PRESS RELEASE
Outsourcing and externalisation by libraries, museums and archives
Bournemouth University and Capital Planning Information (CPI) have been
commissioned by re:source the successor organisation to the Library and
Information Commission and the Museums, Libraries and Archives Commission,
to investigate outsourcing and externalisation in the library and
information, museums and archives fields. The study will be led by David
Ball, University Librarian, Bournemouth University. The research began in
April 2000 and will be undertaken over a period of 12 months. The project
will be advised by a Project Board drawn from the three sectors and
including Mark Taylor, Director of the Museums Association, who commented
"this study is timely and will enable Museums, Libraries and Archives to
share experiences about the most efficient means of delivering the services
the public require". Other board members include: Diana Edmonds, Instant
Library Nigel Macartney, University of Ulster, Lyndsay Rees-Jones, The
Library Association, David Ruse, Westminster City Council, Isobel
Thompson, re:source, Linda Wishart, Department of Health
Scope of the study
The study will be cross-sectoral in approach, drawing together for the
first time the practice and opportunities for outsourcing across the three
sectors in the remit of re:source. It will investigate:
· The range and scope of outsourcing and externalisation in the museums,
libraries and archives sectors
· The potential for further outsourcing
· An assessment of the effects of the external economic, political and
technical pressures on service providers leading to change
· An assessment of the capabilities, readiness, interests and future plans
of potential suppliers and agents in the market place
The research will provide the following benefits:
· Provide an assessment of the practicalities and economic potential of
outsourcing across the three sectors for all stakeholders
· Inform companies and organisations wishing to be involved in outsourcing
· Inform managers of museums, libraries and archives attempting to assess
the benefits and potential for outsourcing within their organisations
· Give impetus to a nascent market
· Support the synergistic aims of re:source
One of the major outcomes of the research will be the design of a decision
matrix for judging the potential within an organisation for outsourcing.
Background
Moves towards encouraging public/private sector partnerships, through such
schemes as the Private Finance Initiative (PFI) and Public Private
Partnerships (PPP), are opening up new possibilities for funding public
service provision and the operation of the resulting asset by the private
sector.
For public organisations that fund libraries, museums and archives, whether
central or local government, European Union guidelines affecting
procurement practice may now be on the verge of introducing new flexibility
into the purchasing process. Central government initiatives such as Best
Value in the provision of local government services will also require
alternative methods of service delivery to be rigorously compared with
in-house provision.
There is a substantial body of experience in outsourcing and
externalisation, within the museums and archives sectors, involving buying
in professional, technical or clerical expertise from external sources or
internal departments. The lessons learnt by these institutions may be
transferable to the library sector.
Market testing in libraries has been applied to technical services
sections, while other studies have been conducted to determine potential
for contracting out a range of library functions, some of which may already
be handled by administrative departments.
Further information from David Ball Tel 01202 595044 email
[log in to unmask]
or David Barton Tel 01749 812963 email [log in to unmask]
Ends
Note for Editors
CPI is a consultancy and research company specialising in the field of
library and information services. Established in 1976.
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