UPPER NORWOOD LIBRARY JOINT COMMITTEE
To: Representing the London Borough of Lambeth:
Councillors Mark Bennett, David Malone , Suzanne Poole, and Graham Pycock (Vice-Chair)
Representing the London Borough of Croydon:
Councillors Eddy Arram (Chair), Robert Askey, George Filbey, and Steve Hollands
Co-opted Members:
Mr. Joseph Figueira, Norbury & Upper Norwood Neighbourhood Partnership.
Norwood Forum representative to be confirmed
The Meeting of the UPPER NORWOOD LIBRARY JOINT COMMITTEE which you are hereby summoned to attend, will be held on TUESDAY 16 SEPTEMBER 2008, at 6.45P.M. at THE UPPER NORWOOD LIBRARY, 39 WESTOW HILL, UPPER NORWOOD, SE19 1TJ.
PLEASE NOTE SLIGHTLY LATER START TIME OF 6.45PM
JULIE BELVIR TREVOR HARNESS Council Secretary & Solicitor Members’ Services Manager and Monitoring Officer Tel: 020 8726 6000 x 62529 Taberner House Email: [email protected] Park Lane 9th September 2008 Croydon, CR9 3JS
AGENDA – PART A
1. Co-opted Member
Paragraph 5.2 of the Joint Agreement enables the Joint Committee to co-opt two non-voting members representing local interests to serve on the Joint Committee.
The Joint Committee is asked to agree the co-option of a representative of the Norwood Forum
2. Minutes of the Annual General Meeting held on 3 July 2008
3. Apologies for Absence
UNLJC20080916A 4. Declaration of Interest
Members of the Committee are reminded that it is a requirement to declare interests which are Personal, or Personal and Prejudicial where appropriate. This should be done by completing the Declaration of Interest form which will be available at the meeting from Members Services Manager, at the start of the meeting. The Chairman will then invite Members to make their declaration orally at the commencement of the Agenda item to which it relates. Completed declaration forms will be placed in the Register of Members’ Interests.
5. Urgent Business (If Any)
To receive notice of any business not on the Agenda which should, in the opinion of the Chairman, by reason of special circumstances, be considered as a matter of urgency.
6. Exempt Items To confirm the allocation of business between Part A and Part B of the Agenda.
7. Chief Librarian’s Report
The report of the Chief Librarian is circulated.
8. Treasurer’s Report
The report of the Treasurer to the Committee is circulated.
9. Joint Committee dates for 2008/09
10. Camera Resolution (if Necessary)
To resolve, if necessary, that the Press and public be excluded from the reminder of the meeting on the grounds that it is likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or proceedings to be conducted, that there will be disclosure of confidential or exempt information falling within those paragraphs indicated in Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended.
AGENDA - PART B
B1. Chief Librarian’s Report: Budget Assessment 2009/10 (exempt under paragraph 3)
UNLJC20080916A UPPER NORWOOD LIBRARY JOINT COMMITTEE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Annual General Meeting held on Thursday 3 July 2008 at 6.30pm at the Upper Norwood Library, Westow Hill, Upper Norwood
WRITTEN MINUTES - PART A
Present: Representing London Borough of Lambeth
Councillors Mark Bennett, Suzanne Poole, and Graham Pycock.
Representing London Borough of Croydon
Councillors Eddy Arram, Robert Askey, and Steve Hollands.
Also Mr. Joseph Figuiera (Norbury & Upper Norwood Neighbourhood Present : Partnership)
Absent: Apologies for absence were received from Councillor David Malone (London Borough of Lambeth) and Councillor George Filbey (London Borough of Croydon).
A23/08 APPOINTMENT OF CHAIR
RESOLVED: that Councillor Eddy Arram be appointed Chair of the Joint Committee for the current municipal year.
A24/08 APPOINTMENT OF VICE-CHAIR
RESOLVED: that Councillor Graham Pycock be appointed Vice- Chair of the Joint Committee for the current municipal year.
A25/08 CO-OPTION OF MEMBERS
RESOLVED: that Mr. Joseph Figuiera, as a representative of the Norbury & Upper Norwood Neighbourhood Partnership, be co- opted as non-voting member of the Joint Committee for the current municipal year.
The Joint Committee awaits confirmation of the representative of the Norwood Forum.
A26/08 MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 15 MAY 2006
RESOLVED : that, subject to the amendment of the apologies to replace Councillor Lib Peck with Councillor David Malone, the minutes of the meeting held on 10 April 2008 be received and signed as a correct record.
UNLJC20080703M 1
A27/08 DECLARATION OF INTEREST
Mr. Joseph Figueira declared a personal interest in all items on the agenda as a member of the Upper Norwood Library Campaign.
A28/08 URGENT BUSINESS (Agenda item 7)
none
A29/08 EXEMPT ITEMS (Agenda item 8)
none
A30/08 CHIEF LIBRARIAN’S REPORT (agenda item 9)
The Joint Committee considered the report of the Chief Librarian, including the Draft Business Plan for 2008-09.
Members asked to receive an interim note on the results of the consultation on future service development in advance of a full report being considered at the Joint Committee’s next meeting.
RESOLVED: that a formal vote of thanks to the Chief Librarian and all the staff of the Joint Library be passed.
RESOLVED: that the report of the Chief Librarian be received and noted.
Councillor Robert Askey left the Joint Committee meeting at 7.00 pm.
A31/08 DRAFT ANNUAL ACCOUNTS 2007-08 (agenda item 10)
The Joint Committee AGREED the following wording for paragraph 4 – Review of 2007/8 – of the Draft Annual Accounts:
“Work on installing a new customer self-service and stock security system was commenced in 2008. These works are being funded from the general reserve fund.
The library management system has been upgraded and a database weeding project was completed prior to progressing the self-service and stock security project
There has been substantial promotion of the Children’s Library, with regular programmes of events and activities, visits to local schools, participation in the National summer reading scheme (the Big Wild Read) and provision of the Bookstart scheme in the Crystal Palace area.
UNLJC20080703M 2
The Joint Library also took part in the national Children’s Public Library User Survey for the first time in October 2007.
There has been a decline in both issues of material and library visits. This is becoming a national problem for public libraries, with people buying books instead of borrowing, downloading music and films from the internet and other sources and using their own home computers for reference-type enquiries instead of visiting libraries.
There is impressionistic evidence that some additional local factors have exacerbated these trends, with concern being expressed about the threat of crime and transport and parking difficulties.
However, library membership and accessions of new books and other materials both showed an increase”
RESOLVED that the Joint Committee agree the draft Annual Accounts 2007/08.
A32/08 AGREED: that the next meeting of the Joint Committee be held on Tuesday 16th September 2008 at 6.45pm.
WRITTEN MINUTES PART B – none
The meeting ended at 7.35 p.m.
UNLJC20080703M 3 2007/08 2008/09
11/06/2007 17/07/2007 11/10/2007 12/02/2008 10/04/2008 03/07/2008
EDDY ARRAM yes yes yes yes ROBERT ASKEY yes yes yes yes yes yes GEORGE FILBEY yes yes yes STEVE HOLLANDS yes yes
MARK BENNETT n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a yes DAVID MALONE yes LIB PECK yes yes yes n/a SUZANNE POOLE yes yes yes yes yes yes GRAHAM PYCOCK yes yes yes yes yes yes
DON BIANCO yes yes yes yes yes JOSEPH FIGUIERA yes yes yes yes yes yes 7 CHIEF LIBRARIAN’S REPORT Upper Norwood Joint Library September 2008
BUSINESS PLAN AND SERVICE DEVELOPMENTS
1. RECENT ACTIVITIES a) Crystal Palace Business Partnership and Chamber of Commerce The Chief Librarian has joined both of these organisations to promote Joint Library services to the local business community and liaise on local initiatives which aim to increase ‘footfall’ in the Crystal Palace area. The August meeting of the Business Partnership was held at the library and the Chief Librarian gave a presentation on the services provided by UNJL. b) School visits The Assistant Librarian has recently visited Paxton, Rockmount Juniors, All Saints Infants, All Saints Juniors, St Cyprian’s Greek Orthodox and Cypress Infants to promote this year’s Summer Reading Challenge, entitled ‘Team Read’. c) Summer Reading Challenges We are participating in the national Bookstart Book Crawl scheme for 0-4 year olds. This is having the desired effect of increasing library membership and book issues for this age group. A number of under 5’s have already been awarded certificates. The Team Read challenge for 5-11 year-olds has also been very popular. By late August 195 children had registered to take part (a 35% increase on last year) and 46 children had completed the task (which involves entrants undertaking to read 6 books). The Triathlon Challenge is proving popular with the older children and teenagers. A full report on the Reading Challenges will be available for the next committee report. d) Staff training Fiona Byers recently attended a ‘Practical Problem-Solving for Managers’ course at Peckham Library. This was organised by SELPIG and facilitated by Adie Batt (the former Head of Libraries in Croydon). e) Donations Following an article about the library in The Palace magazine, a local resident offered to donate some books to the Children’s Library, as she had placed great value in her library visits when she was a child. This resulted in over 200 brand new books provided free of charge, with more promised in the future. A number of puppets have also been kindly donated by parents in recent months, for use with babies attending our Waggle and Hum sessions f) LINC The meeting included a presentation by the Paxton Green Time Bank. This is a new organisation which will be coordinating local volunteers who want to offer their time as a community benefit. The Time Bank uses an alternative currency - time instead
UNLJC20080916AR7 of money - and people earn ‘credits’ for helping each other (running errands, befriending, baby-sitting, performing practical tasks, etc). The next meeting of the LINC group takes place at the library on September 18 th. g) Local history postcards for sale We will shortly have a new collection of sixteen postcards for sale. The launch of the collection coincides with the Crystal Palace Local History Festival in September. h) Library website A basic template is being constructed by library staff with the assistance of a local ‘webmaster’. Cllr Filbey has kindly agreed to advise on layout and content. i ) Family History collection A newly expanded collection has been launched in ‘First Base’ on the first floor.
j) Croydon Enterprise have staged an awareness-raising event for the Croydon Enterprise Loan Fund and the Croydon Enterprise Test Trade Grant at the library. This was held (in the enclosed library foyer) on a day when the building is normally closed to the public and was very successful, despite appalling weather!
2. CONSULTATION ON FUTURE SERVICE DEVELOPMENT A summary of the results of this exercise are attached at Appendix A .
3. NATIONAL YEAR OF READING We produced displays and ‘point of lend’ collections to mark the monthly NYR themes in July and August. These were ‘Rhythm and Rhyme’ and ‘Read the Game’.
The Crystal Palace Local History Festival which will take place in September aims to bring history to life. It offers the chance to find out about the people, places and events that have shaped Upper Norwood’s past and influenced the district of South London which gave birth to the Crystal Palace. The Joint Library has organised this fascinating series of events in cooperation with local and national organisations such as the Norwood Society, the Crystal Palace Foundation and the Joseph Paxton Society.
On Saturday 13 th and Saturday 27 th of September (11.00 am to 5.00 pm both days) there will be talks, guided walks, Victorian-style entertainers (including a Dickensian magician, an organ-grinder with ‘monkey’ and traditional Punch and Judy), family history workshops, films, information stalls, displays featuring the Crystal Palace and the history of the library, as well as a range of other activities.
On Tuesday 23 rd September at 7.30 pm, Kate Colquhoun, author of ‘A thing in disguise – the visionary life of Joseph Paxton’ will be talking about the man who created the amazing building that was destroyed by fire in 1936.
The library’s special collection of local history materials (books, maps, photographs, historical postcards and a large collection of filed newspaper cuttings dating from the mid 1950’s to the present) will also be on display. The Joint Library holds a major collection on the world famous building which lends its name to the local area (and also one featuring the original Hyde Park Crystal Palace)
Our biggest event of the year takes place in October. ‘Crystal Palace Park and Read’ is described in more detail in the background notes at Appendix B .
4. FUTURE EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES
UNLJC20080916AR7 In October the Children’s Librarian will be visiting local schools to award Team Read certificates to those who have successfully completed the challenge. She will also be promoting two of our ‘Crystal Palace Park & Read’ books ‘That Pesky Rat’ by Lauren Child and ‘Bridge to Terabithia’ by Katherine Patterson.
‘Crystal Palace Park and Read will officially launch on the 4 th of October with a Family Fun Day. This will include a writing workshop (featuring ‘Bridge to Terabithia’) in cooperation with the local children’s writing group ‘Inkhead’, visits by the ‘Animal Magic’ Educational Handling Team and ‘Mr Bonkers’, craft sessions and the launch of our ‘That Pesky Rat’ art competition, which will be judged by the author of the book, Lauren Child. Two of the other ‘Crystal Palace Park and Read’ authors - Julie Myerson and Alex Wheatle - will be visiting the library during the course of the month to help to promote the initiative.
We have organised a Puppet Making Workshop with Drew Colby to mark Family Learning Week (which takes place between the 3rd and 10th of October and a Sponsored Readathon will mark National Poetry Day on the 9th October. There will also be a ‘Bookstart Pack Mass Handout’ event to mark national Booktrust Week. Tayo Fatunla will be hosting a Cartoon-making Workshop for adults on the 13 th of October to link Black History Month and The Big Draw.
Fiona Byers will be attending the National Youth Libraries Group (CILIP) Annual Conference in Lancaster, which will be considering issues such as how to attract hard-to-reach readers, developing new technologies and building on the 2008 National Year of Reading for the future benefit of libraries. As she is an active member of the London Committee, the YLG have kindly agreed to pay the £400 cost of Fiona’s place on the course.
A ‘focus group’ for local teenagers is being organised to find out more about what they would like to see being provided for them in the library.
A public stock suggestion scheme will be introduced in September. Although we are unable to guarantee that all suggested items will be purchased, we will give serious consideration to each one that is put forward.
CONTACT: B.J. MILLINGTON (Chief Librarian) Upper Norwood Joint Library
UNLJC20080916AR7 Appendix Ai
SUMMARY OF CONSULTATION (IN ORDER OF FREQUENCY OF BEING CITED BY RESPONDANTS)
Procedural changes suggested (various) 14
Library café a good idea 9
More and/or improved/faster ICT provision (including 24 hour access) 8 Facility to return books/items when library is closed 8 More new books/CDs/DVDs 8
Improved signage/guiding/layout 5 Learning and skills/courses available in the library 5
Study space 4 More special events to be organised 4 Fiction in different languages 4 Longer opening hours/Sunday opening 4 Exhibition space 4
Wider range of magazines and periodicals 3 Provision for reader reviews 3 Increased funding and/or staffing 3 Increased cleaning of public toilets 3
Author visits to the library 2 Inter-loan provision 2 Arts centre as part of any library redevelopment project 2 Increased/improved seating 2
Wi-fi provision available 1 Homework Club 1 Information centre provision 1 Library shop 1 Children’s jigsaws for loan 1 More recent books 1 More recent CDs 1 More toys in Children’s library 1 Repair facility for scratched audio-visual items 1 No charges for borrowing CDs 1 Colour photocopier required 1 Facility to refund lost book charges if item subsequently found 1 Need window blinds installed in public areas 1 More frequent overdues to be sent out 1 Model of the Crystal Palace on permanent display in library 1 More responsive heating system 1
Compliments on staff/stock/services 22
NOTES: Some respondents made more than one suggestion. Some suggestions are already being addressed in this year’s Business Plan.
APPENDIX Aii
What do you want from your Library?
The library is making an annual plan for this financial year and a medium term plan for the period 2009/11. We would like to know your views and ideas so we can try to include these in our plans.
Whilst we cannot promise to carry out all of your ideas, we will give them serious thought. If we are unable to use them, we will tell you why they are not possible.
Our aim is to keep and improve our existing services, whilst creating new ones – probably working with partners in the community at local and regional levels.
Our main aim will be to encourage as many local people as possible to join, visit and borrow books (and other items) from the library. To help achieve this we are considering possible new developments. These include a café with spectacular views across London, an arts centre, a ‘Booklovers’ library shop, a learning & skills centre and new exhibition space – located on an extended first floor. However, some of these ideas would depend on outside capital funding and investment from partners being secured.
Please give ideas and suggestions on the back of this sheet then post it in the suggestion box on the library counter (or return to the library by post) Thank you for helping us with these plans.
PLEASE RETURN (BY POST OR IN PERSON) TO: The Upper Norwood Joint Library, 39-41 Westow Hill, London SE19 1TJ.
PLEASE LIST YOUR SUGGESTIONS BELOW :-
APPENDIX B
ONE MONTH. ONE COMMUNITY. ONE BOOK.
The first ever ‘Crystal Palace Park and Read’ event takes place this October, with the Upper Norwood Joint Library challenging the whole of Upper Norwood to read the same book during the same month.
Reading is one of the most fundamentally important activities in society because reading can literally change people’s lives. From basic literacy skills to simply reading for pleasure, everyone can benefit from the ability (and opportunity) to read. Reading can be creative and fun and enrich lives, but is also critical as a life and employment-based skill. With the pace of modern living, it is a pleasure that is becoming increasingly difficult to indulge.
This year has been designated as the National Year of Reading – the first event of its kind since 1999. The NYR aims to change the nature of reading in the nation forever by helping to build a greater national love of reading and a better understanding of its power as a fundamental life skill that opens doors – for children, families and adult learners alike. Public libraries have a key role to play in helping everybody to discover or re- discover the joy of reading.
The Upper Norwood Joint Library is the only remaining independent, joint- funded public library in the country. It serves the residents of Crystal Palace and this year marks the 110 th anniversary of the signing of the first Joint Library Agreement between the forerunners of the Croydon and Lambeth Councils of today, in 1898.
In October this year we are challenging the whole of Crystal Palace to read the same book during the same month. We want to turn Upper Norwood into one gigantic reading group, with opportunities to meet authors, reviews and promotions, a quiz based on the featured book (with twelve prizes and a first prize of £100 for the winner) and multiple copies to borrow or buy. This is a Crystal Palace-specific initiative and the first time that such an event has been staged in this part of South London.
For this one month, library staff are taking on the role of ‘Richard and Judy’ by highlighting and recommending featured titles which they feel will be compelling and enjoyable reads, but also stimulating and challenging. We want people who feel that they ‘have no time to read’ to change their minds. Hopefully they may then find that reading becomes a habit! We are also hopeful that the shared experience of a whole local community reading the same book at the same time could prove to be instrumental in strengthening neighbourhood bonds. ‘Crystal Palace Park and Read’ can provide a common talking point that everybody can relate to. People will have the opportunity to talk to each other about why they loved (or hated) the book and hundreds of enthusiastic ‘new readers’ could emerge.
‘Crystal Palace Park and Read’ means taking time out to read at least one book this year. We think that our recommendations will be worth the effort!
FEATURED BOOKS
TITLE FOR ADULTS - ‘Something might happen’ by JULIE MYERSON
Title for younger adults – ‘The dirty South’ by ALEX WHEATLE Title for children - ‘Bridge to Terabithia’ by KATHERINE PATERSON Title for young children – ‘That pesky rat’ by LAUREN CHILD
FURTHER INFORMATION The Chief Librarian, The Upper Norwood Joint Library, 39-41 Westow Hill, London SE19 1TJ. Tel: 020 8670 2551. PERIOD 4
SUMMARY OF FINANCIAL MONITORING 8 JULY 2008/09 A BC D E F
Actual Dec Budget Actual To Budget To Annual Details Variance 07-08 Dec 07-08 date date Budget A Actual Expenditure for the month Employees 26,240 26,816 107,889 107,264 625 321,793 B Budgeted Expenditure for the month C Actual Expenditure To date Premises Related Expenses 3,553 3,445 25,282 13,780 11,502 41,339 D Budgeted Expenditure To date E Variance (D-C) Supplies and Services 2,453 6,762 10,078 27,046 -16,968 81,138 F Annual Budget
Internal Charges(LBC) -14,691 -14,691 -58,763 -58,763 0 -176,288
Revenue Contribution to Capital outlay 28,780 0 28,780 0 28,780 0
Gross Expenditure 46,335 22,332 113,267 89,327 23,940 267,982
Income -3,576 -4,733 -12,140 -18,932 6,792 -56,796
Lambeth Contribution 0 -17,599 0 -70,395 70,395 -211,186
Support Services Bought In 0 0 0 0 0 0
Grand Total 42,759 0 101,127 0 101,127 0
Reconciliation of Accounts 101,127
Recharges to Lambeth Credited Half Yearly -70,395 (4 Months) -70,395 -70,395
Current Position 30,732 (unfavourable) PERIOD 4 ADJUSTED FINANCIAL MONITORING SUMMARY.
PLEASE NOTE
Adjustment to the set CIPFA MIS report presentation format has been done following public request for a simpler presentation.
Elements of budget funding have been profiled evenly over the financial year, however this is not reflective of the actual flow of funds but complies with the matching concept.
Actual Jul Budget Jul Month Actual To Budget To Annual Details 08-09 08-09 Variance date date Variance Budget
INCOME Funding from London Borough of Croydon 14,691 14,691 - 58,763 58,763 - 176,288 London Borough of Lambeth 17,599 17,599 - 70,395 70,395 - 211,186
Internally generated Income 3,576 4,733 - 1,157 12,140 18,932 - 6,792 56,796
Total income 35,866 37,023 - 1,157 141,298 148,090 - 6,792 444,270
EXPENDITURE Employee Costs 26,240 26,816 - 576 107,889 107,264 625 321,793 Premises Related Costs 3,553 3,445 108 25,282 13,780 11,502 41,339 Supplies and Services Costs 2,453 6,762 - 4,308 10,078 27,046 - 16,968 81,138 Support services bought in ------
Total Expenditure 32,246 37,023 - 4,776 143,250 148,090 - 4,840 444,270
Income less Expenditure(Operations) 3,620 0 -1,952 0 0
Revenue Contribution to Capital outlay 28,780 0 28,780 0 0
Income less expenditure & Cont(Total) -25,160 0 -30,732 0 0