Hampshire County Council

Executive Member - Recreation and Heritage Item 8

12 December 2002

Annual Library Plan 2002 (Draft)

Report of the Director of Recreation and Heritage

Contact: Richard Ward Ext: 6621

1. Summary

The following decision is sought that the Annual Library Plan 2002 (draft) be recommended to the County Council for approval at its February 2003 meeting.

2. Reasons for the Recommendation

The preparation of the Annual Library Plan is a statutory requirement by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on every authority and must be agreed by the County Council.

3. Other options considered and rejected

None

4. Conflicts of interest declared by the decision maker, or a member or officer consulted

None

5. Dispensation granted by the Standards Committee

Not applicable

6. Reasons for matter being dealt with, if urgent

None

Approved by: (Signature) Date: (of decision)

Councillor J. Waddington

................................. .........................

Hampshire County Council

Recreation and Heritage Policy Review Committee Item 10

21 November 2002

Executive Member - Recreation and Heritage Item 8

12 December 2002

Annual Library Plan 2002 (Draft)

Report of the Director for Recreation and Heritage

Contact: Richard Ward Ext: 6621

1. Summary

1.1 The preparation of the Annual Library Plan is a statutory requirement by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) on every authority and must be agreed by the County Council.

2. Preparation of the Annual Library Plan 2002 (Draft)

2.1 The Annual Library Plan 2002 (Draft) has been prepared in consultation with the library spokespersons for all the parties by means of a workshop examining key aspects.

2.2 In order to allow the new Head of Library and Information Service the opportunity to present the Plan to Committee, the DCMS agreed to allow an extension of two weeks from the usual 30 September deadline.

2.3 The Plan has been sent to the DCMS in draft form, which is the usual procedure with library authorities. Any recommendations for change by the Committee to the Cabinet Member and thence to County Council, can be incorporated in a final version for the DCMS.

3. Significant changes in Annual Library Plan 2002 (Draft)

3.1 The format and requirements for Annual Library Plans changes only slightly from year to year. The significant changes since the Annual Library Plan 2001 was submitted includes the following:

1. Introduction.

1.1 Local Authority characteristics - no change in 2002.

1.2 Organisational relationship with other Council services and departments 2002 - not required.

1.2 External and local influences - substantial revisions in 2002, including (new) new sections:

* Departmental reorganisation (p6).

* Strategic Service Review of Library and Information Services (p6).

* Discovery Centres (p7).

Social inclusion - updated sections in 2002 including:

* "Dads and Lads" reading groups (p8).

* "Bee Aware Scheme" for visually impaired people (p8).

* partnership with the Isle of Wight Library Service, Avanti Books and the Basic Skills Support Unit to provide top 50 titles, basic skills tutors/organisers (p9).

* together with Social Services, we are supporting the Education Department's Public Service Agreement for looked after children and their carers to improve literacy skills (p9).

Lifelong learning - updated section in 2002 including:

* Guidance Council Accreditation for 18 libraries (p11).

* Community Legal Service Awards for 44 libraries (p11).

* implementation of the People's Network in autumn 2002, providing free internet access in every library (p11).

Reader Development - substantial enlargement of text in 2002 including:

* establishment of reading groups, including those for visually impaired persons (p11 & 12).

* "Dads and Lads" initiative (p12).

* Wessex Children's Book Fair (p12).

* Reading Planet summer reading game for children (p12).

* increased joint funding with Arts Department for literature

Development Officer (p12)

ICT - substantial enlargement of text in 2002 including:

* installation of the People's Network (p12).

* installation of Council's new intranet IT2000 (p13).

* Sense of Place South East Digitisation Project (p13).

* self reservations and renewals being rolled out (p13).

* introduction of Easy Returns Service (p13).

* introduction of book ordering facility for the public on the Library Website (p13).

* partnership with Portsmouth, Southampton and Isle of Wight library services to offer joint access to catalogues (p13).

Staff Training - updated section in 2002 to include Investors in People accreditation for the service.

Income generation and new services supported by new services of income - updated section in 2002 to include:

* extension of loan collections for videos, DVDs and CD-Roms (p12).

* introduction of computer games software (p14).

* charge for spoken word cassettes (p14).

Local influences - enlarged text in 2002 to include:

* support for Council's e-government strategy (p15).

* partnership with Hampshire Constabulary to fund CCTVs for five libraries and pilot police surgery at Tadley (p15).

* working to support other services including Education (Connexions), Arts and Museums.

2. Statement of Objectives

2.1 Corporate and Library and Information Service objectives and plans - updated section in 2002 includes:

* Hampshire County Council Corporate Strategy (p16).

* Recreation and Heritage Department aims and objectives (p16).

* Library and Information Service contribution to Corporate Objectives and Plans (p19-23).

3. Service delivery and resources.

3.1 Access - updated section in 2002 includes:

* need to improve opening hours (p24).

* libraries undertaking access audits to meet requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act (p24).

3.2 Buildings and mobile libraries - updated section in 2002 to follow.

3.3 Scope of the library service 2001 - no longer required.

3.3 (new) Services for adults - lending, unchanged (p33-37).

Services for adults - Reference and Information Services (p38-42).

Services for children and young people - slight revision in 2002, to include:

* Reading is Fundamental literacy project (in Leigh Park), (p44).

* Sure Start project to promote literacy for under 4's and their

parents (p44).

* School Library Service Best Value Review (p47).

* partnership working with other departments and neighbouring library authorities ie Portsmouth and Southampton.

3.4 Services for special groups - completely revised text in 2002 to include:

* policy background and content (p48).

* special groups identified (p48).

* policy development (p48).

* staffing policy (p49).

* partnerships (p50).

3.5 Wider community use - updated section in 2002 to include partnerships with other providers (p50).

3.6 Staff - update on staffing numbers in 2002 (p51).

3.7 Information and Communications Technology systems and services - revised in 2002 and new section on the Library website (p54).

3.8 Finance - updated budget figures and financial trends outline in 2002 (page 55).

4. Performance appraisal.

4.1 Trends data - updated figures for 2002 (p57).

4.2 Public Library Standards - updated statement on standards met in 2002 (p60).

4.3 Public Consultation and Marketing - updated section in 2002 to include:

* A analysis of Public Library User Survey (PLUS) in 2001 (p61).

* consultation on opening hours (p62).

* new section on marketing (p62).

* new section on market research (p62).

* new section on mystery shopping (p63).

* new section on lapsed users (p64).

4.4 Quality Assessment - substantial revision in 2002 to include:

* new sections on internal and external audits (p65).

* new section on stock quality (p66).

5. Review of preceding Plans and progress for the previous financial year - new section in 2002 outlining achievements in the 2001/02 Action Plan (p68-70).

6. Rolling 3 year Medium Term Strategy.

6.1 Analysis of strengths, areas for development, opportunities and threats - updated section for 2002 (p71-76).

6.2 Best Value Reviews - revised text in 2002 including:

* Library Service Review and Inspection (p77).

* new section on Implementing Best Value (p80).

* new section on Best Value Review of the School Library Service (p82-83).

6.3 Service and ICT improvements and variations - substantial revision in 2002 to include new sections on:

* Recreation and Heritage Department (p83).

* Strategic Service Review (p83).

* Lifelong Learning (p84).

* ICT Management Systems (p84).

* Personnel Developments (p84).

7. Rolling Action Plans and targets 2002-2005.

7.1 Action Plan 2002/3 updated in 2002.

Action Plan 2003/4 updated in 2002.

7.2 Action Plan 2004/5 new section in 2004/5.

7.3 Performance targets - updated in 2002.

Recommendation

That the contents of the Annual Library Plan 2002 (Draft) be supported and be submitted to the Executive Member for Recreation and Heritage for his approval.

Section 100 D - Local Government Act 1972 - background papers

The following documents disclose facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and has been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of this report.

NB the list excludes:

1 Published works.

2 Documents which disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act.

TITLE FILE