ARTS RESEARCH DIGEST

Beyond Book Issues: The social potential of library projects

OBJECTIVES
To assess the extent to which library community initiatives produce social benefits, and to identify factors for success and sustainability in this type of project.

METHODOLOGY
The study focuses on projects submitted for the Holt Jackson/Library Association Community Initiative Awards. A representative sample of 18 entries was selected and interviews and discussions were conducted with people involved in each project. Visits were made to ten projects and questionnaires completed by participants and library staff where appropriate.

CONTENTS
Foreword; Summary; Introduction; The projects; Personal development; Social cohesion; Community empowerment; Local culture and identity; Imagination and creativity; Health and well-being; Conclusions; Appendices.

SUMMARY
The report concludes that the projects have had a wide range of impacts on individuals and communities in the following areas: personal development; social cohesion; community empowerment; local image and identity; imagination and creativity; and health and well-being. Special library initiatives and outreach work have a real and valuable role to play in the community. They can be very cost effective, often requiring no more than a re-prioritising of existing resources. In order to be successful and sustainable, the report concludes that library outreach initiatives depend on a number of factors: an identified need and local support; principled partnership and effective leadership; clear objectives and measures of success; and effective monitoring and evaluation. It also concludes that existing library performance indicators, which elevate the number of books issued to the status of GDP as measure of success, are an inadequate management tool for the library of the 21st century. New performance indicators must be developed to reflect the broad social impact of the most imaginative library services, and to encourage others to take a wider view of their mission. The report suggests that the introduction of a form of local management and the splitting of the existing role of librarians into two professional specialisms might help redefine the relationship between library service, user and the wider community in the coming century.

AVAILABLE FROM
Jill Chandler, ECO Distribution, 117 Main Street, Woodhouse Eaves, Leicestershir LE12 8RY, UK Tel: 44 (0)1509 890068 Fax: 44 (0)1509 890191