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Rewriting the book

Library services are adapting to changing populations, advances in technology and new demands from users. Robert Bullard reports. (Local Government Chronicle, 29th November 2007)

REACH OUT TO MINORITIES

Libraries in the Black Country have developed computer-training materials in Urdu, Punjabi and Hindi in order to reach out to ethnic minorities, who make up 15% of the population.

“We noticed an under-usage of public access PCs by those aged over 50, and in particular by ethnic minorities,” says Robert Johnson, Assistant City Librarian of Wolverhampton City Council.

The Basic IT Skills for All (BITS) project, which was funded by the regional development agency, has provided introductory training to nearly 700 people in computers, the Internet and e-mail.

Customer satisfaction levels with the project are very high, with 37% of users saying they continued to use the library PC after their training, and 55% saying they had either enrolled on a similar computer of were planning to take one in the near future. One participant, who had no previous computer experience, reported feeling confident enough to shop on-line and send e-mails after taking part in the project.

The project’s successes have included winning awards for working with older residents and promoting diversity; making ICT sessions a standard part of library staff duties; and seeking funding to develop materials in Gujarati, a language spoken by a significant amount of people in the area.

BOOST USERS’ WELL-BEING

In Gloucestershire, research conducted by the County Council established a clear link between people’s attendance at libraries and their well-being. As a result, the council set up library clubs across the county. Transport for housebound elderly people is provided so they can visit libraries to attend the clubs.

“People told us they got lost in a good story,” says Sally Middleton, Gloucestershire CC’s social inclusion officer. “It gave them a social life that they didn’t previously have and it helped them forget their aches and pains.”

The clubs, which are now in 24 of the council’s 39 libraries, provide the chance for people of a similar age to meet up, to extend their reading, and to share it with others. For those who are interested, there is also the opportunity to improve their IT skills.

Feedback from participants suggests the clubs have been a resounding success - 75% said that they had read new authors, while 73% had enjoyed talking about books with others. Among the comments were: “You stimulated my grey matter – we needed that” and “You really woke me up [to reading].

Library staff, too, noticed a real enthusiasm for the project. One says: “I don’t know how many times I have heard the words, ‘Thank you so much. It’s been wonderful.’ “

ATTRACT NEW USERS

“Our library was a 1930s/1907s building – it was dark and old fashioned,” says Gill Harvey, the Hendon area manager at Barnet LBC. “We wanted to make it more like a department store, rather than dirty, dusty and with barriers.” So the council updated the library’s layout, and created a series of zones for different activities and users – everything from a quiet study zone to ‘teen area’ with bean-bags and games consoles stations.

The new £1.4m development also includes a café and leisure facility on the ground floor. “We wanted to make the library somewhere where people would meet up, and to attract non-traditional users,” says Ms Harvey.

In the first few months after reopening more than 2000 new users registered, the young reader section emptied of books several times over, and the teen zone was so popular that number of youngsters using the space frequently had to be restricted. Use of PCs has also increased.

“We had no idea what to expect when the library reopened,” says Ms Harvey. “But visitor numbers have held up really well.”

Now the council plans another £1m investment, with the inclusion of self-service terminals, WiFi areas and other customer-friendly features.

DELIVER TO RURAL AREAS

A partnership with the voluntary sector is enabling Cornwall County Council reach people who have no other means of accessing library services – especially the housebound, elderly and people with disabilities.

“We used to have ad hoc arrangements, where someone from libraries would deliver books for people who lived near them,” says Pam Martingdale, an area strategic manager. “But it depended on having the volunteers. The library service was trying to do it all itself and couldn’t really cope.“

But a three-way partnership with the older people’s charity, WRVS, which provides the volunteers, and Cornwall’s adult social care department, which contributes additional funding, has enabled the service to be formalised and expanded.

Volunteers now visit 1200 customers on a weekly or monthly basis, compared to the original target of 1000.

“A mobile library can only stop somewhere for 10 minutes,” says Ms Martingdale. “The volunteers bring a selection of books and are encouraged to stop and have a chat.”

A satisfaction survey has to yet been done, but anecdotal feedback is good and the council is now looking to extend the partnership’s five-year agreement. Cornwall is also looking at how to use volunteers to set up libraries in some of the remoter parts of the county.

PROVIDE CAREER OPENINGS

The work experience project developed by library services, at Camden LBC was a joint winner of this year’s Libraries Change Lives award.

There are two origins to the project, explains its development officer, Helen Pollock. In 2004, the council wanted to make library services reach out to all of its local residents. At the same time, with 36% of the borough’s 40,000 refugees unemployed, the scrutiny panel suggested the council should do something to help them find employment.

Every year now, each of the council’s 12 libraries provides a three-month placement - 15 hours per week - for a refugee or asylum seeker in the borough.

“The aim is not necessarily to get them into work,” says Ms Pollock, “but to give them a reference, develop their CV, and give them the chance to learn about our working practices.”

In the three years since it has been operating, two-thirds of the placement individuals have gone on to jobs, higher education or further education. Now, several metropolitan councils are interested in adopting something similar.

Before doing the library placement, a Somali man had applied to become an airport baggage handler. “I didn’t get the job – I am not the beefy type,” he said. But after the Camden experience he worked for a recruitment agency – where he won their Temporary Worker of the Year 2006 – and then got a job as Library Assistant in Kensal.

“It has been really worthwhile for the placements,” says Ms Pollock.

Find out more

Wolverhampton City Council
Robert Johnson, assistant city librarian. Tel: 01952 552186 robert.johnson@wolverhampton.gov.uk

Gloucestershire County Council
Sally Middleton, social inclusion officer. Tel: 01452 425000 sally.middleton@gloucestershire.gov.uk

Barnet LBC
Gill Harvey, Hendon area manager. Tel: 020 8359 2870 Gill.Harvey@barnet.gov.uk

Cornwall County Council
Pam Martingdale, area strategic manager (west). Tel: 01872 322000 p.martingdale@cornwall.gov.uk

Camden LBC
Helen Pollock, development officer. Tel: 020 7974 6354 helen.pollock@camden.gov.uk


© Robert Bullard. Not for reproduction without prior permission

 

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