Welsh Government

CyMAL: Museums Archives and Libraries Wales

Maintaining a Valued Service

The Fourth Framework of Welsh Public Library Standards April 2011 – March 2014

Annual Return Pro Forma

All library authorities are required to complete this pro forma and are asked to follow the instructions provided carefully as the requirements in terms of reporting differ between sections.

All library authorities are requested to provide commentary against each and every Standard (WPLS) and against each and every Performance Indicator (WPLPI) in the ‘Authority self-assessment’ column provided, but only when data is included in the Actual Performance column. Failure to provide commentary could result in the pro forma being returned to library authorities for completion.

Completed Annual Returns should be submitted as an electronic document by Monday 2 July 2012

And sent to Dr Sarah Horton, Standards Adviser, CyMAL. E-mail: [email protected]

Name of authority: County Council

1 Please tick as appropriate

This Annual Return has been approved by the authority prior to its submission to CyMAL

 Yes No

If Yes, state whether approval was granted by

Full Council

Cabinet/Executive

Portfolio Member 

Other (state title) …………………………………………….

If No, state when approval is expected and when the definitive Annual Return submission will be forwarded to CyMAL

Approval expected ………….

Definitive submission to CyMAL by ………………..

2 Please indicate briefly below:

1. The authority’s scrutiny procedures applied to the assessment of library service performances undertaken by the Welsh Government under the third assessment framework for 2008 – 11 for the year 2010-11, and sent to authorities for their consideration and action in September 2011 by the Welsh Government.

The Libraries Museums and Arts Manager has discussed this assessment with the Head of Public Health and Culture and the County Council Cabinet Member with responsibility for Culture and Environment.

2. What decisions were made by the authority as a result of scrutiny procedures that sought to improve library service performances in relation to the Welsh Public Library Standards and Welsh Public Library Performance Indicators?

Our Cabinet Member has asked, in relation to WPLS 8, for further information regarding suggested improvements to staffing levels and in relation to WPLS 3.3 information regarding the mobile library review once it is complete. His decisions seek to improve Library Service performance in these areas.

A further decision in relation to Monmouthshire County Council’s recent successful NESTA (National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts) bid includes closer integration of the work being delivered by Libraries and Museums as we extend the MonmouthpediA project out into the rest of the county with the WikimediA foundation.

3. What action was agreed as a consequence of those decisions?

Head of Service to advise the Head of Public Health and Culture and the Cabinet Member of developments regarding the above decisions. The Head of Public Health and Culture requires a further briefing regarding comparative total spends for library services across all 22 authorities.

3 4. (a) If you indicated in your Annual Return for 2010 – 11 that your authority was undertaking a formal review of its library service, please indicate whether the review has now been completed:

 YES NO N/A

4. (b) If your authority commenced a formal review of its library service during 2011 – 12, please indicate whether that review has now been completed:

 YES NO N/A

If you answered YES to either (a) or (b), briefly outline the main recommendations of the review, noting whether these recommendations have been accepted by the authority and at what level (e.g. Full Council, Cabinet, Executive, etc.). Please also indicate what actions have been taken / are planned in order to implement those recommendations:

If you answered NO to either (a) or (b), please indicate when the review is due to be completed:

5. Please indicate whether there have been any changes made to the resources available to the library service compared to 2010-11, e.g. efficiency savings, resource reductions/increases, restructuring of staff, etc., and indicate how they have impacted on the service in 2011-12:

N/A

4 The Welsh Public Library Standards (WPLS) 2011-14

Notes on completion:

Annual data or information is required for WPLS 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9

Authorities should follow the guidance provided by the pro-forma against each Standard, and returns should be as required – further information and guidance is available within the published Framework document, and authorities should have due regard to this.

Authorities may be asked to resubmit Annual Returns if the data or information do not comply with the requirements.

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Actual Performance Framework 4 Standard as at March 31 2012 Authority self-assessment

1 (i) Authorities whose resident population density is 20 or more persons per hectare shall ensure that the proportion of occupied households within 2 miles of a ……………. % static library service point will be at least 95%

or

(ii) Authorities whose resident population density is between 1.1 and 19.9 persons per hectare shall ensure that the proportion of occupied households within 2.5 miles of a static library service point (or 10 minutes 79.5% travelling time by public transport) will be at least 75%

or

(iii) Authorities whose resident population density is 1.0 persons or less per hectare shall ensure that the ………………%

proportion of occupied households within 3 miles (or 15 minutes travelling time by public transport) of a static library service point shall be at least 70%

Authorities who are failing to meet the stipulated requirement in (i) (ii) or (iii) shall also report on the number of households within a quarter of a mile of each scheduled mobile stop and within 2 miles of any other kind of service outlet providing access to library materials.

Library services should briefly describe the nature of Libraries services to the resident population within that provision and the numbers of households served in Monmouthshire are delivered via the four full-time the Authority self-assessment column. libraries. More rural areas are covered by Usk, Gilwern and the Reaching Out mobile library service to older/isolated residents in the community.

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Actual Performance Framework 4 Standard as at March 31 2012 Authority self-assessment (i) Prisons 2 (i) Library authorities shall provide access to the service Prisoners can access the libraries on both sites on a for those not able to use conventional service points daily basis and there are no limitations on the (ii) Library authorities will continue to provide specialised number of visits made by prisoners as they have assistance, facilities and equipment for people with unescorted access to the library. Prisoners can particular access requirements access stock via the

Library services should briefly describe the nature of the online OPAC system. provision in the Authority self-assessment column Prescoed Library is open to all prisoners 32 hours a week and has ground floor access. Usk is open to all prisoners 18 hours a week plus 6 hours of additional opening hours for reader development and creative writing sessions.

Ebooks ebooks launched 2012 – available 24/7 via the library website Downloadable audio books re-launched – available 24/7 via the library website

Chepstow Shared reading sessions at Severn View Residential Home, started March 2012

Post natal visits to the Community Hospital in Chepstow

All Council employees based in the new corporate hub on the first floor of the Chepstow Library building have been enrolled as library members

7 Reaching Out Reaching Out, our mobile library service is dedicated to meeting the needs of the housebound, people who live in Residential Homes for the elderly or Sheltered Housing. It also serves readers in more isolated areas of Monmouthshire. Based at Library it is a specially adapted vehicle with a wheelchair lift and carries a broad selection of books in both standard and large print sizes. There is also a varied selection of audio books on tape and CD.

In recent years we have found that there has been a decline in use at community stops and the number of people actually getting on to the vehicle has decreased. Increasingly the emphasis is moving to a more individual housebound service with the driver taking items into the homes of customers.

There is an on-going review (started in January 2012) looking at ways of improving and developing the Reaching Out service.

Intergenerational work Seven Intergenerational Reading groups met regularly this year. Two schools were involved in an Intergenerational Shared Reading Pilot scheme which provided a good rationale for further development of this kind of group.

8 Macmillan In the first year of partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support the Support and Information officer has created designated information points in libraries, the prison and the Nevill Hall Hospital, established a regular programme of drop-in sessions, made links with a range of other community organisations, and has begun Shared Reading and other therapeutic groups in libraries and the prison.

Shared Reading There are twelve Shared Reading Groups throughout the county, meeting in libraries, the prison and Elderly Person’s Homes. Two training days have been held for staff and volunteers and there are four members of staff who have completed the full three day Reader Organisation training this year. Volunteers from the Chepstow Day centre and from the local befriending organisation have also joined us for training in the Shared Reading method and use it in one to one situations.

9 (ii) A stair lift has been fitted at Usk Prison to allow prisoners with walking difficulties to access the library.

The Chepstow library refurbishment improved accessibility by adding an automated inner front door and an automated side door and ramp into the new library reading garden

A new 23” computer screen has been ordered for each library to improve computer accessibility for customers with visual impairments. Currently the largest screen in each library is 21”. The new screens will be installed during 2012/13.

Dophin Supernova magnifier software has been installed in Monmouth and Caldicot libraries after consultation with the Sight Support service. If customer feedback is positive the new software will be installed in the other Monmouthshire libraries during 2012/13

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Actual Performance Framework 4 Standard as at March 31 2012 Authority self-assessment

3 (i) Library authorities will ensure that the aggregate No. of hours: (i) Chepstow Library increased opening hours by 4 annual opening hours for all service points shall be hours per week since reopening after refurbishment no less than 120 hours per 1,000 resident population 153 on 25 January 2012. Full calculation to be included Library authorities having 4 or less static service No. of hours in annual report for 12/13. points shall ensure that the aggregate annual opening hours shall be no less than 104 hours per - 1,000 resident population No of service points

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(ii) Library authorities will ensure that emergency non- opening hours of static libraries will be no more than 0% 1% of total planned opening hours in any year

(iii) Library authorities will ensure that mobile library (iii) As referred to in our response to WPLS2, we are visits/stops missed or cancelled will be no more than 2.5% of total planned number of visits/stops in any 9.7% currently reviewing our Reaching Out Mobile year Library Service with various partners (including users, Monmouthshire Housing Association and The extent of any disruption caused by unusually Community Connections) to improve and develop severe winter weather should be considered and our service to the elderly and isolated. allowed for in the above returns for (ii) and (iii) by removing any losses of service due to severe weather from the calculations. We recognise that the reporting figure has worsened. This is due to a combination of staffing and vehicle issues.

We are expecting considerable improvements during 2012/2013.

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Actual Performance Framework 4 Standard as at March 31 2012 Authority self-assessment

4 (i) Library authorities will provide the following ICT Insert or x against facilities for users: each a) Currently providing 9 computers per head of (a) At least 7 networked public access personal or population. The reduction from 10 last year is laptop computers per 10,000 resident  caused by some libraries removing fixed PCs to population, providing free access to the Internet and full access to the authority’s on-line make more space for customers using their own catalogue of total holdings portable devices. (b) Current hardware and software at library b) New windows 7 public network desktop developed service points, renewed or refurbished  and introduced during 2011/12. according to corporate policies c) Facilities in all libraries (c) Facilities that enable residents to use their own  laptop computers in the libraries d) Public WiFi is now available in all Monmouthshire (d) WiFi at all larger service points (open for 30  hours or more per week) by March 2014 Libraries. e) f) g) All standard since Peoples Network installation. (e) Scanning and printing facilities  (f) Plug-in facilities for digital media sources and h) First Click sessions running in all Monmouthshire portable devices  Libraries. IT introductory sessions regularly held on (g) Free email access  a variety of subjects eg digital photography (h) Access to free introductory or basic support in i) Information literacy sessions embedded into class the use of ICT facilities  visits etc (i) Information literacy sessions for users (to  develop use of library services and facilities) a) General and reference online resources available in

(ii) Library authorities will provide the following ICT- Insert or x against Monmouthshire – Britannica, Groves Music, based resources for users: each Groves Art, Oxford Dictionary of National (a) General and reference information services Biography, Oxford Reference Online, Oxford (please describe briefly in the Authority self-  English Dictionary, Who’s Who, Oxford Language assessment column) Dictionaries  (b) Newspapers and other current information b) Newsbank sources online c) Online community directory available via the (c) Community information   library website (d) Local history and family history sources d) Ancestry, Find My Past, 19th Century British (e) Local authority and other governmental  information sources Newspapers, Times Digital Archive  e) All available via the library website (f) Access to e-learning resources and services f) Access provided to Learn Direct etc. 12

Actual Performance Framework 4 Standard as at March 31 2012 Authority self-assessment

5 Library authorities shall achieve the following target Actual performance in for annual acquisitions of new collection items (in all year formats) made available for public use in each year (per 1,000 total resident population)

No. of items: (a) For use by adults – 124 items per annum New stock purchased for refurbishment of Chepstow 187 Library.

(b) For users under 16 – 61 items per annum No. of items:

97

6 (i) (a) Library authorities shall maintain a level of expenditure on collection items for adults per Actual expenditure Best efforts to maintain the resource budget allowed 1,000 total resident population that does not fall Monmouthshire to be above the lowest quartile figure. below the lowest quartile (UK 09/10) on average £1766 throughout the period to March 2014 Lowest quartile £1685

Median £1925

Top quartile £2137

(b) Library authorities shall maintain a level of expenditure on collection items for those under Actual expenditure Allocated funds within the overall budget which helped

16 per 1,000 total resident population that does towards exceeding the top quartile figure. not fall below the lowest quartile on average £460 throughout the period up to March 2014

Lowest quartile £263 Median £322

Top quartile £426

13 Actual Performance Framework 4 Standard as at March 31 2012 Authority self-assessment

6 (ii) Library authorities shall ensure that they spend

Either (a) a minimum average for the three-year period Actual expenditure to March 2014 of £750 per annum per 1,000 Welsh speaker total resident population £……………… (adult and children under 16) on the purchase, marketing and promotion of Welsh-language materials

Or (b) a minimum of 4% of the total library materials State % Monmouth Library hosts a Welsh Reading Group. They

purchasing fund on average for the three- take an active part in local events, for example, World year period to March 2014 on the purchase, 2.1 marketing and promotion of Welsh-language Book Night. Planning to undertake more joint regional materials for adults and children under 16 working to achieve this standard.

(iii) Library authorities will compare their acquisition %of list purchased

performance against an indicative selected list of Welsh Writing in English titles to be circulated after 100% consultation with the Welsh Books Council. Authorities should purchase a minimum of 75% of Average no. of copies of those titles listed annually and an average of at each title purchased Welsh stock forms part of the stock circulation rota. least 3 copies of those titles 3

(iv) (a) Library authorities shall ensure that the time State performance taken to replenish the lending stock on open access for adult users is no more than 8.9 years 7.6 years

(b) Library authorities shall ensure that the time All libraries withdraw stock within these guidelines. taken to replenish the lending stock on open access for users under 16 is no more than 8.9 6 years years

Note: reserve stocks should not be included in the calculation of performances against part (iv) (a) and (b) this Standard

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Actual Performance Framework 4 Standard as at March 31 2012 Authority self-assessment

7 Library authorities will ensure that no less than We are really disappointed to have narrowly missed the (a) 64% of all requests shall be supplied within 7 61% calendar days target set for this element during the chosen sample week. During the refurbishment of Chepstow Library, (b) 79% within 15 calendar days 79% when it was relocated to the Leisure Centre with a reduced stock, more use was made of the Books4U (c) 89% within 30 calendar days 91% service, as a lot of Chepstow’s stock was not available to on average over the three-year period to March 2014 lend to other libraries in Monmouthshire. This has had an impact on meeting the 7 day target. Calendar days are to be calculated from when the request / reservation was made to the time when the borrower was informed that the material was available. We are aiming this year to introduce the automated module within our Library Management System, to Requests for pre-publication material should be provide actual statistics rather than based data on a calculated only from the date when materials are made weekly sample. available for purchase to the library service, i.e. exclude pre-publication requests still in the system.

Note: Please indicate (insert or x) whether this

data has been:

. calculated via the service LMS

or

. calculated on the basis of a sample period  survey

15 Actual Performance Framework 4 Standard as at March 31 2012 Authority self-assessment

8 (i) Library authorities shall ensure that total staffing State figure: Recognising that we failed to meet this element of the establishment levels shall not fall below 0.37 per standard by such a small percentage, the Cabinet 1,000 resident population 0.34 Member has asked the Head of Service to provide (ii) Library authorities shall ensure that at least 23% of State % further information relating to staffing levels. total staff shall be formally qualified in library and information studies / science 20.3%

For parts (i) and (ii) of this Standard please comment in the Authority self-assessment column on the position No vacant posts reported. relating to any library service establishment posts vacant on 31 March 2012, and the length of time they have been vacant State qualification of post holder (iii) Library authorities shall ensure that the designated

operational manager of library services shall be the Since Summer 2011 responsibilities of the designated MLib & MCLIP holder of recognised professional qualifications in operational manager of library services includes Chartered Librarian librarianship or information science or information Museums and Arts.

management

(iv) Library authorities that use volunteer staff shall Insert or x against ensure that they: each • have a designated volunteer coordinator from x the permanent staffing establishment This is covered within project management • provide a written role description for each  responsibilities of Macmillan coordinator post. volunteer • meet the legal requirements for each volunteer  Volunteers are used for the Macmillan project, for which in relation to the role being undertaken there is a separate volunteer policy and in The • provide induction training for volunteers  Monmouthshire Shared Reading Project, which also has • provide continuing training for volunteers  its own policy. Legal requirements regarding • provide appropriate supervision for volunteers  safeguarding etc are in place. There is induction plus • are aiming to achieve accreditation status  continuing training for both projects. recognising that the organisation is meeting the standards noted in the National Occupational We are aiming to achieve this within our regional Standards for Managing Volunteers and Investing in Volunteers partnership. Currently investigating.

16 Actual Performance Framework 4 Standard as at March 31 2012 Authority self-assessment

9 Library authorities will indicate: Capital investment for the Chepstow Library (i) Capital investment in their library service points (including mobile services) from refurbishment is as follows: £ 38,202 Authority Resources: £12,000 matched a) the authority’s own resources funding/accommodation; £21,202 Access for All; £5,000 b) from external sources £ 120,000 One Stop Shop

State sources of any external capital investment in the External: £120,000 from CyMAL Community Learning Authority self-assessment column. Libraries funding.

(ii) Their actual repair and maintenance expenditure for each year of the Framework per 1,000 resident population, including any actual central charge £ …………… Data not currently available from Property Services levied on the library service for use of buildings as section. service points

(iii) That they have undertaken: Insertor x

. an asset/condition survey for their service Date of survey: points or internally reviewed such surveys on one occasion in the five year from March 2009 x Not undertaken during 2011/2012. to April 2014 Date of audit:

. a disability audit on one occasion in the five- year period from March 2009 to April 2014 x Not carried out during 2011/2012

(iv) The total aggregate public area offered by the 2 27m library service points per 1,000 resident population. The indicative standard is 27 square metres £ - (v) Any other capital expenditure on the library service not relating to buildings incurred during the year State nature of expenditure in the Authority self- assessment column.

17 Actual Performance Framework 4 Standard as at March 31 2012 Authority self-assessment

State numbers of:

. Static service points managed by the authority 8 during the year Including two Prison Library service points.

. Mobile service vehicles operated by the authority 1 during the year

. Other kinds of service points/modes of delivery N/A Describe briefly in Authority self-assessment column

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The Welsh Public Library Performance Indicators (WPLPI) 2011-14

Notes for completion

Data is required annually for Performance Indicators (WPLPI) 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 - all are marked with * for the sake of clarity. Data should only be submitted for WPLPI 2 when the PLUS surveys (or their local equivalents) have been completed and when results are known.

Library authorities NEED NOT offer comments in those Performance Indicators where no data can yet be submitted (and until, for example the PLUS survey, or its equivalent has been conducted).

Authorities who do not use the PLUS survey services in their entirety are required to provide the following information in their Annual Return

(i) When and by whom was the survey conducted? (ii) How and where was the survey conducted? (iii) How was the analysis undertaken and by whom? (iv) What questions were asked for each Performance Indicator? (v) What was the survey target sample and how was it calculated? (vi) What was the response rate?

Performance data should be cited to two decimal points where appropriate

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Actual Performance Performance Indicators (WPLPI) as at March 31 2012 Authority self-assessment

1* The number of people using the library service No. per 1,000 population: Recognising the -3.2% decrease in performance against this PI, per 1,000 resident population early indications show an overall increase of 3% for April and 7% for 6719 May against the equivalent period last year.

2 (i) The % of library users (adults and Recommended benchmark of 90% exceeded. children under 16) who are satisfied or very satisfied with the library service 97% Adult PLUS Nov 2010: provided. 94% of adults rated the library service as very good or good. The benchmark of the Framework for an acceptable level of performance in this Children’s PLUS February 2011: part of the Indicator is 90% 89% of children rated the library service as good (the highest possible rating). 100% of children rated the library service as good (ii) The % of adults who think that the choice or OK. of books available in the library they use 97% is ‘very good’, ‘good’ or ‘adequate’ . (iii) The % of users under 16 who think that the choice of books in the library they use 99% is ‘good’ or ‘OK’

3* The % of time allocated for use of public 41% A 5% increase achieved during this reporting period. access ICT facilities actually taken up by users

4* The annual issues (loans) per 1,000 total No. per 1,000 population: Pleased to report a slight increase in issues during 2011/2012. resident population 6180

5* The % of total annual authority expenditure on Last year we reported a figure of 17.11%, which is a 6.2% increase. the library service spent annually on the 18.24% purchase of books and other collection items in all formats and made available to the public

20 Actual Performance Performance Indicators (WPLPI) as at March 31 2012 Authority self-assessment

6* The % of total authority revenue expenditure spent annually on the public library service 1.00% Figures supplied by Directorate Accountant show an increase against reported expenditure of 0.84% for 2010/11.

The actual recharge (in £s) levied on the library £77,799 service for central services

7* The % of total authority capital allocations expended on public library facilities this year 1.03%

8* The net annual revenue expenditure on public library provision per 1,000 resident population, including staffing, materials, revenue costs of £15,684 Resources Fund £216,974 buildings and any recharge levied on the library service for central services

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