Archived decisions
Hampshire County Council
Recreation and Heritage Policy Review Committee Item 13
20 January 2005
Executive Member - Recreation and Heritage Item 6
20 January 2005
New Public Library Standards
Report of the Director of Recreation and Heritage
Contact : Richard Ward , ext. 8 326 6621 [email protected]
This report is intended to assist meeting Aim 5 of the Corporate Strategy -
Improving Services by making progress towards meeting the national Public Library Standards.
1. Introduction
1.1 The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) launched the Public Library Standards with a three year phase-in period in April 2001. The aim of the Standards was to create a clear and widely accepted definition of a Library Authority's duty to provide a `comprehensive and efficient service' and for the first time set a performance monitoring framework for public libraries.
1.2 In 2004, all authorities were required by the DCMS to provide information about their performance against the Public Library Standards. Following the submission of a Public Library Standards Report to the DCMS in September, the County Council's overall performance has now been assessed as demonstrating a good response to the Public Library Standards, (national and local). Details of the score have been passed to the Audit Commission for inclusion in the Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA).
1.3 Following the introduction of Framework for the Future, the DCMS's long term strategic vision for the public library service in February 2003, the public library standards were reviewed to make sure that they reflect the new strategy.
New standards were introduced in October 2004 and authorities will be required to report their position against the standards as part of their CIPFA return. The standards have two elements : `impact measures' and revised service standards. Details are set out in this report.
2 Overall performance : `A good response'
2.1 The County Council's performance against the Public Library Standards was assessed using a published assessment framework taking into account the number of national standards met at 31 March 2004 including local targets and progress since the national standards were introduced. The overall assessment score for performance came out as 3 (good).
2.2 The County Council scored 4 (excellent) for its corporate vision and ambition
for the public library service. The assessor noted that `the authority clearly intends to ensure that the library service will evolve, meet corporate agendas, focus on public value and identify and meet local needs'. Discovery Centres, the upgrade of the mobile library fleet and support for social inclusion were noted as examples of good practice.
2.3 17 out of the 26 national public library standards were met at March 2004 - a score of 2 (fair); the unmet standards relating to opening hours, internet access, library visits and bookstock. The assessor commented that there had been considerable progress against many of the unmet standards and evidence of substantial investment on the part of the authority to improve performance.
2.4 Resources which included spaces, stock, staffing and ICT were rated as good (3) ; local targets set for 2003/4 scored a rating of 4 (excellent).
3 New standards
3.1 Impact measures
The impact measures are still being developed but will help assess the impact that libraries have in contributing to achievements in the shared priority areas and particular local needs based on their existing activities.
3.2 Revised service standards
The revised service standards comprise a suite of targets that measure performance across core activities. Some of the original service standards have been dropped or amended. However, those standards focusing on opening hours, electronic workstations and bookstock previously unmet by Hampshire libraries have been retained with the same targets as before. The revised standards are summarised below. Full details are available from [email protected]
PLSS 1 Proportion of households living within specified distance of a static library.
Target : 85% ( HCC 03/ 04 performance : 85% )
PLSS 2 Aggregate scheduled opening hours per 1,000 population for all libraries.
Target : 128 hours (HCC 03/ 04 performance : 102 )
PLSS 3 Percentage of static libraries ( as defined by CIPFA ) providing access to electronic information resources connected to the Internet.
Target : 100% ( HCC 03/ 04 performance : 100% )
PLSS 4 Total number of electronic workstations with access to the internet and the libraries catalogue ( available for public use through both static and mobile libraries, and other service outlets ( as defined in PLSS 1 ) available to users per 10,000 population.
Target : 6 ( change to target )
PLSS 5 Requests
i Percentage of requests for books met within 7 days
Target : 50% ( HCC 03/ 04performance : 58% )
ii Percentage of requests for books met within 15 days
Target : 70% ( HCC 03/ 04 performance : 77% )
iii Percentage of requests for books met within 30 days
Target : 85% ( HCC 03/ 04 performance : 89% )
PLSS 6 Number of library visits per 1,000 population.
Target : 6,600 ( HCC 03/ 04 performance : 5,712 )
PLSS 7 Percentage of library users 16 and over who view their library service as :
i very good
ii good
iii adequate
iv poor
v very poor
Standard suggested : 94% of respondents rate the library service as `very good'
or `good.' (change to target )
PLSS 8 Percentage of library users under 16 who view their library service as :
i good
ii adequate
iii bad
Standard suggested : 77% of respondents rate the library service as `good'.
(change to target )
PLSS 9 Annual items added through purchase per 1,000 population.
Target : 216 additions per 1000 population
( HCC 03/ 04 performance:153 ).
PLSS 10 Time taken to replenish the lending stock on open access or available on loan.
Target : 6.7 years ( HCC 03/ 04 performance : 8.2 )
4. Impact Assessment
The proposed decision that the County Council will continue to work towards the Public Library Standards will assist fair and equal access to library and information services. No adverse impact has been identified.
Recommendations
i) That the assessment of the Public Library Standards Report 2004 and the changes to the Public Library Standards introduced in October 2004 be noted and submitted to the Executive Member for Recreation and Heritage for his consideration.
ii) That the County Council will continue to work towards the Public Library Standards.
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.
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