Agenda item

- to note the introduction of the new Standards and impact measures, and the implications on the Library and Information Service

Consideration was given to a report of the Libraries, Museums and Arts Manager which informed of the new Public Library Service Standards as published by the Department for Media, Culture and Sport. 

In support of this work a set of impact measures are being developed, aimed at highlighting the contributions made by library services to the communities they serve and to corporate agendas.  These should be in place for 1^st April, 2005.

The report set out the background on the matter.

The DCMS have reviewed the existing Standards and following consultation announced that from 1^st April 2005 the existing 26 Standards are to be replaced by 10.  The majority of these are already included in the 26, but some changes have been made to definitions and clarification in terms of what and how to measure performance against particular Standards.  The DCMS see these as the ‘challenging’ Standards.

Currently this Authority met 6 of the new Standards:

PLS 2              Opening Hours

PLS 3              Access to electronic information

PLS 4              Number of electronic workstations

PLS 7              % of library users (adults) who view their Service as good/very good (if rounded up target – 94% our performance 93.9%)

PLS 9              Annual number of items added to stock

PLS 10            Time taken to replenish lending stock

Standards not met:

PLS 1              Households within specified distance of a static library

PLS 5              Requests met within 7, 15 and 30 days (currently only meet 7 day standard) – this measures how quickly a book is supplied to a customer that is not in stock)

PLS 6              Number of visits per 1,000 population

PLS 8              % of library users (children) who view their Service as good/very good

Of those not met, the meeting recognised that PLS1 could only be met if libraries are built in or relocated to the Bramley/Wickersley and Thorpe Hesley areas and that therefore long term planning was needed.

The other three are areas for the Service to target over the next year through ongoing planned improvements.  The number of requests is influenced by an ability to purchase books quickly and the numbers of requests received.  The latter has increased as free requests has been introduced.  However, if the funding for materials is sustained, there should be progress made against this Standard.

PLS6 has been a Standard that the Service has improved against, but the Council is unlikely to meet the target (6000 visits per 1,000 population) in 2005-06.  The current figure is 5177 which is up from 3960 in 2000-01.  Again, the meeting acknowledged that with two additional libraries in Rotherham, the target would be achievable.

A promotional campaign will commence early 2005, together with continued improvements at the Community Libraries, programmes of events and activities, new book stock and a continued emphasis on the free internet access/free e-mail availability which it was hoped will see the upward trend continue.

PLS 8 is a revised Standard.  The Service’s focus on children will continue to be a priority.  It should be noted that the Authority did meet the old Standard relating to children’s satisfaction with the Service.

Discussion took place on factors which would impact on library standards one of which was a “National Offers” initiative, details of which was presently awaited but referred to out of school reading, early years work, work with teenagers, adult learners and adult readers.

A further initiative was peer reviews which had already commenced in some Authorities.

Resolved:-  (1) That the introduction of the new Standards and impact measures, and the implications on the Library and Information Service be noted.

(2)                 That a report be submitted to a future meeting on the impact assessment of new initiatives, as discussed.