Library Review
Hampshire Culture and Communities Policy Review Committee
Evidence submitted by the Chartered Institute of Library & Information Professionals
Introduction
1) The Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP) is pleased to submit evidence to the Library Review being undertaken by the Culture and Communities Policy Review Committee. We will restrict our contribution to the national picture and how Hampshire might compare to this - we do not have the local knowledge to comment directly on the performance of the library service in Hampshire.
2) CILIP's interest in this Review has, in part, been stimulated by the cost reduction exercise currently being undertaken by the library service leading to a major the national trade press as well as local media. It is somewhat of a surprise that this has happened independently of the library review, a surprise that is at least echoed faintly in the "Overview of Issues" where in the section on the "Use of Employees" (p13) it notes that "Whilst the remit of this review does not encompass staffing "per se", it is the case that the PKF appear to recommend, as a principle, that library services may need to consider either a different mix of roles or categories of staff, or a more fluid approach that allows back office staff to be released to customer facing roles". It seems to CILIP inescapable that a review of library services must also include how and whether resources are deployed in a fashion best able to meet the objectives of the service, and staff, as the highest cost, should be included. We shall say more about this later, but within the context of the library review.
3) The rest of this submission looks briefly at the key issues raised in the overview paper.
The Context
4) The Overview paper sets a scene of a public library service in decline and quotes from the Culture, Media and Sport Committee on Public libraries that "...We regard a situation in which core performance indicators, and gross throughput, are falling - but overall costs are rising - as a signal of a service in distress". It is undeniably true that there has been a steep decline in the lending of books - 38% in the UK between 1994/5 and 2004/5 - and also a less publicised decline in the issues of A/V materials that is having a knock-on effect on library finances because most authorities charge for the lending of such items.
5) However this is but one side of the story and the positive side also needs to be highlighted. The Overview acknowledges the fact that over the past three years the decline in visits to public libraries has been reversed and visits are now starting to increase again. But there is little or nothing in the report about some of the outstanding successes of the last ten years:
6) The Peoples' Network - A rare national project that was delivered on time and on budget and has also delivered the hoped for outcomes. This Lottery funded project connected every public library in the UK to the Internet, undertook a national training scheme for all public library staff in the UK based on the ECDL (European Computer Driving Licence) and helped create new content based on the collections of all types of cultural institutions. The People's Network has undoubtedly helped reverse the decline in visits to the public library, attracted new (younger) visitors and opened up new dimensions of discovery and knowledge to large numbers of people. The evidence for this, including evaluations by the Tavistock Institute, can be found on the MLA's website at:
www.mla.gov.uk
7) Reading - It is perhaps one of the great paradoxes of the moment that at time when book issues are declining public libraries are doing more and more quality work with regard to reading and reader development. Much credit for this belongs to one of your witnesses, Miranda McKearney, Director of the Reading Agency. However to pick out three immensely successful initiatives that have national impact and are delivered through public libraries. Bookstart is described in a recent MLA and DCMS booklet as " ... an excellent example of an integrated programme with early years, health and library services working together to improve outcomes for children and their families" based around encouraging parents to share reading experiences with their children. Research studies on early Bookstart schemes have shown that it improves the educational performance at school of those children involved.
8) Then there is the Annual Summer Reading Challenge for children managed by the Reading Agency and this year themed as the Big Wild Read - the Challenge is now in its 9th year and last year engaged 660,000 across 94% of public library authorities in the UK. Evaluative reports can be found on the Reading Agency website at: www.readingagency.org.uk
9) Or look again at the mushrooming of reader groups across public libraries. There are literally hundreds of them based on public libraries and the Reading Agency, working with the People's Network, has now established a National Database of Readers' Groups. Perhaps Essex is the authority which plays host to most Reading Groups and also runs an extensive Book Festival each year which this year featured 70 different authors at a wide range of venues across the county
10) Innovation - By its nature innovation is not yet part of the core service. But it does indicate the resilience of a sector and its potential. There is a deep hinterland of service innovation in the public library service which should not be underestimated. One source of information on this is the Libraries Change Lives awards managed by CILIP's Community Services Group. This recognises new and innovatory library services designed to engage with disadvantaged and difficult to reach groups. The shortlisted entries for this award are really about how libraries transform the lives of individuals and the communities in which they live. No statistics can capture the enhancement of life chances and life quality, but you can sample it on the Libraries Change Lives pages.
11) This is not to advocate complacency. Public libraries have to address some big challenges in the future and, along with all other public services, must constantly redesign and re-invent the way the services they provide are delivered. However it is wrong to present this only in the context of current decline - there are some big, big achievements as well.
The Purpose of Libraries and their Future
12) The Overview remarks in a couple of places that it is impossible to measure the success of libraries or comment on their future without an appreciation of their purpose. This is undoubtedly true. However the values of public libraries have remained constant since their beginnings in the early 19th century - the provision of access to knowledge to all in an open, impartial, non-judgemental and supportive environment. Although definitions of purpose differ most will include the components of education (learning), information and leisure or recreation. If the values and core components remain similar, the context and methods of delivery have changed dramatically and will continue to do so.
13) One starting point is the 1964 Public Libraries and Museums Act that sets out the statutory obligations of local authorities. It includes the well-known requirement in Section 7 of the Act that public library services should provide a "comprehensive and efficient library service for all persons desiring to make use thereof". It also recommends:
a) The provision of "... books and other printed matter, and pictures, gramophone records, films and other materials, sufficient in number, range and quality to meet the general requirements and any special requirements both of adults and of children"
b) " Encouraging both adults and children to make full use of the library service, and of providing advice as to its use ..."
14) It is clear that even in terms of the Act the public library should be about much more than books and that all mediums of knowledge should be accessible through the library - the library is predominantly about providing access to knowledge. However it also true that the Act affords the printed word special status, as in the 1960's it remained the dominant form of recorded knowledge, and it is only the "written word" that public library authorities have to lend without charge. The book will remain an important component of the public library service, with one of the strengths of the public library service being the stock of out of print books it maintains. But if books are the vessels of knowledge, it is the promotion of reading and the joy of reading with its impact on overall literacy, and the ability to transform the quality of people's lives that is a key purpose and outcome of the public library service.
15) A more recent iteration of public library purpose or at least an attempt to set national priorities within the broader statutory requirement is Framework for the Future. This was produced in 2003 by DCMS and MLA, and in consultation with other stakeholders such as CILIP, with the object of setting out a vision for public libraries over the next decade. It sees - the promotion of reading and informal learning; access to digital skills; and services and measures to tackle social exclusion, build community identity and develop citizenship - as being at the heart of the public library mission. This has been shortened to Books, Learning and Reading, Digital Citizenship and Community and Civic Values. We are now half-way through this period and, as John Dolan from MLA stated in his evidence the "Blueprint for Excellence" process is underway to review the overall priorities of the Framework for the Future programme as it enters its next phase, 2008-2011.
16) The Framework priorities highlight some omissions in the Hampshire overview paper, which tends to constrain public libraries within a discussion about books and buildings. Although both those dimensions are important there are other parts of the service that are important and add value to the lives of individuals and communities. These include:
a) Community Space - Public space is now at a premium within communities. Public libraries and parks are the only spaces that all people within a community can use as of right. The importance of libraries to community development was only hinted at in the Overview. Libraries are a place where people can converse, debate or undertake group or communal activities. They are places of local and community information and stand as beacons of learning, self-improvement, enjoyment and hope within their communities. Libraries are therefore an important element within the social glue of a community helping to give communities an identity and providing a resource to increase capacity and resilience.
b) Social inclusion - This has been an important dimension of the work of public libraries since the 19th century. The social reach of the public library is greater than most other local government or government agencies. However, despite the great efforts to engage with disadvantaged groups within society, much more remains to be done within this area. Work has been done with minority ethnic communities, people with disabilities, the unemployed, single parents, refugees, immigrants, travellers, the gay and lesbian community, those in deprived neighbourhoods and estates and others. One of the challenges is to integrate the best practice identified in many pilot projects into the day to day work of library services. An important aspect of this work is that it will often not take place on library premises. The idea of the library service outside the library walls is totally absent from the Overview. There has traditionally always been library provision outside the library building with the "housebound" services run by most authorities to provide a service to those unable to visit the library in person. However now most public library services will work with and through a number of different organisations to provide a service to specific groups who would not be reached by the library on their own.
c) Virtual world - If tackling social inclusion is one dimension where much takes place outside the library building, then meeting the challenges and opportunities of the virtual world is another. Again this dimension is absent from the Overview. Already many library services offer aspects of their service over the internet - the renewing of borrowed items is perhaps the most widespread. But online catalogues with the possibility of reserving items, the digitisation of local studies material, and the establishment of the online "Ask a Librarian" information service run through a partnership of contributing public library services, are other examples. A few are starting to offer online access (outside the library) to key electronic reference sources and journals to those who are registered members of the library service. Yet to come is library engagement with Web 2 and the opportunities of blogs, Wikis and social interaction sites. The virtual world is already having a profound impact on library services but we are really only in the foothills of this development and the technological developments are likely to continue to have a significant impact on library services.
17) This section has attempted to set out the core purpose and elements of future direction of the public library service. In our view it cannot be constrained within the two developmental models posited in the Overview of book-based development or building-based development. It has got to move beyond looking at the outlet and one of the products to looking at the needs and expectations of communities and the services that can be provided to engage, enrich and add value to those communities. In this way the Framework for the Future roles for the public library - books, learning and reading, digital citizenship and community and civic values - at least try to deal with outcomes. In so doing it is necessary for the library service to actively embrace some of the political priorities and rhetoric today including its contribution to place-shaping and an active programme of community engagement in the design and delivery of its services
Accessibility and Buildings
18) The discussion about accessibility relates almost entirely to buildings. This is important but it is part of the overall need for accessible services whether building-based or not. Indeed as we have described elsewhere in this submission one important aspect of the accessible library is the service provided outside the library buildings to meet the needs of disadvantaged groups or to engage with new ways of delivering services in the virtual world.
19) The DCMS study, "Libraries for All: social Inclusion in Public libraries" (1999), explored the barriers to use of library services and separated them into institutional, personal and social, perceptions and awareness and environmental. It looked at staff attitudes, library rules and regulations, the relevancy of stock, the perception that "libraries are not for us", the lack of skills and low self-esteem of some people, as well as access within library buildings. In regard to making library services accessible most work has probably been done with the blind and visually impaired community based on the resources and guidance provided by Share the Vision2.
20) However there have been a number of truly exciting new public library buildings recently that have captured the attention of not only librarians, but architects, politicians and the media. Major prizewinners have included libraries at Bournemouth, Brighton, Stratford (LB of Newham) and Peckham (LB of Southwark). Hampshire has also contributed with an exciting new design concept of Discovery Centres. But, although there have been a number of such high profile building projects demonstrating innovation and public engagement, the condition of much of the library estate across England leaves a great deal to be desired.
21) The poor condition of many buildings constitutes a barrier to use in itself. The Community Libraries programme of the Big Lottery, worth £80 million, is welcome and CILIP manages a project providing a portal with information on new library buildings and refurbishments on behalf of MLA3. However there is still a shortfall on the resources required to bring the library estate up to a standard where all library buildings are fit for purpose (see also para 26d). The public library building survey undertaken by PKF4 for the MLA reported that authorities felt that 30% of their library buildings were not fit for purpose, and that 70% did not meet Disability Discrimination Act standards. There is a major need to address the poor state of much of the public library estate nationally.
Efficiency
22) A large section of the Overview is given over to discussing the efficiency or otherwise of the current public library service. It uses the Audit Commission report, "Building Better Library Services" (2002), the PKF report on library budgets ("Public Libraries: Efficiency and Stock Supply Chain Review". MLA, 2005), and the House of Commons Select Committee report on Public libraries (2004) to suggest that there is room for further efficiencies in library provision. CILIP too supports improved efficiency to improve services to users and potential users. It acknowledges that there may well be room in some authorities to improve efficiency, but believes a more balanced approach should be taken when reviewing the nature of the performance management framework for public libraries.
23) The performance management framework for libraries has developed over a number of years. It is not sensible to take the performance indicators in isolation from other elements of the Framework - what set of performance indicators can be shown in themselves to indicate the full nature of services and their efficiency? Do Best Value indicators do this for local government services generally? Initially there were 18 performance indicators and these were supplemented by the Annual Library Plans that each authority had to provide for DCMS as well as the service inspections undertaken by the Audit Commission. Since 2004, following a review led by MLA, the number of performance indicators has been reduced to 10 but impact indicators are being developed covering the contribution of the library service to the shared national priorities agreed by central government and local government in England. In addition peer reviews have been introduced. The performance management framework is once again under revision with the move away from the CPA (comprehensive performance assessment) to CAA (comprehensive area assessments) in 2009 and MLA is again leading this work. A proper assessment of the robustness of a performance management framework needs to look at the whole package and not one element in isolation. Public libraries may have further to go in this area but they have been active in developing such systems and are further ahead than others in the cultural sector.
24) We would also urge caution when looking at expenditure statistics. Certainly most reports into CILIP from members in public libraries are not about growth but ever-increasing demands for efficiency savings. Initially cuts were made in the book fund, then in service points and more recently in staff. This does not square comfortably with the assertion by some of an increase in expenditure on public library services. Recent experience in the National Health Service might suggest that this too could be a more common paradox across public sector services but that expenditure has risen as the bald figures suggest. However the Audit Commission report starts to address this in its report, "Building Better Library Services" (2002), when it notes that total resources have remained broadly stable (1990/91 - 2000/01) and adjusted its figures to take into account inflation and exclude one-off NOF funding (New Opportunities Fund which funded the People's Network).
25) The PKF report to DCMS and MLA - "Public Libraries: Efficiency and Stock Supply Chain Review" (2005) - was much less satisfactory as in our view it did not fully analyse the components of library expenditure, or look at expenditure trends over a 5 and 10 year, in sufficient depth. There was little discussion of the inflation rate in the service, the central costs of common services across an authority, the impact of the introduction of asset rentals rather than capital debt charges on a property rich service (although it noted that this was outside its remit), differences between core and time-limited project funding, and the oncosts of restructuring now borne at departmental level. It is still difficult to identify the core costs of public libraries over a ten year period.
26) The Overview report also quotes an observation in the Select Committee report that no one was arguing for more resources for the public library service. In this respect CILIP begs to differ! There are at least two outstanding areas that need investment now and another that needs better scoping and understanding. These are:
c) New investment in the People's Network. It is now over 5 years since the original investment in the necessary hardware and software was made and this now needs replacing and upgrading. CILIP is concerned that as this new investment will not be supported by Lottery funding as the initial investment was, some authorities might consider charging for access to the internet, which would be detrimental to information provision and information literacy.
d) New investment in library buildings - There have been a number of headline-making and prize-winning new public library buildings recently. However a recent PFK Library Buildings Survey (2006) identified £760 million of expenditure simply to make current library buildings "fit for purpose". The Community Libraries Lottery programme worth £80 million is welcome but other ways will have to be found of finding the necessary investment including planning gain
e) Workforce Planning - A recent study by MLA South East suggests that over a third of the library workforce will be retiring soon. WE need to know where the future workforce will be coming from as well as invest in the skills and knowledge that they and the existing workforce will need to meet future demands on the service
27) CILIP would support the general view that more needs to be spent on books and other library stock, although it accepts that this may have to come from existing resources provided by public library authorities. The reason for the dramatic decline in book loans may be varied with increased personal disposable income to spend on books being one factor. However we subscribe to the view that the decline in issues has been less in those authorities that have invested more in their bookstock, although we think the comparator should be the amount spent per capita or per thousand on books and other stock and not the percentage of the overall budget it accounts for. We also agree that opening hours should continue to be extended and, as mentioned above, more spent on making library buildings attractive and fit for purpose.
Delivering the Public Library Service
28) The right mix of levels of staff, with the right blend of skills and knowledge to deliver the required service, is an essential of a quality public library service. Although the current "Standards" for public library services do not contain specific standards relating to the qualifications of staff, previous editions have sought to cover this area and it is included in similar documents in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. We are also actively exploring workforce development issues with MLA as part of the review of "Blueprint for Excellence" with the prospect of making it a key area for future development.
29) We simply state at this stage that we refute the implication of the current restructuring within Hampshire library service that the skills of professional librarians are less needed in public library services now than before. We note with concern the large-scale diminution of professional input within the service especially at the frontline. It is with regret that we also note that none of the posts proposed regard a professional library qualification as even desirable. We have written to lead Councillors and the library management on this matter before and provided them with a copy of the statement "Local people deserve a professional service", which we also provide as Appendix A to this submission.
30) We recently asked a number of Heads of Library Service what types of skills and knowledge they expected from professional librarians in their service. They came up with the following list:
* Knowledge of community groups and their cultural and information needs
* Knowledge of resources and how they can meet needs of communities
* Training and development of staff to deliver service effectively
* Information Literacy skills
* Enquiry Work
* Expertise in Reading and Learning
* Resource discovery techniques
* Specialisms - children's, music, local studies
* Reflective practice - learning and improving through doing
31) We believe that a service that does not value the skills, knowledge and qualifications of its staff will not be able to offer the quality service its users deserve.
Conclusion
32) We trust that these comments will be helpful in the Library Review at Hampshire. If you wish to take up any of the points in the submission please contact:
Guy Daines
Director, Policy & Advocacy
CILIP
Tel: 020 7255 0632
Mailto:guy.daines@cilip.org.uk
Appendix
CILIP Statement:
Local people deserve a professional service
* Advice services
* Lobbying and policy
* By sector
* Copyright (LACA)
* Equal opportunities
* Freedom of information
* Information literacy
* CILIP in the knowledge economy
* Lifelong learning
* Library management systems
* Preservation and conservation
* Professional ethics
* Reader development
* Research
* Rights of access to confidential information
* Social inclusion
* Terrorism Act
* Workforce Development
* Online discussion
* International activities
* Printable version
* Change text size
* Email a colleague
Local libraries are highly valued by local people. CILIP believes that people in every community deserve a professionally delivered public library service.
Many public library services are facing significant budgetary cuts. While members of the public have lobbied to keep open small branches threatened with closure, heads of library service have struggled to meet the demands of public library standards and the needs of local communities - to deliver increased service with a reduced budget. In many cases the pressure is falling on staff - particularly cuts in the employment of qualified library and information professionals.
Qualified librarians are a community's guarantee of a quality service. They have the expertise to find, manage and exploit information relevant to the needs of their users. They have the vision and strategic ability to develop services to meet community needs. They have attained nationally recognised levels of competence, have committed themselves to keeping their skills up to date with continuing professional development and have agreed to comply with a code of professional conduct and ethics.
CILIP understands the budget difficulties that many Public Library Authorities are facing. However a quality library service requires qualified staff as well as convenient opening hours and a good collection of resources. Keeping libraries open at the expense of employing appropriately qualified and experienced staff does not give local communities the quality of service they deserve.
1 CILIP: the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals is the leading professional body for librarians, information specialists and knowledge managers in the UK. It forms a community of around 36,000 people engaged in library and information work, of whom around 21,000 are CILIP Members, and 15,000 are stakeholders including customers of CILIP Enterprises. CILIP members work in all sectors: business and industry, science and technology, further and higher education, schools, local and central government, the health service, the voluntary sector, national and public libraries. Visit www.cilip.org.uk for more information about CILIP. Registered Charity number: 313014
2 "Library Services for Visually Impaired People: A Best Practice Manual" produced by Share the Vision and revised in 2002 can be seen at:
http://bpm.nlb-online.org/contents.html
3 The Designing Libraries portal can be seen at: www.designinglibraries.org.uk
4 "Library Buildings Survey: Final Report" was published by MLAS in July 2006. It can be found at:
www.mla.gov.uk
Updated: 03 October 2007