SCL Responds to Library Modernisation Review Consultation
On 1 December 2009, Margaret Hodge, Minister for Culture, Media and Sport, published a consultation paper on the library modernisation review, entitled Empower, Inform, Enrich.
SCL Response to Empower, Inform, Enrich
The Society of Chief Librarians responds to the publication of Empower, Inform, Enrich, the consultation document of the Department of Culture, Media and Sport’s modernisation review of public libraries. It is an insightful collection of essays about the future of the public library service and SCL hopes that it will help shape the results of the review. SCL encourages everyone to respond to the consultation on the role of libraries in the twenty-first century. More information here: http://www.culture.gov.uk/reference_library/consultations/6488.aspx
Over the past year as various library modernisation and improvement enquiries have unfolded, one thing has remained constant. Libraries are continuing to innovate, improve, and see increased footfall especially in the recession. Libraries inspire people, every day, to improve their lives. Libraries are transforming the lives of people and communities through targeted programmes in literacy, reading, learning and skills, and many more. As always, libraries are providing people with free access to the knowledge, books and information that they need in a changing, modern world.
Now more than ever before, as Local Authorities respond to the need to reduce budgets for 2011, in some areas by up to 20%, we need a clear, robust lead from the Government on public libraries. The time is right for a new vision for public libraries, one that incorporates clear, strategic leadership from central Government so that local authorities and communities can continue to deliver an excellent library service that responds to local needs.
Fiona Williams’ think piece on how to make libraries fit for the 21st century, published in Empower, Inform and Enrich
Public Libraries: Fit for Today’s Users and Tomorrow’s Leaders
The core purpose of public libraries, providing knowledge and information, has not changed. However, the way public libraries deliver this purpose has always changed as they shift to accommodate the ways people want to access information and knowledge. Members of the Society of Chief Librarians consistently deliver these changes on behalf of local people. SCL would propose that public libraries are already making themselves fit for the 21stcentury. They are making themselves fit for the communities within which they work by being relevant to today’s needs. That means access to jobs and careers advice, tackling literacy through reader development, improving health through information and bibliotherapy, supporting digital literacy and serving as an access point for all national government and local council services.
However, improvement is needed, and SCL feels that the following areas should be focused on in order to create a better service.
Recognition of Public Libraries’ Contribution
Public Libraries contribute to many agendas across Government. We would want to see these contributions recognised and built on. Partnerships in health, education, business and the economy, basic skills, literacy, elderly care, social inclusion and others are helping improve people’s lives every day, but sadly go unnoticed in the debate on public libraries. SCL gathers and publishes case studies that illustrate these partnerships but more support is needed to ensure these best practices reach a wider audience and are replicated.
Delivery Models
There are different delivery models for public services which need to be investigated so they might be better understood and described so authorities can make informed choices. SCL facilitates peer support to make access to good practice easy so authorities can learn how to improve.
There are many examples of good practice, radical thinking and leadership in public libraries across the country. These need to be communicated and understood so they can be replicated.
Libraries should be actively working with the private sector to learn new and better ways to innovate. Marks and Spencer, Tesco, Starbucks, Borders: they all have innovated through the recession and there are lessons for libraries to learn from them on rebuilding links between customers and library services.
Digital Opportunities
In an age where public libraries are testing e-books for public use, bridging the digital divide and, increasingly, commanding a large number of followers on social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter, isn’t it time there was a clear lead on digitising the nation’s content? Public libraries should be moving towards providing digital copies of out of copyright materials, newspapers and other vital sources of heritage.
Public libraries play a major role in the delivery of digital literacy, this role needs to better understood by government and supported through the Digital Britain agenda
Shared Services
Many regions, including the North East, North West and Yorkshire, and the South East are sharing services and seeing significant savings. SCL would like more attention focused on the best practices in this area that are working, with support and incentives being identified for further work.
Measuring Success
Today, there are many ways in which people use public libraries. SCL would like these ways better understood and measured. The traditional means of measuring public library use are out of date and yet are repeated in the media as if they tell the whole story. We need ways to capture the impact of using library services and we need ways of measuring the rising numbers of people accessing their library service online
Leadership and Governance
Libraries should remain a part of local authorities to ensure they can deliver meaningful local services. But they also need strong central government leadership that makes strong recommendations on all of the above points. This leadership should be a combination of library drivers—ie, made up of people who are running the service day to day—and professional communications, advocacy, development and education specialists. A Libraries Development Agency would be welcomed in the sector. The statutory duty underlines the importance of the work by public libraries and should remain – if a little better defined.
Conclusion
In the face of cuts, some up to 20%, in local library services, now more than ever, public libraries need strong leadership. The positive ways that public libraries help people change and improve their lives every day also need to be recognised and promoted. The Society of Chief Librarians, through its website www.goscl.com and its network, gathers and actively promotes these success stories, but a national movement is needed. There is no need to reinvent the public library service to make it fit for the 21st century. It already is. What we need now is leadership and strategic thinking.