DRAFT

STATEWIDE PUBLIC LIBRARY DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS

PROJECT PROPOSAL 2005/2008

Title /

LibrariesBuilding Communities Program – next steps, leaps and bounds

Funding requested / Year One (2005/2006)$
Year Two (2006/2007)$
Year Three (2007/2008)$

Snapshot / Rationale

/

LibrariesBuilding Communities (LBC) is a research project of the Library Board of Victoria and the Victorian public library network. The reports were published in February 2005 and launched by the Minister for Local Government, Candy Broad MP, on 9 March. This program proposal is to extend the work of the LBC research project by both continuing the data gathering and addressing the recommendations of the reports.

In many ways the LBC research is a landmark project. Never before, in Australia, has research of this scale and complexity been undertaken into the community building role of public libraries. Over a two-year period the LBC research collected and analysed the views and opinions of nearly 10,000 community members. All 44 Victorian public library services (with 238 branches) were involved. The research documented in detail who uses Victorian public libraries, why, and what they value most about them. It also looked at who doesn’t use public libraries, identified the barriers to usage and suggested strategies for increasing engagement with potential users. Case studies were presented of innovation and excellence in community building activities in Victorian public libraries. The views of community leaders and library users on the future role of the public library were also documented. Four reports and an Executive Summary were produced:

Report One: Setting the Scene
Report Two: Logging the Benefits
Report Three: Bridging the Gaps
Report Four: Showcasing the Best
The reports have been circulated and well-received pre-publication at the highest levels of State Government, including to the Secretary of the Department for Victorian Communities, which has primary responsibility for State Government funding to public libraries. There is a growing awareness of both the strength of the public library network and its potential to advance the State Government’s community building agenda. The opportunity exists for public libraries, and the State Library, to develop stronger links with both State and Federal community strengthening and funding programs.
Having invested so much in the research and begun the communication process, it is important over the next three years to build on the findings and recommendations of the LBC reports, in line with the Framework for Collaborative Action goal of ‘increased community and government understanding of and engagement with libraries’.
Three key strategies are proposed in the broad areas of ongoing research, communication, and demonstration projects.
Project Objectives /
  • To support public library planning and advocacy processes by increasing public library network understanding of its user base and the needs of its users and potential users through continuation of the LBC research program
  • To support development of public library services in the broad area of community building through continued compilation and dissemination of best practice case studies
  • To support development of public library services to targeted marginalized groups through compilation of Community Engagement Guidelines
  • To increase government understanding and appreciation of the community building potential of public libraries through ongoing communication
  • To improve financial support of public libraries by developing public library-based initiatives with government and other potential partners that will both advance the community building agenda and tap into community building funding programs
  • To deliver direct benefit to the community through funding of significant new community building demonstration projects within public libraries

Key Performance Measures /

Year One: 2005/2006

  • Development and rollout of a revised online survey in partnership with the Department for Victorian Communities for use by public libraries on an annual basis
  • Employment of specialist services to continue the LBC advocacy process and to generate new partnerships and source new funding for public library projects with a statewide application
  • Demonstrated success in generating new partnerships and sourcing new funding
  • Development of agreed guidelines and processes for determining Community Building Demonstration Projects
  • Projects selected for first funding round of Community Building Demonstration Projects and rollout of projects commenced

Year Two: 2006/2007

  • Annual online survey implemented
  • Qualitative research program undertaken with community groups identified as currently not being well served by public libraries (aged; people with disabilities; people from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse backgrounds)
  • Community Engagement Guidelines published
  • Revised and updated edition of Showcasing the Best published
  • Projects selected for second funding round of Community Building Demonstration Projects and rollout of projects commenced
Year Three: 2007/2008
  • Annual online survey implemented
  • Projects selected for third funding round of Community Building Demonstration Projects and rollout of projects commenced

Project Plan

/ Research
The Online Survey that was a key component of the LBC research was conducted across all Victorian public library services and collected data about library users covering a wide range of variables including gender, age, language spoken at home, household type, occupation and income group. Never before have Victorian public libraries collected such detailed demographic data about their users or collected data of this kind with consistency across all services. The data was collected in such a way that it could be compared to ABS data for the communities served by each library. Public libraries had a more detailed snapshot than ever before of who is and isn’t using their services and of how well this reflects the community. They also had data that was reflective of the public library network as a whole. In the first year of this new project (2005/06) it is proposed to work with public libraries and the Department for Victorian Communities (which manages the Annual Survey of Victorian Public Libraries) to refine the LBC online survey and develop it into a tool that can be used by public libraries on an annual basis, providing regular and longitudinal perspective on public libraries and their role in community building.
The survey will be supported by further qualitative research (focus groups; interviews) in 2006/07 looking in more depth at the perceptions and needs of particular often marginalised groups with regard to public library services, for example: people with disabilities; the aged; those from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse backgrounds. An outcome of this research will be the development of Community Engagement Guidelines for these groups.
Another area of ‘research’ that will be continued is the gathering of best practice case studies in relation public library community building programs and initiatives. It was always intended that the case studies presented in the LBC Showcasing the Best report would be added to over time, with public libraries continuing to share their experiences and learn from each other. An updated Showcasing the Best would also be a useful advocacy tool for the public library network. The best practice case studies will be completely revised and updated during the second year (2006/07) of the project.

Communication

Former President of the Australian Library and Information Association, Dr Alan Bundy, has said: ‘ The major challenge for public libraries and advocates of better libraries for all … is just how to convey to decision makers the breadth, depth and potential impact on the whole community of the modern public library. It is a rare challenge because no other agency in society has the breadth of role, the user range and diversity, and the potential impact’. The LBC research was intended to be an essential resource for all those who advocate to decision makers for the support of better public library services. With publication of the reports a window of opportunity exists in which to make full use of them for advocacy purposes. It is proposed to allocate funds for the employment of specialist services over a period of twelve months (2006/07) to work with Viclink (the peak body for public libraries in Victoria), the State Library and local government on communicating the findings of the research and developing initiatives and submissions that could tap into community strengthening funding programs at all levels of government. This resource would bring to the task wide experience in working with government and community organisations, strong connections in government, deep knowledge of government policy agendas and funding programs, an entrepreneurial outlook, and a significant track record of success in developing productive partnerships and securing funding for major initiatives.
Western Australia’s Finding MY Place program is an outstanding example of public libraries tapping into new sources of funding and is illustrative of the kind of thing that is envisaged here. Finding MY Place was developed by the Belmont Library Service in response to a WA Education Department grants program targeting youth who are at risk of becoming early school leavers. The program was so successful that the Education Department made funds available through Belmont (including a project management fee to Belmont) for the program to run through public libraries WA.
Demonstration Projects
While the LBC reports highlight the critical role of public libraries in community building, they also highlight some gaps in service delivery and areas where public libraries could do better in terms of their approaches to things (e.g. community partnerships). It is proposed that for each of the three years of this project (2005/06; 2006/07; 2007/08) a range of ‘demonstration projects’ will be funded. These will be significant and innovative partnership projects between public libraries and other government departments and/or community agencies that support the community building role of public libraries in any or all of the key areas of: developing social capital; building skills capacity and well being; reaching out to communities; providing a gateway to information. Projects may be either finite or ongoing. If ongoing, the means of sustaining the projects beyond the life of the funding must be demonstrated. All projects must have the potential for duplication across the public library network. The projects will be determined through a rigorous submission-based process.

Collaborators

/ Library Board of Victoria
State Library of Victoria
Viclink
Department for Victorian Communities

Project Management

/ Advisory/Steering committee, comprised of VICLINK representatives, to provide advice and direction.
Public Libraries Unit project officer to implement and coordinate project.

Proposal prepared by

/ Debra Rosenfeldt, Public Libraries Unit, State Library of Victoria
Neville Humphris, Manager, Moreland Library Service
Elisabeth Jackson, MooneeValley Library Service
Katrina Knox, Manager, Darebin Library Service
Patti Manolis, Manager, Maribyrnong Library Service