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3. SERVICE DELIVERY AND RESOURCES

3.1 Access

3.1.1. Policy on Access • To address the issues of ensuring access for all persons entitled to use the Leicestershire Libraries and Information Service in terms of appropriate resources for all needs and abilities. • To provide physical access to library facilities, whether static or mobile and utilise other means and other venues. • To optimise access through on-going review of opening hours. • To enable access through good library planning, organisation, guiding and signing.

In designing and providing services the Libraries and Information Service will: • Consult users and non-users. • Consider the needs, and provide access for people with special needs, and those who are socially excluded, taking into account the provision of the Disability Discrimination Act. • Promote and encourage use of materials and equipment. • Actively liaise with all relevant bodies and potential partners (public, private, statutory, voluntary).

In designing and providing services the Libraries and Information Service will work within and take full account of the relevant: • Corporate objectives of the County Council. • ‘Policy proposals of the County Council’. • Policies, strategies and plans of the Government. • Regional policies, strategies and plans • Policies, strategies and plans of the County Council. • Policies, strategies and plans of other organisations.

In its Medium Term Corporate Strategy the Administration made commitments to: • Work to bring services closer to where people live. • Make services accessible to all groups in the Community.

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3.1.2 Range of Opening Hours Minimum opening hours Category of Library per week Pattern of hours 5 mornings Market Towns: 50 5 afternoons population above 30,000 4 evenings 1.5 days at the weekend 5 mornings Market Towns: 50 5 afternoons population 15,000-30,000 4 evenings 1.5 days at the weekend 4 mornings Shopping Centres: 37 4 afternoons population 10,001 - 15,000 2 evenings 1 day at the weekend 4 mornings Shopping Centres: 37 4 afternoons population below 10,000 2 evenings 1 day at the weekend 4 mornings County Urban Area: 50 4 afternoons population above 20,000 1 evening 1 day at the weekend 2 mornings County Urban Area: 37 2 afternoons population 10,001-20,000 1 evening 1 day at the weekend 2 mornings Community Libraries: 20 2 afternoons population 6,000-10,000 2 evenings 1 day at the weekend 2 mornings Community Libraries: 20 2 afternoons population 4,000-6,000 2 evenings 1 day at the weekend 2 mornings Community Libraries: 20 2 afternoons population below 4,000 2 evenings 1 day at the weekend

3.1.3 Policy for the location of libraries

The service network needs to offer different types of library service to meet the needs of diverse communities.

Generally the minimum population served by a static library will be 4,000.

The distance from the nearest similar or next level static library in minutes or travel time will no further than 20 minutes travelling time by foot or public transport.

Mobile library stops should be at least one mile from a static library.

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In planning the location of libraries the following factors will be addressed: • The need to consider the availability of public transport. • The need to consider the potential for partnership. • The need to have regard for County Council strategies.

3.1.4 Criteria for Library Buildings

To ensure that the library buildings can deliver the range of services necessary the following minimum criteria have been set: • be welcoming and well equipped • be well maintained • present the service in a vibrant and attractive fashion • be of a minimum floor space necessary for effective service delivery, in order to accommodate sufficient learning space and the necessary levels of stock.

The Libraries and Information Service has developed standards for library buildings which cover: • Exterior appearance • Directional signing • Access • Interior guiding • Disability Discrimination Act issues

3.1.5 Co-operation in the delivery of library services

• Huncote Partnership Library, in partnership with the Parish Council and Community Centre. • Asfordby Information and Study Centre, in partnership with the Parish Council. • Ibstock and Market Bosworth libraries are in shared premises with the local Community Colleges. • Countesthorpe and South Wigston libraries are in shared premises with community groups. • Sapcote, Syston, Newbold Verdon and South Wigston libraries are ICT centres as part of a Leicestershire Rural Partnership initiative. • Fleckney Library is being developed as a multi-agency centre.

3.1.6 Closure for public holidays

All libraries close for statutory holidays only and are open on concessionary days. Mobile libraries operate to the same pattern for statutory holidays but also do not operate for three weeks a year when the drivers are on annual leave.

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3.2 Buildings and Mobile Libraries

In its report on the Library Service the Review Panel found that the network of buildings, many temporary, many too small and all under re-sourced, to be substandard. The details of the network are set out in Appendix A.

Many of the Community Libraries are too small to provide adequate space for ICT equipment and bookstock, being below 100 square metres.

In its 2001/02 budget the County Council gave a capital allocation of £30,0000 to the Libraries and Information Service to upgrade its furniture and equipment to meet the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act.

The current network consists of:

Market Town Libraries = 5 Substantial town centre buildings acting as focal points for their community and for a wider catchment area.

Shopping Centre Libraries = 6 Substantial free-standing buildings serving the immediate community and shopping catchment.

County Urban Area Libraries = 4 Appropriately located libraries, either free-standing buildings or shared premises, depending on local circumstances and opportunities, generally in communities immediately adjoining the City of Leicester.

Community Libraries = 37 Community library provided either free-standing buildings or shared premises, depending on local circumstances and opportunities

Mobile Libraries = 8

Other service provision = 3

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3.2.1 Mobile Libraries

Mobile Libraries Information Public Base Date First Annual Open Shelf Mobile Registered Mileage Stock Library 10/01 M2 Melton Mowbray 1.4.01. 8,500 2,390 M3 Market Harborough 1.4.02. 7,750 3,277 M4 Lutterworth 24.3.94. 7,500 2,745 M5 Birstall 1.6.00. 6,700 2,901 M6 Coalville 27.11.89. 7,000 2,868 M7 Coalville 1.4.01. 7,200 3,003 M8 Loughborough 1.4.02. 3,000 3,623

Other LSE Rothley 7.3.01. 6,300 Link Coalville 24.11.95. 8,000 1,315

3.2.2 Future Provision

The report of the Library Service Review Panel, identified the need to upgrade many of the current library buildings. After deciding not to proceed with a PFI bid on the basis of libraries only, attention is now being focussed on developing a County Council strategy for integrated service delivery through partnerships and joint initiatives through the Better Access to Better Services Initiative to improve the feasibility of a potential bid. The use of library buildings and the delivery of library services will be considered in the context of this strategy.

The County Council accepted that the mobile library fleet was in urgent need of replacement and by changing the funding of this from capital to leasing has replaced 5 of the 7 public service vehicles since 1999.

The County Council has recognised the inadequacy of the opening hours in some libraries, as identified in user and non-user surveys, and for the last two years has made this a priority and increased the staffing budget to enable the service to work towards the criteria set down in the Library Service Review.

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3.3 Services for adults, young people and children

3.3.1 Stock Selection, deployment and withdrawal

All stock is purchased by buying teams and is treated as a single, county collection. Its deployment is governed by county standards that determine the range and volume of stock holdings at any given library. Depending on the size of library and catchment population, between 50% and 90% of newly purchased stock circulates between libraries.

Stock is purchased in alternative formats and languages where appropriate. In partnership with Loughborough University, Market Harborough Library has completed a one year pilot project involving electronic books. The Libraries and Information Service has submitted a report on the project to Loughborough University and the publication of the final paper by the University is awaited.

The provision of hard copy reference and information stock is being reviewed as ICT is introduced into libraries.

For children and young people stock is selected, using detailed assessment criteria, to meet the needs of the diverse communities of Leicestershire: children, parents, carers and others involved in the education, personal and social development of children and young people. This ensures that every library has a balanced collection, and the whole range of stock is available to all throughout the public library service network. For schools, stock is selected, using detailed assessment criteria, to meet the needs of teachers in their delivery of an academic and personal development curriculum to children and young people in the schools of Leicestershire and Leicester City, in all phases.

Specialist staff from both wings of the service co-operate in the assessment and selection procedures, benefiting from shared expertise and knowledge, to enable a co-ordinated approach to the development of library collections in public and school libraries (the latter via the conduit of Library Services for Education’s stock provision and advice).

3.3.2 Stock conservation including digitisation plans

Binding is the main conservation tool employed for adult stock. Criteria for binding are specified in the county stock standards. Some specialist binding is undertaken for local studies items while microform copies of local newspapers, censuses and parish registers are obtained via Newsplan and the Leicestershire Record Office respectively. The Leicestershire Record Office also undertakes the repair and encapsulation of local maps when required.

A long-term policy on digitisation is yet to be developed. Bids for external funding have to date been unsuccessful.

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3.3.3 Reader and audience development

In 2001-2 Leicestershire Libraries and Information Service produced a draft Reader Development Strategy that will complement and support the development of a regional strategy under the East Midlands Reader and Library Development (EMRALD) Project. It has the following aims:

• To increase people's confidence and enjoyment of reading. • To open up reading choices • To offer opportunities for people to share the reading experience • To raise the status of reading as a cultural activity. • To contribute to raising literacy levels

The strategy will be implemented through the core library areas of The Reader, Library Stock, Library Staff and Library Buildings, and contains initial attempts to produce some evaluative guidelines for the service in measuring the impact of reader development programmes through these core areas.

The authority continues to contribute to EMRALD. This project, after some organisational delays has now entered its second phase, developing a regional reader strategy and creating 5 regional projects based around : teenage readers, black and Asian readers, readers in geographically isolated communities, collections management and ICT.

The Libraries and Information Service continues to employ a Literature Development Officer partly funded by East Midlands Arts until March 2003. This post has a pivotal role to play in linking the reader strategy with the Literature Development strategy; advising interested people how to set up readers groups, co-ordinating a programme of visiting writers and supporting a network of 35 readers groups across the county.

The Libraries and Information Service encourages children to read by: • Providing a wide ranging, balanced, quality stock appropriate for all ages, abilities and interests. • As well as offering a range of opportunities (e.g. display, storytimes) and reader developments activities (e.g. summer reading promotions) in the library, in schools and other appropriate venues. • Employing enthusiastic staff committed to the needs of children in terms of their literacy development and becoming readers for life.

Reader development activities with children will be extended and enhances through Chatterbooks – Launchpad/Orange support for young people’s reader groups/circles – which in Leicestershire will be at Coalville and Wigston Libraries for 8 – 11 year olds.

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Leicestershire will take full benefit from national initiatives such as Their Reading Futures, co-ordinated by the development agency LaunchPad and delivering a national programme of advocacy training mapping and quality assurance. It will construct a framework of quality self-evaluation in children’s reader development

In larger libraries trained staff are available to help children, but all staff are aware of the requirement to give children support and encourage their library use.

The importance of language and books in the literacy development of children in the years from birth onwards is recognised by the full support given to the Bookstart project by Libraries, Education and the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership, and elected members. The post of Community Outreach Worker, with a remit to develop Bookstart and library services for children in the early years, is an essential strand in this strategy. Work with hard-to reach communities and families will continue apace.

A full service for schools (including project collections, mobile library visits, In- service training and a comprehensive professional support and advisory service) is provided by Library Services for Education.

A good relationship exists with the Education Department and regular liaison meetings are held between senior staff in libraries and education to maintain co- operation and consider further areas of collaborative and complementary developments. Relationships are particularly strong with literacy consultants and the English Adviser, the Study Support Co-ordinator, Family Learning Group, and the Early Years Team. The Head of Library Services for Education attends regular meetings of Service Managers in the Education Department and the LEA Management Group.

As part of the Best Value Review of Library Services for Education, the synergy between public library services for children and Library Services for Education for schools was analysed and an integrated strategy assessed.

3.3.4. Outreach work and events programmes

Following the Corporate commitment to working in partnership with a wide range of organisations Group Librarians work with local groups and organisations to promote the library service and hold events in libraries to encourage use for example the project at Hinckley Library with the local Community College to bring basic education students into the library.

Events are planned in libraries throughout the year and effective use is made of national publicity programmes e.g. National Poetry Day, Launchpad Summer Reading Programme for children. The target for arts and cultural events held in libraries is 27 for 2002/03 with a target of 42 for 2005/06. Local societies are encouraged to use libraries for displays.

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Librarians regard work with children, beyond the confines of the library walls, as essential in supporting literacy and encouraging a life long love of reading and learning, and in promoting the habit of library use. Librarians work in schools, playgroups, the many organisations which exist for children and also with adults, who have influential roles with children.

Funded by the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership, the Libraries and Information Service has appointed a Community Outreach Worker with a remit to work with Hard to Reach Families across the County, (in large, predominantly white council estates, with ethnic minority communities, travellers and show people, refugees and asylum seekers), and to develop the Bookstart programme and library work with children in the early years and their parents and carers. The Libraries’ Community Outreach Worker is one of three working with Hard to Reach Families in ethnic minority communities and area of economic regeneration. They work together to ensure a co-ordinated approach.

3.3.5. Study and homework facilities

All public libraries welcome children to study and do homework, although variations of size and the availability of study spaces in smaller libraries mean that study provision is not equitably distributed across the county. All Market Town, Shopping Centre and County Urban Area libraries have some study space provision in the form of tables in the library, study rooms or designated carrels, and ICT provision.

However, study support, is considered to be an important strand in the development of lifelong learning, and opportunities continue to be sought to improve existing provision. Study support is available at Hinckley Library, with staffing support made possible through partnership with John Cleveland Community College, and at Melton Library with NOF funding. During the lifetime of this plan directed study support opportunities will become more available across the County, especially at the libraries designated as ICT Centres and with the complete roll-out of the People’s Network.

3.3.6 Reservation services

All lending items with the exception of video feature films and DVDs can be reserved upon payment of a charge with appropriate concessions. Requests to obtain items on inter library loan are accepted for books, periodical articles and theses; this incurs an additional flat rate charge with appropriate concessions.

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3.3.7 Support for research through the provision of special collections

The Libraries and Information Service has no special collections of regional, national or academic significance. However, it holds extensive local studies collections at its main libraries and a hunting collection at Melton Mowbray Library

3.3.8 Services for business

A selected range of general business directories including provision of basic financial and employment information, both local and national, is held at market town libraries. The ICT Centres set up as part of the Leicestershire Rural Partnership initiative are aimed at small and medium sized enterprises.

3.3.9 Community information

Details relating to community information e.g. local groups, speakers, elected representatives are held and updated annually on Infolinx, a web based community information network for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland, which is managed by the County Council’s Corporate Information Project. All libraries also have a range of leaflets, posters and other non-electronic information available.

3.3.10 Services relating to local history

All libraries stock a basic lending collection of local studies material. In addition, more extensive loan and reference collections are maintained at market towns libraries. The range and depths of holdings, including bookstock, maps, genealogical sources etc are determined by county standards. A strategy document outlines the current service provision and future development plans. The Leicestershire Record Office which is the responsibility of Leicestershire Museums, Arts and Records Service, works in co-operation with the Libraries and Information Service.

3.3.11 Co-operation and inter-lending

Leicestershire Libraries is a member of LAILLAR. This is an agreement between the three public library authorities and the three university libraries in the area that commits them to co-operate more closely in designated areas of service provision.

Leicestershire co-operates in the inter-lending of stock to other libraries both regionally as part of the East Midlands Regional Library System and nationally.

Leicestershire and Rutland co-operate on the inter-availability of stock and currently maintain a joint catalogue.

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3.3.12 Library Services for Education

The Libraries and Information Service works with schools through the public library service and Library Services for Education (LSE), the former raising the awareness of books and public libraries and encouraging public library use by children; the latter providing curriculum resources for teachers and encouraging the development of effective libraries in Leicestershire's schools. Librarians encourage class visits to local libraries, visits schools to introduce a range of books to children through storytelling and booktalking.

The officer-led Best Value Review of LSE was completed at the end of 2001, approved by the Member Reference Group, and presented to the Scrutiny Committee and the Cabinet of Leicestershire County Council at the beginning of 2002. It is due to be inspected by Ofsted in early 2003.

The agreed option is one which provides for the service to continue to operate from a single, centrally located base, with some services delivered locally by a specially designed mobile library and by a delivery service. Advisory Librarians maintain close contact with their area head of schools.

A number of primary schools do not use the service in any form and a priority for the service will be to increase take-up by improved services, offered flexibly to meet schools needs and budgets, and awareness raising.

3.3.13 Specialist staff for Children and Young People’s Services

The Head of LSE is currently acting as Service Adviser for Children and Young People, providing a focus for the development of an improved integrated strategy for services for children, wherever and however they might be delivered, building on the strengths of each sector, effecting a consistent approach through high quality services. The Head of LSE has close links with the LEA, formally and informally, e.g. member of LEA management group, member of Early Years Childcare and Development Partnership and leads in the department on Lifelong Learning.

In the public library the staffing structure includes one Senior Children’s Specialist in each district (3), supported by Children’s Specialists in another three major libraries. Other librarians within the District and Group staffing establishment will carry a remit for children’s library work.

LSE has three advisory librarians and three and a half librarians, supported by a team of library assistants, all offering a specialist service to primary, secondary and special schools.

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3.4 Services for Special Groups

Scope: Special Needs Groups include people with disabilities, those with a social, educational, cultural or environmental disadvantage and those in prisons and hospitals.

Policy : current policy is covered by the Strategy Document for Social Inclusion which states that the Libraries Service will:-

• Be actively involved in the creation and development of a socially inclusive, cohesive society, and will support communities; • Provide services in a flexible manner, relevant to the individuals and communities of Leicestershire, enhancing social, educational, cultural imperatives, enabling them to be effective members of a democratic society; • Provide printed, aural and visual resources, information and awareness, in all forms including electronic, to alleviate the results of poverty and other factors of disadvantage, enhancing economic and emotional well-being with staff able to act as a guide and conduit to enable the most effective service provision; • Provide the best possible government and community information.

Service Reviews: A Social Inclusion Strategy is currently being developed based on a service review process. Reviews in progress: Services to People with Special Needs; Services to Cultural Minorities and Transient Populations. A further review will cover services for people in rural areas and other disadvantaged groups. These reviews will influence policy from 2003/4.

Current principles: • People are encouraged to visit libraries. • The widest range of appropriate materials and services are available at larger libraries. Targeted materials/services are provided at other libraries and on mobiles where a known demand exists. Standards for the Management of Stock include levels of provision for lending and reference/information services for people with special needs according to category of library. • Internet access at all static libraries by the end of 2002 will enhance services to many special groups. Equipment will be adapted to enable access by people with special needs at major libraries or where there is a need and where it is practicable to do so. • Close liaison/joint initiatives with other Departments, the Voluntary Sector, local communities are a high priority. • On-going adaptations to buildings, improved signing, guiding and staff training to conform to Disability Discrimination Act.

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• Concessions for some special groups in charges payable. • Although for service planning purposes, specific client groups are defined, the service recognises that many individuals cross many groups. All persons are served according to individual circumstances and requirements.

Defined Special Groups

Group: HOUSEBOUND Policy: • Service delivery to people in their homes; use of volunteers (WRVS) and others, or mobile library in some areas. • People brought to library by community transport in county urban area. • No charges applicable. • Special category tickets for family/friends/carers. • Criteria: person permanently or temporarily confined to home/no alternative access via family/friends.

Group: PEOPLE IN RESIDENTIAL/NURSING HOMES, SHELTERED HOUSING, DAY CARE CENTRES Policy: • Includes Council, voluntary and private home and day care centres. • Service delivery to homes etc. via dedicated staffed LINK mobile or public mobile library in some areas. • People brought from day centres and homes to library by community transport in county urban area. • Deposit collections provided to homes not served by mobile services under Service Level Agreement. • No charges applicable (except lost items from deposit collections exceeding 4% of items loaned). • Special category tickets for wardens/staff.

Group: BLIND AND PARTIALLY SIGHTED PEOPLE Policy • Support access to books for county residents via the RNIB’s Talking Book Service (pay approximately 650 subs at £57 per individual). The service is under review 2002/3 • Access to libraries encouraged and enabled by provision of appropriate materials and facilities. • Access to services also via housebound, residential and day care services. • No charge for requests, hire of talking books, special interest videos.

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Group: PEOPLE WITH HEARING IMPAIRMENTS Policy • Access to libraries encouraged and enabled by provision of appropriate materials and facilities. • Also served by housebound, homes and day centre services. • Concessionary charges apply to requests, special interest videos.

Group: PEOPLE WITH PHYSICAL DISABILITIES Policy • Use of libraries encouraged and enabled by appropriate access to buildings, guiding, furnishings, equipment, materials in relevant formats. • No charges for hire of books on tape, special interest videos, requests. • Also served by housebound, homes and day centre services

Group: PEOPLE WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES Policy • People in care served through housebound, homes and day centre services. • Support as required for people who use libraries directly in the selection and use of appropriate materials and services. • No charges for books on tape, special interest videos, requests.

Group: PEOPLE WITH MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS Policy • Encourage use of libraries and provide support as required to contribute to health and well-being particularly through reading. • Participation in corporate and local initiatives relating to health and social care services and liaison with relevant workers at local level. • Also served by housebound, homes and day centre services. • No concessionary charges.

Group: BASIC SKILLS Policy • Provision and promotion of appropriate materials and support for students in liaison with local tutors. • Development of some libraries as ICT Centres will support this client group. • No charges for materials borrowed by tutors.

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Group: LOOKED AFTER CHILDREN Policy • Participation in the Corporate Parenting Policy to improve and develop library services to looked after children. • No charges.

Group: ASYLUM SEEKERS/REFUGEES Policy • Within overall service policy. Specific strategy to be developed (Social Inclusion). • Relaxation of standard membership criteria and charges.

Group: TRAVELLERS Policy • Within overall service policy a specific strategy is to be developed (Social Inclusion).

Group: CULTURAL MINORITY GROUPS Policy • Targeted services to communities (primarily Loughborough and County Urban area). • Levels of stock provision identified within Stock Standards. • Appointment of staff with specialist language and community skills • Race Equality Strategy to be developed 2002/3 to meet requirements of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000. • Service Review in progress.

Group: PRISONS Policy • Provision of library and information services to penal establishments within the county, as agent of the Home Office, through Service Level Agreements. • Joint arrangements with Leicester and Rutland Councils for service delivery to prisons. • Encouragement of reading and literacy of inmates and their families.

Group: HOSPITALS (PATIENTS SERVICE) Policy • Charged service by request.

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3.5 Wider Community Use

3.5.1 Policy

In its findings following the Library Service Review the panel accepted the role that library buildings play in the community, which has been built into the service criteria.

The current policy for front line service delivery including the community use of libraries was updated in 2001 to align it with the Corporate Strategy to make services accessible to all groups in the community and to work to bring services closer to where people live. The policy: • Recognises the need to work closely with organisations with related objectives. • Recognises the wider range of organisations currently using space in libraries. • Identifies criteria and principles to be used when letting libraries to community groups.

3.5.2 Use of library premises

The use of library premises meets the Administration objective of ‘Working together to delivery quality services’.

Service Shops, which provide local community information jointly with District Councils with staffing support are in four libraries.

Help Points which give the same information but without staffing are in nineteen libraries.

Asfordby ICT Centre gives access to a wide range of local and national government information.

Citizens Advice Bureaux are located in Coalville, Syston and Wigston libraries. Tax advice sessions are held in Loughborough and Coalville Libraries. The Benefits Agency runs a monthly session in Market Harborough Library, Age Concern has premises in Coalville Library.

One of the roles of the ICT Centres is to provide space as community learning centres.

The Libraries and Information Service is working with the Youth and Community Service to extend the use of libraries for informal learning.

Fleckney Library is being developed as a multi-agency centre.

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Regular advice sessions about learning and work for adults are offered, in partnership with the Leicester and Leicestershire IAG Partnership, at Wigston, Shepshed, Melton, Oadby, Birstall and Syston libraries.

Cross border patterns of use

The position of Leicester City in the centre of the County leads to significant use by County residents of the City Library Service and vice versa. Residents of other authorities, excluding Leicester, using Leicestershire libraries, are approximately 2.5% of users (PLUS survey 2000). Within the overall figure there are widely ranging differences between libraries depending on their geographical location, e.g. for Market Harborough 17% of its borrowers are from outside of Leicestershire.

3.6 Staff

3.6.1 Staffing Establishment by Grade: 1 April 2002

Scale 1-3 Scale 4-6 SO Grades PO Grades Chief Officer Number employed 148.69 75.32 17.00 8.00 2.00 FTE

Total number employed (FTE): 252.01.

3.6.2 Training and Development Policies, Strategies and Plans

The benefits and ‘Best Practices’ following the adoption of a Training and Development Strategy for the service in 1998, have been retained and built upon in the Human Resource Strategy adopted in March 2002. The strategy introduced the production of an annual Training and Development Plan; regular training and development interviews; effective evaluation; support for accredited training; minimum standards for categories of staff (including management training); encouraging ‘self develop’; and recommendations on value for money and methods of training delivery. This fulfills the Administration commitment to support a highly motivated, well trained workforce to deliver clearly defined service targets.

Training and Development Interviews have been superseded by Individual Development Planning Interviews. The process introduces a much wider range of development opportunities e.g. mentoring, secondments etc. and puts greater emphasis on long-term career planning in line with the changing needs of the service. An element of appraisal is introduced and a much wider picture of staff competencies measured. The information is particularly useful for Human Resource planning within the context of a rapidly changing service.

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In addition to the benefits outlined above the Human Resource Strategy introduced a number of issues relating to staff training and development as follows: • Increased number of full-time and trainee posts introduced. The number of contracts with a small number of working hours are being reduced in order to ensure that staff have sufficient time to acquire the range of skills necessary to be effective: • A greater range of skills to be introduced into the service. In addition to changes in recruitment practice, support will be given to existing staff to develop their skills: • Trainee, career graded posts and succession planning will take place within the context of Equal Opportunities: Promotional opportunities will be based not only on qualifications but also on competency, skills and experience • Change management skills will be developed and reinforced.

The ICT Training plan, which was successfully submitted for the New Opportunities Fund (NOF) in February 2000, continues to form the basis for ICT training within the service.

A budget of £23,350 has been allocated to training for the financial year 2002/2003, in addition to the £157,000 from NOF over a 3-year period. £5,300 of the £23,350 is allocated to supporting NOF. Priorities from the training plan reflect service priorities and are listed below in order of priority:

• Support for NOF, including ECDL and complimentary training: • Expected outcomes and Advanced role training programmes: • Change Management: • Support to achieve Investors in People standards: • Customer Care: • Social Inclusion – including the DDA: • Marketing and Promotion: • Community based and partnership working: • Reader Development: • Health and Safety: • LGV for one mobile library driver.

3.6.3 Future Staffing Strategy

The Human Resource Strategy reflects the corporate objectives and commitments in the Medium Term Corporate Strategy and aims to: • Ensure that the present requirements of the service are met in a cost- effective way. This includes having the right staff to deliver services via ICT; making the best use of staff skills and interests; reducing the number of low hour contracts; introducing quality control posts/responsibilities; staff trained to provide equal access to the service; and posts with a manageable complexity/number of tasks.

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• Have the right people with the right skills to deliver the best possible service. This includes increasing the number of full-time and trainee posts; introducing a greater range of skills; introducing more varied career opportunities and effective succession planning. • Ensure those people are highly motivated and continuously develop in order to meet the changing needs of the service. This includes; the ability to respond to changing demands through pro-active planning of long-term skill need; a customer focused service which seeks and responds to feedback; staff development in line with the principles of Investors in People; staff commitment to high level of service delivery; and creating personal development opportunities for staff. • Have a clear management structure, which can deliver against present requirements and has the flexibility to respond to changing needs. Which includes; providing a simple management structure with clear reporting lines; decision making at the relevant level; a flexible structure; posts graded to reflect competencies and level of responsibilities; and managers/supervisors to have responsibility for a reasonable number of staff. • Respond to new ways of working in partnership with others. This includes a structure co-terminous with District councils; increase community involvement and the ability to work in partnership.

3.7 ICT Systems and Services

3.7.1 Policy and Strategy

The Libraries and Information Service relies heavily on the use of Information Systems (IS) as a key component of providing front-line services to the public, not just for the control and management of its stock holdings, but also in the provision of information for the public on behalf of the Councils in Leicestershire and other agencies including the Health Service. Expertise of Libraries and Information Service staff in the management of information is also being used to assist with the development of the Corporate Information System, Infolinx, MAGNET Project and the Council’s Web site (www.leics.gov.uk).

The key IS strategies of the department are therefore to support and enhance this service provision, and to reflect both local and national policies and priorities. The Administration has a commitment to investigate innovative solutions to create improvements to services, including the use of information technology. As part of meeting the County Council’s target for e-government the Libraries and Information Service is developing interactive borrower services to be effective by March 2003. At local level we have the Rural Strategy Action Plan which refers to the need to provide local points of access to information and other IS/IT facilities. Nationally we are seeing initiatives concerning the National Grid for Learning, the training of 10,000 librarians as navigators to sources of information such as the Internet, the People’s Network and also lifelong learning which includes both formal and informal access to meet the educational needs of the population as a whole.

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The Libraries and Information Service is a key player in the development and implementation of the Corporate ICT and Telematics Strategies. Both these strategies support the recommendations within the report, ‘New Library: The People Network’ which identified the Government’s strategy to implement a public library networking plan and making the resulting funding commitment to it. The plan’s priority development is to: • enhance education and lifelong learning opportunities for children and adults; • support training, employment and business to foster economic prosperity; • nurture social cohesion through fostering a politically and culturally informed society.

To achieve the aims of the People’s Network requires: 1. A comprehensive network which allows access to electronic information services and lending facilities from multiple sites. 2. The development of information sources such as CD ROM and Internet to give cost effective and efficient use of limited budgets for hard copy materials. 3. Close working with District, Parish Councils and other public and private agencies for the provision of information 4. A corporate approach to the provision of information access to Councillors and officers via the County Council Corporate Information System (Intranet).

3.8 Finance

3.8.1 Overall Revenue Budget

Actual Actual Revised Estimate 1999/00 2000/01 2001/02 2002/03

Staff 3,890,020 4,086,120 4,140,800 4,450,030 Running Expenses 1,742,814 808,470 1,832,680 2,269,960 Materials fund 1,043,460 1,136,100 1,232,890 1,321,960 Income 1,221,479 1,262,350 1,001,210 1,457,010 Net 5,454,815 5,768,540 6,205,160 6,584,240 Notes: 1. The estimate for 2002/03 is at November 2001 prices and does not include the inflation contingency to be added in 2002. 2. Increased bookfund budgets reflect additional ‘growth’ agreed by the County Council in February 2002. 3. Increased running costs and increased income in 2002/03 reflects a change in accounting practice to include NOF budgets for People’s Network and staff ICT training in the department’s reported budget. 4. These figures do not include capital charges or central support costs.

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3.8.2 Budget assessment

All the figures in this section are based on CIPFA actuals for 2000/2001.

General In Leicestershire the net expenditure per 1,000 population is below the County average at £10,728 compared with the average of £10,888. Gross income per 1,000 population is higher than the County average being £1,955 compared to £1,550. The SSA for Environmental, Protective and Cultural Services (EPCS) in Leicestershire is one of the lowest in the Country.

Stock fund Leicestershire’s average cost per book is lower than the County average at £7.27 as against £8.37. However its bookstock per 1,000 is below the County average. To bring the bookstock up to the average would require a one-off increase to the budget of £1,168,800, based on the £7.27 average cost of a book to Leicestershire.

1999/00 2000/01 2001/02 estimates County County County Leics Average Leics Average Leics Average

Bookstock per 1000 1,142 1,307 1,427 1,689 1,420 1,660 population Book acquisitions 166.5 167 188 179 N/A N/A per 1000

Figures for 2000/01 show the County Council to be above average for book acquisitions, when compared with the County average as against being on the average for 1999/00.

3.8.3 Training Budget

Resources allocated for training in 2002/03 will be: Main library training budget: £23,350 NOF funded Library Staff ICT training: approx. £46,300

The main library training budget is 0.54% of the Employee related costs of the department. This excludes direct staff costs associated with delivering training in house, and the fact that some training is provided corporately at no direct charge to the department, e.g. Health and Safety, Best Value, basic management training.

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3.8.4 Additional Revenue Funding required to meet National Standards

Revenue Approved for 2002/03 and on-going £ Connection of 9 remaining libraries to the TALIS Library 17,000 Management System Additional stock fund 50,000 Provision of 33 additional public access PCs 4,000 Total 71,000

Revenue required but not yet approved to meet national Standards 2003/04 and on-going Provision of additional public access PCs 37,000 People’s Network Revenue Costs 236,490 Total 273,490

No account appears to have been taken by the DCMS of the wide variation in the SSA per head for Environmental, Protective and Cultural Services in framing the standards which apply equally to all authorities. Leicestershire receives the second lowest SSA in the Country at £43.16 per head which is 14% below the average of all Counties and 27% below that of the highest (Hertfordshire).

The County Council intends to produce a medium term financial plan based on the spending review later in 2002.

3.8.5 Sustainability of ICT Services

In respect of on-going revenue costs of the People’s Network infrastructure, this will be the subject of a growth bid to members when considering the 2003/04 budget.

A new staffing structure is being developed to enable staff to respond to the changing service needs as a result of the provision of ICT in all libraries.

For ICT training, once all staff have completed ECDL training, and, where appropriate, advanced roles training, it will be necessary to provide on-going refresher and new application training for existing staff as well as maintaining basic ECDL training for new entrants. To that end, a new ICT training room has been set up with facilities for on-line and one to one training at our Rothley Crossroads building.

Services delivered via ICT will be increased as and when content is created or software is developed and budgets allow. Strategy papers produced for all services will include an element of future gazing on likely developments and these will be reflected in the planning process at the appropriate time.

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3.8.6 Income Generation

The policy on income is to a) Maintain income at the same proportionate levels to maintain current expenditure; b) To seek out opportunities for joint ventures with internal and external partners to attract general or specific project based income, setting up of Homework Clubs with local schools/colleges; c) Seek opportunities to increase income by introducing new charged for services; d) Submit bids for external funding which are consistant with service priorities as and when opportunities arise, e.g. Wolfson/DCMS, DfEE, NOF.

A formal written Strategy for Income Generation will be drawn up in 2002/03 for approval by lead members.

3.8.7 Financial Assistance

This is currently received from: • NOF for Implementation of the People’s Network - £772,000 allocation • NOF for Library Staff ICT Training - £157,000 allocation • East Midlands Arts for part funding of a Literature Development Officer • Charnwood District Council for part funding of Joint Services Shops and Help Points • Hinckley and Bosworth, and Oadby and Wigston Borough Councils for part funding of Joint Help Points. • Leicester City Council and Rutland County Council for part funding of Infolinx. • Rural Partnership post funding for ICT Centres. • Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership fund the post of Community Outreach Worker. • EMRALD partnership to support Reader Development work. • John Cleveland College for a homework centre in Hinckley Library. • Wigston College for a Family Learning Centre in South Wigston Library.

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