Carmarthenshire Libraries Service Update · •Fitness trackers •Digitisation equipment •Remote...

Carmarthenshire Libraries Service Update

Moving Forward for 2017 - 2022

2 Libraries Strategy 2017-2022

To play a part in providing accessible, inclusive,exciting, sustainable services, which promoteand facilitate learning, culture, heritage,information, well-being and leisure.

With more than 21,000 visits to our librarieseach week, library visits represent the largestregular voluntary interaction the County Councilenjoys with individual members of thecommunity. Every year, more than:

• 180,000 information enquiries are answered• 1 million items are loaned

• 875 cultural, learning, reading andcommunity events are delivered, attended byover 25,000 people

• 230,000 online interactions take place.

Vision Mission

To be an inclusive, modern, sustainable and highquality public library service at the heart of everycommunity in Carmarthenshire.

Some Facts

3Libraries Strategy 2017-2022

• The service is a statutory requirement asdefined in the Public Libraries and MuseumsAct 1964, regulated via Welsh Governmentthrough the Welsh Public Library Standards.(WPLS)

• The service sees itself as a direct front lineservice that supports the authority’scorporate strategies which underpins localauthority priorities such as well-being,economic growth & productivity, and socialcohesion and mobility.

The service is to develop around 5 universaloffers that promote a core message at nationallevels, linking with Government Policy, LibraryStrategies and Frameworks, but allow foradaptation to meet with local needs andpriorities.

A Strategy for Keeping CCC libraryservices relevant and accessible

Direct front line service


Learning OfferThe Learning Offer provides scope for librariesto develop and promote their contribution tolifelong learning, through Free resources forstudy and learning, such as online resourcesand courses, text books and reference books,study and social spaces, and opportunities thatallow for creativity and ideas sharing.

Information OfferThis offer focuses upon the growing role of ourlibraries in supporting people to access life-critical information in areas such as job seeking,benefits, personal finance and health. Central tothis offer is helping people to use vitalgovernment online/information services.


Reading OfferDeveloped in partnership with the ReadingAgency, this offer focuses upon the role oflibraries in promoting literacy and the benefits ofreading. There is a focus on partnership workingwith an emphasis on using ongoing readingprogrammes.

Digital OfferThis offer underpins the other offers as thedevelopment of digital services, providingaccess and supporting people to improve theirdigital skills is seen as essential to a modernlibrary service.

Health OfferA commitment from library services to provideaccess to health information, promotion,signposting and referrals as well as creativeand social reading activity. (e.g. BookPrescription Wales and Reading Well onPrescription).


These Universal Offers can be directly mapped to the outcomes and impacts highlighted within theWPLS Frameworks.

How Are We Doing?Welsh Government Welsh Public LibraryStandards - Assessment of annual return for2015/2016

• Carmarthenshire is meeting 17 of the 18 coreentitlements in full and partially meeting 1. Thearea in which the entitlement is only partiallymet is Leadership & Development, where thelibrary strategy is under development. (March2017)

• Of the 7 quality indicators which have targets,Carmarthenshire achieved all 7 in full, animprovement on last year. It was also one ofonly two authorities in Wales to achieve this in2015/16.

• Carmarthenshire achieved both quality indicators in Learning for Life for up to date and appropriatereading material, one of only 4 authorities to do this. Spending on Welsh language material hasincreased which means targets set were met in 2015/16 which is an improvement on last year.

• Staffing levels continue to meet targets for both overall numbers and professionally qualified staff.• Levels of staff training are the third highest in Wales. • All libraries now offer public access computers and Wi-Fi which was upgraded during 2015/16.• There has been a significant improvement in the speed of supply of requests, notably the

percentage supplied within 15 days, which is now the highest in Wales. • The average cost per visit for 2015/16 was £2.18 net against all Wales average of £2.88.

Relevance to Welsh Public Library Standards


Categorised into four tiers of service provisionbased on their levels of use, location of thelibrary building and the population served, todeliver the right and effective core offer to theright people at the right place.

Tier 1Regional Libraries with between 145,000 to over500,000+ visits per year.

Tier 2Community Libraries open for more than 15 hrsper week.

Tier 3Branch Libraries open for less than 15 hrs perweek.

Tier 4 Mobile libraries.

Tiers of Service


Bedding In the New Service• Agreeing a comprehensive new route plan,

that meets with Welsh Public LibraryStandards (WPLS) future frameworkrequirements.

• Improve information, digital and healthliteracy across the county.

• Improve employability through access to on-line services and resources throughpartnership working.

• Provide social and community links to peoplewho are usually hard to reach.

• Roll-out new and improved houseboundservice to meet with user needs andrequirements.

New Mobile Library Fleet for 2017

Comparing Mobile and Static Services• We aim to review both branch and new

mobile library services usage and positioningas to ascertain their value and contributionwithin a community; we recognize that someof our “Tier 3” libraries now only serve a verysmall number of borrowers and as such, weneed to ensure the continuation of qualitylibrary services across the county that areable to demonstrate best value.

• Importantly, if the provision of a fixed basecommunity service changes, then the mobileservice plays an even more prominent role indelivering Library services in line withstatutory requirements.


Carmarthen Reference Library andArchive ServiceThe relocation of Carmarthenshire Archives to apurpose-built facility adjoining CarmarthenLibrary will provide an ideal opportunity for theReference & Information Service to become thecultural hub or centre for research in the county.This would be a first point of call for all membersof public, enabling links to be improved andexpanded, building upon partnerships withcolleagues in the Archives, and at the same timemaintaining the professional standards of botharchivists & librarians within the newlyamalgamated county service. Through partnership working, Library andArchive collections will truly reach their potentialin so far as being accessible, relevant and moreimportantly available for all.

Planning for the future 2017/2022

Opportunities:• Work with Carmarthenshire Archives to

develop a new cultural hub/centre forresearch to be based at Carmarthen Library

• Train library staff in the archivecatalogue/management system, and otherareas needed to ensure the smooth-runningof the department

• Work in partnership with local museums,galleries and cultural facilities to createactivities and events for the community toincrease the number of people engaging withculture

• Provide a professional local history researchservice with pricing structure in order togenerate income


Heritage / Digitisation Project

• The project will allow for a one-stop shop inproviding online access to the importanthistorical collections that are held withinCarmarthenshire's Library, Archive andMuseum services.

• The “Front End” of the project could behosted at Parc Howard as part of thedevelopments at the mansion house,enabling anyone to come and digitise theirown information to be shared on theHeritage website. Other locations will beidentified to host a ‘Host a Lab’ sessions.

• Pop-up locations around the County willengage residents, raise awareness andpromote the importance of the Heritageproject, and encourage the sharing of data.

Developing Infrastructure• The website will be an evolving website

with contributions not only from the itemsthat are already held with Libraries,Archives and Museums but also to receivecontributions from the public; from an userperspective a touchscreen web interfacewill allow for ease of access both withinstatic and mobile service delivery areas.

• E-commerce opportunities include sellingonline images that can either bedownloaded or printed on merchandise.The e-commerce aspect can generateincome that can be reinvested to maintainthe website allowing for the preservation ofimportant historical items.

• The project is a great opportunity forLibraries, Archives and Museums to workcollaboratively and provide an onlinedatabase of their holdings to the worldwidepublic 24/7.

• We are seeking an appropriate name /brand – please feel free to make anysuggestions for this exciting heritageproject.


Investing In Our Staff• Our aim is to continue to provide and be a

high quality, people focused library service;partly achieved by adopting a consistentapproach to staff training and developmentthroughout the service. All staff areworkplace rotated throughout all serviceareas/points allowing for all staff to developand cascade consistent information,knowledge and working practices across allservice points.

• Customer care and customer skills are keycomponents for library staff members andCarmarthenshire Libraries have recentlyworked with CAD centre (improving learning& skills) to enrol a large number of librarystaff onto their courses including CustomerCare Skills, ICT etc.

Continuing Professional Development

• A continuous in-house training package isdelivered to all members of staff, in particular,training on online services and WelshGovernment objectives; additionally aworking group has been established in orderto develop Welsh Language trainingthroughout the service.

• Universal Credit training is being introducedin stages providing Carmarthenshire Librarieswith the opportunity to develop and improveits IT services and provision in preparation. Itis anticipated that there will be a national roll-out to a full Digital Service to be completedby June 2018.


Administer Direct Delivery - through thedelivery of shelf ready items directly toindividual library service points , eliminating theneed for in-house central processing anddistribution.

Administer Supplier selection – by detailingand securing stock items by attributing anannual budget commitment per library location,and per material type in line with CCC financialregulations.

PBB – Working Towards Targets - work withCCC “TIC Team” to administer and develop bestpractice for Direct Supply and Supplier selectionfor CCC Libraries.

Working towards Supplier Selection /Direct Delivery for 2017

Developing Visionary Services

Whilst as a service we offer a multitude ofactivity, moving forward we are looking tointroduce “Makerspace” type services which willinspire creativity and innovation, a first of its kindin Wales, encouraging “non-traditional” serviceusers, with a view to integrating traditional coreservices at the forefront of our thinking.

Collaborative learning spaces which encourageinnovation and product design where peoplegather to co-create, sharing resources andknowledge, work on projects, network, andbuild; fuelling a new wave of creativity, problemsolving and entrepreneurialism.

Stordy creadigol


Types of technology on offer at the launch ofMakerspace could include;

• 3D printers and 3D modelling • DVD, VHS, camera conversion hardware and

software• Audio recording and editing booths, midi

keyboard, mixers, DJ equipment,microphones

• Video/Image recording and editing booths• PCs with recording and editing software• PCs with software for coding mobile

applications; games; software programs;databases

• Green screens for video production• Portable lighting• LEGO mindstorms • Interactive screens• VR headsets• Google Glass• Mobile devices (tablets and phones)• Gaming devices (consoles and PCs)• Digital cameras and video recorders• Fitness trackers• Digitisation equipment• Remote control devices, cars, robots, drones

Supported by:• Workshops, classes and lectures in areas

such as digital and emerging media with localtechnology partners

• The service is aware that efficiency savingsdo need to be made and as always tries tolook for a pragmatic approach to support thecorporate goal.

• The Library Service will aim to meet thedemands and aspirations of its currentcustomers and continue to seek to engagewith new users and audiences.

• We will take a balanced approach inproviding access to traditional and newdigital resources, and in supportingcustomers with skilled staff at the right times,in the right locations, and in line with the corepurpose of the service.

A Pragmatic Approach

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