Sandwell Library and Information Services was so determined that its libraries should meet the needs of all the community, no matter what their background, that it decided to overhaul its whole management process structure and produce a new mission statement: "Open to everyone to explore, discover and enjoy".
This meant redesigning job descriptions to reflect the community and encourage applications from minority groups, re-writing and re-positioning marketing and advertising material, allowing libraries to be used for a much wider range of cultural activities, reviewing opening hours and adapting its book stock to reach its new wider audience.
"It was important that everybody - managers, staff, and residents - understood that every person has the right to use our service," explained Linda Saunders, Sandwell Library and Information Services’ Chief Librarian. "We all play a part in Sandwell’s community and our libraries are no exception; they have to reflect our community."
Among the key areas the service targeted to promote both job opportunities and new services were places of worship and local ethnic shops.
"These are places used by the community and the people that work in them are well respected, so they were ideal to help get our message out," explained Linda.
Not so easy though was providing stock and facilities to meet the changing population: "The language barrier was, and still is, an issue," confessed Linda. "While our libraries were very well used by established groups, we needed to make sure they were relevant to new users. Ten years ago we had more people from Kenya living in Sandwell – now we have more Polish people."
Working in partnership with the local council, Sandwell’s libraries opened their doors to adult education providers to help those new to Britain "By running these courses we are not only helping these residents to fully integrate with their local community but we are also helping them to improve their skills. More importantly for us, they are using the libraries and discovering what great things we can offer them."
The staging of local events and classes within Sandwell’s libraries has also helped bring the community together.
Said Linda: "We set-up a yoga class in one library, and this has been fantastic as it’s stopped some of the Asian ladies from being stuck at home all day. A recent Malcolm X celebration, involving the community’s local art group, attracted 1,500 people!
"It’s important people see us as part of the community and not just library related. We want them to ‘own’ their library and have a say in what goes on inside it."
Gaining the Government’s Charter Mark has also helped Sandwell’s Library and Information Services achieve many of its objectives. "The impact it has had has been vital. It’s given us a framework on which to make changes and to motivate staff to treat everyone equally.
Numbers of staff from black, minority and ethnic groups in the libraries have grown from 13 percent to 19 percent, visitor numbers have increased, and more importantly, its libraries have been attributed with playing a key role in helping individuals improve their language skills and gain jobs.
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