The challenge
Delivering high quality and effective libraries in the next few years will be challenging. Marginal improvement and efficiency alone are insufficient to maintain and modernise the public’s library services. To avoid ad hoc closures and service reductions, we need to take a strategic approach and consider radically different solutions.
The proposal
LGA Group and MLA are working together to support councils, especially where councils want to work in partnership; by introducing and brokering councils to work together and helping them to establish new delivery mechanisms to build economies of scale and sustainable critical mass.
The programme
Ten communities around the country will have the chance to test drive the ambitious change programme.
The Future Libraries Programme, formed by a partnership between national and local government, and driven by councils themselves, aims to help the library service during the current challenging financial situation, with an ambition to ensure libraries play a central role for communities in the Big Society.
Fifty one submissions, representing over 100 local authorities, have come forward with proposals for innovative collaborations and initiatives – ten of these projects will be taken forward and offered practical support and advice in this first phase.
The programme will initially undertake intensive, proactive work on ten projects representing around three dozen local authorities. Bids to take part were assessed on their individual strengths, but also to ensure a balance of the type of project, geographical spread, and rural and urban mix to help ensure the programme shares learning nationally. The ten projects to be taken forward are listed below.
- Northumberland with Durham
- Bolton, with Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan
- Bradford
- Lincolnshire, with Rutland, Cambridgeshire, North East Lincs
- Suffolk
- Oxfordshire with Kent
- Herefordshire with Shropshire
- Cornwall with Devon, Plymouth, Torbay
- Lewisham with Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, Greenwich, Lambeth and Southwark
- Kensington & Chelsea with Hammersmith & Fulham