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Five year plan aims to make every library a great library (Thursday 15 May 2008) An Action Plan designed to set the course for Libraries over the next five years is published today. The Action Plan (PDF 70KB) <http://www.mla.gov.uk/resources/assets/L/Library_Action_Plan_13241.pdf> from the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council is the result of extensive consultation and engagement with stakeholders and sets out an agenda for change for public libraries in England with the aspiration of making every public library a great public library. Best practice is at work in great libraries in communities across England. MLA will promote excellent services and help the rest match the best. The Action Plan will also see MLA: Examine options for governance, funding, management and delivery structures to improve the effectiveness and impact of libraries services and to establish political support for change. Maintain support for national ventures such as Find your Talent, the National Year of Reading, the Youth Offer, Living Places, the Cultural Olympiad and Personalised Health Services as a means of improving services Make an effective case for faster broadband connections in public libraries with greater bandwidth. Manage digital data environments and further extend the provision of free or low cost reference materials to public libraries through centrally negotiated contracts with providers. Promote 'Libraries Online' to deliver 21st century learning, information and creative digital environments. Roy Clare said: "Now the MLA is guiding a drive for improvement in public libraries through a far-sighted five-year Action Plan that will draw attention to best practice, promote innovation and work towards new national arrangements for digital services, including faster broadband and better access for all people, wherever they may be. Many of our fantastic public libraries are already playing a vital role and providing essential services at the heart of our communities; the rest need to catch up with the best" He continued: More than 50% of the population are members of public libraries; more people use them than attend premier league football matches" ENDS http://www.mla.gov.uk/news/press_releases/Five_year_plan_to_make_every_l ibrary_a_great_library Kind regards, Richard Archer MLA North East House of Recovery Bath Lane Newcastle upon Tyne NE4 5SQ Tel: 0191 269 7982 Minicom available Fax: 0191 261 4725 e-Mail: [log in to unmask] Web site: http://www.mlanortheast.org.uk <http://www.mlanortheast.org.uk/> If you are visiting MLA North East offices for a meeting, training, or just a chat, please inform us beforehand if you have any access needs or requirements. ********************************************************************** This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. If you have received this email in error please notify the system manager. All incoming and outgoing e-mails are monitored for the presence of profanity and racist remarks, pornographic, sexually explicit or obscene material, and unsolicited content or spam. This footnote also confirms that this email message has been swept by MIMEsweeper for the presence of computer viruses. www.mimesweeper.com City of Newcastle website:- http://www.newcastle.gov.uk Newcastle Schools website:- http://www.newcastle-schools.org.uk Visit NewcastleGateshead:- http://www.newcastlegateshead.com Directgov:- http://www.directgov.gov.uk **********************************************************************