William J Macnaught MA ALA
Director of Libraries and Arts

GATESHEAD METROPOLITAN BOROUGH COUNCIL
CENTRAL LIBRARY
PRINCE CONSORT ROAD
GATESHEAD NE8 4LN
TEL (091) 477 3478
FAX (091) 477 7454

Public Library Review Secretariat
Aslib
The Association for Information Management
Information House
20-24 Old Street
LONDON
EC1V 9AP

Dear Sir

Thank you for your letter of 12 May 1994 seeking my Authority's views on the public library service.

At its meeting on 16 June the Council's Libraries, Arts and Shipley Gallery Committee considered the matter. They endorsed the comments attached.

I hope you find them useful.

Yours faithfully

william i macnaught
Director of Libraries and Arts

Gateshead MBC response to the Government Review of the Public Library Service

1. FREE 'CORE' OF PUBLIC LIBRARY PROVISION

1.1 Under the terms of the Public Libraries and Museums Act (1964) and the Library Charges (England and Wales) Regulations 1991, every public library authority currently has a duty to provide free of charge for borrowing to anyone "whose residence or place of work is within the library area of the authority or who are undergoing full-time education within that area,, any written material which is already available on the premises for borrowing, and where the material is "readable without the use of any electronic or other apparatus"

1.2. The 1964 Act also places a duty on every public library authority "to provide a comprehensive and efficient library service for all persons desiring to make use thereof .... " This implies that a library authority is under an obligation to ensure that a good selection of books and other written .material is always freely available for borrowing from library premises at times convenient to the public.

1.3. The 1991 Regulations clarify the powers to charge for a range of specific services other than that in 7.1 and 7.2 above. A distinction is made between written and other forms of library materials such as words, figures, images, sounds or data recorded in or on any non-written medium, as well as toys and educational artefacts. The 1991 Regulations allow for charges to be made for virtually any library service other than (a) the controlled borrowing of written materials readily available on library premises; (b) the reading of any written materials on library premises; (c) the consultation of catalogues and indexes on library premises.

1.4. There is no legal requirement for public libraries to charge for other services but most authorities, including Gateshead, do charge for reserving books and lending videos and compact discs, for example.

1.5. The main objection which Gateshead MBC has to the 1991 legislation is that, in securing special protection for the written word, there is a clear power for library authorities to charge blind or other disabled people for the same information or literature in a suitable format, eg cassette.

1.6. The Secretary of State should make it clear that the existing duty of every public library authority includes a statutory duty to serve disabled people who live, work or study full-time within the local authority's area. There should be no discrimination through charges.

1.7. The other significant difficulty with the existing legislation is that it concentrates on the material holdings of libraries whereas the provision of public information is, in fact, most definitely a fundamental or "core" service of the public library in the UK. It is of vital importance that the general public can, without charge, continue to use the public library as a source of, or gateway to, information on any subject. Amendments to existing legislation may be necessary to make it explicit that a "comprehensive,' library service includes this duty.

1.8. The prospect of more and more information of public importance being held by libraries in electronic format adds to the difficulty of accepting the differentiation that "written" material is free and any other format, including electronic material, is likely to be charged. Already some reference materials are more expensive to purchase in hardcopy for occasional use, compared to the cost of online searches on demand, for the retrieval of the same information. The review of the public library service should recognise that electronic sources will soon replace printed materials as the "normal" medium for storing information for public use. The Secretary of State must find a way of reconciling this major technological change with an unswerving commitment to maintaining the public library's role as a generalist provider of free information.

The role of the public library to facilitate free access to information has not changed despite the revolutionary developments which we are witnessing in the means of conveying information.

2. NEW SERVICES

2.1. Gateshead MBC believes that public libraries should continually be trying to improve the provision of literature and information. This means that researching new methods of delivery, using different technologies for instance, is seen not just as legitimate but as an essential part of the public library's role.

2.2. Provided they can be justified as supporting the literature or public information remit then any service development should be considered on the merits of its costs and benefits rather than whether it is a well-established service or a recent addition.

2.3. In Gateshead, several initiatives using information technology have probably made this authority untypical. The underlying principle is that the ability to present information is more important than the medium in which it is stored.

2.4. Gateshead has a relatively long track-record of using IT to deliver public information. Since the early 1980s Gateshead Libraries have delivered information on viewdata.

2.5. The emphasis is now being switched to domestic technology. The future of public information will increasingly utilise the ordinary television set using satellite and cable technology.

2.6. In Gateshead, the public library service is already responsible for the local teletext public information channel. United Artists have the franchise for the Tyneside area and have allocated Channel 12 to Gateshead Libraries. They acknowledge that public libraries are reliably expert in handling public information.

2.7. Our information now reaches into thousands of households in the Borough at no additional charge to cable subscribers. Unlike viewdata there is no need whatsoever for members of the public to be computer literate.

2.8. Similarly, we have developed a facility to produce interactive compact discs, CD-I. Originally this was part of our work in the (Department of Health funded) National Disability Information Project. We have produced 2 CD-I titles so far which incorporate British Sign Language video of employment and health information.

2.9. This year Gateshead has received PLDIS funding to produce a local history CD-I which will convey an idea of what life was like in Gateshead in 1900. The interactive multimedia format is intended to stimulate interest in our Local Studies Library. The beauty of CD-I is, again, that it plugs into the domestic television.

2.10. The most important point about harnessing new technologies is that librarians are expert in handling the information on behalf of the general public. Technical experts in computer technology are not trained in the business of dealing with enquiries from the public on anything from ancient Egypt to the details of the latest GATT agreement.

2.11. With the rapidly growing power of information technology it is important that public libraries provide a source of assistance for members of the public who for whatever reason cannot make use of commercial systems.

3. FUTURE PRIORITIES

3.1. The first priority is to reaffirm the value to society of a well resourced public library service, democratically accountable through local government to the local community which it serves.

3.2. The second priority is to be clear that public libraries are fundamentally in existence to improve access for all to literature and public information. Everything else that we do should relate to those objects.

3.3. The third priority is to develop links with related disciplines, including the other arts in addition to literature, museums and archives; and also to develop links with other information agencies. Formal structures are less important than the real strength of the cooperation.

3.4. The fourth priority, but still vitally important, is for public libraries to improve service delivery within the context of the three previous priorities. In general there is a need to improve the development of management skills in the public library profession so that available resources are best used, and to ensure that sensible plans are laid for the future.

4. FRAMEWORK FOR LOCAL CHOICE

4.1. Gateshead MBC supports the principle of local authorities being allowed to deliver services which are deemed appropriate locally. Current Government restrictions prevent this from being the case.

4.2. In general, the 1964 Act allows library authorities the widest possible scope to determine what constitutes a "comprehensive and efficient,' service.

5. FUTURE FUNDING

5.1. It will be clear from the above that Gateshead MBC strongly supports the direct provision of public library services. This gives the Council the highest possible confidence that it can combine the direct accountability of management with the ability to respond at short notice to changes in Council priorities, or opportunities for corporate synergy.

5.2. The control which results from direct service provision gives the local authority's elected Members confidence in allocating resources. A high degree of trust has developed over the years in Gateshead between elected members and Chief Officers. It is important that public money is wisely spent and Gateshead Council knows that its Chief Officers will not knowingly allow the Council's interests to be adversely affected.

5.3. The same ethos of working for the common good is prevalent throughout the public library profession and all staff are aware of the fact that the service is provided through public funds. Gateshead MBC believes that the public service ethos is a strength of the public library at present, and is reflected in the high scores of customer satisfaction when any market research is carried out in public libraries.

5.4. Any significant increase in charging will damage the relationship with the public and will exacerbate difficulties about the ability to pay. There is an elastic demand for most public library services.

5.5. Sponsorship is notoriously fickle which makes it an unsuitable source of major funding for a public service which depends on stable levels of provision and requires an ability to plan for the medium to long term.

5.6. There is no substitute for stable government funding.

6. MARKETING

6.1. There is a need for the marketing of public library services to be supported at national level.

6.2. Market research desperately needs to be improved but the expense of good research requires substantial funding. Consistent research methodologies should be applied throughout the country instead of the piecemeal approach whereby library authorities try to reinvent the wheel. This has led to some research being of dubious value.

6.3. Similarly promotional activities could be supported nationally. A very obvious example would be for TV and radio adverts to be produced promoting use of the public library, allowing individual library authorities (or a combination of authorities acting cooperatively) to buy air-time on local stations without the expense of producing the advert itself.

7. SPECIAL NEEDS

7.1. It is worth repeating that the prerequisite in this area is for the Secretary of State to make it clear that the existing legislation does not exclude disabled people when it states that library authorities have a duty "to provide a comprehensive and efficient library service for all persons desiring to make use thereof...

7.2. Information technology has greatly increased the public library's ability to serve disabled people. Since 1987 Gateshead has provided a transcription information service which allows anyone to have important information made available in braille, cassette or large print. This service should be available in every library authority.

7.3. it is impossible to Prescribe an exhaustive list of special needs provision. The best way for public libraries to address the special needs of particular groups is firstly to recognise that the need exists and secondly for resources to be allocated towards addressing the needs in the context of the library authority's overall resources and priorities for spending.

7.4. It can safely be said that every library authority will need increased financial provision before all their users with special needs will feel they are receiving a comprehensive and efficient service. This should not prevent the Secretary of State from encouraging Library authorities to adopt best practice, through financial incentive if necessary.

8. STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES, OPPORTUNITIES AND THREATS

8.1. The strengths of the public library service in the UK can be summarised as follows.

8.1.1 Products": Literature is the most important of all art forms. It can stimulate thinking about the entire range of human experience and has been powerfully instrumental in shaping society for centuries. A topical illustration is the life and work of Alexander Solzhenitsyn. Information for the general public is the twin "product,' offered by the library service. No other organisation or facility offers the same free access for members of the public to explore information on any subject, at a pace and level which suits the user.

8.1.2. Network: Directly related to the "products" or services offered by any public library is the fact that an extensive network exists which currently enables any public library to call on the resources of other libraries in the UK and abroad for borrowing books. Similarly, information networks continue to grow and provide public libraries with the ability to gather information from sources, whether local or international, in order to give any member of the public a suitably comprehensive answer to an enquiry.

8. 1. 3 Public support: There is undoubtedly a strong level of support for the public library service despite any present shortcomings. This is partly because the services offered are valued; but the helpful, non-threatening, not-for-profit service delivery is also a significant factor in public support. The library is clearly seen as something which is provided for the common good.

8.1.4. Local authority sup-port: because it has been well established as a service for the common good and is still well used, the library service is supported strongly by some local authorities - none more so than Gateshead MBC. The library's power to help individuals to develop through reading and learning may not be new but it is still held in high esteem by the elected Members of Gateshead Council. Although it is an easy and obvious target for spending cuts, Gateshead MBC has protected the bookfund as far as possible.

8.1.5. Staff: Generally speaking, public library staff have a strong sense of duty to serve the public. Despite relatively low wages nationally, public libraries still retain staff with good knowledge skills and attitudes.

8.1.6. Innovation: Increasingly, librarians are introducing new techniques of service delivery in a positive attempt to improve provision.

8.1.7. Price: The fact that literature and information is offered free of charge undoubtedly removes the obstacle for some people of the ability to pay. For people with low income the public library is one of the few sources of free entertainment and enlightenment.

8.2. Unfortunately, the public library service has significant weaknesses, which are not inherent but stem from underfunding.

8.2.1. Funding: Funding generally is a weakness at present. Bookfunds and opening hours have been badly eroded for far too long. The prime function of the public library service is to improve access to literature and information. Reducing bookfunds and opening hours is clearly unhelpful. The Secretary of State should be unequivocal about this fact instead of using statistics selectively in a vain attempt to cover up the damage caused by chronic underfunding of the public library service.

8.2.2. Buildings: As a direct consequence of underfunding, library buildings have generally suffered. Revenue repairs and capital works are so difficult to afford in most library authorities that it is no exaggeration to talk of a crisis. If we want the public to use the library we must offer reasonably attractive surroundings which are free from leaks and draughts, well lit, sufficiently warm and adequately furnished.

8.3. Some encouraging opportunities exist which could greatly enhance the role and health of the public library service.

8.3.1. Review: The Public Library Review itself is an opportunity to change for the better. It remains to be seen what direction the Government will choose.

8.3.2. Information technology: Undoubtedly the biggest opportunity for the public library to improve its delivery of information to individuals, and the community at large, comes with the sweeping developments in information technology. Properly harnessed, new technology will transform the information services offered by the library service. The librarian's role of acting as an intermediary where appropriate will not change. Whether it's using books or computers, the public will always need personal help in having a question answered. Technology will not diminish the pleasure of reading a real book so the library's role in literature provision is not threatened until real books can be beamed around the universe by particle transfer!

8.3.3. Climate of change: With so much change going on around the public library service, there are opportunities to make frequent small changes to improve service delivery. In a climate of inertia it is difficult even to change small things.

8.3.4. Europe: There is a new dimension in looking at strategic developments in the public library service. European funding is already becoming important to individual library authorities such as Gateshead.

8.3.5. Occasional funding: One-off sources of funding, such as the Public Library Development Incentive Scheme, are important for any new developments. By their nature, however, they do not sustain existing services, and the conditions of funding can be restrictive to the point where the costs outweigh the benefits. The National Lottery seems likely to support major developments rather than addressing the chronic capital repair needs facing many authorities. One-off funding often exacerbates long-term revenue difficulties.

8.4. It is easy to identify a list of threats facing the public library service.

8.4.1. Public Library Review: Cynics would say that the Government is likely to choose a path for the service leading towards more charges for information services and possibly even charges for book borrowing. The difficulties of reducing Government expenditure will continue to affect local authorities and the power to charge for services will, in effect, be increasingly regarded as an expectation that libraries will charge in order to reduce net costs of service provision. It is up to the Secretary of State to prove the cynics wrong.

8.4.2. Information technology: This can also be seen as a threat. There will be a growth of commercial information services offered direct by satellite and cable technology, at a cost. The public library must reaffirm its role in improving access to information regardless of the end-user's ability to pay. If public librarians do not utilise the new technologies on behalf of the public there is a danger that our information sources will be perceived as being second rate and unreliable. It would be severely damaging to shift the role of the library service towards an image solely of recreational reading.

8.4.3. Instability: Just as the 'climate of change, can be seen as providing opportunities, so it can become a threat if the changes are too great. Year after year of financial pressure has in itself caused many changes in public libraries. The threat of Compulsory Competitive Tendering has increased the pressure for change, again driven by the need to reduce costs. Many library authorities are currently preoccupied with the pressures of the Local Government Review. Indeed, Cleveland County Library Service will be split up at the end of this financial year. The pressures for change are growing and there is a widely held view that public library services are likely to suffer as a result of the overwhelming changes facing local government generally. Cynics would say that the Government is quite deliberately overwhelming local government. This climate of instability has made it impossible to plan sensibly and even modest programmes of planned maintenance of buildings have had to be stopped in many authorities.

8.4.4. LMS: The local management of schools and the delegation of funds has seriously threatened the provision of library services in schools. The economics of scale offered by an authority wide service are at risk because of the fragmentation caused by LMS.

8.4.5. VAT: It seems to be only a matter of time before the Government will impose this damaging tax on reading.

8.4.6. Net Book Agreement: Similarly the future of the Net Book Agreement is far from assured since it conflicts with the Government's belief in market forces.

9 CONCLUSION

The Public Library Review comes at a time when the pressures on local government generally, and on spending in particular, are unprecedented. It is therefore easy to take a cynical view of the Government's motives in reviewing the public library service. The Secretary of State will have a difficult task in reaffirming the role of the public library service as a provider of free access to literature and information.

William J. Macnaught

27 June 1994