Alan Gibbons’ Blog

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 11^th 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.

(29/01/10) Public libraries are a key part of public services – they make a vital contribution to communities and to educational achievement. And the library service is a key strand of the union’s Million Voices for Public Services campaign.

Libraries will be to the fore this month when UNISON hosts a “people’s inquiry into the public library service” at the British Library in central London on 11 February.

Library staff and library users will be available to give evidence on various topics, including the potential threats to the service and the main issues affecting staff.

A small panel of experts will hear the evidence and a government minister has been invited. And in the run-up to the event, the union commissioned Cardiff University to carry out an online survey of activists and members in the library service.

The survey will feed into the ‘people’s inquiry’, putting forward the views of library workers about the current state of the library service and issues for staff throughout the UK.

The service has suffered years of funding cuts and, alongside other public services, the threat of closures is growing in a recession where they are too-often seen as ‘peripheral’ rather than core services.

So why are libraries such a key part of public services?

Why is UNISON making their defence a key part of the Million Voices campaign and producing ‘Love your Libraries’ material to help local campaigners?

First and foremost, public libraries allow people from all walks of life to access information, learning and books – free at the point of use. And they are well used – each week, more people visit a library than go to football matches or the cinema.

And despite a common myth that libraries are somehow old fashioned and no longer needed in the digital information age, over the past five years, total visits to libraries in the UK grew by 6%.

They are often vibrant and welcoming places for people from all walks of life – a haven in hard times such as the current economic mess.

During the recession, libraries will be crucial for maintaining quality of life and learning opportunities for families who can’t afford books or a home computer.

They also help people access the information and resources they need to find work.

There is already evidence that people are looking to libraries even more during hard times – in Westminster, visits have risen by 10%, while in Cumbria, new membership applications have increased by 38%.

In short, libraries are a key public service:

· they help to introduce children to books through baby groups and ’story time’;

· they help pupils with homework clubs and the Summer Reading Challenge;

· they play an increasing role in youth and adult learning;

· they provide internet access for many who otherwise could not afford it;

· they facilitate affordable access to music and films on CD and DVD;

· they can be a space for community groups to meet and hold events.

But despite all this, they are a service under threat – even though they are used and needed more in a recession, many councils see them as a soft-option cut when money is tight.

Library staff are under immense pressure: local authority budget constraints have seen libraries being thinly staffed, under-resourced or sometimes closed.

Since 1997, the total number of professional staff (full-time equivalent) employed in public libraries has fallen by 14%.

The number of library books available to borrow is falling by two million a year, and total stock is now 13 million lower than it was six years ago.

In just the past two years, more than 80 libraries have closed and more cuts are planned in places like Calderdale, Waltham Forest and the Wirral.

In an environment of tight finances and where much of local government is controlled by Tories committed to ideological cuts, the library service is seen as a ’soft target’ by many authorities who spend only 1% of their budget on libraries.

Despite the pressures, many libraries are developing innovative and imaginative ways of serving local communities.

We need to build on the best practice and make changes so that:

· adequate resources and funding are available to maintain book stock, embrace technological advances, improve premises and extend opening hours;

· staff, users and local communities – including unions and ‘friends’ groups – are fully involved in shaping services and reaching out to new users;

· libraries and councils throughout the UK share good practice, encouraging innovation within a publicly accountable framework;

· all libraries are responsive and welcoming to all members of their local communities, as the best already are;

· staff training is expanded and professional development encouraged to support the delivery of a responsive and high quality service.

What you, your branch and your members can do

· Watch out for the Love your Libraries campaign and supporting material and use it to organise events in your area – and download the Million Voices factsheet on libraries at unison.org.uk/million/resources.

· Encourage members to join their local library and be part of a great public service.

· Talk to friends, family, co-workers and neighbours about the threat to library services.

· Encourage members and the branch to raise concerns about the future of the service with councils, local media, and political candidates.

· Take the campaign to workplace or community meetings – or organise your own – we can help with materials and speakers.

· Find out more at www.unison.org.uk/million and www.unison.org.uk/localgov/library.asp.</LI< A>>

Here is an interesting promo video for New York libraries:

Channel 4 item on libraries:

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1184614595?bctid=59847720001

From the Good Library Blog

A major scandal in the public library service

In the past few weeks I have called for a total review of book supply to public libraries. Following publication of this call I have received information that library suppliers have agreed book supply contracts at 47.5% discount off the cover price of books, so long as the supplier can make the selection of which books are supplied. These contracts apply to all the books supplied. The commitment, written or unwritten is that the supplier will select the best, most appropriate books for the local library, in the field.

There are, nowadays, only a handful suppliers, most of them are owned by the two national wholesalers. The value of the supply contracts is £90m per annum

You don’t have to be too experienced to know that such a level of discount narrows the field of books that can be selected by wholesalers and suppliers to a very few new publications and a wide range of remainder stock. It is not hard to see what might be happening to make these contracts profitable. It is not possible to work comprehensively or appropriately at such a level of discount, as any small publisher will confirm,

If this is true then it represents a major breach of public trust and a total failure of professional conduct. It needs to be investigated, urgently and whatever malpractice is in hand should be stopped immediately

This is really serious.

Councils and suppliers always claim that these deals are subject to what they call ‘commercial confidentiality’ — they should not be– they should be open to proper public scrutiny otherwise situations of this nature will occur.

The shame is that the possibly virtuous idea of ’supplier selection’ for public libraries has been completely misunderstood and distorted into this nonsense.

A campaign against local service cuts has been launched by Scotland’s largest public service union, Unison. (from BBC News)

The union’s general secretary, Dave Prentis, introduced its Public Works Anti-Cuts campaign at a rally in Glasgow.

He said the union’s research had uncovered cuts of £300m across Scottish local government, with planned job losses of more than 3,000.

The rally was attended by delegates from across Scotland.

Speaking ahead of the rally at the Royal Concert Hall in Glasgow, Mr Prentis told BBC Scotland that the government should “call time” on financiers who say that public spending is not sustainable at the same time as taking million pound bonuses.

He added: “The one thing we want more than anything, and we think we are speaking for all of the people in Scotland, is that we want the bankers to pay the price.

“If Barack Obama can say to the bankers in America, ‘I want every dime back’, why can’t Gordon Brown say the same thing in this country?”

He also pointed out what he considers to be the danger of cuts plunging the economy back into recession, saying that public spending is the only engine of growth the country has.

Unison’s Public Works campaign is part of the union’s UK Million Voices for Change campaign.

Conservatives Call on Margaret Hodge to come off the Fence on Libraries.

Speaking at the Society of Bookmen tonight, Ed Vaizey criticised Labour for considering making libraries a non-statutory service. Ed will say:

‘Libraries are an absolutely essential local service. And in Labour’s current review of libraries, Margaret Hodge has asked whether libraries should remain a statutory local government service.

This proposal would put the future of every public library in the country under threat. It is an outrageous proposal to anyone who cares about books and reading. We cannot go on like this. When will the Minister show some real leadership on libraries?’

Annual Library Plans were introduced in 1998, but replaced by Public Library Position statements in 2002. Public library service standards were introduced in 2001 but revised in 2004 and 2007.

There have been Frameworks and Action plans, then, in October 2008 Andy Burnham announced the Libraries Service Modernisation Review which was due to report in the spring of 2009. It never did.

Instead, Margaret Hodge launched this second review, Enrich, Empower, Informwhich throws libraries statutory status into jeopardy.

In the document Margaret Hodge said:

‘The responsibilities of central government with respect to libraries were put in place in the 1964 Act and the Local Authority role dates back to the 1850s. Given the considerable social and technological changes which have taken place in the interim it is worth reconsidering those arrangements now.’

Question 20 of the consultation asks if it is important that libraries remain a statutory obligation for local authorities.

Alan Gibbons writes: “This debate is absolutely vital. The leader of Wirral Council Steve Foulkes, wounded by having to back down on library closures, targeted the 1964 Libraries and Museums Act because it narrowed his room to manoeuvre. If Margaret Hodge’s review were to take up this monstrous stupidity it would be a grave mistake and one that would be fiercely resisted. The 1964 Act, though not perfect, is a necessary protection against philistine political representatives who would dismantle a vital national service. The problem isn’t that people don’t want to use this institution but that the institution isn’t well enough funded, advertised or championed. Let’s have a resounding yes from Mrs Hodge that she will keep, indeed strengthen the 1964 Act. Libraries have been neglected by the political elite for years. It is time to place them right at the centre of cultural life.”

Library service

04.02.10

Publishers should invest in the British Public Library service and save it. It is in their commercial interest to lead the restoration. At present public libraries buy £90m of books each year, making them the fourth largest public-facing customer of UK publishers (behind
W H Smith’s, Waterstone’s and Amazon). If the library service were working properly it would purchase £200m annually. That is why Random House, Pearson, Hachette, HarperCollins and Macmillan should act.

The supply chain needs radical surgery: there is no need any longer for library suppliers; there should be one national standard process which turns a printed book into a library book; there should be one national standard supply contract (with a space for negotiated prices) useable by all publishers, distributors, wholesalers and libraries. Deliveries should be direct from distributor or wholesaler to individual libraries (not council library depots). Orders, invoices and transfers of information should all be by standard EDI process.

There should be less movement of stock between libraries—it is more economic to purchase new or replacements. Standards should be held and maintained by BIC. Public libraries should use Nielsen Book Data standard catalogues. There should be one standard specification of Library Management Systems. CIPFA, the library performance reporting mechanism, needs to be replaced with a simple web-based system for individual libraries. Publishers’ promotion programmes should include libraries.

But at the heart of the restoration publishers must persuade those local councillors who are responsible for allocating funds that books are important, useful to the public and fulfil a vital role in their legal obligation to provide a library service. Most councillors and council officers have been told that this is no longer true—they believe books are an out-of-date medium. Publishers have to learn to sell to the unconverted, and must also persuade councillors to double the proportion of library budgets that is spent on books (in any format). There is huge wasted money spent on administration and supply work, all of which add nothing to the value of the library. By leading the supply chain improvements, publishers will be able to explain that libraries do not need to cost more to improve. Councillors and individual libraries are the new customers. Publishers should stop trying to sell to library suppliers.

The public library service is like an old Victorian house; neglected, and then ruined by attempts at modernisation. When it is taken back to its original state and the designs are restored, it will be a truly wonderful, valuable thing.

ON-LINE RENEWALS

Mike Chaney, Chair, Friends of Puddletown Library is, however, very concerned.  He says, “The worry is, of course, that short-sighted councillors might not see it that way when they’re wielding their post-election axe.  They may use any evidence they can get their hands on to lay into such ‘unnecessary’ expenditure as that on culture.”

It is oft said that ’statistics’ may be compared with a drunk leaning upon a lamp-post, using it “more for support than illumination”.    Reliability of raw data absolutely depends on its consistency.  As an example, when a river’s flow is being analysed, the engineer measures flows downstream at a fixed point over a fixed period.   If he ignores the fact (or does not declare it) that a whacking great dam has been built upstream of his measuring point, he cannot pretend that his results prove anything  — the data is skewed.

4:11pm Monday 1st February 2010

By Matt Smith »

CLOSING a library is part of a huge package of budget cuts due to be discussed by Southampton’s Tory council chiefs tonight.

Savings worth £8.1m, including slashing 120 jobs, is expected to be backed by the city’s ruling Cabinet.

But opposition Liberal Democrats are calling on the Conservatives to rethink a plan to shut the popular library in Cumbrian Way, Millbrook.

Opening hours have already been cut back to two-and-a-half hours each day and the council is now banking on saving up to £25,000 a year by permanently shutting the doors.

David Callaghan, prospective Lib Dem parliamentary candidate for Southampton Test, said: “We are fighting the closure of this well-used library by a Conservative council which says it needs to save money but can afford to splash out £85,000 on a spin doctor.”

Millbrook ward councillor Ceren Davis added: “We need this library. How many elderly people or mums pushing prams with little kids will be able to get to the library in Shirley?”

At other libraries Tories want to replace librarians with volunteers, hike charges for renting DVDs and introduce vending machines to bring in more cash.

Cabinet member for finance Jeremy Moulton said the council had faced huge challenges due to the recession.

Falling income, largely from parking and planning applications, has left the council £2.2m short.

Council chiefs are also having to spend an extra £1.5m hiring more social workers following a surge in demand.

Cllr Moulton added: “National grants have dried up and I have always argued that the council does not receive a fair amount of cash from Government.

“That is why we have set a budget that will make the council leaner and meaner and more efficient than ever. We are not afraid to cut our cloth accordingly to focus on providing good quality core services.

This will be our approach for the next year.

“People tell us they want improved roads, better care, more investment in schools and more bang for their buck – those are the things that this budget will help to deliver.”

The resulting £183m spending plan will deliver the lowest council tax rise in the history of the authority – 2.5 per cent.

Residents would be charged an extra £30 a year in council tax for an average Band D home, taking the bill to £1,239, excluding police and fire charges.

A controversial ten per cent council tax discount for pensioner households, worth around £1m, will continue while special constables could also be in line for a full discount.

Alan Gibbons comments:

“When Wirral’s Labour/Lib Dem administration threatened to close half its branch libraries the local Conservative group were incandescent with rage and joined the tidal wave of opposition. So let’s see some consistency. If the Southampton Conservatives push through these draconian cuts, and if they are paying £85,000 to a spin doctor as the Lib Dems allege, their party could be accused of double standards, even hypocrisy. By your deeds shall you be judged.”