Bob McKee, Chief Executive of CILIP, welcomes the expert support programme for public libraries in England, announced by Ed Vaizey, Minister for Culture
Chief Executive Bob McKee says: “I am pleased that the Government is offering this support. The next few years will be extremely challenging for public libraries and radical changes will be necessary if they are to survive in a period of expenditure cuts. CILIP already has a programme to support change, but I welcome the opportunity to discuss further CILIP’s engagement in the government’s programme”.
CILIP acknowledges there will be painful cuts to the public library service in the future, and that some proposals for cuts could be excessive, or poorly planned and managed. “We will be monitoring change proposals and will make representations where appropriate” Bob announced. “We will also assess the cumulative impact of all reductions and invite Ministerial intervention if the viability of the national public library network is threatened”.
Bob continued: “I am especially pleased at the Minister’s recognition of the value of public libraries. As those working in the service know only too well that value is even greater during a recession and usage of the service is increasing everywhere”.
He noted this was not a time for poorly thought out proposals that volunteers should run public library services. “Volunteers already play an important part in enriching library provision and that will increase”, he said. “However the value of their contribution is dependent on a backbone of knowledgeable and skilled staff, just as the future of the service itself will be”.
CILIP has provided support for public library services seeking to make necessary changes. Last year it issued guidance to senior local government councillors by publishing What Makes a Good Library Service. In May this year it held two sell-out Executive Briefings on alternative models of public library governance and service delivery.
On 6 July CILIP will be hosting the Libraries Change Lives Conference which will focus on innovative services that transform the lives of people from disadvantaged communities. In October CILIP’s Public Library Authorities Conference will bring together Councillors and Senior Managers to explore ways of providing effective services in difficult times under the them What future for public libraries in the age of austerity?
Ed Vaizey announced his Expert Support Programme for public libraries on 1 July. It will be led by the Museums, Libraries and Archive Council and the Local Government Association. The aim of the programme is to support local councils to deliver key services while reducing costs. The programme is expected to work initially with around ten library authorities, and then lessons learned will be shared with the wider public library network.
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