Public Libraries: Select Committee report welcomed by Laser Foundation.
'Making an Impact' needed now more than ever!

The Laser Foundation has been encouraged by many of the conclusions of the
Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee's latest report on England's
public libraries.  However, the report again highlights the need for action
by the sector in demonstrating and proving the value and impact made by
public libraries.

The Laser Foundation has recognised this issue for some time and, reflecting
the increasing debate in libraries and the wider cultural services sector on
how services can demonstrate a broader impact on a wide range of local and
national priorities, the Laser Foundation commissioned
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC) in 2004 to undertake the Libraries Impact
Project.

*       In the project, PwC have been asked to establish how to develop and
use measures to enable a library service to identify its impact on four of
the shared priorities between central and local government (children,
education, health and older people).  These four shared priorities were
identified by the Laser Foundation in commissioning the work.

*       In this work, PwC have sought to link the measures which have been
developed to library activities in the relevant shared priority areas as
well as to the central and local government policies and targets which
underpin each of the shared priority themes.

*       The Laser Foundation and PwC work will complement and add to the
wider activities in this area, being carried out by DCMS/ACL/MLA, led by
David Lightfoot of Lancashire County Libraries, and support the drive to
develop approaches to measure social impact of public libraries.  In
particular, the work should add value by supporting local authorities in
developing local measures in line with likely Audit Commission requirements
and in setting out issues and approaches which could support authorities in
collecting evidence for national measures.

*       This work will demonstrate how to use the measures locally - drawing
on the experience of pilot authorities - in showing libraries' impact on
wider policy areas affecting the shared priorities.  This will be
underpinned by the development of methodologies to show how to implement the
measures locally in other library authorities.

*       The work will offer further practical evidence of how libraries'
contributions to a number of policy areas can be assessed and demonstrated
and show how the lessons can be transferred to other library authorities.
The final project report, containing the measures and methodologies, is due
to be published in the spring.



Notes:

1.       Laser Foundation Laser Foundation. Created from the transfer of the
Laser Company and the transfer of funds, into the grant making trust The
Laser Foundation, in 2001. It funds projects, research, development and
related activities supporting the public library sector. For more
information contact the Company secretary, Frances Hendrix, C/o Martin House
Farm, Hilltop Lane, Whittle le Woods, Nr. Chorley, Lancs. PR6 7QR
Email: [log in to unmask] (01257 274833)

2. PWC - contact Ian Moore, 0207 804 0386, [log in to unmask]
<mailto:[log in to unmask]>


3.    The Select Committee Report  can be viewed in pdf at


<http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm200405/cmselect/cmcu
meds/81/81i.pdf>
http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm200405/cmselect/cmcum
eds/81/81i.pdf

<http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm200405/cmselect/cmcu
meds/81/81ii.pdf>
http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm200405/cmselect/cmcum
eds/81/81ii.pdf


____________________________
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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