EMPOWER, INFORM, ENRICH
THE MODERNISATION REVIEW OF PUBLIC LIBRARIES
UNISON RESPONSE
INTRODUCTION
UNISON welcomes the opportunity to respond to the Empower, Inform, Enrich consultation document. As the trade union that represents the majority of library members, we clearly recognise the importance and value of a public library service.
The library service is an essential local government service. However, libraries risk getting lost within the broader remit and competing priorities of leisure and culture functions within which they are often placed. The DCMS and their equivalents in Cymru/Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland, set policy and standards and have responsibility for the service but have no direct executive authority at local level. The lack of co-ordination at Government level and lack of authority at local level gives a green light to local councils, wanting to reduce services or service standards, and see no threat in doing so.
Many library services throughout the UK have adapted very well to the changes impacting on them from both government policy and the diverse communities they serve. There is little wrong with these services. Their main problems arise from many years of underfunding and resourcing. It is necessary to be clear about the origins of the current problems in the library service so that appropriate solutions can be applied.
UNISON is holding a People’s Inquiry into the Public Library service on 11th February. We believe it is an essential and unique Inquiry that will give a voice to the least heard: the library users; the public and the workforce. We hope that DCMS will consider the findings of the Inquiry to inform it’s thinking on Empower, Inform, Enrich.
RESPONSE
In our response we will not answer all the questions posed by the consultation but focus on the key areas for UNISON that are raised by the document.
Local Authority Provision
Without doubt local authorities are the only agency which can provide public library services that complement and support councils’ broader aims for local communities and ensure co-ordination across service delivery areas. They should be responsive to rapidly changing societies and communities. Local authorities are best equipped to co-ordinate with other public services, especially in their roles as place shapers and as facilitators of Local Strategic Partnerships. Libraries should reflect the society that they serve and should be welcoming places to all sections of the community. The very best already do this, but more should be done to ensure that the library is firmly rooted in the locality.
The central government role is still necessary and required. It is essential that the provision of the library service remains a statutory service. In order to do this UNISON does not believe the 1964 Act needs revision or replacement however there is a need for definition and guidance for library authorities on the terms comprehensive and efficient but this can be done via Regulation or Statutory Guidance and would not mean a lengthy process of implementing a primary piece of legislation.
New ways of working/new models?
Or not so new ways of delivering local authority services? The spectre of commercialisation and outsourcing has haunted the library service for decades and each time it has been proposed it has then been rejected. UNISON’s report ‘Taking Stock’ reviews these proposals and their most recent manifestation - the PriceWaterhouseCoopers’ report that was commissioned by CLG in 2006. It concludes that PwC’s model would “push the library service into the orbit of the private sector and change irrevocably the character of the service”. Only a publicly run service that is fully democratically accountable can be sufficiently responsive to the rapidly changing needs and aspirations of local communities. And only the public sector can resolve the problem of chronic underfunding faced by the library service, which is often the motive for seeking market solutions.
We would like to see the evidence DCMS or CLG has on how well existing Library/Leisure Trusts, Academies and Foundation Trusts perform, both in terms of affordability and accountability. We remain unconvinced that these ‘models’ would be appropriate for a public library service.
In order for libraries to deliver a professional service, under-funding needs to be addressed to ensure adequate resources. This needs to occur in a context of agreed high standards and vibrant leadership. Despite the lack of funding, libraries continue to deliver a high quality service and are valued greatly by the communities they serve. One of the strengths of the service is that it is not a commercial service. It is an integral part of local public services and should remain so.
Digitalisation
New technology must be embraced and funded, while not losing track of the core library business. Many digital services are already provided by Libraries. We have a long way to go before we see the end of the physical book and we must not alienate the large majority of library users by ignoring what people actually come into the library to do – borrow books.
The delivery of virtual reference resources should be a core aspect of what libraries do, as should be online catalogue/reserving/renewal etc. The delivery of the Ebook should also be part of the service, but to do this effectively there does need to be a national approach to the development of digital services and their use in libraries.
What services should be available for users
There will be always be a need to accommodate different local needs however a clear national ‘offer’ to library users is essential. The Model of Impact in Appendix A shows both the complexity and simplicity of library services, very clearly and this would need to be reflected in any ‘offer’. Book borrowing and Peoples Network free at the point of use should be maintained.
There should be one standard ID requirement nationally whilst a national library card is a great idea in theory but would in practice require a uniform library computer system. This is likely to cost a disproportionately large amount of money.
Consultation/involvement/decision making
There is a clear lack of staff and public consultation within most library services, which makes staff feel undervalued, fails to build on their experience and commitment and ultimately overlooks community needs. The CLG places great emphasis on community involvement and empowerment. Where better to start than with the library service? The findings of the Wirral Inquiry show how vital it is that Authorities better engage with staff, users and non users about developing or changing their services. Failure to do so has a significant impact. Detailed and comprehensive consultation needs to take place before decisions get taken.
Libraries should be at the heart of communities and it is vital that local people are engaged in service planning and delivery. They are valued and trusted. Much more could be done to involve both the staff and the local communities in the shaping of the service. Whilst co-production is the way forward, it cannot be achieved without library staff. Library staff are integral to engaging with, supporting and informing library users,” Friends of the Library” and, as importantly, with local user groups, schools and children’s groups who also use libraries. There has to be effective engagement with service users, and choice should be user-led but should also involve reaching out to those who currently do not use the library. There will be many conflicting views and differing needs and priorities from different parts of the community. Staff have an important role to play in reaching communities and should be specifically trained to engage with user groups. To ensure this, they should also reflect the communities within which they work.
Training, leadership and services for staff?
It is disappointing that yet again within the consultation there is little focus on the workforce. The poor treatment of staff is manifested in the way that pay and conditions do not reflect skills, qualifications and responsibilities. With further cuts and closures, staff are also becoming deskilled and undervalued.
There is a distinct lack of training and career development opportunities for library staff. This would be particularly beneficial to library assistants, to enhance their skills to meet the demands of the service and assist them to follow a coherent career path, while qualified librarians also need to be able to update their skills and knowledge. A lot of responses from our library members and activists stated that library courses offer a largely irrelevant curriculum, with most new applicants needing complete training on the job. Librarians need to know about stock management, search strategies, display and promotion and - above all - customer service. Library staff need good communication skills for both public speaking and one to one communication and ICT skills, a deep understanding of how to use search engines, online databases and traditional sources of information (such as a reference library).
It is appreciated that opening hours and working patterns have to be adjusted to suit the needs of communities. Along with building improvement and development, this will have a cost impact. All changes - whether to staffing arrangements, cataloguing or procurement - should be part of local negotiations with the union, whilst also being mindful of involving and informing the community on relevant issues.
Volunteers
Whilst many see volunteering generally as a positive action in communities and can play a very important role in a library, UNISON has a number of concerns such as instances where volunteers are effectively running libraries on their own, with absolutely no support or resources. Volunteers should not be used to do something that a paid member of staff would normally do - for instance stock work or counter work.
Volunteers should however be properly supervised and definitely not be used for core parts of the service. We are concerned about where staff have to manage volunteers, volunteers who may not always turn up when they say they will, volunteers who may not be suitable and volunteers who may actually be taking work from library staff. There needs to be agreed volunteer procedures at local level that set out clear boundaries and guidance for staff.
CONCLUSION
In order to maintain public library services and raise standards in general, UNISON would like to see:
· Adequate resources and funding for library services, staff and premises
· Improved cross-governmental co-ordination and partnership working between central and local government to define objectives and standards and requisite funding for the library service
· Empowerment of staff and communities to shape services together
· Partnership working between libraries and councils across the UK to share information and good practice
· Responsiveness to library users from all backgrounds
· Provision of staff training and professional development
Public libraries are an integral part of local public services and should remain so. No amount of outsourcing can deliver a responsive library service much-loved by the public from the cradle to the grave.


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