Meeting documents

For members to receive an update and review the progress towards the committee’s recommendations as agreed on 8^th April for the development of a clear vision of the future of library services in Bucks.

 

Martin Phillips - Cabinet Member for Community Engagement

David Jones - Culture and Learning Manager

Julia King - Reading Development Manager

Ruth Page – Culture Development Project Officer

Martin Phillips, Cabinet Member for Community Engagement, David Jones, Service Director, Julia King, Reading Development Manager & Ruth Page, Culture Development Project Officer, were welcomed to the meeting.

 

The Chairman asked for a brief summary to reiterate in a succinct way the vision for the library service going forward for the next 5-10 years, and what the key elements and the core principles are.

 

Mr Jones explained that the version for the library service is predicated on the fact that emerging national picture for public library services is a year on year decrease in library usage.  A new vision for library services is needed in order to ensure relevance and sustainability.  This includes a way of maximising the asset – the building, and to increase the contribution that libraries make to priorities, both locally and nationally. The vision for the services is best articulated through the term; Face of the Council - Heart of the Community.

 

The Face of the Council is in recognition of the high footfall in libraries, the interaction with local residents and the fact we are IT intensive (there are all three channels in the libraries). Heart of the Community is in a sense, speaking of the high regard that residents have for the libraries and the attractiveness of the free, safe and accessible community spaces.  We are also able to position ourselves in a unique way in terms of driving forward the agenda for digital inclusion.

 

The significance of digital inclusion for the County Council is that in order to reduce costs through digital channel shift, the Council will need to ensure that residents who do not have a computer or have a computer but don’t know how to use it are not disenfranchised. The library service can position itself around that agenda.

 

In terms of key partnerships with organisations such as the Citizen’s Advice Bureau, as from 2015, when there is a Government shift to most information services having to be accessed on line, partnership working needs to take place with organisations such as the library which can provide the space, staff and free access to IT.

 

The key actions in terms of the visions being realised is to remodel library spaces, to co-locate services and have more services delivered from the same place; to develop partnerships; to increase and enhance the volunteer capacity and to position ourselves at the centre of the Council’s digital inclusion.

 

The Cabinet Member for Community Engagement explained that one aim is for the libraries to be developed into the public face of the Council. If people visit the library with a central council issue, they can be signposted into the right department to make the journey easier.  This is an enhanced role for libraries.

 

During the update, the following questions were asked.

 

The library services in Buckinghamshire are unique in the country in many ways.  Have visits taken place to libraries in other counties such as Tower Hamlets to look at other models to see how services can be improved? The vision has to look forward enough to make sure that a service which is not being used is not being protected and that people are using the service in the way they wish to. Mr Jones said best practice within the sector is being looked at to help inform the options appraisal. A visit has taken place to Northamptonshire. They have an excellent service in terms of the library, the contact centre and web team being located in the same place. They also have the ability to foster jobs, employment skills and training.

A meeting has taken place with senior officers from Suffolk.  The model adopted in Suffolk is the Industrial Providence Society model which is a co-operative approach.  Visits have also taken place to Luton where there is a Trust (there are also Trusts in Peterborough and in Redbridge).  A meeting has taking place with the Managing Director of Carillion.  Carillion currently deliver library services on behalf on the London Borough of Ealing, Harrow and Hounslow.  The competitor to Carillion is Greenwich Leisure who deliver library services in Greenwich and Wandsworth.  A visit has also taken place to York where a staff mutual has just been rolled out. Essex and Westminster library services have developed a trading arm and deliver the library services in Slough. A variety of difference governance models has been looked at to try to identify best practice.  Northants has demonstrated how a public library service can retain its core offer based on strong community and social values and can deliver the type of service we would like to in Bucks. Lambeth has a co-operative model but this has not demonstrated that any real contribution is being made. In terms of visits, the traffic seems to be much more towards Buckinghamshire because of the innovative model of mixed economy in terms of the community model. Bucks has been approached by lots of local authorities about the community library model and we have informed national research for DEFRA and spoken at conferences to share our learning in terms of developing sustainable services through community partnerships.

 

In terms of Tower Hamlets, there was a high profile launch of the new model for library services at Canary Wharf.  There was massive investment in marketing and branding to try to address the fundamental challenge and which is when leisure trends are changing nationally, how can library services be re-purposed. Tower Hamlets approached this as a marketing exercise.  There is learning to be taken from Tower Hamlets in terms of a consistent corporate approach and the remodelling of internal space which has become ‘letable’ space and can help drive services. We have done this with Chesham.  The aim is to do the same with Buckingham and Aylesbury.

 

Risborough is working with Wycombe District Council to embed the information centre in the library.  However there are constraints around opening times as the library does not open on Mondays.  If partnerships are going to be developed to offer community services rather than library services, thought needs to be given to the remodelling of the library services. Mr Jones said that the possibility of the residents of Princes Risborough having access to the tourist information centre on a Monday or re-modelling the opening hours to find a compromise can be looked into. A cultural shift is needed to understand what working in partnership is.  The aim is to co-locate services, reduce the costs and co-locate services but sometimes services do not always operate from the same level of parity. The move of the tourist information centre into Risborough Library is on track for December.  The same model will be rolled out in Marlow. Thames Valley Police are already located in the libraries in Burnham, Farnham Common and Great Missenden. Where there is an announcement of the closure of a police station, engagement will take place about the possibility of co-locating to a community library.

 

Mrs King explained that library space is being used with partners.  An example is a Dementia group is starting in Marlow on Monday. The library is closed on Mondays but the building is being made accessible.

 

Looking at the report, there does not appear to have been any involvement from participants from community libraries in terms of lessons learnt, what type of service they would like and whether there are services being provided which are not needed or gaps in service provision. Mr Jones explained that the focus of the report is on the development of a vision for the countywide library service. The community library partnerships in Bucks County Council has are 20% of the total business of the library service.  There is a light touch model in place which gives the freedom locally for local library services to be developed as well as the knowledge that behind the local freedoms is the support of the countywide infrastructure.  The report does say in shaping the countywide vision, there will be engagement with community partners to share our thinking with them. Local library partnerships will have the freedom to be involved as much or as little as they would like to. We want define the co-ordinated offer for the county structure then look at how we can engage with community partners.

 

One issue which has been raised is the IT system programs such as Windows XP, being out of date. There does not seem to be the resources put in to update the software. Mr Jones said part of the strategy is to champion and drive digital inclusion on behalf of the County Council.  For this to happen, there needs to be access to computers that are up to date.  The computers and software in the community libraries are not deficient compared to those in Aylesbury lending library. There has been a struggle at times with the hardware and software. In terms of the roll out which is driven by corporate IT, the latest information is ‘the project to upgrade the hardware and software that makes up the Peoples Network in the libraries has been ongoing since the middle of the year.  Deployment of the new equipment will commence on the 1 December 2014.  It is expected that all libraries (this includes community libraries) will be upgraded by the end of January 2015.  The new pcs are a higher specification than those currently installed and we will be running window version 7 operating system.  In addition, provision has been made to include internet explorer version 11 and chrome version 31, so that the public can use the browser of their choice’. In terms of engagement and dialogue with community library partners, regular review meetings take place to discuss any issues which are specific to that community library.  There is a now a dedicated community library training support officer.  Julia engages in terms of stock provision.

 

It is important that we as a Committee get a number of people who participate in the community libraries to tell us what their vision is as it could be different from what you are suggesting. Mr Jones explained that as part of the delivery model, the details of the logistics and operations are being looked into. A comparison can be made to a supermarket and the efficiency model where self-service technology is available. Community libraries deal with lower volumes of visitors and have a model which draws on local volunteers.  The models are therefore quite different.  To have a coordinated offer set to specific standards requires systems to be in place across a number of different sites. Community libraries tend to see the local library as being at the centre of the village community and having to drive the sustainability of the library.

 

The Cabinet Member for Community Engagement added that he visits a community library when he receives an invitation to do so. This is an opportunity to listen to their vision for the library service and suggestions for expanding the existing service.

 

Mrs King explained that in terms of workforce development and staff training, there is regular contact with community library partners.  Discussions have taken place about the training which is being rolled out to county staff and offering this training to the volunteers who run the community libraries. This also applies to the Learn My Way offer. All of our community libraries are signed up to the national UK online and have access points. Work is taking place with Farnham Common library to deliver digital IT facilitated sessions to their community in the same way as the county library.  The latest report is that in Farnham Common, the IT sessions are oversubscribed until Christmas. Questionnaires have been sent to the local community asking what type of IT support they would like.  The Farnham Common offer is being tailored by their Committee and volunteers to reflect the responses received. This initiative is available to all other community libraries when they are ready to take it up.

 

Physical accessibility to mobile library services can be problematic in terms of access in rural areas, and access for wheelchair users and those with mobility problems, sight and hearing problems. How can this be overcome? Mrs King explained that mobile libraries have a ramp and are wheelchair accessible. In terms of physical access, this should not be a problem.

 

There are sometimes problems with parking and the positioning of the vehicle when an individual is trying to get to the ramp.  Mrs King explained when a stop for a mobile library is set up this is usually in conjunction with the local community.  There has been a change in space in Stoke Mandeville as this was not considered to be a safe place.  The stop has been moved from the Bell Public House to the school.  We are very responsive to a siting if there are problems with access.

 

Where does the mobile library service lend itself to supporting those who are isolated? How does access to services such requests for large print books or access to the E-reader service tie in? Mrs King explained that mobile library services deliver the same level of support as a library branch would deliver.  In terms of accessibility, mobile libraries have wi-fi and digital access which enables support to be given to those without a computer.

With regard to access to e-content, if an individual is able to come to the mobile library service, they would be supported in how to download the e-content. Unfortunately wi-fi access isn’t as good in some rural communities as we would like it to be. Stoke Poges parish council has identified there is the need for the community to have an enhanced computer i.e. access to Learn My Way to improve digital skills.  Work is taking place with the LAF representatives who are planning to install wi-fi in the Community Centre to look at whether the mobile library can piggy back on their wi-fi access. Large print and audio books are available on mobile library services.  Books can be also ordered and delivered to a mobile service.

 

The future of mobile library service is not clear in the vision as well as possible synergies with other vehicles in the county such as youth services and the I-van. Mr Young said that the vision talks about using mobile services with partners to visit rural and isolated communities and to help the council ensure that residents in rural areas are as well informed as they are in urban areas.  Pilot projects are taking place which look to replicate some principles of the community library strategy i.e. identifying existing activities in local community venues where local people are happy to engage with the Council and look at new models of delivery such as having a ‘click and collect’ service and book deposit collections.  This initiative was recently launched in Lacey Green.

 

Mrs King said an example of work that is taking place is with Chiltern and South Bucks Citizens Advice Bureau who have recently launch their triage number to support local residents.  The delivery of the service using the discreet space on a mobile van in Denham and St Leonards is being piloted. There are some constraints in the form of digital and wi-fi access. The possibility of offering a Skype service for members of the public to have a conversation with those in social services and children’s services in County Offices is being considered.

 

The options of bringing the books to the people rather than the people to books and a click and collect service could have some merit when there is critical mass.  Unfortunately none of this appears to be in the vision at the moment. Mr Jones said that this can be picked up in the work which is taking place.

 

The report doesn’t give the vision for the library service for the next 5-10 years.  It is more about what is being done now to try and accommodate today’s requirements.  There is no evidence in the report to support the move forward in the future. You said that you have spoken with other Local Authorities about their library models but this information is not in the report. Details are needed about the longer term vision for the library service

 

The report mentions governance models and the different options such as mutual and co-operative. In terms of the future vision of library services, how do you see the governance model as a way of achieving what the vision might be? Mr Jones said the timeframe for the changes to the library service has been aligned to the Future Shape programme. An options appraisal will take place in April 2015 in terms of the different alternatives and delivery vehicles. As part of the Medium Term Plan (MTP), a business case is being developed giving details of how quickly we could move forward and develop a detailed business case to deliver significant cost reductions. The report focuses on the ‘Face of the Council – Heart of the Community’ and trying to identify against the context of the decline of the usage of a traditional library service, a role for a library service which makes sense both locally and nationally and how this can be delivered.  Delivery would be through alternative governance. The report details the benefits and opportunities of developing a trading arm and moving towards a commercial entrepreneur approach.  An option for immediate savings would be the move to a not for profit organisation status. We need to identify the direction of travel and key milestones in terms of governance.

 

Where does the report flag up the outcomes of the service i.e. in 6 months / 1 year?

 

The report is a bit too generic.  Rather than stating the 5 year vision, it is missing the illustration of examples of what the library service would look like in 2020.

 

There have been lots of cutbacks to the library service over the last couple of years and services are already stretched.  In the new vision, how is value for money going to be assessed for the Council, how will the value for money and cuts impact on the Council and the residents that use the service or will be unable to use the service? Mr Jones said that the paper shows the scale of savings that have been experienced and the reduction in costs of a million over the last four years. The savings in the current MTP in the next three years is over half a million.  The new governance model and opportunities it could bring demonstrates that savings of a quarter of a million could be made by moving to new governance.  Further work needs to take place on a more detailed business plan.

 

How do you intend to generate additional income and how will the residents in the community be able to interact with income generation? Mr Jones explained that 6 months, Bucks County Council was made aware of an opportunity to tender to deliver stock services for other library services in the south of the England. When the details of the tender were received, there was the realisation that staff would have to be recruited in order to deliver the service. The decision was therefore made not to proceed with the opportunity. The realisation is that as a directly delivered county council service we could only tender based on cost recovery but as an arms-length organisation, we could tender based on profit. Developing a trading arm is one of the ways that income generating opportunities can be maximised. Another way of generating income would be through working with partners and being commissioned to deliver against outcomes.

 

Mrs King added that work is taking place with Public Health to look at the roll out of accredited training for health champions. Libraries are also being looked at to deliver the key objectives for public health information and supporting residents to improve their health outcomes.

 

The vision is to change the existing model.  What would the impact on library services be if the existing model remained? Mr Jones said any services which do not appear to be front line could be pulled out or the number of libraries and the opening hours could be reduced. The appearance would be the same number of libraries, the same service, operating to the same opening hours. In terms of the opportunities to devolve more to communities, we are at a point where the models which have previously worked successful no longer lend themselves to the size of the libraries.  If cuts continue we would be salami slicing.  It is about how we can fundamentally change the model to deliver significant savings.

 

What would the trading arm do differently, that the library service which cannot currently do? Mr Jones said the library service would be able to compete in the emerging market to deliver library services or parts of library services on behalf of other local authorities which could be done at a profit.

 

Has this been looked at the other way round i.e. the service being bought in from someone else and the difference in the cost of this? Mr Jones explained that the options appraisal will include the option to tender the entire service to another operator which is why discussions have taken place with Carillion and Greenwich Borough Council.

 

The possible delivery of other services should be looked at as well as how services are delivered rather than cutting existing services.

 

How is the impact of digital inclusion as well as the programmes and activities currently run by the library measured and what data is collected? Mr Jones explained that work has taken place over the last year to put in a system to measure data.  This includes new performance measures to reflect new areas of work. Issues and visits are the traditional areas such as activity. There is now Learn My Way, the free online training which is accredited by the Government. The programme gives a standardised template of informal learning which can be rolled out across the county council.  The programme is delivered by staff supported by volunteers and allows the levels of learning to be tracked.  The data is generated on a monthly basis and can provide such information such as the number of people who have enrolled on the programme.

 

Mrs King said IT usage in the library has increased to over 12,000 log-ins per month. This technology to track usage is currently installed in only 8 libraries so in reality this figure is higher. This is a massive increase in the number of people visiting the library to use a public computer.

 

It is fully understood that the library service is a statutory service.  Is there not the feeling that is it time to change and drop the term ‘library’ and turn the libraries into community centres and mobile community centres as this would give a totally different inference to the service. Mr Jones explained that is the vision the report is trying to articulate. The idea that there will be buildings that have at their core a library that allows you to borrow books but there is also a range of other services available in the same building. The word ‘library’ is highly potent and has massive emotional attachment.  As we change and remodel the service, changing the term ‘library’ could be counter-productive in terms of provoking a strong negative reaction from those who use the library as they feel they are losing a service.

The feeling is that the word ‘library’ can stay as it is a powerful word. In order for libraries to be sustainable, the range of services co-located in the same place needs to be broadened. This brings down the cost and will diversify the offer.

 

The Cabinet Member for Community Engagement added that if the word ‘library’ is removed, it could appear that the County Council is planning to disinvest in library services.

 

If a new model and partnerships are being developed but your own standard model is not being adjusted and you are trying to make partnerships fall into your model, this needs to be adjusted.

 

The Chairman summarised the observations of Committee Members as follows;

·      There is a lack of evidence in terms of data.  It would be useful to see data for the library service for the last 5/10 years to give an idea of the decline in footfall and issues as well as the increase in areas such as IT usage, E-publishing and loans.  This data would help to illustrate what the library service is in the 21^st century.

·      Several gaps in the report have been identified such as marketing and membership drive

·      The report mentions the development of the Business Plan in April 2015. It would be useful for the Committee to meet as an informal working group to look at the draft business plan, to gain an understanding of the evidence and data being used to drive the business plan and to ask questions.  A meeting is to be arranged in January after the MTP.

Action: Policy Officer

·      If the aim is to be entrepreneurial and trading, has the market been tested and are opportunities still available to market services

·      If discussions are going to take place with community libraries, the County Council’s own in house market should be tested to see if the right services are being provided locally.

·      The report could be more provocative in its thinking and its vision and also be clearer about what will the library service will look like in 2020 and how much it will cost to provide the service.

·      The engagement with existing and new users, the role with schools and youth groups etc is an area which is not touched upon in the report.

 

The Chairman thanked the Mr Phillips, Mr Jones, Mrs King and Ms Page for the report and for answering questions from Committee members.