Damien Riley

Biography 

Damian Riley is a senior consultant in PricewaterhouseCoopers' public sector practice, with substantial experience in the provision of policy advice, and the delivery of performance improvement and change initiatives across central and local government. His clients include the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council, the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG), the Department for Work and Pensions, and a large number of local authorities. He is currently managing the delivery of PwC's work for the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council on improving stock procurement in England's public libraries. Damian's particular areas of expertise include:

•  Procurement strategy and market analysis

•  Business process review and improvement

•  Organisational design and options appraisal

Before joining PwC in 2002, Damian was a project manager for a niche consulting firm, the Office of Public Management. Prior to that he worked at the Audit Commission, initially as a policy analyst and for two years as Private Secretary to the Controller, Sir Andrew Foster. He began his career at the London School of Economics, as a tutor in public policy and a post-graduate researcher. Damian's approach to consulting combines a willingness to be challenging of orthodox thinking within public services, with sensitivity to the pressures facing senior managers and politicians in central and local government.

Damian has a first class honours degree in Government from the University of Essex and a Master's Degree in Political Philosophy, also from Essex.

Abstract:

RFID technology is already delivering improvements in efficiency and effectiveness in both the public and private sectors, including public library services. However, for the benefits of RFID implementation to be maximised, it needs to be seen as part of a wider change programme that is focused not only on efficiency gains but also on transforming the customer's experience. There may be significant opportunities, through the sector's current work on transforming stock procurement amongst other areas, for library services to work collaboratively on a common approach to RFID implementation, which can contribute to the wider goals associated with Framework for the Future and local government reform.