Agenda item

Libraries Strategy

Cabinet Portfolio: - Cleaner, Greener Communities

 

Strategic Directorate: - Regeneration and Environment

Minutes:

Consideration was given to a report that was submitted for pre-decision scrutiny ahead of the Cabinet meeting scheduled for 19 October 2020 in respect of the proposed Libraries Strategy 2021 - 26.

 

The Cabinet Member for Cleaner, Greener Communities, Assistant Director - Culture, Sport and Tourism and the Head of Operations and Business Transformation attended the meeting to present the report.

 

This report set out the vision and framework contained in the proposed Library Strategy 2021 – 2026 and detailed how the Strategy, along with the new service offer would enable the Council to fulfil its statutory duty under the Public Library Act and to meet the needs of the community through the delivery of the Libraries and Neighbourhood Hubs Service.  The proposed Strategy and service offer had been finalised following feedback from a final phase of consultation, and along with an Equalities Impact Analysis, would underpin all future service delivery changes for Rotherham libraries.

 

The full Library Strategy 2021-2026 was attached as an appendix to the officer’s report.

 

The Cabinet Member for Cleaner, Greener Communities in introducing the report noted the extensive consultation process that had taken place during the development of the proposed Libraries strategy and the high number of responses received. A comprehensive report and analysis of the consultation responses was included as an appendix to the officer’s report. The Cabinet Member noted how much libraries in Rotherham were loved by library users, with the library service receiving a 99.1% customer satisfaction rating from its users.

 

The Cabinet Member noted how the proposed Libraries Strategy would link in with other strategies including the Rotherham Cultural Strategy and Rotherham’s Thriving Neighbourhood Strategy. The Cabinet Member also outlined the strategic outcomes that the strategy would deliver that included:

 

         Increasing reading and literacy

         Stronger and more resilient communities

         Cultural and creative enrichment

         Improving digital access and literacy

         Helping everyone achieve their full potential

         Healthier and happier lives for residents

         Greater prosperity.

 

The Cabinet Member noted the proposals for capital investment for Rotherham’s libraries and the further development of community partnership activity including a pilot of a community-managed library at Brinsworth and an increased number of volunteer opportunities across the library service.

 

The Assistant Director - Culture, Sport and Tourism noted the extensive Equalities Impact Assessment that had been completed for the proposed Libraries Strategy and noted the library services’ commitment to addressing issues of underrepresentation. The Equalities Impact Assessment was attached as an appendix to the officer’s report.

 

Members welcomed the proposed strategy and noted the important role that libraries played across the Borough as community hubs. Members also noted with approval the large numbers of Rotherham residents that were active library users.

 

Members noted the issues that had been highlighted in the report regarding the underrepresentation of BAME groups in accessing and using library services, and asked why this may, as well as for information on what actions were being planned to address the issue. The Cabinet Member advised that BAME groups may, for various reasons feel that the library service was not for them, but did note that the location of libraries was crucial, and that more BAME people had used the old Central Library than the current one at Riverside House, and as such the plan to relocate the Central Library would help address this problem. The Head of Operations and Business Transformation advised that the library was engaged with groups that represented BAME residents and that work would be carried out to establish specific actions to increase BAME use of the library service.

 

The Assistant Director - Culture, Sport and Tourism noted the action plan that was contained within the Equalities Impact Assessment that would address the challenges of engaging BAME communities with the library service, as well as the partnership work that was being carried out with organisations including Voluntary Action Rotherham and Rotherham Ethic Minority Alliance.  The Assistant Director assured members that the barriers that BAME communities experienced would be addressed so as to ensure that libraries were accessible, welcoming and offered activities that were appealing to all Rotherham residents.

 

The Cabinet Member expressed her thanks to the Head of Operations and Business Transformation for the huge amount of work that she had put into the consultation process for the strategy and also thanked the Assistant Director - Culture, Sport and Tourism, and all the team members that had been involved in the development of the proposed strategy and accompanying Equalities Impact Assessment.

 

The Assistant Director provided information on the activities that were taking place across the library service during October 2020 in connection with Black History Month and noted that staff across the library service would also be receiving training on equality issues and unconscious bias and discrimination.

 

Members noted their support for libraries acting as community hubs that brought other services into library buildings but noted the challenges that this created for library accommodation, especially at Dinnington and asked whether there were any plans to extend Dinnington Library. The Head of Operations advised that there were no plans to extend Dinnington Library but noted that there were plans for improvements to be made to the facilities at that library.

 

Members noted the issue that had been identified regarding young people aged 11+ being less engaged with the library service and asked what plans there were to address the issue. The Assistant Director advised that it was essential for the future of the library service that young people were engaged with and advised that partnership work with schools and the Children and Young People’s Directorate would be used to engage young people with the library service. The Assistant Director also noted that while the library service offered many activities for children aged five to 11, the service was looking to expand activities that catered for children under five, as this age group were not currently as well catered for as older children.

 

Members noted the increasing role of volunteers with the library service and sought further information on the role of volunteers. The Head of Operations advised that volunteers were used to supplement the work delivered by paid staff and that volunteer opportunities were an important way of upskilling young people, noting that volunteering had enabled some volunteers to progress into paid positions within the service.

 

The Chair thanked the Cabinet Member for Cleaner, Greener Communities, Assistant Director - Culture, Sport and Tourism and the Head of Operations and Business Transformation for attending the meeting and for answering members’ questions.

 

Resolved: -

 

That Cabinet be advised that the recommendations be supported.

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