
reality, and therefore only serious incidents are reported, as
everything else has become `the norm'."
In the same authority, two of the library branches
have private security firms operating within them outside of school
hours.
THE FUNDING
OF LOCAL
LIBRARIES AND
THE BALANCE
OF SPENDING
BETWEEN THE
VARIOUS MEANS
OF PROVIDING
INFORMATION (INCLUDING
THE TRADITIONAL
INVESTMENT IN
BOOKS)
Shortfall in Overall Funding
Despite the National Public Library Standards,
there is still a shortfall in the funding of many local authority
libraries. This should be seen in the context of the overall funding
gap for local government. The Local Government Association has
stated that the 2004-05 Revenue Support Grant Settlement for local
authorities in England covers less than half of the £800
million funding gap in 2004-05. Insufficient funding by central
government of local government continues to put pressure on local
government budgets and too often library services suffer as other
important services take priority. This means that library services
are left with a smaller share of central government funding. Substantial
capital investment is also required in buildings because of prolonged
neglect over a number of years—dilapidated buildings (and
poor stock) are major disincentive to use.
In some authorities this has been exacerbated
by the fact that there have been year-on-year budget cuts, whilst
at the same time the population has increased. A UNISON branch
illustrated this by identifying that "funding for libraries
remains the same in absolute terms, with threats of reductions
next year, in spite of the increase in population, which means
that spending per head is going down".
Another UNISON branch commented that:
"Librarians and library staff don't feel
short of ideas to stimulate greater public use of libraries, but
most imply a far higher level of funding than our libraries currently
receive. The book fund has sustained a £100,000 reduction
this year, will sustain the same next year, and has received proportionately
fewer successful capital growth bids over the last five years,
outside of the People's Network. The result is that current funding
is focussed on just about maintaining the core elements of service."
The problem of project based funding
A number of UNISON local government branches,
whilst welcoming central government funding for individual initiatives,
were concerned about the piecemeal approach being taken. One branch
expressed concern that:
"Funding for services seems too dependent
on central government initiatives and connected handouts eg People's
Network and Best Value. Until local government is properly funded
we will no doubt continue to lurch from one crisis to another
patching up as we go. If central government wants an efficient
responsive service able to undertake all the new duties connected
with social inclusion, lifelong learning etc it will have to face
up to paying for it. A service which has to patch up and make
do every year cannot plan properly and cannot train staff."
Another branch stated that:
"Funding is often project based eg `looked
after children', this means that when the funding stops the service
has to stop also. Also although the money is given for the books,
which is great, there is no increase in the staffing budget so
that these projects mean that current staff experience commensurately
increased workloads."
Imbalance of funding and spending on books and
ICT
UNISON library staff members also expressed
the view that there is an imbalance in funding and spending between
books and ICT. UNISON library members were the key to the success
of initiatives such as the People's Network which provided greater
public access to ICT. However UNISON library staff members are
concerned that at the same time as the development of the People's
Network, fewer resources have been provided for books. This is
despite public demand for more and new books running parallel
with public demand for access to ICT.
One branch stated that it was "time for
more resources to go back into books. I think they've got a bit
left behind in recent years, as priorities have focused elsewhere.
New books fly out—we just haven't got enough. Surveys of
customers always reveal that more new books are a major factor
in what our customers want us to do better." Another branch
commented that:
"We have probably lost a third of our stock
since the introduction of the People's Network and this has caused
complaints from the public mainly to front-line staff."
Other funding problems
Although the Local Government Act 2003 provides
a prudential framework for local authorities to borrow to fund
capital projects, many local authorities are still unable to finance
the renovation or new build required to update their library buildings.
The prudential framework does not help local authorities which
are already in financial difficulty. Therefore many local authority
library buildings are out of date and sometimes too small for
the full range of modern services required by the public and the
government. A UNISON branch stated that the "library is a
Victorian building and has been adapted well to make it accessible
for all. Unfortunately owing to the library's outdated design
it is difficult to fit all the new technology".
This is even more problematic when the library
is housed in a listed building. This issue was raised by another
UNISON branch which stated that:
"The improvements required to upgrade our
30-year old building to keep it fit for purpose were ruled unsuitable
due to the building being listed. Libraries are living functional
buildings which should be allowed to change with the times."
Another UNISON branch pointed out that:
"Better buildings are not possible without
funding for capital projects. Authorities are probably not going
to be able to extend library services without cutting somewhere
else. Paradoxically we could probably cut spending on buildings
if we had newer more energy-efficient ones. We could also be more
efficient in our working practices in better-designed buildings."
NEW MODELS
OF PROVISION
AND NEW
POLICY DEMANDS
(SUCH AS
TACKLING SOCIAL
EXCLUSION)
UNISON local authority library worker members
develop and participate in a number of successful initiatives
to tackle social exclusion. The continued success and development
of these initiatives depend on an adequately trained and full
complement of library staff, which is under threat in some local
authorities. This is illustrated by the comments of UNISON library
worker representatives welcoming and creating opportunities for
such projects but deploring the difficulties in sustaining them
due to lack of funding and staff shortages.
One UNISON branch commented that "Government
money for `Bookstart' has been brilliant, but there was no money
for staffing or storage etc. All these books will need to be sorted
and prepared and contacts made for distribution and servicing.
With the advent of `Every Child Matters' the need for specialist
staff to improve the service to children and their parents/carers
will increase not decline. We have four Sure Start librarians
delivering services to the community. This has made a significant
impact. However there is an end date attached to Sure Start and
there is a need to continue to employ these librarians to continue
the work after the funding has stopped—social inclusion."
The same UNISON branch discussed the library
staffs, development and involvement in initiatives tackling social
exclusion. "In our authority 14.8% of the population are
from ethnic minorities, we have residential areas that are among
the 20% most deprived in the country and at least one of which
is among the 10% most deprived in the country. Social inclusion
is something we have worked hard to achieve.
We currently have a multicultural team looking
after the interests of not only our Black and Indian Sub-continental
Communities, but also Chinese, Vietnamese, Polish, Lithuanian,
Greek, Kosovan, Bosnian, Somalian, Iranian and Iraqi (this is
not an exhaustive list). This team has procured significant book
collections in seven different Asian languages and reaches out
to the communities with activities, visits, housebound services
and an Asian poetry group. The latter attracts visitors from across
the country. The Multicultural (Librarian) Manager was nominated
by the community for her MBE for her work in enabling access to
libraries and serving the community. She wants to set up mini
libraries in factories where there is a high proportion of black
minority ethnic (BME) workers, and also to install services in
centres catering for large numbers of people on English as a Second
Language (ESOL) courses. She also wants there to be visits by
mobile libraries to community centres and places of worship at
festival times (eg Diwali, Eid, etc).
This will require employees with the right language
skills and cultural knowledge who have been adequately trained
to deliver a quality service that is sensitive to the needs of
the different cultures. This team is now under threat in a proposed
staffing restructure. The restructure has come about as a result
the authority's interpretation of government advice expressed
through a Best Value Inspection. Our Children's team is also threatened
with being disbanded. This team needs to be expanded not disbanded."
Several UNISON branches have highlighted the
negative impact of the trend for fewer but bigger libraries. One
UNISON branch commented that:
"We have been told that the ultimate vision
is to have three centres in the three main town centres and that
all our smaller libraries on the estates will probably go. We
do not believe that this fits in with any social inclusion policy."
WHAT CAN
BE DONE
TO INCREASE
THE PUBLIC'S
USE OF
LOCAL LIBRARIES?
Various suggestions were put forward by different
UNISON local authority branches most of which need greater funding
of library services including:
— Increased funding of library services.
— Improved parking provision for library
users.
— Continue to attract children and
their parents/carers
— By visits to/from playgroups, schools.
— By investment in Bookstart and Surestart
(all such projects require personal input/presence by librarians
which would need more funding).
— Build new libraries or renovate existing
buildings.
— Continue to introduce and upgrade
new technology.
— Provision of cafeterias/cafés.
— One stop shop approach—libraries
providing in addition to traditional services, Education Information,
Welfare Rights and Community Information.
THE EFFECTIVENESS
OF THE
LEGISLATIVE, STRATEGIC
AND ADMINISTRATIVE
FRAMEWORK WITHIN
WHICH LOCAL
LIBRARIES OPERATE
UNISON believes that public libraries need to
remain a statutory responsibility incumbent on local authorities.
One area that should be addressed by the public
library standards is the quality of library buildings. A UNISON
branch suggested that "planning regulations should be exploited
so that housing and other developments in local authority areas
result in developer contributions to community projects, such
as new libraries. This is beginning to have a positive effect
in my own authority."
THE PERFORMANCE
OF THE
"PEOPLE'S
NETWORK" IN
PROVIDING UNIVERSAL
INTERNET ACCESS
AND ITS
FUTURE DEVELOPMENT
Another major issue UNISON is concerned about
is that although New Opportunities Funding was available for the
establishment of the People's Network, there is a lack of funding
available for the maintenance of the infrastructure for the People's
Network. This includes funding for repairing and upgrading personal
computers which puts more pressure on already stretched local
authority budgets.
One UNISON branch commented that:
"The funding of the hardware was a one-off,
so that maintenance of this huge number of new machines will fall
to the local authority. Well, with budgets as they are, it will
be very difficult to maintain a free service—more friction
on the way."
Other comments on the People's Network are provided
above.
OTHER ISSUES
THAT MAY
ARISE IN
THE COURSE
OF GATHERING
EVIDENCE
As one branch has pointed out, UNISON believes
that libraries should be a radical weapon in the transformation
of communities, the regeneration of areas and the fight against
poverty through improvements to the knowledge and skills of local
people. UNISON recognises that the state of library authorities
in the UK is mixed, with some authorities being able to provide
an improved service to local communities despite limited funding
and a shortage of staff, whilst others struggle to maintain, let
alone improve a library service. However, all the positive initiatives
and developments of the last few years could be put in jeopardy
by lack of funding.
Decades of poor investment in libraries and
library staff have left a legacy that will take years to set right
and will require continued significant investment for many years.
There must be proper investment from central and local government
in resources to allow library services to be accessible to all
local communities, to train well- paid library staff to enable
that access to take place and to be a viable and rewarding experience
for all.
12 November 2004
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