*With apologies for cross posting*

National Forum for Information Planning (NFIP)

21 April 2000              News Release

Framework for learning partnerships demanded ­

NFIP links collaboration to funding

Recommendations to Government on ways to promote "libraries for learning"
have received strong backing from the National Forum for Information
Planning (NFIP). Welcoming the publication by the Library and Information
Commission (LIC) of its Education and Libraries Task Group report
"Empowering the learning community", NFIP says that its own experience of
developing library co-operation points to two requirements:

- a strategic national framework to enable local partnerships to succeed;
- future funding should be dependent on local collaboration.

NFIP adds that it is vital to recognise the value of the role and structure
of existing Library and Information Plans (LIPs) and the wealth of
experience within the membership of NFIP itself, and calls on Resource: The
Council for Museums, Archives and Libraries to demonstrate its willingness
and ability to take this important agenda forward.

In its response to "Empowering the learning community", NFIP notes that the
current emphasis on lifelong learning has brought attention back to the
public library and its relationship with the education sector. It agrees
with the Task Group that there should be better co-ordination between public
and academic libraries, and adds that although most educational bodies are
committed to meeting the needs of the local community, this does not always
translate into top-level support for library co-operation.

Supporting the recommendation that "public and educational libraries in
communities or defined geographical areas should establish co-operative
arrangements to improve services to their users", NFIP says it will be
necessary to look at LIPs in more detail (some LIPs are identified in the
report as examples of good practice). NFIP suggests that Learning and Skills
Councils could facilitate existing LIPs and support the development of new
ones.

NFIP endorses the report's focus on social inclusion and supports the use of
Annual Library Plans and Lifelong Learning Development Plans to co-ordinate
strategies for reaching excluded groups. It backs the recommendation that
cross-sectoral funding arrangements should be established, including an
"element which is measured against progress towards closer cross-sectoral
community partnerships". Building into all funding regimes a requirement for
collaboration would help to focus attention at a strategic level on the
desirability of collaboration.

Notes to Editors

1.  "Empowering the learning community". Report of the Education and
Libraries Task Group to the Secretaries of State for Culture, Media & Sport
and for Education & Employment. Library and Information Commission, March
2000 <http://www.lic.gov.uk/publications/policyreports/empower/index.html> 

The Report's four Recommendations for Action are printed below.

2.  Resource: The Council for Museums, Archives and Libraries, established
on 1 April 2000, is the successor body to the Library and Information
Commission.

3.  The full text of the NFIP Response is available from NFIP Chair Carl
Clayton, Director, SINTO, Learning Centre, Sheffield Hallam University, Pond
Street, Sheffield S1 1WB.
Tel: 0114 225 4711.  Fax: 0114 225 4755.  E-mail: [log in to unmask]

4.  The National Forum for Information Planning (NFIP) was established as
LIPLINC in 1989 at the request of the Office of Arts and Libraries to
monitor the development of Library and Information Plans (LIPs) in the UK.
It consists of LIP Directors and Managers together with representatives of
other cross-sectoral UK library and information networks. The British
Library Co-operation and Partnership Programme has Observer status. NFIP is
a Panel of LINC, the Library and Information Co-operation Council.

5. For further information on NFIP, contact: NFIP Chair Carl Clayton,
Director, SINTO, Learning Centre, Sheffield Hallam University, Pond Street,
Sheffield S1 1WB.
Tel: 0114 225 4711.  Fax: 0114 225 4755.  E-mail: [log in to unmask]

6.  News release issued for NFIP by Pat Wressell Associates, Press Officer.
Tel: 0191 281 3502.  Fax: 0191 212 0146.  E-mail: [log in to unmask]

"Empowering the learning community": Recommendations for Action

1.  Public and educational libraries in communities or defined geographic
areas should establish co-operative arrangements to improve services to
their users.

2. Cross-sectoral funding arrangements should be established. Funding for
libraries in all sectors should include an element which is measured against
progress towards closer cross-sectoral community partnerships.

3.  Public and educational libraries in any community or region should draw
up 'access maps' to enable users and learners to reach resources or
assistance in other libraries on a managed basis. Consideration should also
be given to making provision of school library and information services a
statutory requirement.

4. Training programmes for librarians, resource managers and teachers should
be co-ordinated and should include ways of developing mutual support.
Objective and quantifiable performance measures should be set for all these
collaborative strategies.


%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%