3. POSITIVE RESPONSES TO CHANGED NEEDS WHICH HAVE BEEN MADE BY LIBRARIES
3.1
Many library services have responded positively to the changing needs of children and young people. Often, innovation has resulted from time-limited, externally funded projects, which have encouraged experimentation, sometimes in partnership with other agencies. An early example of such a project was Bookstart which demonstrated all the ingredients of good practice:
- Responding to demonstrable need ¨ Working in partnership with other agencies which have better access to the age group concerned
- Building in research to demonstrate outcomes and impact from the very beginning
- Disseminating the outcomes widely within the profession and beyond
- Using the outcomes to advocate on behalf of libraries
- Extending beyond the original project into other related areas, such as government initiatives like Surestart and working closely with the local Early Years and Childcare Development Partnerships
- Mainstreaming the lessons learned by embedding them in the day to day service.
3.2
Reader Development and Reading Groups are another example of a successful response to a perceived need. Both in public and school libraries, a reader centred approach which aims to extend the reading experience for children and young people has broken new ground. With the support of a new breed of organisation, the development agency, outcomes have been extremely impressive. They have led to:
- The creation of very high quality resources, including publicity materials which have been produced nationally in a cost effective way
- More focused consultation with readers to gain a better understanding of their needs
- Staff training and development activities which have revitalised staff awareness of reader needs
- An increased profile for library services, some of which has been the result of more professional marketing approaches
- A commitment to partnership working
- Better systems for evaluating the impact of activity
- An excellent example of this approach is the Summer Reading Challenge which has now been adopted by 88% of library services.
3.3
The unique role of libraries in providing learning opportunities has been demonstrated in the development of various projects, ranging from Bookstart to the partnerships with schools and Adult Education providers in offering Family Literacy and Family Learning opportunities, where intergenerational learning has engendered enthusiasm and overcome lack of confidence in both children and parents.
Study support is now also a key service offered by libraries to children and aligned with provision of ICT hardware and software, has been an important source of access for excluded young people. Again, research into the impact of study support has been a feature of the process which has provided valuable evidence to support the contribution which libraries can make.
School Library Services too, have had to view their own futures in very courageous and creative ways, in order to cope with the radical changes to their funding regime.
All three services, public, school libraries and school library services offer an important route into a broader focus on learning to complement the National Curriculum.
3.4
Some progress has been made in using ICT creatively, either offering virtual access to library services to children and young people, to link it into reader development activity, or to enhance information literacy.
However, this is at an early stage and the next phase of the People's Network will hopefully offer the opportunity to create more child-focused content and services.