 |
 |
*With apologies for cross posting* Library & Information Co-operation Council (LINC) 31 July 2000 News Release Empowering the learning community LINC responds to LIC report The Library and Information Co-operation Council (LINC) has responded to 'Empowering the learning community', the Report of the Education and Libraries Task Group to the Secretaries of State for Culture, Media & Sport and for Education & Employment. In a joint Response with its Panel the National Forum for Information Planning (NFIP), LINC agrees that libraries have a prime role to facilitate education and self development. The current emphasis on lifelong learning rightly focuses on the public library and its relationship with the education sector. LINC argues, however, that library and information funding has been inadequate for many years, and this needs to be redressed if libraries are to play their full part in the nation's well-being. LINC welcomes the Report's emphasis on co-operation between public and academic libraries. There are many examples of good practice in cross-sectoral schemes, and much is to be learned from consideration of these models. On the new Learning and Skills Councils, LINC agrees that a facilitating role in supporting cross-sectoral collaboration could be productive, as long as there is a commitment to providing real practical support for co-operation and to working with existing co-operative schemes. On planning processes, LINC supports the suggestion that Annual Library Plans and Lifelong Learning Development Plans provide the basis for an integrated approach. Supporting the Report's proposal to encourage mechanisms for co-ordinated purchasing, LINC notes that the academic sector has a wealth of experience which could be shared. Identification, mapping and description of resources are key factors in creating effective foundations for collaborative purchasing. Endorsing the proposal to establish cross-sectoral funding arrangements, LINC adds that making these conditional on participation in collaborative schemes could be beneficial to existing organisations with a track record in this field. The Full Disclosure and People's Heritage projects should both be supported as key elements for improving cross-sectoral collaboration for the benefit of learners, and the creation of access maps, enabling users and learners to reach resources in other libraries on a managed basis, would be a major contribution to the improvement of overall access. The proposal that schools should be subject to a statutory requirement to provide adequate library facilities is strongly supported. Statutory underpinning of school libraries and their support from public libraries would do much to improve and restore cross-sectoral co-operation for study and learning. LINC backs the Report's encouragement to funding bodies to set standards for the assessment of success in developing co-operative strategies. These should include promoting the importance of information skills to teachers, training librarians in educational guidance, and training to understand the strategic importance of co-operation and information planning. /ends. 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 & 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. LINC is the leading representative organisation promoting co-operation and partnership in the UK and Republic of Ireland. Its members include the British Library, the National Library of Scotland, the Irish Library Council, LISC (NI), Interlending Wales, LA, SCONUL, the Society of Chief Librarians, six English Library Regions, and a range of organisations with an interest in co-operation. It has three Panels: LINC NEWSPLAN Panel, NFIP (National Forum for Information Planning) and LINC Health Panel. For further information on LINC and copies of the full response, contact: LINC Honorary Secretary Paul Turner, County Librarian, Hampshire, 81 North Walls, Winchester SO23 8BY. Tel: 01962 846 109. [log in to unmask] 3. News release issued for LINC by Pat Wressell Associates, Press Officer. Tel: 0191 281 3502. Fax: 0191 212 0146. [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. _____________ %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%