The British Library
CILIP: the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals
Resource: the Council for Museums, Archives and Libraries

Joint Media Release
20 October 2002


"BIG STRIDES" IN LIBRARY REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT, BUT PROGRESS STILL PATCHY

Extra support needed in some regions, says Snapshot report

"Adequate capacity" should be found from the budgets of the regional
agencies for museums, archives and libraries to ensure that regional library
development can progress, concludes A Baseline for Library & Information
Service Regional Development, a snapshot of progress to date prepared by
libraries Regional Development Officer (RDO) Geoff Warren.  The result of
extensive consultation and information gathering across the nine English
library regions since the start of the regional development project in March
2002, the report also calls for joint activity to be encouraged, to help
prevent unnecessary duplication and ensure sharing of best practice and
thinking.

"The document reinforces the RDO Steering Group's view that library and
information services in England must get engaged in the regional agenda,"
says its Chair Bob McKee in the foreword to the report.  "Devolution is
here, so what are library and information communities going to do about it
to the advantage of our users and services?"

Currently, progress varies greatly from region to region, the report
concludes.  "It will be a big challenge to balance legitimately diverse
approaches in the regions with England-wide coherence," Geoff Warren says.
"The political thrust will point one way - towards devolution and
regionalism - while the professional approach in terms of subject content
and networking will point in the opposite direction."

There is general agreement among the organisations consulted that regional
library development should be planned for and managed within the widest
possible context, covering all library and information sectors.  Forums of
library and information sector interests should be encouraged in each
region, the report recommends, to ensure that the appropriate regional
agency for museums, archives and libraries is fully attentive to the key
library and information issues that will contribute to its own success.

A Baseline for Library & Information Service Regional Development is
available on the Web at: www.bl.uk/concord/otherpubrdo.html

For further information, contact:

Geoff Warren, Regional Development Officer (for libraries in England)
Tel: 01299 827757  Mobile: 07855 269883 E-mail:
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Notes to Editors

CILIP: the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals is
the leading professional body for librarians, information specialists and
knowledge managers, with around 23,000 members working in all sectors.

Resource: the Council for Museums, Archives and Libraries is a government
agency, sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to provide
strategic leadership, advocacy and advice to museums, archives and
libraries.

The British Library works in partnership with others in the library and
information domain, through its Co-operation and Partnership Programme, to
encourage and facilitate partnerships and collaborative activity in key
areas of library activity.

Geoff Warren has been seconded for two years from the Libraries Partnership,
West Midlands, to the national post of Regional Development Officer for
libraries in England.  The post is jointly funded by CILIP, Resource and the
British Library, and the work will be guided by a steering group of the
three funding partners as well as other key stakeholders.

- Ends -


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