PLNRC Meeting

13 March 2013

File 31933

State Library of New South Wales

Public Library Network Research CommitteeMeeting

Draft minutes

13 March2013

Coles Room

  1. Present

Adele Casey, (Director, Community and Development Services, Bland Shire); State Library of NSW; Linda Horswell, (Manager, MosmanLibrary), Jill Webb, (Manager, Ryde Library Services), Cameron Morley, (Manager, Funding and Advisory Services, Public Library Services, State Library of NSW), Leanne Perry (Consultant, Public Library Services, State Library of NSW(Minutes),Frances Sims (Director, Public Library and Learning Services), Alex Mills (Manager, Singleton Public Library)

Paul Scully (Manager, Liverpool City Library), Jo Carmody (Manager, Richmond Tweed Regional Library)

Apologies

Adele Casey, (Director, Community and Development Services, Bland Shire)

Minutes of the last meeting
The minutes of the meeting of 28 November 2012 were confirmed and adopted.
Business arising
Item 5. The Local History Collections and Services: a shared strategy project was endorsed by PLCC at the 3 December meeting.
Item 7. The genre collection arrangement has been referred to the Readers Advisory and RISG reference groups. An information sharing space will be created to share information on experiences and success with genre based collection arrangement. / Action
2. / RFID Cost Benefit Analysis
Richard Buller from Huegin Consulting attended the meeting and presented on the progress of the Cost Benefit Analysis of RFID.
The presentationthe key outcomes of the project:
  • Data required to ascertain lifecycle costs for a cost benefit analysis was not available across the case studies. Assessment of cost and benefits was largely anecdotal.
  • Changing technology and costs would mean that a Cost benefit model would date quickly.
  • A business case approach has been used to provide a framework for decision making and strategic planning around RFID.
The following feedback on the draft version of the report was provided by the committee:
  • The document needs to draw the recommendations back into a foreword and provide some context around the project.
  • The title for the publication will be changed to reflect the business case focus of the publication. The title will be ‘A business case framework for RFID in public libraries”
  • OHS to be changed to WHS throughout the document
  • The framework can be applied to other Library technology such as LMS systems.
The report will be finalised and go to PLCC for information in the July meeting. / Huegin
and
Cameron Morley
3. / Local History collections and services : a shared strategy
The project brief has been endorsed by the PLCC.
The project framework was shared with the LH working group at their last working group meeting. The group provided extensive feedback on the areas to be covered by the audit phase of the survey.
Members of the Local History group will be invited to form a key reference point for feedback on the needs audit survey tool and report.
The committee suggested some research into what other states are doing in this area would be useful. / Leanne Perry
Leanne Perry
4. / Public Library Statistics
Leanne tabled an outline of a proposed review of the annual statistical collection for NSW public libraries. The paper proposed a that the statistical collection be reviewed to
  • Reduce the number and complexity of questions
  • More accurately capture ebook and e resources usage and access
  • Improve the capacity of regional libraries to report at an individual council level
  • Define and promote a common understanding of measuring key performance indicators for NSW library services
The committee supported the review with the following comments:
  • Consultation with the network could be undertaken with library managers at zone meetings
  • Need to create a core set of questions which reflect key performance indicators
  • Need recommendations on good systems of data collection at a local level

7. / Submissions to the PLNRC
  • Paul Scully suggested the development of community information benchmarks and best practise. Paul will scope a brief for further discussion
  • Jill Webb suggested the need for research into the range of skills that will be required into the future. Cameron suggested that the development of a training needs audit and the five year follow up from the Bookends Scenarios may assist with this.
  • The training needs audit will be shared with the committee at the next meeting
/ Paul Scully
Leanne Perry
8. / 2013meetings
Dates for 2013 meetings were confirmed as:
  • 19 June, 1pm
  • 18 September 1pm
  • 4 December 1pm

Public Library Network Research Committee