**Apologies for cross posting**
The Bidding Culture and Local Government:
Effects on the Development of Public Libraries, Archives and Museums
A new report is now available from the University of Northumbria detailing
the findings of recently completed Resource funded research into the effects
of the competitive bidding culture on the development of Public Libraries,
Archives and Registered Museums in England.
After a long period of apparent stability, the past two or three decades
have seen major changes in the way that public cultural services are
delivered, and further change is still high on the political agenda. The
contemporary competitive performance culture in the public services has many
dimensions; one of these being the need for archives, libraries and museums
actively to win resources, rather than simply receive them, from funders as
diverse as The Heritage Lottery Fund, private trusts and foundations, and
the European Union.
Commissioned and funded by Resource, the research was conducted by staff
from the University of Northumbria from March 2000 to April 2001, with
dissemination activity continuing well after this period. Its findings are
expected to inform the continuing debate about the governance, funding and
management of this closely connected set of services.
The research reports that over the past three years there has been a marked
rise in bidding activity in all three domains, and that successful bidding
has yielded real, tangible benefits to archives, libraries and museums.
Levels of successful participation however varied dramatically with a range
of factors influencing the ability of organisations and managers to benefit
equally from the funding initiatives on offer. Report findings cover the
following areas:
* The extent and scale of competitive bidding;
* Strategic approaches to managing the bidding culture;
* Sustainability (during the bid writing, throughout the project and
at the end of the project);
* Social inclusion;
* Cross-sectoral working and broader partnerships;
* Effects of bidding;
* Funding body issues.
Key recommendations and good practice are offered for bidders, awarding
bodies, and Resource itself.
A limited number of copies of the report are available upon request from
Information Management Research Institute (IMRI) at the University of
Northumbria. Copies are free, but interested parties will be asked to cover
postage charges. In addition the full report, and a summary overview of the
project (both pdf documents), can be found to view and download via the
Bidding Culture research pages of the IMRI website
(http://is.unn.ac.uk/imri).
For further details of availability contact:
Maureen Dickson,
Administrator,
Information Management Research Institute,
School of Information Studies,
University of Northumbria
Lipman Building
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 8ST
Tel: 0191 227 3222
Fax: 0191 227 3671
Email: [log in to unmask]
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Graham Coulson
Research Assistant
Information Management Research Institute
School of Information Studies
Lipman Building
University of Northumbria at Newcastle
Newcastle upon Tyne
England
NE1 8ST
Tel: 0191 227 4910
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
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