Cross Group Working Party Review of Library Service March 2010 Appendix 2

Narrative profile notes to accompany library data sheets Introduction

Understanding the way customers use libraries is a key element of any discussion relating to changes in service delivery. This report provides an overview of branch library use in Cornwall, summarising a detailed analysis.

While it is intended to support decision making about the way delivers the service, it should not be used in isolation. It is based on a desktop assessment of library borrowers, and as such does not provide a complete picture of the full range of the role played by libraries and it is therefore essential to set this information into context using the professional knowledge of library service managers and those working in the service.

It should also be noted that levels of use may not reflect demand as the service provision may be determining use; for example library opening hours, or the facilities provided at a branch.

Some of the sections below are accompanied by an additional report from members of the cross party member working group. This is a more personal perspective following a visit to the library and conversations with local staff and users. These reports can be distinguished by the use of a different font.

Static Branches

Bodmin Library is used by a relatively large number of lower income families which is different from the pattern seen for most Cornwall libraries. Experian data indicates that has a high percentage of households with low educational attainment living in social housing (72%) and a high percentage of older people living in social housing with high care need (25%). The catchment area is mainly from the immediate Bodmin town area, but there is a rural audience who use the library, possibly people commuting into the area for work or services.

The library is in a listed 120 year old council owned Passmore Edwards building. The building has been made DDA compliant by the addition of a platform lift and access for wheelchair users at the rear of the building. It is situated just outside the main shopping area of the town with time limited street parking nearby.

The number of IT courses run in 2010 was low compared to the other town libraries this may be due to the limited Study Support Officer cover at Bodmin currently 3.5 hours every second week. IT courses have declined at Bodmin over a number of years the causes of this should be investigated further. It could be as a result of poor marketing of library services or it could be that as Bodmin is a deprived area there are a number of other providers in the market.

Bodmin has recently run a series of live music events outside normal opening hours to encourage people who wouldn’t normally use libraries to come into the building. Victorian library buildings look imposing and it is hard for people to see what they offer from the outside.

Bude Library is relatively well used and is an important facility as the nearest alternative library is (open 24 hours per week and18 miles away). is relatively ‘self-contained’, with the majority of people living in Bude also working the area, but also attracts borrowers from Kilkhampton, Holsworthy in Devon, Week St Mary and Crackington Haven. Mosaic data indicates that Bude

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Cross Group Working Party Review of Cornwall Library Service March 2010 Appendix 2 has a high proportion of people living in isolated areas and a relatively high older population.

Bude library is situated in a 1980s council owned single storey building some distance from the main shopping area and adjacent to a paying public car park. It is not well sign posted from the town centre. Installing the One Stop Shop reduced the available floor space considerably and space is at a premium. Bude would benefit greatly from extension and should be considered in any council strategic asset planning for Bude.

Bude Library has been a One Stop Shop since April 2009. This has had a significant impact on the visitor numbers to the library and has contributed Bude’s new designation as a Band 2a library. The opening hours at Bude will reduce from 49 to 40 hours as part of the opening ours revision in February 2011.

There has been no Study Support Officer in post at Bude since April 2009 and support for those digitally excluded has been minimal.

Callington library has a high proportion of young users, especially early teenagers. The library is situated within a Community College and the current Library Manager works 8 hrs per week for Cornwall Libraries and 29 hrs per week term time for the college. Part of her remit for the college is to engage with the local feeder primary schools and to develop their libraries. is a model dual use library within a secondary school with a 30 year relationship of mutual benefit. It is the only fully dual use library in Cornwall including a fully integrated bookstock.

The library building is a former school hall and has separate entrances for the public and the school to assist with school security. This library has a high proportion of borrowers who travel come from smaller settlements on the outskirts of Callington, such as Calstock, Gunnislake, Pensilva and Kelly Bray. There is a local subsidised community bus service which brings people from outlying communities into the library. This is a model that might be adopted elsewhere as an alternative to a mobile library van delivery.

Publicity of the online reservation might be helpful for users and increasing uptake of PC use which is below average. However the number of PCs at Callington was increased from 3 to 7 in 2009 in response to demand from the migrant workers employed by Ginsters, the major employer in Callington. The library has recently set up a micro library at Ginsters which is another innovative delivery model that might be adopted with large companies elsewhere in Cornwall.

Callington Library by Cllr Andrew Long Callington Library is unique in Cornwall in that it shares facilities and space with the library for the Community College. However it is not just limited to providing an education resource for the 1400 strong college. It provides a valuable facility for Callington and the surrounding villages six days a week. It hosts Working Links, Baby Bounce, a Knitting Circle, a drop in centre for the Fire and Rescue Service, Citizens Advice, Good Companions, Bookletts Storytime and many other services for the population.

The hinterland of Callington consists of numerous small villages and the Library is a vital lifeline for the elderly in particular. The Tamar Valley Community Bus provides a regular

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Cross Group Working Party Review of Cornwall Library Service March 2010 Appendix 2 service to bring the elderly in to the Library and this is often their only contact with the outside world.

In addition to the standard and specialist events held at the Library, they offer Stressbuster courses, sessions to assist carers of people with Dementia, and a monthly Readers Group both in house and at satellite locations in village halls or private homes in the villages. The home library service is very successful and books are provided for the housebound in the town and surrounding parishes.

The Library has the lowest cost per book of any of the Cornish Libraries and offers one of the widest range of community activities for all the people of Callington.

Camborne Library Library is situated in a 110 year old Passmore Edwards unlisted building owned by the Council. There is limited street parking in the area of the library; the library is a short distance from the railway station. The building has been made DDA accessible using ramps and a platform lift to the first floor and has made baby changing facilities available. There is a large IT suite on the first floor which is relatively well used especially by migrant workers. A grant received from customer’s will bequest allowed the Library to refurbish the space previously occupied by the Museum to be transformed into a meetings room and staff room. The meeting room is available for hire and helps support local community groups . The provision of a meetings room has enabled us to provide quiet space for three specific groups: o PCDT ( Penwith Community Development Trust ) group providing 1:1 counseling o WAID (Women’s Aid) a local group, based at the Trevu Centre o Job centre has a club which meets here to help local unemployed refine their job application skills.

The Library holds weekly Baby Bounce and Rhyme session and discussion reading groups (Chatter books) for older children. Camborne has a high proportion of low income users. Although within close proximity to library (4 miles) most borrowers come from the immediate Camborne area. Camborne South ward has a high percentage of households with low educational attainment living in social housing (82%). In May 2009 37% of the population were in receipt of benefits including 17% in receipt of incapacity benefits. Camborne West ward has a relatively high proportion of households living in social housing with high care needs.

The Library Service approached UK on Line to register the Library as a UK online centre because data from the Office of National Statistics (Neighbourhood Statistics) indicated some of the wards in this area are deemed as areas of national deprivation. Camborne Library has worked with and Penwith College on projects to support people to get back into work. Camborne Library currently has a Study Support Officer for 2 days a week to help customers participate in digital inclusion and has begun to receive referrals from the job centre as changes within this service impacts on their clientele.

Camelford Library supports a relatively large catchment area for the size of the branch attracting borrowers from Delabole, Tintagel and Boscastle. Experian data indicates that a high percentage of the 12,100 population within the Camelford Community Network area live in rural isolation and have to travel to use library services.

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The library building is leased with 8 years remaining on the current lease. It is centrally located but with poor adjacent parking. The building is very old and the least DDA compliant among the library estate. The library occupies half of the ground floor and the whole first floor of the building and Age Concern occupies the remaining ground floor space as a drop in centre. There is no joint activity between the two occupiers of the building at the moment so there may be some capacity for joint working in the future.

Falmouth library is situated in a large centrally located leased building also occupied by the town council with paying car parks nearby. It contains a large IT suite with heavy seasonal usage from the sailing community and cruise ship passengers.

The Library is supported by a Study Support officer for two days a week and since April 2010 sessions have been on a steady increase partly due a reduction in funding for non accredited courses from Adult Education.

The Maritime Collection is a countywide specialist collection located at Falmouth Library due to the influence of the area's considerable maritime heritage. The coverage of maritime topics is wide ranging and stock includes books, charts, videos, current issues of periodicals and illustrations. Items can be borrowed from most of these categories. The collection contains both historical subjects such as naval and merchant shipping; the practical applications of boat building and repair; navigation and sailing techniques, not forgetting tales of voyages for the armchair enthusiast. Since the opening of the National Maritime Museum Cornwall, our principle reference works have been relocated to the Bartlett Library. Monthly family history and maritime sessions are held at the Library to encourage use of the collection.

Partnership work with the Penryn Children’s Centre provides networking and fun craft sessions on a weekly basis in addition to regular story time which are well supported in Falmouth. Falmouth Library supports Cornwall Council objectives by supporting community reader and poetry groups as well as working closely with the Age Concern Friends Group.

Fowey library has been a One Stop Shop since April 2009 but there has been no significant increase in visits or borrowers as a result. The usage statistics for the branch remain similar to other Band 3 sites despite the OSS presence and the associated additional 2 days open per week. A number of local groups use the excellent meeting room facilities to hold things like Art Groups in the library which contributes to visitor figures. ’s opening hours will revert to those of a standard Band 3 library in February 2011.

Fowey sits in the , Fowey and Community Network area which means there is a wide range of households within the possible catchment area of the library. However Fowey library users tend to come from Fowey with a small proportion from Polruan. Fowey library does not tend to attract users from St Blazey West ward where there is a high proportion of families with low educational attainment living in social housing. This could be due to the location of the library slightly outside the main town area and most easily accessible by car. There are a high proportion of affluent retired and second home owners in Fowey.

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The library caters to a very local community and is heavily involved in Fowey specific activities such as Fowey in Bloom and Regatta week. This may result from local staff interests and attitudes or it may indicate that previous attempts to engage with the wider needs of the whole community have not met with much success and have therefore been abandoned in favour of providing a service to existing clientele.

The library building is leased in a complicated sub leasing agreement from Network Rail on a 99 year lease until 22 nd January 2102. The lease is £1000 per annum. There is a large free car park for library users.

Hayle library is situated in a 1980s Council owned and offers limited free street parking to library users. The Library has won the following award Planting Places Community Award as a result provides a community wildlife reading garden overlooking the Pool Bird reserve which is open for all to use. Other awards achieved by the branch include: RHS Neighbourhood Award 2009 South West in Bloom Youth Award 2009 RHS It’s your neighbourhood Award 2010 Planting Places Youth Award 2010

Hayle has strong net work of support from local community organisations that use the Library as a meeting venue and includes U3A group and regular reading groups. Funding has been agreed from the local Town Council to support the Tourist Information Centre for a further three years. The TIC has been situated in the Library since 2005.

Hayle Library is held up as a branch that engages well with hard to reach young people and has participated in several projects with the Probation Service and Pentreath Industries. However it attracts less young borrowers than the Cornwall profile. The Hayle and St Ives Community network area has a significant proportion of households with retired people and transient single people working in the holiday industry. Hayle library has a fairly large catchment with borrowers from Carbis Bay likely to use both Hayle and St Ives library especially during peak summer time.

Hayle Library is a UK on Line centre and has a Study Support Officer for one day per week. It has worked in partnership with Truro & Penwith College with the Endeavour Project to assist unemployed people to improve their qualifications and increase their chances of employment. Hayle has also taken part in Cornwall Neighbourhoods for Change with the project Passport to Work which was specifically aimed at helping long term unemployed people back to work; ddesigned to help people to build their confidence, assertiveness and CV skills. As a direct result six of the eleven who participated on the course gained employment. Both of these projects were the result of successful external funding bids form Cornwall Libraries with partners.

Hayle library by Cllr John Pollard The hallmark of this library is the energy and drive of Sally Faulkner and her team and their success in engaging with the community they serve. A clear example is the recruitment of volunteers who choose and deliver books to 29 housebound clients, a service which could be expanded. The Library maximises the use of its IT equipment delivering a wide range of support and services especially in order to engage with some clients that can be the most difficult to involve. The Hayle team are also keen to open their doors to many groups and 5/20

Cross Group Working Party Review of Cornwall Library Service March 2010 Appendix 2 different activities such as their Readers Circle and the largest U3A writing group in ! They also host a ‘wild garden’ behind the Library maintained by the Hayle in Bloom volunteers. The Library has limited free parking and some arrangement for concessions within the nearby Cornwall Council owned car Park would be advantageous. Hayle Library is a purpose built 1960’s building It also hosts a limited Tourist Information facility. A lack of space could restrict further uses but Sally’s ingenuity will ensure that the Library enjoys maximum usage in the future.

Helston library is a council owned building set just outside the main shopping area in a development that also contains a supermarket health centre and large fee paying car park. Following a three month closure for refurbishment, the book issues have decreased on last year. The refurbishment during January to March in 2010 has opened up the interior layout, with new shelving for the adult fiction and the children’s area . The library is a base for the West Mobile Library with a garage. There is occasionally parking conflict when health centre users and staff obstruct access for the mobile library.

Study Support Officers support has been increased to two days per week to meet demand. Since April 2010 sessions have been on a steady increase due to the changes and funding being reduced for non accredited course from Adult Education. Library has been used by Job agency’s to help support and provide access to apply for jobs at the new Sainsburys and been included in partnership work with Truro and Penwith College to support customers back into work.

In October Helston Library entered into a partnership scheme with Helston School’s Big Draw project as providing the venue Helston Library has also received outreach funding for class visits to both Helston Folk Museum and the library (What we Need to Achieve).

There is has a large geographical catchment, with borrowers from Mullion, Lizard, Coverack and ; reflecting Helston’s status as a hub for services and employment. Helston library is within the Helston and The Lizard Community Network area. The catchment area contains a significant proportion of village and isolated community households but less low income older people in social housing than many areas.

Launceston Library has a large proportion of borrowers in rural areas; this reflects its role as a local service hub. The mosaic data for the Launceston Community network area indicates that up to 40% of households are village or isolated rural community dwellings. The nearest alternative library to Launceston is Callington which is 10 miles to the south of Launceston.

Launceston has no rail service and poor bus links with other towns. There is therefore high dependency on private transport. There is a very small car park at the library and some limited street parking nearby. There is a first floor room at Launceston library with no lift access making the building not fully DDA compliant.

The library building is centrally located but on a slope. It is a 1970s council owned building and is typical of its type having a lot of aluminium framed glass panels which require an ongoing replacement programme as they are no longer sealed.

Liskeard Library has above average borrower numbers, with a large proportion travelling from surrounding rural areas, including users travelling from Menheniot, Downderry, , Pensilva and Dobwalls. IT tuition was high a few years ago but

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Cross Group Working Party Review of Cornwall Library Service March 2010 Appendix 2 has declined since the nearby community centre began to offer computer access. The Experian classification for North Ward Central indicates that there is a high representation of families living in social housing (42%) and that there are a significant number of older people living in social housing with high care needs (35%). In May 2009 27% of the work age population was in receipt of benefits.

Liskeard library is situated in a 120 year old a listed Passmore Edwards building and some work has been done to make it more accessible by adding ramps and a platform lift. Liskeard has limited kerbside parking for users with disabilities and there is a paying council owned car park 200 metres away. Barras street is a very busy street with a lot of HGV traffic. There is no rear access to the library so van deliveries have to be made at the front of the building. Rear access would be possible if an arrangement could be made with the Royal Mail sorting office which backs on to the library. There is a former caretaker’s cottage at the rear of the library. Access has been made on the ground floor so that one room of this cottage is now used as the library workroom. The rest of the cottage is unheated and damp. The cottage and adjacent outbuildings should be included in any strategic asset plan for council building stock in Liskeard.

Liskeard Library by Cllr John Turner The library in Liskeard remains a vibrant hub in the town of Liskeard and for the surrounding communities. The old Passmore Edwards building does restrict the opportunity for extending the activities which could be housed there but it remains a centre for learning and research as well as the traditional functions. It is DDA compliant with a lift to the first floor and has a higher than average borrowing rate. PC usage remains substantially above the Cornwall average and indicates a latent demand which would otherwise not be met.

Being in the centre of the town it is used by a variety of people seeking advice. These range from tourist advice when the TIC is closed and staff regularly signpost people to other facilities including Social Services and the CAB as well as the Council offices .A number of employment queries are received and again people are directed to the Job Centre. It is open until 6pm four nights per week which extends the hours when people have access to an important public service. Adults with learning disabilities who attend Morley Tamblyn Day Centre are frequent visitors and are given guidance on reading and IT skills. A partnership with the WRVS reaches out to some 70 people who are housebound. The ‘baby bounce and rhythm’ sessions for babies over 6 months old are very well attended. Health visitors advise that these enhance coordination skills quite profoundly. There is a dedicated and professional team who would very much like to use their skills more widely and there may be some opportunity to reconsider opening times with a view to some later opening to satisfy those in the community who do not have access at the present time.

Looe Library is situated in a former tourist information centre adjoining Mill Pool car park. It is a council owned building that was extended in 2009 to make space for the addition of interview rooms for the One Stop Shop. The level of library business is that of a band 3 but for 2009 and 2010 the opening hours were extended from 25 to 44 to provide additional access to the One Stop Shop. The opening hours will revert to normal band 3 hours as part of the budget saving for 2011. The building has been made DDA compliant by the addition of lifts but the layout means that the library space is all on the first floor.

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There are 6 public access PCs on the first floor and some collaborative use of that area with Link into Learning. Looe library is active in the Looe community and has built relationships with local community police officers, youth workers and other groups. It holds regular knit and natter sessions which assists in reducing isolation among older people. The library has public WIFI which is very popular with tourist visitors.

Lostwithiel Library has average levels of borrowing for a small town library and operates variable opening hours. Most borrowers come from the immediate Lostwithiel area, with a smaller proportion travelling from Lerryn. The library is used as a base for a number of community craft groups in particular rug making. The gallery on the first floor provides a regular commission income from the sale of art from local artists.

This is a medieval building leased from the town council. It is a pretty and quirky building but not really suitable to deliver a modern library service. There is no staff room for the staff to sit for a break or lunch. The whole building also incorporates a small church and the town council offices. The building is not fully DDA compliant as there is no wheelchair access beyond the ground floor and the floor space is so limited there is not sufficient access for wheelchair turning circles. The lease costs £1625.00 a year. Lostwithiel library should be included in any strategic asset planning for the town particularly in any community buildings development

Newquay Library is well used but could be busier for a town the size of . It has a geographical catchment that covers the town itself with users from , St Columb Road, Quintrell Downs, St East and Cubert. CAB operates from the building part time but on the first floor in an area not accessible to wheelchair users. Newquay operated late night opening in the Summer season for a few years but this did not prove as successful as in St Ives so was discontinued in 2010. This library offers free WIFI to people who have library member of visitor logins.

This is a leased 1970s building with a lease cost of £75.00 per year and a 99 year lease due to end in 2060. There is limited work room and office space on the ground floor. The three offices and balcony on the first floor are used by the CAB but there is no lift access to the first floor which may influence the CAB decisions about remaining into the future should alternative premises become available in the town. The library is immediately adjacent to the One Stop Shop building on Marcus Hill which is a large building also used for Town Council business. The use of both buildings should be reviewed jointly in future strategic asset plans for Newquay.

Padstow Library has a catchment covering Town itself with a small proportion of users from St Merryn. ICT use is relatively low. Padstow library occupies one room of a youth project building. The 25 year lease cost £5085.00 a year and expires in 2031. The building is situated in a public car park and is centrally located but just outside the town centre. The library area is very small and cannot easily accommodate many people at one time. Much of the rest of the building is underused possibly due to the untimely death of the person who was the key driver of the youth project.

The age profile of junior users differs from the average with fewer primary school and early years users than the county average. Padstow has piloted a national scheme called “Headspace” which is targeted at hard to reach teenagers. This has been a successful programme which has been credited by local police and

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Cross Group Working Party Review of Cornwall Library Service March 2010 Appendix 2 youth agencies with making a significant contribution to the reduction of antisocial behaviour among teens in Padstow.

Par Library

Par has a small catchment area, covering the Par and St Blazey, with fewer people travelling to the library from rural areas. It is within 4 miles of both and Fowey libraries. It is within the catchment area of the St Blazey, Fowey and Lostwithiel catchment area. The St Blazey west ward is classified by the Experian data with 77% of households containing families with low educational attainment living in social housing. None of the three libraries in this community network area is ideally geographically located to support the ward with the greatest need but Par should be the closest.

The library is centrally situated in a leased single storey, double fronted shop premises for £10,500 a year due for renewal in January 2012.There is a small free car park opposite the library at Par and very limited street parking outside the library. The floor space is very limited and further constrained by the supporting walls and pillars lest behind when two shop units were amalgamated to extend the library area about 8 years ago. Par library should be considered in any strategic asset planning for the area particularly if a community hub to target St Blazey’s more significant deprivation.

There are 4 public access PCs but no IT tuition support has been available recently. This very small library does provide a DDA compliant toilet and has a hot drinks machine. In the summer tables are put out on the forecourt and customers are encouraged to sit and read outside with their drinks.

The major employer in the Par area is Imerys but there are no joint initiatives with them as there are in Callington with Ginsters. The same staff members run Par and Fowey libraries but the libraries are very different in the range of activities they undertake.

Penryn library The library is a council owned building set on two floors with lift access to the first floor. Street parking is difficult in Penryn and there is no adjacent parking available for those with disabilities. In 2012 Penryn celebrates its 20 th birthday. Link into Learning delivers IT tuition on library supported by eight PCs on the library’s closed days which accounts for the high tuition figures set against the relatively low public PC use. (Two public access PCs)

Penryn Library was successful in bidding for funds to deliver a small project called Know Your Library Day. The project was very successful in attracting new customers and engaging the community in the services provided by the Library; it also re-launched story time sessions and established a readers’ group.

Penryn has a typical band 3 library level of borrowing with the majority of borrowers coming from Penryn and a number of users from Falmouth. Penryn is within 5 miles of Falmouth where the library is significantly bigger and open longer each week. There is no obvious evidence of usage by students of the CUC which has a very good academic library on campus but this an area which the service hopes to develop.

Penzance Library is a 120 year old Passmore Edwards council owned building with platform lift access to the upper ground and first floors. The Library houses the renowned County Art Collection which consists of a comprehensive collection of art books supported by Dictionary of Art. The collection is split between

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Penzance and St Ives Library. Over a number of years the library has built up a good relationship with the Tate Gallery, Newlyn Gallery and Penlee Museum and has worked in partnership on several initiatives.

Penzance Library has high borrower levels similar to other large towns in Cornwall. There are a higher proportion of lower income borrowers and there is a large geographical pull with borrowers coming from the larger villages and town which includes Goldsithney, Mousehole, Newlyn, Praa Sands, St Buryan , St Just and St Ives. PC use and the number of ICT courses are high, especially among concessionary users.

The Library was one of the first four libraries to be provided with 14 public access computer as part of the DCMS Wolfson funding in 1998. It has had a Study Support Officer in place since 1998. It has particularly high level of concessionary customers and has built up good relationship with Linking to Learning for signposting people who might benefit from basic skills support. Penzance Library was a registered as a UK on Line Centre because of this strong customer base and because some wards of Penzance are recognized as areas of deprivation.

Penzance library successfully bid for funding to run a project encouraging disabled children and their families to use libraries. Children who have special needs but attend mainstream schools often never meet others in a similar situation and they and their carers can become isolated. Through a series of workshops, including dance, drama and a blow up planetarium, friendships and support networks were made. The library service benefited from the new members and partnerships with the community professionals like special needs coordinators, physiotherapists and the Child Development Centre at Truro. All these professionals helped identify the families who would benefit the most and still refer their clients to the public libraries around the county as a result of this initiative.

Penzance Library by Cllr Joan Tanner I visited Penzance Library on Thursday afternoon at 2.45pm. I was warmly greeted by the Library Assistant (it was the manager’s day off) and given a tour of this bright, light and very welcoming library.

There was some lovely art displayed around the walls, and the artist is changed every two months, with people able to purchase the art on display. These spaces are booked up until 2012. On the wall of the stairs leading up to the first floor was an eye-catching collage of drawings, library date inserts and various colours, very unusual.

On the tour of the first floor, which houses an extensive collection of Cornish Literature, was an excellent collection of Art books. All of which I was assured are well used by students as well as artists. Also on this floor there were 12 computers, which were all in use with people waiting to use them. There did seem space there for at least another 2 computers.

There was also a space for people to read the daily papers, of which they have 7 and the Cornishman and West Briton on a Thursday. There were 2 people reading newspapers. On the ground floor there is a large children’s section which included a toy library. A story teller comes in once a week, and this is well supported. Also on the ground floor there was a lady training on the computer being helped by the study support officer.

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The library was very busy during my visit. I asked about the wide area they cover and she said people come in from all over West Penwith and even from St Ives because Penzance is open 6 days a week which I felt benefitted the whole area that this library covered.

Perranporth library has a catchment which is fairly self-contained with most borrowers coming from Perranporth itself, but also supports Goonhavern.

The library occupies the ground floor of a leased building that also contains the town museum. The lease costs £10500.00 a year and is due to expire in xxxx. The area occupied by the library is very small and does not provide adequate turning space for wheel chairs. An additional public use PC was squeezed into the library in 2010 to accommodate additional demand from summer visitors. Visitor numbers do appear to drop off in February and March but loans of books remain fairly constant throughout the year.

Perranporth Library by Cllr Jinny Clark (visited January 13 th 2011) Perranporth Library is housed on the Lower floor of Perranporth Museum and pays rent to the Museum. It does not cover a large floor area and every available space is used. There are generally two members of staff on duty each day for the bulk of the day. Customers – on average about 120 people use the Library each day, often more in the summer time due to the influx of visitors and the crossover of those visiting the Museum. The local users come from between Newquay and St Agnes, both of these places having a Library of their own, while those users who live in Cubert or St Newlyn East use the Libraries at Perranporth and Newquay as they are accessible by public transport. Some clients use both the Mobile Library and the services in Perranporth. Facilities – Toilets. Story Time every Tuesday afternoon at 2.00 Computer study support officer who works with people on an individual basis. Home delivery service run by the WRVS, which is linked into the Library. Group reading – there are 4 reading groups, one of which holds its sessions in the Library. Packs of books for the Pre-School classes at Perranporth and Goonhavern Schools are organised every term. It is possible to organise Bus Passes at the library. Comments and suggestions. The visiting Out and About One Stop Shop session on a Thursday morning could be located in the Library, thus increasing the footfall, tho’ there is no extra room for confidential conversation. Better signage in Perranporth to show where the Library is. They do advertise in the local village magazine but I thought I could draw attention to it by writing about it in my Parish newsletters. Story time for the over 5s, either after school or on Sat mornings. It is a focal meeting point for some of the elderly and lonelier people and therefore an asset to the community. Teenagers need to be encouraged to use it, though perhaps they use their school Library, as use of the Library drops off once the children start Secondary School.

Redruth Library is a council owned listed 120 year old Passmore Edwards building. The part of the first floor of the Passmore Edwards building has been

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Cross Group Working Party Review of Cornwall Library Service March 2010 Appendix 2 empty since the local studies library moved to the Alma Place site in 2002. This is a difficult building with many steep staircases in the staff area. The building has been made DDA accessible on the ground floor public area but much of the building is inaccessible. Roof replacement has been on the planned maintenance agenda for several years at an anticipated cost of £300,000.00.

The library is fairly centrally situated and short walk from the main shopping area. There is some time limited street parking close to the library and close to the shoppers car park .It is also a short walk from the train station and associated bus stops. Although within close proximity to Camborne most borrowers come from Redruth, with a smaller proportion coming from Lanner, Fourlanes, St Day and Caraharrack. The library usually performs very well with children’s summer reading programmes and works hard to engage with local schools and playgroups. The Library holds well attended Baby Bounce and Rhyme sessions and Story times. The Library has ameetings room which can be hired out for community use.

The library is the base for the central mobile library for part of the week. The basement area is used for storage of stock for the mobile, the Isles of Scilly rotation and for the community centre at Stithians. The library was historically designated as band 1 due to the presence of the local studies library before that library’s relocation in 2002. The level of business is now no more than that of the larger band 2 libraries so the opening hours of Redruth will be reduced at the review of library opening hours in February 2011.

Saltash Library has above average borrower levels for a small town branch and a relatively small geographical draw, with most borrowers coming from itself. There is an employment and service relationship with Plymouth. Saltash has been a one Stop Shop since April 2009. The opening hours were extended from 37 to 44 to accommodate this but the opening hours will be reduced in the review of library opening hours in February 2011.

Saltash library is a 1960s glass and concrete building with strong Le Corbusier design influences which was extended in the late 1990s. It is council owned and not listed. The library forms part of a development that was originally edge of town but which is now fairly centrally located but away from the shopping area. The development includes a health centre, registration office, leisure centre, primary school, infant school, football stadium and an old peoples’ home. There is ample free car parking nearby and the library is close to a bus route. The building is not fully DDA compliant as there is no wheelchair access to the first floor mezzanine or the staff room and office. There is no DDA compliant toilet but there is room to extend the library building further perhaps to incorporate the registration service which is under pressure from the health centre wanting to expand.

The close proximity with the schools, leisure centre and health centre has enabled joint projects such as the recent swim, lunch and learn project which supported young parents. Although in separate buildings at Saltash this demonstrates how the concept of collocated services in a hub arrangement can assist cross service working.

St Agnes Library has relatively high numbers of very young borrowers for a Band 3 library which may be influenced by its proximity to the local playgroup. St Agnes was identified in the document ‘Planning for the Role and Future of Smaller Settlements in Cornwall’ as being fairly self-contained in terms of function, with a close relationship to Truro for employment and services. This library also serves the community in Mount Hawke.

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The library is a 1980s council owned building, centrally located within a public car park. The building is a compact single storey unit with an open plan design and a small workroom/staff room at the rear. It is the only oil heated library building.

The St Agnes and Perranporth community network areas contain two libraries which are about 4 miles apart and which are both about 7 miles from Truro. There is a regular bus service to Truro. The library building is too small to support other community use while open as a library but as with other small town libraries it has 2 closed days per week. Libraries of this size should be included in any strategic planning to provide community hub type premises.

St Agnes Library by Cllr Les Donnithorne visited 7 th February 2011 Strengths. A much valued Community facility which has excellent links with both St Agnes School, Mount Hawke School, Blackwater and Mithian Schools as well as local play groups. Caters for the settlements of, and has members from St Agnes, Mithian, Blackwater, Trevellas, Mount Hawke and Porthtowan. St Agnes is a dispersed settlement incorporating Higher Baal, Polbarrow, Goonown, Wheal Kitty and Peterville. Offers Childrens reading sessions, IT provision and has had writers groups meeting there until recently. Has the facility to roll back all non-fixed shelving creating a much larger, well lighted area for a number of Community lead/Local Authority led activities. Has Oil fired central heating. Library membership appears to have increased this year. Free Car parking for Library users. St Agnes is an expanding community with, in excess of, 75 affordable homes built during the last 3 years and a further 25 under development, Mount Houint Hawke has seen small development schemes and a development of 36 homes in Blackwater is under planning consideration.

Weaknesses. Small compact designed library which has a open three sided reception area in the centre of the building. This is restrictive to what could be opportunities for use. Three day opening at the new revised hours plus Saturday mornings which are the same opening hours as Perranporth. Too small a library to offer, during its normal open hours, to include Community One Stop services staff. Staff views not sought on future opportunities? Convenient, and regular, Public services to Truro and Perranporth

Opportunities. Provides an opportunity to vary the opening days from those at Perranporth, which might allow North Coast Settlements, to have 5 day access to libraries rather than 3 in both of the Library locations. Community One Stop Services would be able to use the Library on one of its closed days saving financial expenditure to hire a private hall for this service. Community Area Network Managers could utilise for evening meetings to save financial hire of other halls/venues. Other local authority departments use? Use of the facility to D&C Constabulary as a focal point within the Community on, ( perhaps in view of the very likely reduced policing presence from March 2011 ) two half mornings/afternoon where a PCSO could be based.

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Hire of non-open times to local Community groups. IT delivered courses, ( through local FE Education Centres ) especially for the more senior residents – although the provision of lap tops may have to be investigated – ie provided/or bring personal. Seek staff views on hire use opportunities and possible community initiatives.

Threats. Will two Band 3 libraries within the Community Network Area of Perranporth and St Agnes, in addition to the larger Library at Truro, be sustainable in the future? Reduction in footfall and membership due to electronic reading opportunities now available? Lack of involvement, of hired use of the facility, from LA, D&C Constabulary or local Community groups.

St Austell library has the high levels of borrowing in the county and is second only to Truro for visitor numbers. As a large town and service centre for surrounding areas it draws customers from Mevagissey, Gorran haven, Tywardreath, Bugle St Stephen and Penwithick.

The Experian data for the St Austell Gover ward indicates approximately 25% of households with low educational attainment living in social housing and 25% of older people with high care needs living in social housing. St Austell has comparatively high population density and relatively few living in rural isolation when compared with other areas in Cornwall. St Austell library service plan should target activities for schools and playgroups in that ward.

The library is situated away from the main shopping areas but close to the leisure centre, registration offices and ceremony suite, railway station and main college campus. The library is a 1960s glass and concrete listed building. It has been made partly DDA compliant by ramps but there is no wheelchair access to the mezzanine first floor computer area. The town has outgrown the library and an opportunity to move the library to the new commercial development in the town centre was included and then rejected due to library budget savings a few years ago. Options to increase the size of the current library exist but are limited. Provision of an additional or replacement library in St Austell should be part of any future development and Section 106 agreement in the town.

The library also contains the Performing Arts library, a specialist service providing music scores, librettos, CDs and play sets for individuals and groups. The delivery of this service will be part of the review looking at the services across Devon and Cornwall within the Future Libraries project.

St Columb library has more very young borrowers (0-5) than average but fewer primary age children. This indicates proactive relationships with playgroups and benefits from the Bookstart programme. The library service plan should focus on retaining these users and increasing use by school age children. Geographically most borrowers come from St Columb Major, with a smaller proportion of borrowers from the Fraddon, Indian Queens and St Columb Road area.

The library is centrally located in the ground floor of a leased building which is due to expire in December 2012 and which costs £5256.00 per year. The term of the lease is 21 years so it is important to take advantage of the opportunity to identify a more suitable location in St Columb. Perhaps the opportunity to work more closely with a local school would help to increase usage by primary age children.

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St Columb falls within the Newquay community network area which unfortunately skews the Experian data available. The library is a Band 3 small town library and is has two closed days per week. St Columb library should be included in any strategic asset planning for that area.

St Dennis library is situated in St Dennis primary school it is only open 6 hours per week. The factors that affect St Dennis are the same as those described for St Keverne and Upton Cross.

St Ives library is a 120 year old council owned Passmore Edwards building. It is not listed and has benefitted from refurbishment in 2006. It is located in the town centre close to the shops and tourist attractions but offers no convenient parking. St Ives does have good bus services and a rail link.

The Library operates summer opening hours mainly for the benefit of tourist visitors to the area. St Ives has a low proportion of primary school age users and schools find it difficult to visit the library in summer time. However the branch has successfully worked with four local schools for the forthcoming John Passmore Edwards celebrations in 2011.

St Ives has high levels of computer use and delivers the highest number of ICT courses through external providers (Linking to Learning) and a Study Support Officer. St Ives has an above average number of older customers for IT support. This library is scheduled for the installation of WIFI this year. The refurbishment allowed St Ives Library to offer two meeting rooms for hire. The larger room also offers an exhibition space to support the relationship with Tate of the West. The exhibition space is fully booked with a variety of work from both artists and local organisations. This art gallery/meeting room offers local amateur artists the chance to show their work in a public space. This room is well used by local groups including the Tate, the Archive, Truro College and over-50s Forum. The late night opening on a Tuesday ensures that working people still have the opportunity to visit the exhibitions and library events The library has also has the support of the The Friends of St Ives (FOSIL) group which was established in 1997 by an ex member of staff and which continues to thrive with the help of a small committee. The Friends support the library in fundraising events and assisting with the organisation and running of evening talks and events. This year they have plans to reprint the 'Book of St Ives' by Cyril Noall.

St Ives library by Cllr Joan Symons I visited St Ives library last week. I was given a tour by the manager who was most helpful. The weather was not good, so the library was not busy, my visit was over the Lunch time 12oclock until 1-30. On entering the entrance was inviting with comfortable chairs. 4 computers for half hour use seem to be taking up a lot of room. Desk was at the furthest wall from the entrance and not very visible. A very large area dedicated for children and a good selection of books for all ages. Two large disable Toilets, one on the ground floor and another on the second floor, available for all to use. Lift to second floor, Room I with 10 computers linked to learning. A large room for letting, good size beautifully decorated, very light and is used regularly for local art expeditions.

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The room is let out at £10 per hour, I think this is too low and the Library open for only one evening means it looses out on bookings. Large room with quiet areas among the book stands, very nice with reading area at far end offering free news papers. Small private room used by Citizens Advice. Coffee machine for the public. Small kitchen and toilet for staff.

Front Desk should be moved nearer front door, staff agreed with me. Void area where old front door is could be utilized for extra space , it is not needed as a fire escape. Staff were up for moving more services into the Library

St Just library is located near a large free car park in the heart of St Just. The library is well used for community projects; recently working with the Town Council to promote the One Stop Shop and Credit Unions. It has a small suite of 4 public access pcs and Linking to Learning provides ICT course one day per week with support for a Study Support Officer once a fortnight.

A Tourist Information Centre has been established in the library for the past twelve years and we hope there will be sufficient funding to maintain this in the next year. During the summer season the branch dealt with 5037 enquiries, ranging from accommodation requests to family history enquiries from all over the world.

The library was successful in securing an funding for a project to celebrate “St Just in the 60s”. This reminiscence and cross generational project enabled the library to work with St Just Primary School and the local community.

St Just library has below average borrower numbers. Most borrowers come from the immediate St Just area, however there are also rural users from Pendeen, Sennen and St Buryan. The rural nature of Cornwall provides significant challenges for access to services. Nearly half of Cornwall’s population live in communities of less than 3,000 people and a large proportion of residents are reliant on cars. In Cornwall 20.5% of the population do not have access to a car in comparison to 26.8 % nationally (Cornwall Council Community Intelligence Unit access to transport paper).

St Keverne Library opens for 6 hours per week and is situated in St Keverne primary school. Most borrowers come from the immediate St Keverne village area, with a proportion coming from rural outlying areas. Telephone and online service may present opportunities for increasing use.

The library has 1 public access PC but does not currently offer it tuition. As the only library in the Lizard area any reduction in facilities may have a wider community impact.

Torpoint Library attracts slightly less young borrowers than the county profile, and there may be opportunities to increase this. ’s proximity to Plymouth may be a factor in slightly below average borrowing levels, as a significant proportion of residents will commute to Plymouth for employment. This library

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The library is situated close to the ferry and near the shops but away from the main housing developments of recent years. The building is a 1970s single storey council owned building surrounded by a grass and paved area that is also owned by the council. It is adjacent to a small public car park and there is limited street parking outside the library. There are bus and ferry services nearby.

Over the past 15 years there have been a number of private sector initiatives seeking to redevelop the whole surrounding area. This would involve demolition of the former fire station and existing large police station as well as the library. Unfortunately the development ideas have never progressed to a planning stage. It is important that the library should be included in any community development of the area and Section 106 agreement might be relevant.

Torpoint library has been a One Stop Shop since April 2009 and the opening hours were extended from 37 to 44 hours per week. The opening hours will revert to those for a Band 2b library early in 2011.

Torpoint operates like a community centre in many ways. Despite its open plan layout it accommodates art classes and knit and natter sessions. The current library manager is also a town councillor so the library is involved in many town activities and holds fund raising events for many local charities.

Truro Library has benefitted from £1.5 million of Big Lottery funding to develop a community library. It re-opened in February 2010 with public access to the first and second floor providing meeting and conference rooms, a large IT suite and an Apple digital editing suite. The building now contains a small café and also accommodates the CAB and Link into Learning. The visitor numbers have increased by a projected 70% since the refurbishment which is largely due to the increased range of activities available. The smaller but still significant increase in borrowing may indicate that some of the visitors for other purposes are also borrowing. Part of the Big Lottery deal is that the income generated from the community activity will allow Truro to afford increased opening hours above those provided by the council. It has the largest geographical pull, which is due to Truro’s role as an employment and shopping centre.

The building is a listed Passmore Edwards building partly the original library which is council owned and partly the former technical high school which is subject to a renewable trust arrangement, with approximately 15 years remaining in the current term.

Truro is within the Truro and Roseland community network area it is the second most dense area of population (Camborne and Redruth is the only area with higher population density). The objectives for the big lottery project have included programmes to engage with young families, teens and unemployed people. The library will continue to work closely with development officers working on behalf of the town council with people living on the large social housing estates in Truro.

Upton Cross Library is open for 6 hours per week and is situated within Upton Cross Primary School. Like other libraries in schools the library has a high proportion of young borrowers. While the library opens during school holidays the borrowing patterns is affected by school term times.

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The library has 1 public access computer but it runs through the school’s Internet security system and is usually slower than those in other libraries.

The high proportion of rural borrowers, particularly with families, presents opportunities to increase uptake of telephone and web renewals.

Upton Cross Library by Cllr John Turner This facility is situated in a small village north of Liskeard. It is set in a small school in a very rural setting and primarily serves the villages of Upton Cross, Minions, Rilla Mill and Pensilva. It serves to promote Little Links and Early Years Learning and is a hub for parents particularly during school holidays.. Although there are limited opening hours, children have access to the borrowing facility whilst attending school, which encourages them to extend their boundaries. There is a depth of trust between the Librarian and the children and the importance of this role in Upton Cross cannot be overstated. Parking is available next to the school and the entrance is on level ground which benefits clients with limited mobility who find it difficult to carry books for a longer distance.. The community have expressed a desire to retain the facility and the potential for local involvement and voluntary input should be explored to harness and encourage the development of an important service in this remote setting.

Wadebridge Library has above average levels of borrowers for a small town library with a higher proportion of retirees using the library. is a local service centre, which is reflected in the geographical draw of the area with a far reaching geographical spread which attracts borrowers from St St Mabyn, St Kew, Port Isaac and Rock.

The library is a 1980s council owned single storey building centrally located but just away from the main shopping area. There are two public car parks nearby; one of which is within the library grounds. The town council operates this car park and pays an annual amount to the library from the profits. The library is an open plan design with a very small workroom and staff room at the rear. There is scope on the site to extend the building to make it more of a community hub. It would be a more convenient site for the town to provide One Stop Shop services for the town than the current arrangement and should be considered as part of any strategic asset planning for community buildings in Wadebridge.

The library is adjacent to the John Betjeman centre but does not appear to have developed a relationship with the centre.

12 most used mobile stops

Carnon Down is a discrete village outside Truro, which serves the local rural community and as a commuter area for the City. There is a very broad range of housing, including a proportion of social, and a significant area of wealthy retired, but that does not make this an affluent area. The stops are well used by a wide range of families and retired and working people, averaging about thirty borrowers over three stops.

Constantine village, combined with Gweek, makes up a substantial collection of stops, serving a rural community along with social housing. There are two main estates at either end of the village, both including retirement bungalows/housing. There are six stops in Constantine, three in the estates and one at the school, serving an average of 26 borrowers.

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Coverack is a small coastal village, with the occasional day boat for fishing. There are a significant proportion of second homes and the area is popular for water sport holidays. The population of the village is significantly increased in the summer months. Three stops serve an average of 15 borrowers, but the primary school enthusiastically promotes library use among its pupils.

Illogan is a built up area now merged with Camborne/Pool/Redruth, served by nine mobile stops. The average use over all the stops is a total of 35 borrowers. It is an area of mixed housing, ranging from social to bungalows to old stone terraces. Borrowers are a mixture of families and the elderly and retired. Illogan is bordered by agricultural land.

Mevagissey is a picturesque fishing village on the coast to the south of St Austell. This village is a tourist destination and the population fluctuates dependent on the time of year. The main occupation in the village other than fishing is retail and tourism. The house prices are high and there is a large number of holiday homes in the area. There is little social housing and a high proportion of family housing. However there is a great community spirit within the locality and the mobile library is seen to contribute to this and is therefore supported by the residents. The mobile library stops in the town late afternoon every other Wednesday and is used by some families but mostly older age groups.

Millbrook is the largest village in Cornwall, situated in the South East of the county and forming a significant part of the Rame Peninsula. It is a thriving community nestled between the dramatic coastline of Whitsand Bay, the picturesque villages of Kingsand/Cawsand and the rural parish of St John. The lake area forms the heart of the community as well as a focal point for visitors. Millbrook depends on good transport links to Plymouth for work, leisure and several essential services. The road journey to Plymouth via the Torpoint Ferry is 9 miles and 23 miles via the Saltash Bridge.

The population of Millbrook parish in the 2001 census was 2033, of which 49% was male and 51% female. The general spread of population is similar to that throughout south east Cornwall. The Mobile Library calls at Millbrook on a weekly basis during Saturday lunchtime in the centre of the village and also has several stops on the outskirts of the village on a fortnightly basis. The customers are a full cross section of the community with a fair split between professional working families and the retired/elderly. A high proportion of the regular customers use the van on every visit. Average visits of 30 per week with 100 average book issues.

Mullion is a large village, with both secondary and primary schools. It is served by six mobile stops, averaging 40 borrowers. The village is a mixture of retired people, the working rural community, social housing and young families. There is an active centre, with extant shops and pubs. Mobile clientele is a mixture of the retired and families. Helston is nearby, approximately 5 miles away.

Mylor is a discrete community within the Truro commuter belt, made up of affluent areas, retirement homes, second homes. There is a proportion of social housing. It is within reach of Penryn, Truro and Falmouth libraries. The area is served by six stops, averaging some fifty borrowers, chiefly at the main stop at the Lemon Arms. The clientele is a mixture of families and the retired.

Porthleven is a coastal town, with a very mixed and large population. The area includes social housing, second homes, retirement bungalows, and young families.

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It is still active a fishing port, but much declined. The harbour is now home to day boats and pleasure craft. The town centre is vibrant with shops and local pubs/restaurants. The area is also served by Helston Library, approximately 2.5 miles away. There are seven stops, catering for an average of 45 borrowers, with class visits from the primary school. At least one stop is based at a retirement complex.

Probus is located on the main travel route between St Austell and Truro and the majority of library users are in employment outside of the village. This means that the stop on a Saturday benefits from many of the residents being available in the locality. There is a high percentage of family housing and a relatively low percentage of social housing in the village. The surrounding area is rural farming and the main occupation within the village is wholesale/retail. The mobile library is used by a wide range of age groups. The mobile library visits at midday every other Saturday.

Roche is situated centrally in Cornwall, in the heart of Clay country approximately 600ft above sea level. It is 6 miles from St Austell and 8 miles from Bodmin. The village had a population of 2876 at the 2001 Census. The mobile library visits Roche on a fortnightly basis on Saturday lunchtime. The customers are often queued waiting for the van when it arrives and certainly make full use of the time that the van has there. Average issues for the 2 hour fortnightly visit are 30 with book issues at 130.

Stithians village is within easy reach of Redruth and Helston libraries but supports four stops, serving an average of 35 borrowers. The village is a mixture of rural housing, social housing, with affluent families and retirees. The village also supports a community volunteer run library, issuing 1744 loans last year, just under half of the mobile issues.

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