Community Led Libraries

1. Community Led Libraries How to create needs based library services

2. (1) The Spirit Level • Wilkinson & Pickett (2010) The Spirit Level: why equality is better for everyone • Almost everything (including library use) is affected not by how wealthy a society is, but how equal it is • Societies with a bigger gap between rich and poor are bad for everyone in them – including the well off

3. (2) Income Inequality

4. (3) Public Engagement • Brook (2011) International comparisons of public engagement in culture and sport • Consistently higher attendance and participation in culture and sport in Scandinavia • DCMS (2011) Taking Part Survey - library use in the UK fell from 56% in 2001 to 40% in 2011

5. (4) Library Use

6. (5) Equality & Library Use

7. (6) Mind the Gap • The Equality Trust (2011) Research Digest: Trends & Measures • Between 1960 – 2005 income inequality increased by 32% in the UK and decreased by 12% in Sweden. • In the 1960s Sweden and the UK had similar levels of income inequality. By 2005 the gap between the two had increased by 28%.

8. (7) Overview • Needs based library service – identify, prioritise and meet community needs • Community-Led libraries - service planning, design, delivery, evaluation • Holistic and Systematic approach – strategy, structures, systems, culture

9. (8) Open to All? • Resource (2000) Open to All? The Public Library and Social Exclusion • NIACE (2003) Developing a Needs Based Library Service • Ashgate (2010) The Public Library and Social Justice [with John Vincent] • Ashgate (2012) Community Led Libraries [with Ken Williment, Working Together Project]

10. (9) Needs Based • Identify community needs – profiles, assessments, partners, relationships • Prioritise – those with the greatest needs • Meet needs – universal / targeted services • Redirect resources – challenges from users, politicians / board, managers, staff

11. (10) Exclusive Paradigm

12. (11) Inclusive Paradigm

13. (12) Social Class

14. (13) Community Engagement

15. (14) Traditional Service Planning

16. (15) Community Led Planning

17. (16) Holistic & Systematic

18. (17) Strategy • DCMS (2003) Framework for the Future • Promotion of reading and informal learning • Access to digital skills and services including e-government • Measures to tackle social exclusion, build community identity and develop citizenship

19. (18) Staffing • The right people • In the right jobs • With the right skills

20. (19) The right ‘man’ for the job • Wilson & Birdi (2008) The right ‘man’ for the job? The Role of Empathy in Community Librarianship • Communication, listening & negotiation skills • Influencing relationships • Reflective practice • Improved confidence and assertiveness • Dealing with conflict

21. (20) Staffing Structure • LGA (2004) Extending the Role of Libraries • ‘Strengthen strategic management to ensure that appropriate services are delivered across the public library authority, rather than leaving project development to individual operational management teams that target specific areas and populations.’

22. (21) Specialist Team Strengths • Vanguard services - big leap forward • Innovation, experimentation and change • New collections and services • Knowledge of local communities • Raise awareness among library staff • Training and guidance

23. (22) Weaknesses • Isolated and not mainstreamed • Two tier services • No redirection of resources • Library staff not engaged • Limited access to resources • No performance measures • Not valued, vulnerable to budget cuts

24. (23) Whole Service Approach • Structures aligned with service strategy • Staff clear about what is expected of them • Everyone pulling in the same direction • Impact and outcome indicators • Positive effect on organizational culture • Services become embedded and not vulnerable to changes of policy or budget reductions

25. (24) Service Structure • The right services • In the right places • At the right times

26. (25) Opening Hours • LGA (2004) Extending the Role of Libraries • Increased opening hours led to more: • Use of ICT facilities • Visitors in total • Visits from target groups • Books lent

27. (26) Systems • Inappropriate rules and regulations • Charging policies which disadvantage those on low incomes • Book stock policies which do not reflect the needs of the community • Lack of signage in buildings • Lack of a sense of ownership and involvement by the community

28. (27) Welcome to Your Library? • ADP (2004) Welcome to Your Library • External signage – library hard to find • Internal signage – unclear • Environment - unwelcoming • Stock – no books in other languages • Joining procedures – no particular sensitivity • Customer care – staff not friendly

29. (28) Culture • ‘The way we do things around here’ • Hearts and minds • Attitudes and behaviours • Shared values

30. (29) Community Development

31. (30) Social Justice ‘It falls to our generation to make one of the biggest transformations in human history. The rich countries have got to the end of the really important contributions which economic growth can make to the quality of life and also that our future lies in improving the quality of the social environment in our societies. Greater equality is the material foundation on which better social relations are built.’