Press Release: Measuring Up: Public Libraries do make an Impact!

 

"Public Libraries can and do have a vital impact on communities" is the
conclusion of a highly-regarded investigation and report conducted by
PricewaterhouseCoopers [1] <outbind://7/#_edn1>  and published by the
Laser Foundation[2] <outbind://7/#_edn2> . 

 

The investigation followed the work of seven pilot public libraries
across the Country and took into account four of the CPA (Comprehensive
Performance Assessment) areas set by government. The conclusive findings
were that public libraries impact on cross-cutting priorities and
agendas, such as learning, health, social inclusion and community
cohesion.

 

The focus of the report was on exploring both harder edged data and
qualitative information that demonstrates libraries' impact in a robust
way. The report has provided evidence of how the pilot libraries have
impacted on health and quality of life for children, young people,
families and older people. There was also confirmation that public
library services boost educational attainment and support lifelong
learning. 

 

The report doesn't merely champion our public libraries, but aims to
develop widely applicable methods for the libraries themselves to
develop appropriate and robust measures to demonstrate their fundamental
contribution to communities.

 

The work adds value by supporting local authorities as they develop
local measures in line with likely Audit Commission requirements. It
sets out issues and approaches which should help authorities collect the
evidence required from the Government as it develops a national
blueprint for local services. 

 

Professor Mark Hepworth, Director of Local Futures[3]
<outbind://7/#_edn3>  said,

 

"This report is a timely contribution to current debates on the future
role of public libraries and the highly complex issues surrounding their
measurable impacts on social development and national and local
priorities". 

 

David Lammy MP, Minister for Culture, said,

 

"Libraries are an essential part of a community. The report published
today is all about their impact in different parts of the country. It is
important that all of us with an interest in libraries or in building
better communities, understand the contribution libraries make, and this
report helps to do just that. And that is why the Department for Culture
has included Impact Measures in the Comprehensive Performance Assessment
of local authorities, and separately why the Laser Foundation offers
this additional toolkit to library services: I hope it proves useful. In
DCMS we will be pressing on with partners to develop further the CPA
Impact Measures, and to show the power of public libraries to help
communities and individuals."

 

Stephen Walters from one of the pilot authorities, Gateshead Council
Libraries, said,

 

"The experience of participating in this work has enabled us to
consolidate on a range of work that we have been involved in. The
improved analysis and evaluation of this work resulted in findings that
demonstrated a real impact. This has given us concrete evidence to take
to the rest of the Council on the library service's contribution to the
delivery of health improvement."

 

Professor F W Bullock who chaired the Steering Group said,

 

"The importance of this work is that it defines a set of widely
applicable methodologies for measuring, in a reproducible way, the
beneficial impact that libraries have on their local communities.
Widespread use of these measures will demonstrate how underestimated has
been the contribution of the Public Library sector to the shared
priorities between local and central government."

 

The work will be discussed at a launch event on the morning of 4 July
2005 in Central London to coincide with the publication of the work.

 

Copies of the full document can be obtained from the Laser Foundation
site at http://www.bl.uk/about/cooperation/laser-pubs.html
<http://www.bl.uk/about/cooperation/laser-pubs.html> , or by emailing
Sandra Horgan at [log in to unmask]
<mailto:[log in to unmask]> .

 

Ends

 


  _____  

<outbind://7/#_ednref1> Notes for Editors

 

[1] PricewaterhouseCoopers (www.pwc.com/uk) provides industry-focused
assurance, tax and advisory services for public and private clients.
More than 120,000 people in 144 countries connect their thinking,
experience and solutions to build public trust and enhance value for
clients and their stakeholders.

 

Unless otherwise indicated, PricewaterhouseCoopers refers to
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP a limited liability partnership incorporated
in England. PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP is a member firm of
PricewaterhouseCoopers International Limited.

 

Contact: Derek Nash, media relations, PricewaterhouseCoopers: tel. 020
78043058 email [log in to unmask]

 

[2] <outbind://7/#_ednref2>  The Laser Foundation is a grant making
trust whose mission is to improve library facilities available to the
public. 

 

Recent recipients of grants have included Reading Borough Libraries (to
build a new sensory children's library and train staff), Senate House
Library (to make archives more accessible to public library users) and
the Clore Duffield Foundation (to sponsor a dynamic and promising public
librarian to undertake the one-year Clore Leadership Programme). 

 

For more information, contact:

Frances Hendrix

Company Secretary

c/o Martin House Farm, Hilltop Lane, Whittle-le-Woods, Near Chorley,
Lancashire PR6 7QR

Tel: 01257 274 833 

Fax: 01257 266 488 

E-mail [log in to unmask]

http://www.bl.uk/about/cooperation/laser.html

 

 

[3] <outbind://7/#_ednref3>  Professor Mark Hepworth is a Director of
Local Futures, leading its policy and research. His series of studies on
the regional knowledge economy for the Regional Development Agencies and
the DTI feature in the Government's Innovation Report and the 21st
Century Skills White Paper.  Mark is Visiting Professor in Economic
Geography at Birkbeck College, University of London. He has published
seminal academic work on the geography of the information society,
including the books Geography of the Information Economy and Transport
in the Information Age. He has taught and researched at a number of
overseas universities, including Taiwan, Stuttgart and New York. Mark
has worked as a policy consultant on regional and urban economic
development for the OECD, EC, UN and various national governments. His
articles have appeared in The Times, The Observer, The Guardian and
various other publications.

 
____________________________
Henry Girling
Regional and Library Programmes
The British Library
96 Euston Road
London
NW1 2DB
T: 020 7412 7333
F: 020 7412 7155
E: [log in to unmask]
W: www.bl.uk/about/cooperation/cooperation.html
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