Regional Libraries

the NSW experience

Jan Richards, Manager, Central West Libraries

NSW Public Library Network

97 library services 363 service points 3,301,072 members (46% population) across all demographics 37,008,871 visits per annum 50,585,814 loans per annum many more people use libraries on a

“needs” basis 100% internet access

Governance Framework

Public libraries in NSW operate under: Library Act 1939 Library Regulation 2010 Local Government Act 1993 …plus other relevant legislation (EEO, Privacy,

OH&S, Copyright) and ALIA policies and standards

Funding

Local Government: At least 91% State Government subsidy: $1.85 per

capita plus disability and geographical adjustments

Library Development Grants:$1,190,119 plus Country Public Libraries fund

Public Libraries/SLNSW

Public Library Services: Specialist advice and support to all local

councils Facilitates grants and subsidies program Identifies and researches industry-wide

issues Collects and disseminating data on NSW

public libraries

PLS cont …

Develops standards and guidelines for library services and buildings

Supports professional development Multicultural collections NSW.net Provides expert advice to Government

The Models

Standalone Regional Cooperative

Library Models in NSW (2007) John Liddle

http://www.plnsw.org.au/reports.htm

Regional Libraries

Regional Libraries are enabled under S 12 of the Library Act

New legislation S12A provides greater flexibility

Currently 70 councils (68 in country NSW) are party to s12 agreements for regional library services (ie 46%)

Regional Library Services

19 Regional and Joint Use Library Services

18 country, 1 metropolitan No 2 are the same!

Characteristics

Member Councils represented through a committee

Executive Council employs ‘shared’ staff. Other staff can be employed by Executive Council or individual councils

Regional Library Managers report through their Committee and through the Executive Council.

Characteristics cont …

Executive Councils perform a range of services which can include library administration, collection development and management, IT and communications, information and reference services, program development and support, marketing and promotion, grant applications and capital works support

Perceived Benefits

Economy of scale Regional responsibility Compensates for small council's

diseconomies of scale Employment of specialist staff Builds unity between staff Provision of mobile services IT and communications capabilities

Perceived Concerns

Small councils lack options Loss of local identity Loss of autonomy Lack of common or minimum service

delivery standards Threat of withdrawal Buildings and fittings

Central West Libraries

Established 1956 Population 81,800 Area 15,700 sq km

Orange Cabonne Blayney Forbes Cowra

CWL

5 councils, 7 libraries Executive Council = Orange City CWL Committee meets twice a year Established funding formula and

service standards All staff employed by Executive

Council Single LMS

CWL

Centralised collection development

Library wide policies and procedures

Set processes with in-built flexibility

Branding with local flavour

Shared and individual programs

CWL

Specialist staff Commercial

Couriers Strong inter-council

team

North Western Library

Established 1984 Population 14,811 Area 40 241sq km

Warren Bogan Coonamble Gilgandra

NWL

4 councils, 4 libraries Executive Council = Warren Shire NWL Committee meets once a year Simple funding formula All staff employed by Member Councils Single LMS

NWL

Centralised collection development

Limited policies and procedures

Set processes No shared

branding Individual programs

NWL

Limited specialist staff Strong working relationship

Richmond Tweed Regional Library

Established 1971 Population 209,196 Area 3,651 sq km

Lismore Ballina Byron Tweed

RTRL – a case study in change

4 councils, 11 libraries, 1 mobile Executive Council = Lismore City

Lismore 45,645 Ballina 42,432 Byron 32,126 Tweed 88,993

Riverina Regional Library

Established 1978 Population 105,832 Area sq km 25,000

Wagga Wagga Coolamon Cootamundra Gundagai Junee Lockhart Temora Tumut

RRL

9 councils, 13 libraries, 1 mobile Executive Council = Wagga Wagga Established funding formula and service

standards Shared specialist staff employed by

Executive Council, other staff by individual councils

A new direction in collection development

The ideal model

Involve some form of cooperative arrangement

Be flexible and adaptive to change Be driven by community demand Maintain a local identity Be cost effective and have economies

of scale

The ideal model cont …

Adopt a strategic planning focus Pursue effective IT and

communications strategies Have good stakeholder

communications Have adequate staffing and resource

levels.

Contact details

Jan Richards

Manager

Central West Libraries

jrichards@orange.nsw.gov.au

www.cwl.nsw.gov.au