Archived decisions
Hampshire County Council
Executive Member - Recreation and Heritage Item 4
13 September 2007
National Aerospace Library
Report of the Director of Recreation and Heritage.
Contact: Richard Ward; Tel: 01962 826621 e-mail: [email protected]
1. Summary
1.1 The following decision is sought:
That the Executive Member for Recreation & Heritage approve the Recreation and Heritage Directorate's involvement in the newly established National Aerospace Library (NAL).
2. Reason
2.1 The United Kingdom has a long and important history of involvement in aerospace and many key developments took place in Hampshire - particularly at Farnborough but also at other locations such as Eastleigh and Southampton with the Schneider Trophy races and the first flight of the Supermarine Spitfire taking place there.
2.2 The Royal Aeronautical Society (RAES) has raised funds to establish a National Aerospace Library (NAL) and has obtained premises in Farnborough. RAES is offering an informal partnership whereby the NAL can be jointly badged as a public library as well as a learned society research library. The RAES would be responsible for all running costs and the library service would contribute a limited amount of staff resource to enable longer opening hours and full public access. The opening hours would be a significant contribution o improving the service's performance on the Public Library Standards. This decision links to the Corporate Priority of Maximising Well-being, by providing improved services.
3. Other Options Considered and Rejected
3.1 To turn away the offer: this might mean that access to the collections was restricted to members of the RAES or to bona fide academic researchers, or that fees might be charged.
.
4. Conflicts of interest declared by the decision maker or other Executive Member consulted
None.
5. Dispensation by the Standards Committee
Not applicable.
6. Reasons for the matter being dealt with if urgent
Not applicable
Approved by: Date:
............................................. ...................................
Councillor Mrs. M. Snaith