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6023 results in Facet Publishing

Page 256 of 302

  • 1 - Public libraries: the modern context

  • from Part 1 - The public library: history and modern context
  • David McMenemy
  • Book:
    The Public Library
    Published by:
    Facet
    Published online:
    08 June 2018
    Print publication:
    20 December 2008, pp 3-18

  • Summary

    Introduction

    As an evolving collection of national institutions, public libraries have been in existence for over 150 years, and for much longer as a series of ad hoc libraries serving local communities. Over that period they have grown from being an informal network to a nationwide, statutorily accountable service.

    In recent years there have been several key reports that have examined the UK public library sector and its perceived challenges. These have come from varying sources including the expected government advisory departments as well as advocacy groups and think tanks. A key strand in all of them is the desire to create a modern mission for the public library within the information society. How for instance does an idea that was adopted in the Victorian era to enhance access to learning and knowledge remain relevant in an age when many people now have such access within their homes via the world wide web? All of this has led to what has been dubbed as a volatile time for its history (Goulding, 2006, 3).

    To set the scene for the remainder of the book, this chapter will discuss some of the recent discourse around public libraries in the UK, with emphasis on key government reports and contributions to the discussion from researchers in public librarianship, and interested other parties such as library advocacy groups.

    The 21st century context

    The picture of the public library service in the UK in any given period can be accurately gleaned from the twin publications of the Library and Information Statistics Unit (LISU) entitled Annual Library Statistics and Public Libraries Material Fund and Budget Survey. According to Annual Library Statistics, during 2004–5:

  • ■ Public library expenditure increased for the seventh consecutive year, to £18.32 per head of population.

  • ■ Although the greatest part of this was on library staff, over £95 million was spent on books with a further £29 million on audiovisual and electronic materials. Increasing staff costs reflect in part an increase in opening hours.

  • ■ The number of visits to public libraries continued to increase, although fewer books are being borrowed overall. An estimated 48% of the adult population visit the library each year, drawn in part by the information and communications technology (ICT) facilities available in 97% of branches.

  • 10 - Professional and staffing issues

  • from Part 3 - Issues in management and service development
  • David McMenemy
  • Book:
    The Public Library
    Published by:
    Facet
    Published online:
    08 June 2018
    Print publication:
    20 December 2008, pp 163-180

  • Summary

    Introduction

    One of the most vital aspects of any service are the people who plan and deliver it; in public library terms the staff are the key asset in delivering the service to the library user. Public libraries are made up of teams of staff who deliver the diverse range of services previously discussed in Chapters 3 to 6.

    This chapter will discuss the nature of the skills required in public library staff, the professional networks that exist to sustain them, and other issues that impact on staff well-being and development.

    The local authority staffing structure

    As discussed in Chapter 8, public libraries in the UK are part of local authority structure and staff fit within a broad salary and grading structure that reflects their qualifications and experience. Staff roles are normally divided between professional and paraprofessional responsibilities.

    Professional and paraprofessional

    As discussed, functions within public libraries are shared between professional and paraprofessional staff. The nature of which duties should be undertaken by each is sometimes a matter of debate and controversy, as will be discussed further below, and in some library authorities the distinction between duties carried out is blurring.

    Professional duties are normally those that require knowledge of librarianship, for instance leading in reader development activities for children or adults, as well as making and maintaining professional links across the service, and taking responsibility for a service-wide function such as young people's or adult services, or an inclusion remit. Paraprofessional duties are designed to support these activities and will require more direct involvement with the general public, some basic enquiry and reference work, and perhaps undertaking initiatives in the library that have been planned by the professional staff, such as reading activities, facilitating reading groups, and the like.

    As more library authorities have moved from the old model of having a librarian based in and responsible for each library branch, increasingly paraprofessional staff are charged with higher levels of responsibility, such as holding keys for the building, managing a staff team, monitoring revenues, and maintaining sickness and absence records for the branch they manage. These roles are normally for senior library assistants and offer promotion opportunities for paraprofessional staff.

  • 5 - The design/project team

  • Ayub Khan
  • Book:
    Better by Design
    Published by:
    Facet
    Published online:
    08 June 2018
    Print publication:
    20 December 2008, pp 43-56

  • Summary

    A successful project requires skilled people to work together in collaborative teams, inside and outside the organization, in order to design, cost and construct the project. This chapter explores the possible team roles, leadership and key tasks to be completed by the team.

    Team roles

    Many people are likely to be involved in a new library project and they must all have the right skills and ability to work in a team. Crucial to the project's success is the selection of the people and organizations, the definition of what is expected of each and the management of relationships between them so that they work effectively. As much work needs to be put into this as into discovering inspirational projects and best practice benchmarks.

    The in-house team needs to involve people who understand the library manager's needs. Librarians who are new to the world of construction may also want to include within the in-house team an external person as a ‘client adviser’, whose experience will be helpful if they have worked in the past on a range of projects, not just libraries. This will give the library manager broad experience to draw on in helping set the project up, choosing design and construction professionals and assessing how far design proposals really meet project needs.

    The wider project team needs to include a range of professionals, all of whom may be more or less involved at different stages. Success of the project and design quality depends on expertise found within various professions, including architects, surveyors, cost consultants, structural engineers, civil engineers, landscapers and construction teams. The skills of these professionals are interdependent and valuable for the members of a well managed team. Projects can be procured in a number of different ways and, although these may affect the team selection approach, fair, thorough, clear and transparent procedures are essential for any competitive selection. A carefully selected architect and/or client adviser should be well placed to support selection of other professionals. However, in all circumstances it is important to research the capabilities and past performance of potential consultants and contractors.

    Teams may fluctuate in size and composition over time to meet the evolving needs of the project. It is important that all team members are clear about their roles and responsibilities; and lines of communication and rules governing team relationships must also be clear.

  • 5 - Information, advice and informed citizenship

  • from Part 2 - Service themes of the modern public library
  • David McMenemy
  • Book:
    The Public Library
    Published by:
    Facet
    Published online:
    08 June 2018
    Print publication:
    20 December 2008, pp 77-94

  • Summary

    Introduction

    The public library has a vital role to play as a source of trusted and impartial information within its community and in society. As discussed in Chapter 2, this role is historical and the library staff serve as the intermediaries for the user.

    We all need information to go about our daily lives successfully. Yet the information needs of an entire community are potentially complex, and library users require information at different levels. Some need simple forms of information, others need more complex forms. The types of information we may need are diverse, everything from a bus or train timetable, to leaflets on benefits, legal rights, health issues and careers. This is in addition to the more common reference enquiries that libraries regularly undertake, for example checking facts in encyclopedias or directories, or telephone numbers for companies or other organizations. Public libraries provide access to these and other types of information for their communities.

    Information sources selected for users need to be authoritative and accurate, and library staff need to be able to find the correct information for their users as quickly and efficiently as possible.

    This chapter will discuss:

  • ■ the types of information public libraries regularly provide for users

  • ■ the ethical and service challenges in delivering information to users

  • ■ the reference interview

  • ■ the range of services provided by public libraries that can be broadly defined as information services.

    • Information types

    Staff in public libraries must be prepared for enquiries of all types and therefore provide a range of resources, such as:

  • ■ commercially produced reference books, encyclopedias and the like

  • ■ information on the local authority and other governmental sources

  • ■ information on the local history of their area

  • ■ community information

  • ■ information on genealogy and family history.

    • In addition some public libraries offer even more specialist types of reference information, for example on careers, businesses or even health via professionals qualified in the area.

    Specialist reference materials can be an expensive resource for libraries. This high cost is not only related to the limited market for the books, but is also the result of the amount of work that goes into producing many specialist reference works. A reference work loses its usefulness if it is out of date, thus many of the more staple resources for libraries are published annually.

  • Appendix 3 - Top ten tips

  • from Appendices
  • Ayub Khan
  • Book:
    Better by Design
    Published by:
    Facet
    Published online:
    08 June 2018
    Print publication:
    20 December 2008, pp 183-184

  • Summary

    Top ten tips

    … for ensuring that communities and individuals engage with new library spaces.

    (As agreed by library managers/local staff from Birmingham, Solihull, Telford & Wrekin, Warwickshire and Worcestershire and colleagues from MLA, the Big Lottery and Warwick University Business School – at a workshop organized by MLA West Midlands on 13 June 2007)

  • 1 Have the right staff – well motivated, knowledgeable and from diverse backgrounds.

  • 2 Act on what communities are saying – and tell them what you are doing.

  • 3 Design buildings for ‘community’ roles – develop multi-functional spaces.

  • 4 Market effectively from the outset – and continue a dialogue with users and non-users.

  • 5 Create attractive spaces – clean, lighted, signed (with contemporary decor and coffee!).

  • 6 Involve staff in planning for success – and from the very start of the renewal of a space.

  • 7 Future-proof – be flexible, be aware of trends and plan to be ICT/media rich.

  • 8 Make the most of partnerships within and beyond the local authority – avoid the silo mentality.

  • 9 Welcome the architect into the team – not as the enemy but as an equal partner.

  • 10 Look beyond the books/resources – recognize the individual and cater for personalization.

  • Appendix 2 - Ambience – discussion checklist for librarians and architects

  • from Appendices
  • Ayub Khan
  • Book:
    Better by Design
    Published by:
    Facet
    Published online:
    08 June 2018
    Print publication:
    20 December 2008, pp 179-182

  • Summary

    Modernization of libraries

    ■ image of library service and marketing/consultation

    ■ design – responding to lifestyle change

    ■ resources and services

    ■ staff skills and customer care

    ■ buildings/facilities/presentation and layout

    ■ retail approach to be adopted, for example:

  • — bookshops that display and sell books

  • — other retail responses to market forces and leisure retailers (like Nike, Apple stores) with a wider product range than bookshops

  • – rather like libraries

  • — other sectors that libraries can refer to, in addition to retail, for example sports, health

    • Inside the library

    ■ how the layout and presentation could hinder or help

    ■ how design improvements could be made, e.g.:

  • — need to circulate clockwise

  • — use of open spaces

    • Entrance areas

  • ■ systems and procedures before products and services

  • ■ passages and corridors

  • ■ posters or plasma screen

  • ■ presumption of confidence and familiarity

  • ■ vestiges of ‘no entry without a ticket’ attitude

  • ■ restriction of spontaneity

  • ■ entrance area as event or performance space

    • Reception/greeting points

  • ■ impressions

  • ■ size and function of counters – for customers or storage?

  • ■ windbreaks and screens

  • ■ alternatives

    • Sight lines

  • ■ being able to see where users are going

  • ■ establishing clear sight lines

  • ■ gathering points

  • ■ staff availability for help

    • Creating space

  • ■ a fresh assessment of time-honoured use

  • ■ examining what is flexible in the building's structure

    • Use of space

  • ■ arriving

  • ■ learning

  • ■ studying

  • ■ privacy

  • ■ browsing – new groupings/arrangements of stock

  • ■ reading and relaxing/resting

  • ■ information

  • ■ younger children

  • ■ older children/young adults

  • ■ different ambiences for different spaces

  • ■ positioning of different spaces

  • ■ events and activities

  • ■ public art

    • Guiding

  • ■ clear/flexible

  • ■ visible

  • ■ attractive and dyslexia friendly – mix of very visible text and images

  • ■ house style

    • Furniture

  • ■ interior design ideas in support of use of space

  • ■ presentation of posters/leaflets

  • ■ displays

  • ■ replacement

  • ■ group seating

  • ■ study

  • ■ sofa/easy chairs

    • Shelving

  • ■ mobility and flexibility

  • ■ open/closed access

  • ■ age groups

  • ■ disability

    • Equipment

  • ■ PCs

  • ■ photocopier

  • ■ baskets and personal trolleys

    • Facilities

  • ■ refreshments/café

  • ■ vending area

  • ■ use of mobile phones

    • Colour and images

  • ■ reflecting diversity

  • ■ community of interest

  • ■ overall style to complement space/purpose

    • Lighting schemes

  • ■ variable/flexible

    • Events and activities

  • ■ transforming space for events and performances

  • 9 - Design quality

  • Ayub Khan
  • Book:
    Better by Design
    Published by:
    Facet
    Published online:
    08 June 2018
    Print publication:
    20 December 2008, pp 97-116

  • Summary

    The design of library buildings should be addressed at three levels: urban design, building design and interior design. Each has specific requirements which involve dialogue with user and interest groups, and each level has its own exacting demands which cannot be overlooked. This chapter explores the different elements of design quality.

    Urban design

    In pointing out the importance of good urban design CABE sets out to define what that entails: ‘By good design we mean design that is fit for purpose, sustainable, efficient, coherent, flexible, responsive to context, good looking and a clear expression of the requirements of the brief’ (CABE, 2006b, 5).

    Those who are planning and designing a new public library need to bear in mind its place as a civic building, while academic libraries need to be at the hub of college or university activity. In addition to supporting their ever developing collections and needs, it is essential that libraries are close to pedestrian traffic and public transport. The external library space should be free of cars but there needs to be provision for disabled access and facilities for the storage of bicycles.

    Most libraries will have a public ‘front’ and a service entrance, the latter often at the rear or underneath the building. The public entrance is often a space where users gather together immediately in front of or outside the door itself. It should be a place where users can meet, chat and take short breaks. Therefore it can be helpful to design it in a similar way to a public mall, with attention to landscape design, seating and personal safety.

    The entrance doors themselves need to be wide and transparent; as soon as they arrive, users should be able to see, and feel invited into, the interior of the library. It should also be possible to view the major library spaces from the outside; too frequently the demands for security interrupt the physical and visible flows between the inside and outside worlds.

    Life expectancy of different functions of the building

    Buildings are comparatively permanent, while the organization and activities within them are continuously changing. ‘Shell and core’ describe the building envelope, its structure and ‘skin’ (walls and columns), and its servicing elements (stairs, lifts, lavatories, lobbies, ducts and plant rooms).

  • 11 - Occupancy and post-occupancy evaluation

  • Ayub Khan
  • Book:
    Better by Design
    Published by:
    Facet
    Published online:
    08 June 2018
    Print publication:
    20 December 2008, pp 137-142

  • Summary

    Building occupancy is an area of planning that is often forgotten. Once the building phase is over, there is other work to be done. There needs to be careful preparation and planning for ‘the move’. There also needs to be an evaluation process. This chapter briefly explores these.

    Undoubtedly there is still a role for the information professional in a physical space. The adaptability of that space will be increasingly important.

    (Angela Dove (Dove, 2004, 24))

    The first year in a new building can be almost as stressful as the time leading up to the move. No new building is free from flaws, and there will be a number of construction mistakes to deal with. Also, only when the building is functioning will staff find out how people really use it, and the best laid plans can be thwarted by the flow of the new building dynamics. So this must be built into the planning and budget process.

    Handover

    This is a formal procedure in which the building is explained to the client who then takes on full ownership and responsibility for its management.

    Moving in

    The move itself needs to be planned – possibly phased – and staff need to be given an opportunity to familiarize themselves with the building and the equipment.

    The first few months in a new building are by far the most testing. All kinds of unexpected problems can occur. This is normal and the librarian and others involved should not be too hard on themselves.

    Even if construction has been uneventful and the building is on schedule, it might be advisable to delay moving in valuable material or archival collections, so the environment can settle.

    When the building is handed over to the client, many systems need to be tested in normal use, such as lifts, lights, security systems, heating, plumbing and drainage. As equipment starts to be used, the system needs balancing until everything works as planned. This is quite usual in the early days. Although many systems will need to be tested and fine-tuned, some, like heating and ventilation systems, may need a full cycle of use over a whole year in order to be fully tested.

  • 12 - Conclusion: the public library of tomorrow

  • from Part 3 - Issues in management and service development
  • David McMenemy
  • Book:
    The Public Library
    Published by:
    Facet
    Published online:
    08 June 2018
    Print publication:
    20 December 2008, pp 197-206

  • Summary

    Introduction

    This text has sought to discuss the nature of the services on offer in the modern public library, where those services originated from, and how librarians have dealt with the service challenges facing them in the modern era. This final chapter will reflect on all of this and pose some questions for the future; as a result it may appear more polemical in tone than the chapters that have preceded it as it seeks to ask some fundamental questions.

    Predicting what will happen to public libraries over the years to come is a difficult endeavour. Certainly voices predicting their demise seem to be built on flimsy foundations, but equally it would be a brave commentator who argued that the future will be completely trouble-free and rosy. How society is synthesizing information is changing in a revolutionary way and public libraries may or may not fit into that. There is, however, an in-built ignorance in doomsayers who predict the demise of public libraries. The drop in book issues is a definite cause for concern, but in truth they should never have been used as the primary benchmark for the success of public libraries, and in a world where the modern person has a multitude of calls on their leisure time it seems complacent in the extreme to do so.

    Public libraries: an outdated concept?

    The first question that society and the profession will have to consider is whether the public library is a concept that has served its purpose. The original reasons why they were introduced could be argued to be of lesser importance today, since literacy and numeracy rates are now much higher than they were in the Victorian era. Book prices have come down considerably, especially since the collapse of the Net Book Agreement in the 1990s. Thus many more people are now able to afford books than they could even 20 years ago.

    Equally, however, the concerns with ensuring that everyone is able to access the best materials have not in any way dissipated. Although many can afford to buy what they need, many still cannot, and without a public library service they would be excluded from accessing the materials that enhance their life through the enjoyment of the recreational, learning and cultural experiences that libraries provide.

  • 4 - Project management

  • Ayub Khan
  • Book:
    Better by Design
    Published by:
    Facet
    Published online:
    08 June 2018
    Print publication:
    20 December 2008, pp 27-42

  • Summary

    Project management is the application of good management practices in a structured manner. This technique can apply equally to both larger- and smaller-scale projects such as a scheme to introduce short-loan collections in an academic library, the implementation of a computerized issue system in a school library or resource centre or the creation of a new library. In this chapter the main components of project management are discussed.

    In the case of a small-scale project, it may not be necessary to know all the detail in this chapter, but there are fundamental principles here for project management in general, not just in the sphere of library building.

    Definition

    When the term ‘project’ is used it conjures up a variety of images in readers but each has the following characteristics:

  • ■ a finite life-span

  • ■ a defined and measurable business product (what is being created – e.g. a new or refurbished library)

  • ■ a corresponding set of activities to achieve the business product

  • ■ a defined amount of resources.

    • A project also sits within an organizational structure with defined roles and responsibilities, where often the task is unique or non-repetitive.

    One definition of project management is: ‘a management environment that is created for the purpose of delivering one or more business projects to a specified Business Case’ (PRINCE2, www.ogc.gov.uk/methods_ prince_2./asp). A more straightforward definition (offered by this author) might be: ‘A definitive task undertaken to create a specific product or service’. This might be the creation of a new library resource centre.

    There is no right or wrong way to manage a project. There is, however, agreed best practice to help increase the chances of project success. Many projects fail for a number of common reasons, including:

  • ■ lack of well defined requirements

  • ■ lack of communication

  • ■ lack of change control leading to ‘scope creep’ (the project taking on additional tasks and remit)

  • ■ lack of sound business reasons for the project

  • ■ lack of senior management commitment

  • ■ lack of planning.

    • Projects that are successful usually have defined deliverables (what will be achieved), well defined objectives and a worthwhile and viable business case. These characteristics are particularly important in building projects.

Page 256 of 302