Synposis of report - How can we make best practice more widespread?
5. HOW CAN WE MAKE BEST PRACTICE MORE WIDESPREAD?
5.1
The quality of the public/community space, imaginative literature and informal learning opportunities, which libraries uniquely offer to all children, is paramount. Funding opportunities to enable library services to create safe and welcoming environments, with high quality bookstock and well-developed ICT services should be made available, potentially via further Lottery funding streams, specifically targeting improved standards of service. The success of the People's Network has demonstrated the capacity of library services nationally to deliver specific outcomes, on time and on budget, when given the opportunities offered by earmarked funding.
5.2
The capacity of libraries to deliver powerfully against the Government's agenda for children and young people has not been given the recognition which all the research demonstrates clearly it deserves. In particular, the benefits of Bookstart and related early years' strategies, the impact on learning of study support activity, after school in libraries, and the way in which the Summer Reading Challenge and other holiday activities sustain children's literacy and reading development, have been proved beyond doubt. The time has come to acknowledge these successes which have been particularly important in addressing socially excluded families, and provide the necessary investment nationally to ensure that they are part of the core services which children and young people can expect from their library service. It is vital that Bookstart and related services feature as an essential part of every Surestart scheme and of the proposed Children's Centres.
5.3
A form of quality framework needs to be developed, against which the performance of individual services can be judged. A method of capturing the outcomes of time-limited innovative projects for dissemination should be found.
5.4
A more liberal and enlightened approach to policies and procedures, especially joining procedures and the payment of fines and charges for damage is necessary.
5.5
Priority should be given to improved quality of activities, displays, exhibitions and especially publicity and marketing of services; supported by nationally produced materials and shared expertise and training. The quality of the marketing "offer" is just as, if not more, important to children and young people as to adults. Therefore, publicity, promotion and marketing of services to children and young people needs to be treated seriously.
5.6
The baseline for ICT services must be that children and young people have easy access to them, and creative projects relating to content development and information literacy should be developed to extend children and young people's skills.
5.7
Wherever possible, accessible locations and adequate opening hours should be offered to children and young people, but the development of virtual library services must also be a priority for the future.
5.8
There should be a real involvement of children and young people in planning the future of their own services and collaboration with colleagues such as youth workers should be developed to overcome image and attitudinal problems presented by libraries.
5.9
Projects focussed on a known area of need are sometimes managed by staff who do not have a librarianship background. They should be supported with training and networking opportunities, and the learning outcomes of their work must be captured and disseminated.
5.10
Closer working between school librarians and teachers, LEA staff and public library staff, and FE and HE librarians is still an issue for managers, trainers and individuals, despite the recommendations of Empowering the Learning Community and other pieces of research.
5.11
Partnership working is a vital part of the future. Locating barriers to take-up of services and seeking a partner with whom a solution can be found is the key to success, especially with hard to reach groups.
Updated: 23 January 2007