Councillors and committees

Decision details

Community Partnered Libraries Changes to Support Arrangements

Decision Maker: Cabinet

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Is Key decision?: Yes

Is subject to call in?: Yes

Purpose:

Cabinet decision needed is to permit the library service to change how it supports the community partnered libraries (CPLS).

 

Because the individual CPLs have been up and running close to or over 5 years they are very experienced and there is no longer  a need for the 20% weekly presence on site of the CPL team agreed when they were set up.

Decision:

RESOLVED:

 

That the introduction of alternative arrangements to provide  support to Community Partnered Libraries (CPL) and that the agreement to provide library team attendance for 20% of CPL opening hours be changed, with the resource being redeployed towards the development of volunteering across the library network was agreed.

 

Reason for Decision:

 

Due to the maturity of the CPLs and level of knowledge and skills which had developed amongst volunteers, advances in digital technology, a well-established working relationship with the Council and a keenness amongst volunteers to expand what they do on-site to support the needs of residents, the library service was proposing changes in the support model.

 

The library service has consulted with CPLs about these proposed changes and the CPLs were engaged with taking this proposal forward. Their ideas and concerns had been fed into the redesigned support model.

 

The proposed changes recommended a decrease in the regular presence that CPL Support Team officers provide on-site at each CPL from weekly to a monthly visit.  Other changes include increased access to the library management system to enable volunteers to provide a fuller service to customers locally without having to contact a member of library staff and direct contact with other parts of the library service and the Council which currently go via the CPL team.

 

The experience of the CPL Support team in setting up and maintaining support to the CPLs has made them ideally placed to carry out a future programme increasing the amount of volunteering which  already adds value to the library service and to build on that to ensure libraries remain vibrant community destinations and meet the needs of residents. 

 

The changes will be phased and completed by April 2019.

 

[The decisions on this item can be called in by the Adults and Lifelong Learning Select Committee]

 

Publication date: 26/09/2018

Date of decision: 25/09/2018

Decided at meeting: 25/09/2018 - Cabinet

Effective from: 04/10/2018

Accompanying Documents: