Perspectives of Public Library Use 2. A compendium of survey information P P L P U2 P P

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1 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 A compendium of survey information P L P U2 P L P U2 P L P U2 P L P U2 P L P U2 P L P U2 P L P U2 P L P U2 P L P U2 P L P U2 P L P U2 P L P U2 P L P U2 P L P U2 P L P U2 P L P U2 1999

2 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 A compendium of survey information written and compiled by Steve Bohme and David Spiller Foreword by Alan Howarth, Minister for the Arts Library & Information Statistics Unit (LISU) Department of Information Science, Loughborough University Book Marketing Ltd (BML) ISBN

3 Foreword by Alan Howarth Minister for the Arts The Government attaches great importance to public library services, and I am glad to underline this by way of introducing the second volume of Perspectives of Public Library Use. The library sector contributes in a very major way to four of our main objectives - education, access, social inclusion and modernisation. Our approach is to set out the right national framework that will allow public library authorities to flourish and develop their services. A key element in our role is monitoring the library service, and this would be almost impossible without reliable statistical sources to back up our work. For this reason I am delighted that the reaction to the first volume of Perspectives on Public Library Use has been so positive that a second volume has been warranted. The publication brings together an impressive wealth of information relating to public libraries, and demonstrates their continuing vitality. It also highlights the wide variety of research projects being undertaken within library authorities; I hope that these impressive examples of good practice will encourage and inform others considering such work. It is through such analysis that library services can be improved and tailored to meet the expectations of their users, whose needs are ever evolving to reflect the changing world around them. Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 i

4 Acknowledgements This publication is supported by a grant from the British Library Research and Innovation Centre (now part of the Library and Information Commission) towards the initial launch costs of the project. For encouragement and advice we are particularly grateful to Barbara Buckley of the Commission. The authors would like to thank a number of colleagues: Alison Murphy at LISU for identifying and summarising the postgraduate dissertations from Sheffield and Strathclyde, and for checking the text; Jo Henry at BML and Claire Creaser at LISU for reading the text and making many helpful suggestions; and Mary Ashworth and Sharon Fletcher at LISU for the very substantial work on page design and desktop publishing. Our thanks are also due to the many contributors, details of whom are given in the introductions to each section of the text itself. In addition we should like to thank the following people who arranged for us to receive material: David Barton, Capital Planning Information Paul Burton, Department of Information Science, Strathclyde University Kate Cole, Westminster Libraries and Archives John Dolan, Birmingham Central Library Leo Favret, Bromley Leisure and Community Services Jonathan Gordon and Martin Jennings, Institute of Public Finance Margaret Haines, Library and Information Commission Barbara King, Hounslow Library Network David Lightfoot, Chair, CIPFA PLUS Martin Nail, BNB Research Fund Ann O Brien, Department of Information Science, Loughborough University Richard Proctor, Department of Information Studies, University of Sheffield We should like to acknowledge permission to summarise research which was originally published elsewhere: Aslib and HMSO (Aslib review of public library services in England and Wales) The Audit Commission (Due for renewal) Helen Carley, Library Association Publishing (Information technology in public libraries) ii Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

5 Contents Foreword...i Acknowledgements... ii Introduction...v Summary of contents... vii 1. Public library statistics Public library resources Public library use Borrowing habits and related services National perspectives on public library use User consultation Review of public library service in England and Wales Due for renewal: a report on the library service CIPFA PLUS archive for Pilot of proposed new measures for CIPFA public library statistics Libraries and community development national survey User surveys: satisfaction and impact Report of a survey of central library users Report of a survey of children using the library Library lapsed-users survey Different language, different needs?: a survey of Asian library users New measures for the new library What do people do when their public library service closes down? Modelling use at individual service points The impact of Sheffield public library closures on young children Information and communications technology New library: the people s network Building the new library network: report on ICT training needs Virtually new: creating the digital collection Information technology in public libraries Networked business information Exit survey Electronic serials in public libraries Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 iii

6 Contents 5. Stock management Public library stock management Audio-visual materials Adult non-fiction and the public library Adult fiction and the public library Library use - frequency of borrowing Paperbacks in public libraries Practical stock management and stock rotation on mobile libraries A study of the provision and usage of periodicals in public libraries Title output in the UK Report into the effects of the abandonment of the Net Book Agreement Information and reference services Inter-authority benchmarking project Regional reference libraries: a position statement Business information in rural Grampian European Union information in public libraries in the United Kingdom Citizenship information A user survey of Paisley Reference and Local Studies Library Access to legal information in public libraries Management Assessment tools for quality management in public libraries The impact of the opening of a new university on a public library service Children s library design Job satisfaction and absenteeism Perceptions of the public library and their impact on recruitment Book trade statistics Market sizes Book prices Book publishing Bookselling Consumer book buying Bestsellers iv Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

7 Introduction Introduction Perspectives of public library use 2: a compendium of survey information has been assembled by Book Marketing Ltd and the Library and Information Statistics Unit - two units dedicated to research on a national scale for, respectively, the book trade and library and information services. The book is a follow-up to its 1995 precursor, Perspectives of public library use by Len England and John Sumsion, which was enthusiastically received by the public library and book trade communities. The time gap between research findings and their implementation is a problem in many subject areas. The British Library Research and Innovation Centre (BLRIC), the UK body formerly responsible for funding research into libraries and information systems (now part of the Library and Information Commission), has been insistent that research in its field should be provided in a form palatable to practitioners. To this end, BLRIC supported the present volume, which summarises recent ( ) research of interest to public librarians and the book trade. It is immediately apparent from the table of contents just how much work has been done in this short period. We hope that making it available in one place will be helpful to hard-pressed managers at all levels of public library authorities. In many cases readers will want to refer back to the original publications, where a great deal more information may be found. Given the amount of material, it is unlikely that anyone will read through Perspectives 2. We anticipate that it will be used as a reference tool by practitioners who need to discover, or rediscover, what is known about an aspect of library service. They may use the findings as a basis for planning and decision-making in their authorities, or adapt the methodologies for further research of their own. Taken in conjunction with the 1995 volume, Perspectives 2 should also help to suggest the main user research gaps for public librarians. With these aims in mind, the work is arranged primarily by subject - rather than (as in the previous edition) by the source of information. All the same, regular recourse to the index will be necessary to unlock all the detail contained in the various studies. The compilers have trawled for research findings from various sources: Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 Book Marketing Ltd BML s extensive investigations for the book trade afford librarians a wide-angle-lens perspective on their own market - in particular through the 1998 Household library use survey, and through Books and the consumer in previous years. Government reports Original research is often included in government reports, and can easily be overlooked - especially if the reader disagrees with the recommendations of the report. The Aslib Review of the public library service is a case in point; the extensive research done for the review remains highly relevant several years after its publication. More recently, the Library and Information Commission s publications have contained substantial work on digital libraries. We also include a summary of research from the Audit Commission s report on public libraries. Public library authorities Public library authorities are not normally in competition with each other, and can share their individual findings - a heartening feature of the sector. Authorities are sometimes tentative about submitting their research for publication, but the examples included here demonstrate how much interesting work is being done much of it in neglected areas. We feel sure that there is more work out there which has yet to surface. Amongst research included here is: a rare example of process benchmarking (of enquiries) between four authorities; management information studies, including several on different areas of stock provision from Westminster, and networked business information from Buckinghamshire; and a range of surveys - on IT services (Bromley), children s needs (Birmingham), the central library (Birmingham), lapsed users (Sandwell), and Asian users (Hounslow). Independent research organisations The standard user survey developed for public libraries by the CIPFA-PLUS group has already generated much information; this is a significant initiative, and a summary of the 1997 findings is included here. There are also brief extracts from Chris Batt s latest, invaluable, survey of IT; two contributions from the research consultants CPI (on stock management and regional reference libraries); and two summaries of LISU publications (a pilot for new CIPFA measures, and a study modelling use of individual service points). v

8 Introduction Academic departments Much of the funded research on public libraries comes from higher education institutions, and key recent work is summarised. Typically, the academic studies span more than one (often all) authorities: the Robert Gordon University, in Aberdeen, contributes several studies of user information needs; Sheffield University includes studies looking at impact - of library closures, and of the social effects of services; and Loughborough University provides a study of electronic journals in public libraries, and a tool-kit for authorities to carry out quality self-assessment. Students Many excellent surveys are carried out by students at information departments. This is a neglected resource, especially at Masters level. The dissertations are theoretically available to practitioners but seldom used, and the findings rarely get into the professional press. We include brief summaries from the survey elements of a number of studies. Mining Perspectives 2 for material on a theme can mean searching in several different places - and not always the obvious ones. A few examples may make the point: Library closures At the time of publication, the subject of library closures is under scrutiny. CIPFA data on the first page of Perspectives 2 show that a mere 6% of standard public library service points have closed over the past decade. This seems surprising, given the financial pressures of the time, but we can also deduce where the funding cuts have been concentrated, for CIPFA additions to public library stock figures in the same section show a reduction of 21% in additions over the same period. It is therefore no surprise that in almost every survey in this volume, users have put more books at the top of their wants lists. There are no direct reports here of user attitudes to closures linked to a better provision of materials, but in the 1995 Aslib Review of the public library service a very large sample of respondents gave easy to reach as the third most positive statement in a list of 23 statements about the service - in fact, users were more positive than staff about ease of access. Does this afford a mild mandate for some closures of service points, elected members permitting? Perspectives 2 has two pieces of evidence about the effects of closures. The University of Sheffield Department of Information Studies asked users for their reactions when Sheffield public libraries closed because of strike action: 47% of all users said they had not replaced the library s services. This was a temporary closure of all Sheffield libraries, so that travelling to nearby service points was not an option. As it happened, another Sheffield study, by Rachel Reilly, looked at the impact of the permanent closure of three branch libraries on young children. Forty-four per cent of the parents whose children had used the former services said that they had not used an alternative service since the closures - and 40% of parents said that their children were reading less. This was perhaps the most striking piece of evidence against closures that we encountered - found in an unheralded Masters dissertation. Internet services Another burning issue is the development of Internet services in public libraries. An infusion of public money for this purpose is guaranteed, and a Library and Information Commission survey spells out the training necessary for library staff to support the new services. Chris Batt s survey reveals that - despite all the palaver - only 215 library service points (5% of the total number) offered public access to the Internet in But the potential use of such a service appears considerable. Bromley s exit survey asked users: Would you use the Internet from a public library? Twenty-four per cent said definitely and 20% maybe but, significantly, over half of all users in the age range said definitely. Use of more specific services is also encouraging. An Internet service added to the Buckinghamshire networked business information centre in January 1998 has been in use for 70% of its potential access time, and 82% of a sample of its users have found the information they were looking for. Library use and membership Finally, there is a good deal of information in the various surveys here about library use and membership. Book Marketing s 1998 household use survey found that in 74% of households, someone had visited a public library in the previous 12 months. The figures may be contrasted with those in the Aslib Review of public libraries, where 30% of individuals claimed to be frequent users of public libraries, 24% occasional users, and 45% non-users. The household use survey also found that 59% of adults and children claimed library ticket ownership. But ticket ownership must be regarded as a dubious measure. LISU s pilot of new CIPFA measures found that of 27 library authorities, only ten updated membership records annually, and 14 updated once every three years, or worse. In any case, membership is not an indicator of library use. Sandwell s survey of 138 library members who had not borrowed anything for three years found that 90% of them had used services in ways not recorded by the automation system - reference materials, visiting with children, personal study, choosing books for other people, and so on. Lapsed users turned out to be merely lapsed borrowers. Their finding is supported by the Book Marketing survey as well as the CIPFA PLUS archive for 1997: 27% of 68,000 respondents to the latter used the public library to browse, 22% to seek information, 13% to read newspapers and magazines, and 7% to study - none of which functions require a library ticket. vi Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

9 Summary of contents Summary of contents As indicated in the Introduction to this volume, Perspectives of public library use 2 has been organised where possible by subject matter (though inevitably there is some cross-over in the coverage of each chapter). Section 1 sets the scene for the rest of Perspectives 2, by summarising key public library statistics. It deals - on a national scale - with public library resources (service points, expenditure and income, library stocks, etc), public library use (numbers visiting, ticket ownership, services used, etc), and borrowing habits (looking in more detail at the popularity of different types of books, frequency and weight of borrowing, requests and inter-library loans, etc). Most of the data in this section come from LISU analyses of CIPFA data, and BML s various national library user surveys. Further national perspectives on public library use are provided in Section 2. The section provides extracts and survey summaries from a variety of sources, including Aslib, The Audit Commission and CIPFA, all of which examine aspects of the public library service at a national level. Coverage includes: further information on user habits; data showing satisfaction with, and attitudes towards, the service; feedback from library authorities on measures for consulting customers and strategies for community development; and issues related to service planning. Section 3 continues with some of the themes examined in the first two sections of the book, summarising a number of user surveys that have been undertaken locally within libraries and library authorities, rather than at national level. Those surveyed in this selection include children, customers at a city central library, lapsed users, Asian users and people in areas where libraries have been closed. Section 4 brings together research undertaken nationally or locally specifically related to the role of information and communications technology within libraries. These extracts come from various sources and include the extent of provision of ICT services in libraries, staff and customer requirements and use, and the digitisation of library material. The material gathered together in Section 5 comes under the broad heading of stock management, providing examples of locally based studies into various types of stock, such as fiction, non-fiction and paperback books, audio-visual items and periodicals. Linked to these more specific stockrelated pieces of research are extracts of work undertaken into the demise of the NBA and into changes in book title output. Section 6 provides the results of a variety of surveys of the information and reference services offered by public libraries. Mainly based on locally gathered information, the extracts cover the provision of business, legal, citizenship and EU-related information. In Section 7, issues related to library management are bought together, with summaries of work done into developing self-assessment tools for libraries, and research into library design, recruitment and staffing, and into the effect on a library of changes to the external environment (in this case a new university). Finally, Section 8, puts the public library service into the broad context of the UK book market, providing a compendium of book trade statistics to show the book market size, structure and growth; changes in book pricing; the performance of the publishing and retailing sectors; and the book buying habits and tastes of the general public. It should be noted that, while the extracts included in this volume have - in most cases been summarised and edited by the authors of Perspectives 2, the views expressed within each extract are those of the original authors. Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 vii

10 viii Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

11 1.1 Public library resources Public library statistics 1 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 1

12 1 : PUBLIC LIBRARY STATISTICS 1.1 Public library resources Number of libraries The number of libraries open to the public increased slightly (+ 3%) between and However, as Table 1.1.1a shows, there has been a slight and gradual decrease in the number of standard public libraries over the period (- 6%), while the increases have come in the number of mobile libraries and the number of libraries with public access in institutions. Within the standard public library sector there has been a significant decrease in the number of libraries open at least 45 hours a week (and particularly those open 60 hours or more), and also in the number of libraries open less than ten hours a week (though the number of these actually increased between and ). The only sector showing an increase over the period as a whole was libraries open hours (+13%). Fig b illustrates the changing pattern in the number of standard public libraries, and that by the vast majority (in fact nearly threequarters) were open between 10 and 44 hours per week. This compares to , when these accounted for under two-thirds of all standard libraries. Size of service points Little statistical work has been done at national level to analyse the distribution of service points by size or by volume of activity. There have been no dramatic changes over the last years, so the results of the 1980 survey (Dept. for Education & Science, Office of Arts & Libraries) - carried out to provide Public Lending Right (PLR) sampling information are still informative. (CIPFA intends to collect such data in future.) 1.1.1a Number of service points % change Open 60+ hrs/wk hrs/wk hrs/wk 1,637 1,658 1,653 1,648 1,643 1, hrs/wk 1,477 1,504 1,553 1,635 1,689 1, < 10 hrs/wk Total standard 4,772 4,672 4,569 4,504 4,475 4,472-6 Mobile units Institutions 16,456 18,802 19,026 19,277 19,702 17, Total public 21,907 24,176 24,314 24,481 24,869 22, Source: CIPFA/LISU 1.1.1b Number of standard public libraries 60+ Source: CIPFA/LISU 2 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

13 1.1.2a Size of service points (1980) 1.1 Public library resources Service Total Average points issues issues p.a. Annual issues No % Million % per serv. point Under 100,000 2, , ,00-299,000 1, , , , , ,000 & over ,000 TOTAL 4, ,000 Source: Department for Education & Science, Office of Arts & Libraries The 1980 census was first analysed to find the proportion of book issues from all UK public libraries corresponding to the definition of principal service point in the PLR Scheme. The analysis showed 315 principal service points with 155,000,000 issues per annum. This was about a quarter of the 643,000,000 issues that year. At that time loans from principal service points in the sample governed 60 per cent of the PLR payment calculations but represented only 25 per cent of the borrowing. Ordinary service points represented 75 per cent of the lending but triggered only 40 per cent of the payments. (This imbalance in the sample has since been largely corrected!) Supplementary CIPFA statistics show nine libraries with over one million loans in , as shown below. The list shows one change from , with Aylesbury replacing Birmingham. Aylesbury Croydon Nottingham Chelmsford Edinburgh Southend Colchester Milton Keynes Sutton Interestingly, only two of the nine libraries listed are open for at least 60 hours per week. It should be noted that some cities (e.g. Glasgow and Manchester) feature reference rather than lending facilities in their largest libraries, so do not appear on this list. More significantly for our purpose here, the 1980 data have also been analysed as shown in Table 1.1.2a. Seventy-nine per cent of the issues occurred in 45 per cent of the service points - a significant departure from the 80:20 rule - although the 10 per cent of largest libraries still accounted for more than a third of the issues b 100% 90% 80% Proportion of service points computerised Data collected since indicate the proportion of service points which are computerised. In the UK as a whole this figure increased from 54% of service points in to 56% in Fig 1.1.2b shows how this proportion varies, with over nine-outof-ten service points in London computerised in each year, compared to no more than three-in-ten of those in Northern Ireland. It also shows that the increases occurred mainly in Wales and Scotland. 70% 60% 50% 40% Not computerised Computerised 30% 20% 10% % 95/96 96/97 95/96 96/97 95/96 96/97 95/96 96/97 95/96 96/97 95/96 96/97 95/96 96/97 Eng. Unit. Met. London Wales Scotland N Ireland counties auth districts In 1996/97 Unitary authorities examined as a separate category. Data for these were previously included in English counties Source: CIPFA/LISU Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 3

14 1 : PUBLIC LIBRARY STATISTICS Public library expenditure and income Gross expenditure on public libraries stood at 791m in , representing a 57% increase over at current prices (Table 1.1.3a). Income more than doubled over the period (from 27m to 65m), so that net expenditure increased by 52%. Book spend increased at a far lower rate than overall expenditure (+27%), resulting in a decrease in the share of gross expenditure taken by books, from 16.1% in to 13.0% in This decreased share is in fact even more pronounced than this, since the expenditure figures prior to include an element of capital financing costs excluded in the and data. Taking into account inflation, gross and net expenditure on public libraries actually fell slightly between and , with real spending on books down 20%, and per capita spending on books decreasing by 23% (Table 1.1.3b). These trend data for per capita book spend (at 1996 prices) vary by region, as illustrated by Fig 1.1.3c. Per capita spending on books in London decreased most significantly between to , and in recent years had fallen below levels in Scotland. As indicated above, the share of library spending going on books decreased between and Fig 1.1.3d indicates how this lost share has been redistributed, with increases in the proportion of spending on premises, staff costs, acquisitions of non-book items (audio-visual, newspapers and magazines, etc) and other (mainly administrative) costs such as central charges, computing costs and the costs of supplies and services a Expenditure at current prices % change Gross expenditure ( m)* Income ( m) Net expenditure ( m) Book spend ( m) Book spend per capita ( ) % spent on books 16.1% 15.8% 14.6% 14.1% 14.4% 13.0% - 19 Staff expenditure % spent on staff 50.8% 50.5% 49.9% 49.3% 53.2% 55.3% + 9 * Total expenditure figures prior to 1994/95 include an element of capital financing costs removed from the revenue account in Source: CIPFA/LISU 1.1.3b Expenditure at 1996 prices (GDP deflator) % change Gross expenditure ( m)* Income ( m) Net expenditure ( m) Book spend ( m) Book spend per capita ( ) % spent on books 16.1% 15.8% 14.6% 14.1% 14.4% 13.0% - 19 Staff expenditure % spent on staff 50.8% 50.5% 49.9% 49.3% 53.2% 55.3% + 9 * Total expenditure figures prior to 1994/95 include an element of capital financing costs removed from the revenue account in Source: CIPFA/LISU 4 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

15 1.1 Public library resources 1.1.3c Changes in per capita book spend at 1996 prices, by region Per capita book spend ( ) In 1996/97 unitary authorities examined as a separate category (not shown). Data for these are included in English counties category in previous years Source: CIPFA/LISU 1.1.3d Changes in distribution of public library expenditure /87 figures for share taken by books and staff costs differ from those shown in Table 1.1.3a because figures have been re-percentaged to exclude element of capital financing costs which were removed from the revenue account in , thereby making two sets of figures more directly comparable Source: CIPFA/LISU Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 5

16 1 : PUBLIC LIBRARY STATISTICS 1.1.3e Changes in sources of public library income Source: CIPFA/LISU The share of public libraries income accounted for by the hire of audio-visual items and by lettings/ photocopying more than doubled between and , at the expense of fines/fees, specific grants and other sources of income (Fig 1.1.3e). However, within the context of the actual and real growth in income generated by public libraries over the period (Tables 1.1.3a and 1.1.3b, page 4), income from fines/fees and in the remainder category did actually increase in real terms, despite the lost share (income from specific grants saw a real decrease). Staff employed Despite the increase in staff expenditure in real terms between and (Table 1.1.3b, page 4), staff numbers fell over the same period, by 11% (equating to over 3,000 people). Manual workers showed the greatest decline (-64%) reflecting contracting out of manual services, while the number of professional staff fell by 19%. There was a slight increase in the number of non-manual, non-professional staff over the whole period, though the numbers decreased from onwards (Table 1.1.4a). The other non manual group accounted for 71% of staff in , compared to 61% in a Staff employed in public libraries % change Professional 8,091 7,939 7,692 7,278 6,999 6, Other non-manual 18,265 18,549 18,974 18,967 18,831 18, Manual 3,553 3,206 2,010 1,578 1,452 1, TOTAL 29,911 29,682 28,674 27,823 27,281 26, Total per 10,000 popn Source: CIPFA/LISU 6 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

17 1.1.4b Changes in total staff per 10,000 population 1.1 Public library resources Staff/ 10,000 popn. In 1996/97 Unitary authorities examined as a separate category (not shown). Data for these are included in English Counties category in previous years Source: CIPFA/LISU The number of public library staff per 10,000 population varies by UK region, as shown in Fig 1.1.4b, with the average figures for London and Scotland around 6 staff per 10,000 in , compared to five per 10,000 in Metropolitan Districts of England and Northern Ireland and four for Wales and the English Counties. London, and to a lesser extent the Metropolitan Districts, showed the greatest rate of decline in staff numbers over the period. Public library stocks and additions Public library bookstocks decreased by 7% between and (Table 1.1.5a), reflecting a 21% decrease in additions to bookstock over the same period (see Table 1.1.5c, page 8), in turn a reflection of the drop in spending on books (see above, page 4). Adult non-fiction showed the greatest decrease in stock numbers over the period, with adult fiction also down. Stocks of children s books actually increased slightly, with the number of reference titles/reserves up 8% (reference represented approximately half of these). In contrast to books, stocks of audio-visual items (particularly videos), grew significantly between and , causing an increase in the share of all library stocks taken by these items, from 3.5% to 5.5% a Public library stocks % change (m) (m) (m) (m) (m) (m) Adult Fiction Adult Non-Fiction Children s Reference/reserve TOTAL BOOKSTOCK Audio Visual ,459 CD-Rom TOTAL AUDIO-VISUAL Source: CIPFA/LISU Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 7

18 1 : PUBLIC LIBRARY STATISTICS 1.1.5b Changes in public library stock Million Source: CIPFA/LISU The changing pattern of stock numbers is further illustrated in Fig 1.1.5b. All book categories saw decreases in the number of additions between and , with audio visual items again showing a contrasting pattern of growth, and nearly doubling its share of additions over the period, from around 5.5% to 10.7% (Table 1.1.5c). The fact that stocks of children s books and reference/reserve titles were maintained over the period (Table 1.1.5a), despite the decrease in additions shown here, implies that acquisitions exceeded withdrawals (see also below). As Fig 1.1.5d illustrates, the decline in number of additions was particularly pronounced between 1.1.5c Additions to public library stock % change (m) (m) (m) (m) (m) (m) Adult Fiction Adult Non-Fiction Children s Reference/reserve TOTAL BOOKSTOCK TOTAL AUDIO-VISUAL Source: CIPFA/LISU 8 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

19 1.1 Public library resources 1.1.5d Changes in additions to public library stock Million Source: CIPFA/LISU and , with a slight drop even in the number of audio-visual additions. As implied by the greater rate of decline in additions to bookstocks compared to total bookstocks (Table 1.1.5c compared to Table 1.1.5a, page 7), the proportion of stocks accounted for by additions showed an overall decrease between and (Table 1.1.5e). The decrease in additions to stock ratio was greatest for children s books, though the figure remained higher than for both adult fiction and adult non-fiction. In contrast to books, the additions of audio-visual items as a percentage of total audio-visual stocks increased over the period as a whole, though the figures were down on the previous year. Tables 1.1.5a and 1.1.5c have indicated that additions to stocks of adult fiction and adult non-fiction (in contrast to children s, reference/ reserve and audio visual titles) were insufficient to maintain stock levels. In other words, the volume of withdrawn stock exceeded the number of acquisitions. Books are withdrawn either when their intellectual interest wanes, or through shortage of space, or when they are physically worn out. Withdrawals for this last reason can be measured. In the early 1980 s Doug Betts (Betts, 1986) established physical book life in Surrey as falling in the range issues for hardbacks issues for paperbacks. Improved physical reinforcements are now available for paperbacks and trade paperbacks are superior in size, paper and quality of binding to the traditional mass market paperback. Recent research (Matthews, 1994) finds in Essex that hardbacks are withdrawn after only issues - probably on grounds of subject obsolescence as well as physical condition e Additions as a proportion of public library stock % change (m) (m) (m) (m) (m) (m) Adult Fiction Adult Non-Fiction Children s Audio-visual Source: CIPFA/LISU Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 9

20 1 : PUBLIC LIBRARY STATISTICS UK public library resources compared to overseas It is not easy to compare the public libraries in the UK with other countries, because of different circumstances, definitions and means of measurement. However, bearing this in mind, data published in the UNESCO Handbook do give an indication of the scope of resources in various other countries, and of the position of these relative to the UK. Table 1.1.6a shows European countries with at least 1000 public library service points and, where available, the number of registered users catered for per service point. The year to which the data apply is also shown. The figures indicate that the UK has more public libraries than other European nations, with the exception of the Russian Federation, and bearing in mind that e.g. Germany represents public authority financed libraries only and France represents municipal authority libraries only. The Netherlands shows the highest number of registered users per service point, with the figures for France, Italy, Finland and Belgium also above that for the UK. Table 1.1.6b compares bookstock and additions to stock in European countries with a public library service with stocks of at least 10m books. The UK s position in 1995 was below the Russian Federation, the Ukraine and Poland, but above the other European nations, bearing in mind the footnotes applying to Germany, France, etc. However, the UK showed the lowest stock per registered user (with the exception of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia), and also had one of the lowest ratios of annual additions per user a Public library service points: Europe Service Registered users/ Country Year points service point Russian Fed , UK ,869 1,354 Kazakstan , Germany (1) ,032 na Czech Republic , Spain ,880 1,092 Hungary (1) , Georgia , France (2) ,366 1,872 Slovakia , Austria , Switzerland , Italy ,366 2,855 Sweden ,656 na Lithuania , Finland ,339 1,796 Netherlands ,265 3,436 Norway ,157 na Belgium ,151 1,514 (1) Libraries financed by public authorities only (2) Municipal libraries only, and includes libraries in overseas departments Source: UNESCO Handbook 1.1.6b Public library bookstock: Europe Bookstock Annual Stock/ Additions/ Country Year (000s) additions (000s) registered user registered user Russian Fed ,356 30, Ukraine (1) ,720 8, Poland ,694 4,299 na na UK ,612 12, Germany (1) ,288 9,387 na na France (2) ,000 4, Italy ,030 2, Spain ,836 1, Hungary (1) ,265 na 30 na Sweden ,177 1,902 na na Netherlands ,515 na 10 na Czech Republic ,570 1, Finland ,300 1, Georgia , Belgium ,678 na 17 na Switzerland ,674 na 79 na Lithuania , Norway , na na Slovakia ,058 na 25 na F. R. Yugoslavia (3) , (4) ** Austria ,876 na 11 na (1) Libraries financed by public authorities only. (2) Municipal libraries only, and includes libraries in overseas departments. (3) Independent libraries and those incorporated in enterprises only. (4) Bookstock per reader rather than registered user. ** Less than 0.1. Source: UNESCO Handbook 10 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

21 1.2 Public library use 1.2 Public library use Sixty four percent of individuals within each Incidence of use of public libraries BML s 1998 Household Library Use Survey showed that 74% of British households (equating to around 17.5 million households) had made at least one visit to a public library in the 12 months prior to interview (for any purpose), a proportion increasing to 84% of households with children aged under 16. The figure varied between 68% of households in the Lancashire TV region to 80% of households in East Anglia, and between 68% of households of social grade DE and 79% of ABs (Table 1.2.1a). household in the nationally representative sample had visited a public library in the previous 12 months, a figure increasing to around 70% of women, boys and girls, compared to 56% of men. In fact, children aged between 6 and 16 years showed the greatest propensity to visit public libraries (Table 1.2.1b), in spite of the fact that they were also the group most likely to visit non-public libraries (i.e. mainly in schools a Use of public libraries - by household, All AB C1 C2 DE Child aged 0-5 Child aged 6-15 Any child No children London Southern Wales/W/SW Did not visit E Anglia Midlands York NE Lancs Scotland Base: all households Source: Household Library Use Survey 1998 (BML) 1.2.1b Use of public libraries - by individual, All Men Women Boys Girls Did not visit Base: all individuals Source: Household Library Use Survey 1998 (BML) Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 11

22 1 : PUBLIC LIBRARY STATISTICS Between 1994 and 1996 BML examined library use among adults (aged 15+) only. Though these data are not directly comparable with those showing the proportion of adults visiting public libraries given in Table 1.2.1b, page 11 (the responses come from two slightly different questions), the figure of just over six-out-of-ten adults visiting public libraries appears a consistent one, as Table 1.2.1c shows c Trends in adult use of public libraries % adults visiting public library in last 12 months (1998)* (63) Base: all adults (aged 15+) NB data based on question: which, if any, of these facilities have you used a public library in the last 12 months survey asked respondents to tick if has visited a public library (for any purpose, whether has ticket or not) in the last 12 months. Source: Books & the Consumer (BML), except * Household Library Use Survey 1998 (BML). Visitors to public libraries The 1998 profile of individual and household visitors to public libraries matches that of the total GB population quite closely, as Tables 1.2.2a-d illustrate. This means that, though children are relatively more likely to have visited public libraries than adults (Table 1.2.1b, page 11), they only represent a fifth of visitors, since they account for a fifth of the population more generally. Similarly, though AB households are more likely to visit than DEs, the latter account for nearly twice as many public library customers. If the number of visits made is taken into account (and the survey looked at this in the two months prior to interview), the importance of certain demographic groups to public libraries becomes clearer. Thus, whereas women represented 42% of the total sample of individuals, they accounted for 52% of all visits to public libraries in the two month period (Table 1.2.2a). Those aged 55+ (a quarter of the population, and of visitors to public libraries) accounted for over a third of visits (Table 1.2.2b), while ABC1s (44% of households), were responsible for 54% of visits (Table 1.2.2c). The 29% of households with children accounted for 40% of visits to public libraries (Table 1.2.2d). Respondents indicated that around 80% of the visits made in the two months prior to interview involved borrowing books or other items, with the remainder being for other purposes. The charts indicate variations between borrowing and nonborrowing visits, showing that the latter were nearly all made by adults, with men, those aged 55+, ABs, and households without children accounting for larger shares of non-borrowing visits compared to borrowing visits. Data from CIPFA/LISU estimate that a total of 370 million visits were made to public libraries in , down from 376 million in the previous year, when the data were recorded for the first time. Applying the BML figures (albeit for ) to these, we can estimate, for example, that around 300m visits involved borrowing, while 70m did not; c190m visits were made by women, compared to around 110m made by men and 70m made by children, and so on a Visitors and visits to public libraries, by sex, Girls Base: all visitors in the last 12 months/all visits in last two months Source: Household Library Use Survey 1998 (BML) 12 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

23 1.2.2b Visitors and visits to public libraries, by age, Public library use Base: all visitors in the last 12 months/all visits in last two months Source: Household Library Use Survey 1998 (BML) 1.2.2c Visitors and visits to public libraries, by social grade, DE Base: all visitors in the last 12 months/all visits in last two months Source: Household Library Use Survey 1998 (BML) 1.2.2d Visitors and visits to public libraries, by presence of children, Any child <16 Base: all visitors in the last 12 months/all visits in last two months Source: Household Library Use Survey 1998 (BML) Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 13

24 1 : PUBLIC LIBRARY STATISTICS Ticket ownership Between 1989 and 1996, BML s Books and the Consumer showed a consistent 56-58% of adults owning tickets for public libraries. The 1998 survey showed the trend maintained (bearing in mind the change in the methodology employed), with 59% of adults (and also 59% of children) claiming ownership of public library tickets. A total of 72% of households held at least one ticket. The majority of individuals and households had tickets for their own local authorities only, while 6% of individuals (11% of households) had tickets for public libraries in other authorities as well as their own, and 2% of individuals (1% of households) had tickets for other authorities only a As Fig 1.2.3a illustrates, the general pattern of ticket ownership follows that for propensity to visit, with women, school-aged children and those aged particularly likely to have tickets. Similarly AB social grade households and households with children were more likely than other groups to be ticket-holders. Those in London and East Anglia were most likely to hold tickets, and those in the North East least likely (Fig 1.2.3b). The charts also show that, amongst individuals, those aged were most likely to have tickets for libraries in other authorities (whether as well as or instead of their own local authority). Of the 64% of individuals visiting public libraries in the 12 months prior to interview, 81% were ticket Ownership of public library tickets in own and other local authorities, by individual, 1998 % with ticket Own only All Men Women Boys Girls Base: all individuals Source: Household Library Use Survey 1998 (BML) 1.2.3b Ownership of public library tickets, by household, 1998 % with ticket Own only All households AB Child 0-5 Base: all households Source: Household Library Use Survey 1998 (BML) C1 C2 DE Child 6-15 Any child Wales/W/SW East Anglia North East Lancashire 14 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 No child London Southern Midlands Yorkshire Scotland

25 1.2 Public library use 1.2.3c Relationship between ticket ownership and visiting public libraries, 1998 Individuals 29% 12% 20% 8% No ticket but visits 6% 7% 52% 66% Base: all individuals/all households Source: Household Library Use Survey 1998 (BML) holders, while of the 74% of households visiting public libraries, 89% were ticket-owning households. Looked at the other way around, the data show that, of the 59% of individuals owning tickets, 88% had visited a public library in the previous 12 months, while of the 72% of households with tickets, 91% had visited in the 12 months prior to interview. Fig 1.2.3c summarises these relationships in the context of the individual and household populations as a whole. and children in the population as a whole) in the previous 12 months. Other services used in public libraries can be broadly defined as those related to borrowing - renewing books, using the request service, mobile libraries, etc. - and those not specifically related to borrowing, such as obtaining information, reading newspapers and magazines and buying second hand stock. Public library services used As indicated above (page 12), around 80% of visits to public libraries in the two months prior to interview involved borrowing. Indeed, borrowing books and other items was not surprisingly - the most commonly used library service, carried out by 64% of visiting men, and 80% of visiting women and children (equating to 36% of men and around 55% of women 1.2.4a Use of borrowing-related services in public libraries, 1998 The proportions of all men, women and children borrowing and using related services are illustrated by Fig 1.2.4a. Women were more likely than men to do each of the activities shown, and at least twice as likely as men to have renewed by phone and to have requested/reserved books. Borrowing habits are examined in more detail below. Fig 1.2.4b compares use of services not specifically related to borrowing, with men as likely as women to have read newspapers and magazines provided in % of all in population Men Borrow Renew in person Renew by phone Use request service Use computerised catalogue Use mobile Use housebound service Base: all individuals Source: Household Library Use Survey 1998 (BML) Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 15

26 1 : PUBLIC LIBRARY STATISTICS 1.2.4b Use of other services (not borrowing-related) in public libraries, 1998 % of all in population Men Obtain general information Use photocopier Buy 2nd hand stock Obtain local community information Read newspapers/ magazines Obtain information for work Attend exhibition/ meeting Use space for study/work Obtain careers information Use fax Use Internet/ Base: all individuals Source: Household Library Use Survey 1998 (BML) a public library and to have used the library to obtain information related to work, while women were more than twice as likely as men to have bought second hand stock. Children were less likely than adults to have used all of the services except for using the library as a place to study/work. Overall, 57% of men who had visited public libraries in the 12 months prior to interview, compared to 64% of visiting women and 23% of visiting children, had used one of the non-borrowing-related services shown (equating to 32% of men, 42% of women and 18% of children in the population as a whole). Reasons for not visiting public libraries The 37% of adults who had not visited a public library in the 12 months prior to interview tended to say that this was because they lacked any need or reason to do so (mentioned by 44%), while a quarter said they were too busy, or had no time, and a fifth said they bought all the books and audiovisual items they needed instead. One in six of non-visiting adults said they had no interest in books and reading. Among the 31% of children not visiting public libraries, the commonest reason given for this was that they were too young (mentioned by 30%), with one in seven saying they used other (i.e. school) libraries instead of public ones (Table 1.2.5a). As the Table also indicates, very few adults or children did not visit because of inconvenient opening hours, because they were unable to get to a library, or because the library did not offer the services required. Table 1.2.5b shows that those not visiting public libraries but owning tickets were relatively more likely to mention lack of reason and lack of time to visit than those without tickets, and relatively less likely to mention lack of interest in either the services offered by libraries or in books and reading more generally. Non-visitor ticket holders were also more likely than average to say that they used other libraries or information sources (e.g. the Internet) instead, that they found the opening hours inconvenient or that the library did not offer the services required. 16 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

27 1.2 Public library use 1.2.5a Reasons for not visiting public library: adults and children, 1998 All non-visitors Adults Children No need/reason to Too busy/no time Buy books/audio-visual instead Not interested in books/reading Borrow from friends, family, etc Not interested in any of services Too young/others borrow on behalf Use other libraries instead Get info from elsewhere (eg Internet) Not well/housebound/don t get out Opening hours inconvenient No public library convenient to get to Doesn t have services required Other Any reason given Base: All individuals not visiting public library in last 12 months Source: Household Library Use Survey 1998 (BML) 1.2.5b Reasons for not visiting public library: those with and without tickets, 1998 All non-visitors With tickets Without tickets No need/reason to Too busy/no time Buy books/audio-visual instead Not interested in books/reading Borrow from friends, family, etc Not interested in any of services Too young/others borrow on behalf Use other libraries instead Get info from elsewhere (eg Internet) Not well/housebound/don t get out Opening hours inconvenient No public library convenient to get to Doesn t have services required Other Any reason given Base: All individuals not visiting public library in last 12 months Source: Household Library Use Survey 1998 (BML) Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 17

28 1 : PUBLIC LIBRARY STATISTICS 1.3 Borrowing habits and related services Categories borrowed It was indicated above (page 15) that just over a third of men, and just over half of women and children had borrowed books or other items in the 12 months prior to interview (equating to 47% of individuals overall). Books or other items had been borrowed by 60% of all households. The categories borrowed by these three groups in the 12 month period are shown in Fig 1.3.1a. Women were more likely than men to borrow in each of the book categories, reflecting their greater propensity for borrowing more generally, though the gap between the two genders was narrower for adult non-fiction than for adult fiction. Men were as likely as women to have borrowed music or spoken word items, while children were more likely than either men or women to have borrowed videos and spoken word. There were significant variations in the proportion of households borrowing each category among those with different social grades, as Fig 1.3.1b illustrates. Not all of these followed the more general pattern of AB and C1 households showing a greater propensity to use libraries (as indicated in Figs 1.2.1a, page 11, and 1.2.3b, page 14), since C2s were at least as likely as ABs to have borrowed children s fiction and non-fiction, as well as music and videos. Categories issued and on loan The data above indicate how many people borrow books and other items from public libraries in various categories. Figures from CIPFA/LISU show changes in the number of issues of books and audio visual items, and also in the number of items on loan at any one time. Table 1.3.2a highlights the decrease in issues of books (particularly adult fiction) between 1986/87 and 1996/97, in contrast to an increase in issues of audio visual items, driven mainly by growth in issues of videos (and reflecting increased levels of provision in this sector). The figures showing volume of materials on loan at the end of March in each year present a similar set of trends (Table 1.3.2b). Fig 1.3.2c illustrates the changing profile of book issues between 1986/87 and 1996/ a Categories borrowed from public libraries by men, women and children, 1998 Men % of all in population AF = adult fiction ANF = adult non-fiction CF = children s fiction CNF = children s non-fiction Children borrowing large print is assumed to be borrowing of books for very young children rather than books aimed at those with deteriorating sight Base: all individuals. Source: Household Library Use Survey 1998 (BML) 18 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

29 1.3.1b 1.3 Borrowing habits and related services Categories borrowed from public libraries, by household social grade, 1998 AB % of all in population AF = adult fiction ANF = adult non-fiction CF = children s fiction CNF = children s non-fiction Base: 1006 households Source: Household Library Use Survey 1998 (BML) 1.3.2a Public library issues 1986/ / / / / /97 % change (m) (m) (m) (m) (m) (m) Adult fiction Adult non-fiction Children s Total books Talking books na na na na na 13 na Music na na na na na 13 na Total audio na na na na Video na na na na Total audio-visual* TOTAL * 1996/97 figures represent total of audio, video and CD-Rom issues only. Previous years include other non-book issues. Source: CIPFA/LISU 1.3.2b Books on loan from public libraries (end of March in each year) % change (m) (m) (m) (m) (m) (m) Adult fiction Adult non-fiction Children s Total books Total audio-visual TOTAL Source: CIPFA/LISU Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 19

30 1 : PUBLIC LIBRARY STATISTICS 1.3.2c Changes in public library issues Adult fiction 1996/97 figure for audio-visual represents total of audio, video and CD-Rom issues only. Prior years include other non-book issues Source: CIPFA/LISU In general, the changing patterns of issues and materials on loan are in line with those for expenditure, stock levels and additions to stock, as Table 1.3.2d illustrates. For example, expenditure, additions to stock and issues of books have each fallen by around 20% overall between 1986/87 and 1996/97. It remains open to question whether the fall in expenditure simply reflects a drop in demand, or whether decreasing issues are a symptom of the decreasing additions to stock caused by the cut in spending on books. Either way, looked at in more detail, the figures show that the rate of decline in issues of fiction has exceeded the decrease in stocks and additions to stock, while issues of nonfiction have not fallen as fast as have stock levels and additions to stock. UK public library issues compared to overseas Data in Tables 1.1.6a & b compared indicators of library resources among countries in Europe, taken from the UNESCO Handbook, whilst making reference to the difficulties of comparing data that may be affected by the different circumstances, definitions and means of measurement used in each country. Similarly, the UNESCO Handbook provides information on the scope of book issues in various countries, and of the position of these relative to the UK. Table shows European countries with at least 10 million loans and, where available, the number of loans per registered user. The year to which the data apply is also shown. The figures indicate that the 534m loans made in the UK in 1995 were more than any of the other European countries for which data are available, though its ratio of loans per registered user was one of the lowest, at 16 items, compared to 53 items per registered user in Italy, and 43 in the Netherlands d Summary of changes in public libraries expenditure, stock & issues over Expenditure Additions Books on (at 1996 Prices) Stock to Stock Issues Loan Adult fiction na Adult non-fiction na Children s na Total books Total audio-visual Source: CIPFA/LISU 20 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

31 1.3 Borrowing habits and related services Public library issues: Europe Loan allowance and issue period Loans to Loans/ Country Year users registered (000s) user UK , Ukraine (1) , Italy , Netherlands , Poland ,381 na France (2) , Finland , Sweden ,355 na Belgium , Georgia , Hungary (1) , Slovakia , Spain ,842 4 Norway ,504 na Austria , F. R. Yugoslavia (3) ,273 2 (1) Libraries financed by public authorities only (2) Municipal libraries only, and includes libraries in overseas departments (3) Independent libraries and those incorporated in enterprises only Source: UNESCO Handbook The number of items which users are allowed to borrow from public libraries at any one time has increased significantly in recent years, as illustrated by Fig In 1986/87 around 70% of authorities allowed people to take out six items or less at any one time. This compares to approximately half of authorities in 1991/92 and a quarter in 1996/97, when the average number of loans allowed was nine. The figures do conceal some variation within authorities where, for example, allowances differ depending on whether or not a service point is computerised, and in some cases between different types of borrower and types of item borrowed. In contrast to the figures showing books allowed on loan, the issue period has been very stable over the period, with the vast majority of authorities issuing items for three or four week periods Maximum books allowed on loan in public libraries 3 or 4 Source: CIPFA/LISU Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 21

32 1 : PUBLIC LIBRARY STATISTICS Frequency and weight of borrowing Data collected by BML s Books & the Consumer survey between 1989 and 1996 examined the related questions of frequency of borrowing books and the number of books borrowed per visit by adults, and showed a consistent pattern for both. Given that issues of adult books actually declined over the equivalent period (as shown in Table 1.3.2a, page 9), we must conclude that the survey was not sufficiently sensitive to monitor the gradual downturn in books borrowed. However, the broad patterns for these two variables remain informative, and are illustrated by Fig 1.3.5a and 1.3.5b a Less often 14% 2 or 3 times a year 14% Frequency of borrowing books, 1996 Never 7% Once a week or more 11% About once a fortnight 15% By combining the data collected via the Books on the Consumer survey on frequency of book borrowing and on the number of books borrowed per visit in the 12 months prior to interview, BML has been able to segment adult borrowers into different user groups in order to highlight key customers of libraries in terms of the volume of issues that they account for (see Heavy Book Borrowers, BML 1996). BML undertook a similar analysis of the data collected from the 1998 Household Library Use Survey, though based on borrowing in the 2 months prior to interviewing, but taking into account borrowing by children as well as adults, and looking at borrowing of audio-visual items as well as books. This analysis showed that men, who represented 36% of the sample population, and 27% of borrowers, accounted for only 23% of books borrowed in the 2 month period, but 34% of audio visual items (Fig 1.3.5c). The 26% of the sample population aged 55+ accounted for 31% of books borrowed, compared to 23% of audio-visual items, with 15-34s and 35-54s relatively more important to the latter, as Fig 1.3.5d indicates. In Fig 1.3.5e, the importance of C1 households to the borrowing of books, and particularly audio-visual items, is shown. About once every 2-3 months 16% About once a month 23% 1.3.5c Weight of borrowing, by sex, Base: all adults (aged 15+) with ticket for a public library Source: Books and the Consumer 1996 (BML) b Number of books borrowed per visit, 1996 Girls 6+ books 7% 5-6 books 15% 1-2 books 36% 1.3.5d Weight of borrowing, by age, books 42% Base: all adults (aged 15+) borrowing books at least 2-3 times in the last 12 months Source: Books and the Consumer 1996 (BML) Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

33 1.3.5e Weight of borrowing, by social grade, Base for Figs 1.3.5c, d & e: All borrowing books/other items in last 12 months/all items borrowed in last two months Source: Household Library Use Survey 1998 (BML) DE Borrowing habits and related services Book genres borrowed While the 1998 Household Library Use Survey examined the main categories of books borrowed (adult and children s fiction and non-fiction), it did not break these down into more detailed genres. Between 1994 and 1996, however, Books and the Consumer did examine adult borrowing of individual genres. In the latter year the survey found that around half of those borrowing fiction had borrowed crime/thriller/detective stories, over a third had borrowed historical novels/historical romance, and over a quarter borrowed romance/love stories. Respondents were also asked which single genre they had borrowed most often in the 12 months prior to interview, with over half mentioning one of these three genres (Table 1.3.6a) a Fiction genres borrowed, 1996 An alternative method of segmenting library customers, in terms of volume of items borrowed, is by frequency of borrowing. Fig 1.3.5f shows that, when this is done, we find that the 10% of borrowing individuals who had borrowed at least 8 times in the 2 months prior to interview (i.e. roughly once a week), accounted for 27% of books, and 43% of audio-visual items, borrowed in that period. The 36% of borrowers borrowing at least 4 times in the two month period (roughly once a fortnight or more), accounted for 63% of books and 75% of audio-visual items borrowed f Weight of borrowing, by frequency of borrowing visit, Borrowed Borrowed at all most often in in last 12m last 12m % % Crime/thriller/detective stories Historical novels/romance Romance/love stories War/adventure stories th C novels 19 6 Short stories 18 2 Sci-fi/fantasy 16 5 Classics/literature 16 4 Horror/occult 14 4 Other* 38 9 Don t know 6 10 * e.g. humour, poetry, plays, westerns: all borrowed at all by 10% or less, and borrowed most often by 1% or less Base: all adults borrowing fiction for self in last 12 months Source: Books & the Consumer 1996 (BML ) visits/2 months Base: All individuals borrowing/all items borrowed in last two months Source: Household Library Use Survey 1998 (BML) Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 23

34 1 : PUBLIC LIBRARY STATISTICS Table 1.3.6b provides equivalent figures for nonfiction/reference genres: over a third who borrowed non-fiction/reference at all had taken out how-to-do reference manuals, over a quarter had borrowed biographies, and a fifth history. These three genres together accounted for 38% of genres borrowed most often. main adult fiction and non-fiction genres, in 1996/97 compared to 1988/89. If these data are applied to the LISU figures for total loans in each year, it is possible to roughly estimate the actual volume of books issued in each category, to see which genres have contributed most to the overall decline in issues over the period b Non-fiction/reference genres borrowed, 1996 Borrowed Borrowed at all most often in in last 12m last 12m % % Thus, while the volume of issues of some genres (e.g. general fiction, health and literature, as well as the children s categories) appears to have been maintained over the period, most genres have shown decreasing issues, with borrowing of titles categorised as light romance showing the most significant decline. How-to-do/manuals/tutors Auto/biography History 21 8 Travel 19 4 True-life stories 15 4 Foreign travel maps/guides 14 3 War/military history 13 5 Food/drink 12 3 Other practical reference# 12 4 Sport 10 5 Science/technology 10 4 Social science 9 4 Other* Don t know 7 10 # e.g. child care, collector s guides * e.g. economics, current affairs, UK travel maps/guides: all borrowed at all by 7% or less, and borrowed most often 3% or less Base: all adults borrowing non-fiction/reference for self in last 12 months Source: Books & the Consumer 1996 (BML ) Data produced by Public Lending Right (PLR) have tracked the relative popularity of various genres, in the context of all books borrowed (i.e. taking into account the volume of issues within each genre, as well as the numbers borrowing them). The PLR figures are in fact based on loans of those titles registered with the PLR scheme (which is primarily designed to allocate royalties to authors based on annual library issues), which represents around 44% of all UK book loans. The split between the main categories covered by the PLR data (adult fiction, adult non-fiction and children s), does not match exactly that produced by LISU for all UK libraries (Table 1.3.2a, page 19), with the PLR figures showing a slightly higher proportion of children s books loaned than LISU, at the expense of adult non-fiction. Bearing this in mind, Table 1.3.6c shows the proportion of PLR registered loans accounted for by these categories, and by the 1.3.6c PLR registered loans by category 1988/ /97 % million % million General fiction Mystery/detection Light romance Historical War Westerns Horror Humour Short stories Science fiction Total adult fiction Domestic/leisure History Biography Travel/foreign countries Social sciences Health Science/technology Nature/country life The arts Literature Religion Humour Total adult non-fiction Children s fiction Children s non-fiction TOTAL NB. Equivalent figures for 1997/98 were available at the time of going to press, and showed a further decrease in the share of loans taken by adult non-fiction, with adult fiction making slight gains. However, they are not included in this table because the equivalent LISU data for total issues were not yet available Source: BML analysis of data published in the Report on the Public Lending Right Scheme 1996/97 (PLR, 1998) 24 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

35 1.3 Borrowing habits and related services Authors and titles borrowed As well as producing data on genres borrowed, the PLR scheme also records annual issues of individual authors and titles (whether or not they are registered with the scheme), to provide an even more detailed indication of borrowing tastes. Table 1.3.7a shows the order of popularity of the top 20 adult fiction authors in 1997/98, with their equivalent 1996/97 positions in brackets. The top three were the same in each year, while Emma Blair made the greatest leap in relative popularity, and Ellis Peters dropped the greatest number of places. The top three authors accounted for 18 out of the top 20 titles borrowed in 1997/98, with Catherine Cookson taking 12 of these in both 1996/97 and 1997/98, though as Table 1.3.7b shows, there were fluctuations in the relative popularity of her titles. Two authors Lucy Daniels and Jacqueline Wilson - entered the top 20 children s fiction authors borrowed 1.3.7a Most borrowed adult fiction authors (in loans order, position in brackets) 1 (1) Catherine Cookson 11 (10) Virginia Andrews 2 (2) Danielle Steele 12 (12) Dean R Koontz 3 (3) Dick Francis 13 (15) Rosamund Pilcher 4 (7) Josephine Cox 14 (20) Maeve Binchy 5 (4) Ruth Rendell 15 (-) Harry Bowling 6 (6) Jack Higgins 16 (-) Audrey Howard 7 (5) Agatha Christie 17 (14) Bernard Cornwell 8 (19) Emma Blair 18 (9) Ellis Peters 9 (8) Terry Pratchett 19 (11) Wilbur Smith 10 (13) Barbara Taylor Bradford 20 (-) Mary Higgins Clark Authors dropping out of top 20 in 1997/98 were Elizabeth Ferrars (16), Stephen King (17) and Ed McBain (18) Source: PLR b Most borrowed adult fiction titles, (in loans order, position in brackets) 1 (1) Catherine Cookson A Ruthless Need 1995 Bantam Press 2 (4) Catherine Cookson The Obsession 1995 Bantam Press 3 (-) Catherine Cookson The Bonny Dawn 1996 Bantam Press 4 (18) Catherine Cookson The Branded Man 1996 Bantam Press 5 (-) Catherine Cookson The Bondage of Love 1997 Bantam Press 6 (3) Catherine Cookson The Year of the Virgins 1993 Bantam Press 7 (2) Catherine Cookson Justice is a Woman 1994 Bantam Press 8 (5) Catherine Cookson The Upstart 1996 Bantam Press 9 (16) Danielle Steel Malice 1996 Bantam Press 10 (-) Dick Francis To the Hilt 1996 Michael Joseph 11 (9) Dick Francis Come to Grief 1995 Michael Joseph 12 (6) Catherine Cookson The Tinker s Girl 1994 Bantam Press 13 (12) Catherine Cookson My Beloved Son 1991 Bantam Press 14 (-) Danielle Steel Silent Honour 1997 Bantam Press 15 (10) Catherine Cookson The Golden Straw 1993 Bantam Press 16 (17) Danielle Steel Lightning 1995 Bantam Press 17 (-) Danielle Steel Five Days in Paris 1995 Bantam Press 18 (-) Maeve Binchy Evening Class 1996 Orion 19 (-) Catherine Cookson The Desert Crop 1997 Bantam Press 20 (-) Barbara Taylor Bradford Her Own Rules 1996 HarperCollins Source: PLR 1999 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 25

36 1 : PUBLIC LIBRARY STATISTICS 1.3.7c Most borrowed children s fiction authors (in loans order, position in brackets) 1 (1) R L Stine 11 (10) Shirley Hughes 2 (2) Janet & Allan Ahlberg 12 (11) Martin Waddell 3 (4) Ann M Martin 13 (16) Nick Butterworth 4 (3) Roald Dahl 14 (-) Lucy Daniels 5 (5) Enid Blyton 15 (14) Tony Bradman 6 (6) Dick King-Smith 16 (-) Jacqueline Wilson 7 (9) John Cunliffe 17 (20) Jill Murphy 8 (7) Goscinny 18 (12) Kate William 9 (13) Mick Inkpen 19 (19) David McKee 10 (8) Eric Hill 20 (17) Colin & Jacqui Hawkins Authors dropping out of top 20 in 1997/98 were Jamie Suzanne (15) and Rev W Awdry (18) Source: PLR 1999 in 1997/98, while the top six remained the same (though Ann M Martin and Roald Dahl swapped third and fourth places), (Table 1.3.7c). The leading author, R L Stine, accounted for 15 of the top 20 most borrowed children s fiction titles in 1997/98, compared to six in the previous year (Table 1.3.7d). Roald Dahl took four of the top 20 in 1997/98, with Jill Murphy taking the remaining title. The top 20 adult and children s non-fiction titles borrowed in 1997/98 are listed in loans order in Table 1.3.7e. Ten of the top 20 in 1997/98 were children s titles, eight of which were from Terry Deary s Horrible Histories series (all new-entries in that year) d Most borrowed children s fiction titles (in loans order, position in brackets) 1 (-) R L Stine Ghost Beach 1996 Hippo 2 (6) R L Stine Scarecrow Walks at Midnight 1995 Hippo 3 (1) Jill Murphy A Quiet Night In 1993 Walker 4 (-) R L Stine A Night in Terror Tower 1996 Hippo 5 (-) R L Stine It Came from Beneath the Sink!! 1996 Hippo 6 (-) R L Stine My Hairiest Adventure 1996 Hippo 7 (-) R L Stine The Cuckoo Clock of Doom 1996 Hippo 8 (19) R L Stine One Day at Horrorland 1994 Hippo 9 (9) R L Stine Return of the Mummy 1995 Hippo 10 (-) R L Stine Night of the Living Dummy II 1996 Hippo 11 (14) R L Stine Deep Trouble 1995 Hippo 12 (-) R L Stine A Shocker on Shock Street 1996 Hippo 13 (-) Roald Dahl (illus. Blake) The Witches 1985 Puffin 14 (11) Roald Dahl (illus. Blake) The BFG 1984 Puffin 15 (-) R L Stine Monster Blood II 1995 Hippo 16 (16) R L Stine Go Eat Worms 1995 Hippo 17 (4) Roald Dahl (illus. Blake) Esio Trot 1990 Cape 18 (-) R L Stine The Barking Ghost 1996 Hippo 19 (18) Roald Dahl (illus. Blake) The Twits 1982 Puffin 20 (15) R L Stine Why I m Afraid of Bees 1995 Hippo Source: PLR Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

37 1.3 Borrowing habits and related services 1.3.7e Most borrowed non-fiction titles (in loans order, position in brackets) 1 (1) Andy McNab Immediate Action 1995 Bantam 2 (7) Driving Standards Agency The Complete Theory Test 1996 HMSO 3 (12) George Hart (C) Eyewitness Guide: Ancient Egypt 1990 Dorling Kindersley 4 (2) Delia Smith Delia Smith s Winter Collection 1995 BBC Books 5 (13) Miriam Stoppard Menopause 1994 Dorling Kindersley 6 (-) Terry Deary (C) The Groovy Greeks 1996 Hippo 7 (3) Jung Chang Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China 1991 HarperCollins 8 (-) Terry Deary (C) Cruel Kings & Mean Queens 1995 Andre Deutsch 9 (-) Terry Deary (C) The Slimy Stuarts 1996 Hippo 10 (4) Simon James (C) Eyewitness Guide: Ancient Rome 1990 Dorling Kindersley 11 (-) Terry Deary (C) Dark Knights & Dingy Castles 1997 Scholastic 12 (-) Terry Deary (C) The Measly Middle Ages 1996 Hippo 13 (-) Andrew Morton Diana: Her True Story 1992 O Mara 14 (6) Stephen Hawking A Brief History of Time 1988 Bantam 15 (-) Terry Deary (C) The 20 th Century 1996 Andre Deutsch 16 (-) Andy Rathbone Windows 95 for Dummies 1995 IDG Books 17 (-) Terry Deary et al (C) The Awesome Egyptians 1993 Scholastic 18 (-) Andrew Morton Diana: Her New Life 1994 O Mara 19 (-) Terry Burrows at al The Internet 1996 Dorling Kindersley 20 (-) Terry Deary (C) The Blitzed Brits 1994 Hippo (C) = children s titles Source: PLR 1999 PLR also shows changes in the relative popularity of classic authors, though as Table 1.3.7f indicates, there were only small shifts between 1996/97 and 1997/98, while two authors C S Forester and Wilkie Collins were new entrants in the list. Requests and inter-library loans One of the key services offered by public libraries, to enhance lending of books and other materials, is the request service. Customers can reserve items 1.3.7f Most borrowed classic fiction authors (in loans order, position in brackets) 1 (1) Beatrix Potter 11 (12) George Orwell 2 (2) Daphne Du Maurier 12 (11) Rudyard Kipling 3 (4) A A Milne 13 (13) D H Lawrence 4 (3) Jane Austen 14 (14) Arthur Conan Doyle 5 (5) William Shakespeare 15 (16) Louisa M Alcott 6 (8) J R R Tolkien 16 (15) George Eliot 7 (7) Charles Dickens 17 (19) Virginia Woolf 8 (6) Thomas Hardy 18 (18) John Buchan 9 (9) Anthony Trollope 19 (-) C S Forester 10 (10) E M Forster 20 (-) Wilkie Collins Authors dropping out of top 20 in 1997/98 were Charlotte Bronte (17) and W Somerset Maugham (20) Source: PLR 1999 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 27

38 1 : PUBLIC LIBRARY STATISTICS already on loan to other users, or request new titles not yet in the library, or which are stocked by other libraries. In total, some 8.7 million requests were satisfied by public libraries in the UK in 1996/97, a figure which represented a slight decrease from its peak of 8.9 million in 1994/95 (Table 1.3.8a). Since 1990/91, when requests were first monitored fully, they have increased as a proportion of all issues of books and other materials, from 1.41% to 1.62%. libraries in the UK, while 288,000 were supplied. Both have seen increases in recent years, with ILLs received increasing by 17%, and ILLs supplied up 6%, between 1986/87 and 1996/97. As indicated in Table 1.3.8b, just one strand of the request service is the provision of materials borrowed from other libraries. In 1996/97, 471,000 inter-library loans (ILLs) were received by public 1.3.8a Requests satisfied by public libraries Requests (million) Requests as % of total issues 1990/ / / / Source: CIPFA/LISU 1.3.8b Number of inter-library loans % change 1986/ / / / / / Issued Received Source: CIPFA/LISU 28 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

39 2.1 User consultation National perspectives on public library use 2 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 29

40 2 : NATIONAL PERSPECTIVES ON PUBLIC LIBRARY USE 2.1 User consultation Elizabeth Barron Extract from a dissertation for an MA degree. The dissertation recommended to Nottinghamshire Public Libraries an appropriate methodology of user consultation. The section reported here is a national survey of public library authority user consultation methods. MA dissertation: User consultation: an evaluation of the different methods used by public library services to give users real choice and influence over the shaping of their services Loughborough University, Department of Information Science, supervised by Anne Morris. A paper deriving from the dissertation was published in Library Management (Morris). Aims and methodology The aim of the survey was to find out which user consultation methods library authorities were using, and to what levels of effectiveness. A postal questionnaire was sent to all UK public library authorities (except Nottinghamshire), following pilot testing with four authorities. Of the 182 authorities mailed, 134 (74%) completed and returned the questionnaire. Overview of responses Table shows the numbers and percentages of authorities which reported using the various user consultation methods. The most common were comments/complaints books (used by 90% of authorities), user satisfaction surveys (81%), and staff feedback (81%). Complaints books The 90% of authorities using comments/complaints/ suggestions forms or books were asked to what extent the method was effective. The responses are depicted in Fig The effectiveness of comments and complaints books 64% 7% 3% 26% The number of authorities conducting each method of user consultation Method No. % Comments/complaints etc User satisfaction surveys Staff feedback channels Surveys on particular aspects Citizen s charters User consultative meetings etc Non user surveys Friends/user groups Focus groups Lapsed user surveys New member surveys 9 7 Twenty-six per cent felt the method was very effective, and a further 64% quite effective. Amongst factors detracting from effectiveness were: the amount of nonsense recorded; copycat behaviour by users (in repeating comments already made in the complaints book); and the difficulty of siting complaints books strategically. User satisfaction surveys Respondents were asked: Does your authority conduct user satisfaction surveys? Eighty-one per cent reported having used them. Fig depicts responses to a further question about their effectiveness. Of those authorities using surveys, 20% found them very effective. Several were using the CIPFA PLUS survey, and others were carrying out fairly systematic surveys of customer 30 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

41 opinion as part of quality inspections. Amongst the 76% reporting user satisfaction surveys as quite effective, the factors limiting effectiveness included infrequency of surveys, small samples, low response rates, users inclination to favour the existing situation, the low level of resources for following up surveys, and public aversion to completing questionnaires (especially amongst the young). Also mentioned were the tendency of users to express satisfaction to please library staff, and the high levels of satisfaction resulting from low expectations The effectiveness of user satisfaction surveys 76% 1% 3% 20% Method 2.1 User consultation Aspects of library services targeted by surveys No. Audio visual services 18 Children and teenagers 17 Mobile library 15 Housebound 14 Opening hours 14 Information services 11 Stock satisfaction 10 Old people and residential homes 7 Branch/central libraries 6 IT including: Internet, CD-ROM and OPACs 4 Local studies 4 Ethnic minority groups 3 People attending events 3 Large print 2 Request services 1 Publicity material 1 Budget cuts 1 Library layout 1 Library refurbishment 1 Subject enquiry services 1 Blind and disabled users 1 Students and researchers 1 Job seekers 1 Access 1 Respondents were also asked: Have you carried out user satisfaction surveys on a particular aspect/ aspects e.g. use of CD-ROMs, housebound provision? In all, 57% of authorities reported surveys of this type. Table lists the many different aspects of service which had been investigated. Surveys of non-users and lapsed users Thirty-seven respondents (28%) had reported carrying out non-user surveys, and 29 (22%) lapsed user surveys. Comments on the effectiveness of non-user surveys were mixed. The positive feedback - from a majority of respondents - concentrated mainly on the value of these surveys in marketing terms. But other respondents suggested that the results were not very useful if judged against the amount of time and money invested in them. Comments on lapsed user surveys were similarly mixed. Negative experiences were limited success due to poor response factors and only confirmed what we already suspected. Others reported good response rates and useful feedback. Amongst the comments were: lapsed user surveys produce better feedback than non-user surveys and have the side benefit of prompting users to re-join; and the surveys give slightly different viewpoints on perceptions of service...useful in supporting marketing and for considering changes to service. Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 Staff feedback Eighty-one per cent of respondents had reported using staff feedback methods. Staff meetings were the most commonly mentioned form of communication, but others included talk-back or public service forums, staff awareness training days, senior management visibility visits, and quality standards and customer care groups. Non-verbal methods included staff suggestion schemes, comments and complaints forms, staff contributions to annual service plans and reviews, staff current awareness bulletins, and invitations for staff to comment on research findings. Citizens charters Over half (57%) of respondents had service charters or similar statements of commitment to users. Of the 43% who did not, half said that one was under development. Authorities who had a scheme were asked: Have your users responded to it? Of 76 authorities, 37% said yes to this, and 43% no - with 20% making no response. But the couple of positive comments on this theme - has generally roused expectations and has been very useful in addressing complaints/setting goals and targets - were greatly outweighed by a number of more circumspect comments suggesting limited effectiveness. 31

42 2 : NATIONAL PERSPECTIVES ON PUBLIC LIBRARY USE User consultative meetings Thirty nine per cent of all respondents reported using user consultative meetings. The main point to be drawn from the accompanying comments was - the more specific the agenda, the more effective were the meetings. Specific agendas instanced were: Sunday opening; special needs; budget reductions; library closures; new building projects; and other service developments. One authority commented that such meetings can be effective if an appropriate response is given in action - members must be able to feel they have power to influence service provision. Only 24% of respondents reported running friends of the library or user groups. Activities of such groups were reported as: organising book sales (9 of 32 respondents); organising other events (18); participating in management meetings (6); fundraising (15); and other activities (19). Librarians comments on such groups included the positive and the negative. Amongst the positive were: a real asset in fund-raising; can be very useful when cut-backs are being considered; valuable community links; support and inform the library service; play a useful role in the political arena; helped users more clearly to understand the library s position. Respondents were specifically asked: Do you have any objections to friends of the library or user groups? and given three prompted answers. Of these, They expect preferential treatment attracted nine responses, undermine library staff eight responses, and undermine statutory funding four responses. Amongst the negative comments on this theme were: can be labour-intensive; have become difficult to deal with; the relationship was fraught; danger of the groups becoming too prescriptive; short term high profile; folded due to lack of interest; danger of reliance on one or two members; generally not representative. In addition to the groups mentioned above, the use of focus groups was reported by 32 authorities (24% of all respondents). Most of the authorities with experience of them had favourable comments to make. Only a few noted limited effectiveness, for much the same reasons as those given above in relation to other user groups. Some examples were given of the contexts for using focus groups: a group of teenagers brought together to help choose stock for their age group; people with disabilities asked about access; South Asian and Chinese communities consulted about their library needs; young people quizzed on their perceptions of the service; and users asked to define spending priorities. The 102 authorities which had not used focus groups were asked: Would you consider using them? Fiftytwo per cent said yes, 41% no, and 7% made no response. Reference Morris, Anne and Barron, Elizabeth. User consultation in public library services, Library management 19(7) pp Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

43 2.2 : Review of public library service in England and Wales?.? Heading in sentence case 2.2 Review of public library service in England and Wales Aslib, The Association for Information Management The then Department of National Heritage (now the Department for Culture, Media and Sport) required the Aslib team to conduct studies of the public library s environment, its functions and services, and library users and non-users opinions, behaviour and interests - and to make recommendations for the future development of public library services. This extract is restricted to summarising the research findings of the report, which were based upon a very substantial series of surveys. These represent one of the most important surveys of research on public libraries carried out in the 1990s. Some of the most interesting findings are those which compare the views of library users and library staff on key issues. (The judgements in the text are those of the writers of the original report.) Review of the public library service in England and Wales: final report ISBN , London: Aslib, price 99 ( 79 for Aslib s corporate members). Review of the public library service in England and Wales: summary & schedule of recommendations ISBN , London: Aslib, price ( 10 for Aslib s corporate members). The surveys As part of the study, professional opinion researchers interviewed 922 people in their homes, representing a cross-section of library users (frequent and occasional) and non-users. The samples covered men and women in rural, suburban and urban areas, who were 16 years of age or older, in all the socioeconomic groups. At the same time they drew a representative sample of 3,600 voters names from electoral rolls and surveyed them by post. In parallel, they sent out a detailed set of questions to 3,400 staff currently working in public libraries in nine case study areas; the 40% who replied included both professional librarians and other library staff. Field work took place in August Users and non-users The survey showed that about three fifths of the English and Welsh population regularly visit public libraries. Our estimates therefore indicate that about 24 million adults (aged 16 or more) in England and Wales are public library users. Approximately 12 million of them call at a public library once a fortnight, on average, and another two and a half million adults use public libraries through surrogates - that is, by relying on others to borrow library materials or use library services on their behalf. Our figures also show that about one in ten of the adults who go to public libraries bring children with them, but that most people normally go alone (see Figs 2.2.1, and 2.2.3). Socio-economic groups provide a convenient division Users and non-users Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 33

44 2 : NATIONAL PERSPECTIVES ON PUBLIC LIBRARY USE Using a public library for self or others Number of respondents Visits to public library alone or with others Number of respondents of the population for analysis (see Tables and and Fig 2.2.6). We found substantial numbers of users in each of the four groups, although there is a higher proportion in AB and C1 categories Frequent library users and non users by socio economic groups (% within each group) Socio-economic group Frequent users Non-users % % AB C C DE Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

45 2.2.5 Population Aslib survey Socio-economic estimates public library group (England & Wales) users % % AB C C DE Total Library users by socio economic groups Frequency of visiting a public library by socio economic groups 2.2 : Review of public library service in England and Wales?.? Heading in sentence case Use of public libraries Our data revealed the pattern of use by age group. In general, we found a balanced age distribution in the pattern of regular use among the young, the middle-aged and the old. A similar pattern of use characterises occasional users (those who visit the public library only a few times a year). But amongst 60-plus users there is a dichotomy: they tend to use public libraries either frequently or not at all, depending upon their interests, eyesight and mobility (see Table 2.2.7) Pattern of use by age group and gender (% within each group) Age Frequent users Non-users % % Gender Male Female Reasons for non-use Fig depicts reasons for not using the library - given by 898 occasional and non-users. The majority of non-users say that they have no interest or need, or no time. Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 35

46 2 : NATIONAL PERSPECTIVES ON PUBLIC LIBRARY USE Purpose of book borrowing: library borrowers of fiction and non-fiction books Borrowers and non-borrowers: frequency of use Fig is a spider plot - which is like a web under the influence of gravity from several directions. The different variables exert pulls, which illustrate their relative significance. It shows that library borrowers read primarily for pleasure. Other favoured reasons include educational purposes, to support recreations and pastimes, and to gain information or knowledge. Work is the only purpose which receives relatively low ratings by all groups - though public libraries appeal to a small but significant minority of borrowers who seek business or employment-related information. Fig shows that nearly all frequent users are borrowers, mainly of books (and this implies that they are likely to be members of the library). But few occasional users are borrowers - they mainly visit the library for other purposes. Fig shows the percentages of borrowers taking different media from public libraries. The majority borrow books, but a significant minority also take out cassettes, CDs, videos, or talking books. Most of those taking non-book materials borrow several types ( multi-media in the figure), whereas book borrowers are more likely just to borrow books ( a sole medium in the figure). 36 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

47 : Review of public library service in England and Wales?.? Heading in sentence case Media borrowed from public libraries Fig shows the numbers of users - from a sample of 1,290 adults - using the public library for purposes other than borrowing Other uses of the public library Sample: 1,290 adults Number of respondents Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 37

48 2 : NATIONAL PERSPECTIVES ON PUBLIC LIBRARY USE Visits to libraries Users may visit their local library or one further afield - particularly if the latter is larger. Fig shows which types of library (central, branch, etc) are visited most by a sample of 442 adults. On average, users of main or central libraries go there 30 times a year, which compares to visits per year for branch or local village libraries, and just once a month for mobile libraries. The average journey time for central library users is about 39 minutes, compared to 29 minutes for branch libraries, 22 for village libraries, and 15 minutes for mobile libraries. Fig shows the time it would take to visit their library for a sample of 898 occasional and non-users. Image of public libraries Our surveys asked 24 questions - of 1,290 library users and 446 library staff - about the image of public libraries. These are depicted in Figs and and Table , which show average scores for each question, where a positive score indicates a positive impression, a negative score a negative impression, and 0 indicates a neutral impression. The values recorded by the general public (Fig ) contrast sharply with the rather more positive opinions held by library staff (Fig ). Nevertheless, public libraries are generally perceived favourably by all categories of respondent. In general, frequent users have a positive image of their public libraries (see Table ). They feel Public library visited most by library users Time taken to get to public library for occasional & non users 38 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

49 that librarians are friendly, helpful and capable. They see libraries as well organised sources of reliable facts and figures, and they rely upon librarians to provide the right information. They believe that libraries have an outlook in tune with the 1990s, and provide good quality services that offer value for council tax. Many occasional users hold similar views. But they are less confident about the libraries quality and value for money. Non-users feel that the library has an unchanging image and they are unsure as to whether the library offers quality, value for money, or up-to-date systems. 2.2 : Review of public library service in England and Wales?.? Heading in sentence case All three groups are dubious about statements that the library appeals to working class and younger people and they also have doubts about how well the library publicises its services. Professional librarians feel on the whole that public libraries are well organised and have up-to-date systems. They have strongly positive opinions on the value, reliability and quality of services offered, and of the staff. They are less confident about library layouts, and have doubts about the publicity libraries receive The public library s image - the public s perspective Sample: 1,290 adults Scale Strongly Negative Somewhat Neutral Somewhat Positive Strongly negative negative positive positive Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 39

50 2 : NATIONAL PERSPECTIVES ON PUBLIC LIBRARY USE Library support staff are less sanguine than their professional colleagues about the quality of services offered and the modernity of libraries image, organisation and systems. They feel the layout of libraries is confusing, and the locations could be improved. As a group, teenagers who use public libraries are less sure than older people about the value and reliability of the sources and services on offer, and more likely to feel that the procedures are old fashioned, and that it is difficult to develop a rapport with library staff. Table contrasts their views with those of older people The public library s image professional librarians perspective Sample: 1,290 adults Scale Strongly Negative Somewhat Neutral Somewhat Positive Strongly negative negative positive positive 40 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

51 : Review of public library service in England and Wales?.? Heading in sentence case Impressions of public libraries users, non users and library staff Description of Users and non-users of Library staff public libraries public libraries in post Frequent users Occasional users Non-users Professional Other library staff balance of balance of balance of balance of balance of opinion opinion opinion opinion opinion Reactions to positive Well organised Source of reliable facts and figures Well worth spending time in a public library Librarians friendly, helpful Quick, capable response Quiet, studious atmosphere Accessibility Easy to reach Quality of location Reactions to statements Accuracy of information Quality of service Attitude of staff Value for council tax Ease of finding items Streamlining of procedures Contemporary image In tune with the 1990s Up-to-date computer systems Unchanging image Busy and bustling Well publicised Patterns of use Confusing layout Mainly for younger people Most users in older age groups Users mainly middle class Mainly appeals to working class people Scale Strongly Negative Somewhat Neutral Somewhat Positive Strongly negative negative positive positive Impressions of public libraries teenagers and older people Descriptions of public libraries Teenagers Older people Libraries generally provide right information Source of reliable facts and figures Up-to-date procedures Easy to find items you want Services are of good quality Staff are approachable Services are well publicised Well worth spending time in a public library Scale Strongly Negative Somewhat Neutral Somewhat Positive Strongly negative negative positive positive Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 41

52 2 : NATIONAL PERSPECTIVES ON PUBLIC LIBRARY USE Value of public library services We report on the findings of a trade-off analysis, which formed part of our surveys of users and nonusers. An important feature of this is the data on how participants see the value of a public library service. We postulated that libraries benefit users and the community in four main ways: Direct value: Users should receive direct benefits. Indirect value: The library is an asset that can enrich life in the locality - in terms of civic pride, leisure, democracy, enterprise, social bonding, and many other features. Contingency value: For prospective users, the library has a contingency value. Its services are there and available when they need to use it, at some time in their lives. Future generations: Potential users in future generations. This quadrupedal appraisal of a public library s purposes informed our trade-off analysis. We subdivided the concept of a public library s value to the community into four main sets of options. These were derived from responses by samples of users and non-users of libraries (net fully completed responses, 738). Essentially, the trade-off analysis simulated decisions based on how people perceive public libraries. We postulated change in the benefits libraries could offer, and in their services and their location. Under those assumptions, the decisions we simulated required participants to rank cards that showed representative variables drawn from four main sets of options: The four types of benefit listed above. Opportunities: Suppose more money is available for public libraries, how should it be spent?: more books; longer opening hours; wide range of new services. The accessibility of the local library after the change: local people can now reach it in: 12 minutes; 24 minutes; 48 minutes. The additional cost per household: 5; 10; 20; 50. Figs , and summarise findings by three different groups of respondents. We found that frequent users have a positive view of the indirect and direct benefits libraries offer. If more money were spent they would like to see it allocated to an increasing number and choice of books. The contingency value is of less interest to them. The cost to them of travelling to the library is a significant deterrent (Fig ) Value of public libraries: frequent users Strongly negative Strongly positive 42 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

53 Occasional users give positive ratings to the public library as a community asset offering indirect benefits, and to the benefits for future generations. This group uses the library on rare occasions, and takes a more altruistic view than frequent users on the benefits a library offers. They would also like 2.2 : Review of public library service in England and Wales?.? Heading in sentence case to see more spent on books and services. They have similar views to frequent users about travel (Fig ). Non-users share occasional users views on the benefits libraries can offer although, predictably, they do not relate to the direct benefits (Fig ) Value of public libraries: occasional users Strongly negative Strongly positive Value of public libraries: non users Strongly negative Strongly positive Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 43

54 2 : NATIONAL PERSPECTIVES ON PUBLIC LIBRARY USE Preferred focus of extra expenditure Opportunities Users of public libraries Library staff Frequent Occasional Non-users Professional Para-professional users users posts posts average % rank average % rank average % rank average % rank average % rank rank 1 rank 1 rank 1 rank 1 rank 1 More spent on books Longer opening hours New services based on librarians skills New electronic media and services Larger libraries Additional libraries Note: rankings were from one to six % rank 1 refers to the percentage of respondents who made this item their first priority for extra expenditure To cross-check the trade-off analysis, and to provide extra data, we asked all those we interviewed to rank - from one to six - six selected uses of hypothetical extra funds for public library services. The options we included were: more spending on books; longer opening hours; new services based on librarians skills; or on electronic services, larger libraries, and additional libraries. Table summarises our findings. The figures confirm the preferences for more spending on books. There is also some enthusiasm for longer opening hours, especially in areas where people have to travel for longer than average to public libraries. Core functions of the public library A challenging aspect of our brief has been to define the core functions of the public library. We selected thirteen descriptions of libraries that encompassed the social, service and community aspects of public libraries. We asked our survey participants (categorised as frequent, occasional and non-users) to choose the best six descriptions in priority order. Participants in all categories largely concurred on the ranking of descriptions, especially those ranked close to the top. There is an evident consensus on those functions of the public library which have most appeal (see Fig ) Functions of public libraries library users and non users 44 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

55 The survey responses suggest a categorisation into three broad divisions of core functions: Continuing or perpetual benefits: services regarded as necessary by any definition of the public library, including: enlightening children by providing information and reading; popular reading; community asset; an area for study; audios and videos Social benefits: a familiar place; a place to meet friends Sporadic or occasional benefits: the library as a reference point, with expert librarians; a means of access to knowledge and culture in every part of the world; a source of information on local history; information on vital issues of the day; business information; and local information. 2.2 : Review of public library service in England and Wales?.? Heading in sentence case Charging for services Our surveys put the following question to 1,483 users and non-users of library services, and to 1,279 library staff: Suppose your public library needs extra resources to keep up services, to which one course of action would you give priority? Responses to prompted options are depicted in Figs and Professional librarians strongly favour a council tax, or other public sources of funding. Almost two fifths of users tend to favour charging for library services, including charges for borrowing books. But the combined totals of users favouring council tax, a special library fund, and VAT exceed the proportion favouring charging. Further analysis revealed that those who favoured charging are tentative in their opinions, and include a high proportion of occasional and non-users. Frequent users are more likely to favour public sector sources of funds Extra funding for public libraries users and non users opinions Extra funding for public libraries professional librarians and other library staff Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 45

56 2 : NATIONAL PERSPECTIVES ON PUBLIC LIBRARY USE 2.3 Due for renewal: a report on the library service The Audit Commission The Audit Commission s report on the public library service concentrated on the areas of partnerships, the use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT), service planning and costing, and stock management. Their recommendations, controversial in places, will be followed up in local audits. We summarise here the original research undertaken for the report. The recommendations on library planning have now been overtaken by the planning procedures introduced by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. Due for renewal: a report on the library service ISBN , London: Audit Commission, available from Bookpoint Ltd, 39 Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4TD. Traditional and new library services Although there are many individual initiatives, the use of ICT in public libraries is still limited. There is very limited use of self-service issues systems and of interactive on-line public access to the catalogue. Traditional services (the loan of books and the provision of paper-based reference materials) are still the norm and account for most library expenditure. Fig shows the percentage of expenditure on traditional services in five public library authorities from different sectors. Traditional services comprise lending and reference services for adults and children in fixed and mobile service points, and outreach services to institutions and the housebound. Remaining services (ie those not quantified in the figure) include schools service, audio-visual, IT access, trading, business services, community information and other specialist services Percentage of gross expenditure on traditional services 46 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

57 2.3 Due for renewal Management processes Key management issues are depicted in Fig Library services must improve their basic management processes so that they are better able to manage change. In particular they should improve: the monitoring of resource use stock management the overall planning of services Key management issues for libraries Falling book issues End of Net Book Agreement Centrality of stock to libraries purposes Stock management Need for assurance about efficiency of public services Reducing access Policy discretion Service planning Costing Changing technology Public views and demands Potential partners Rising staff costs Monitoring resource use Library expenditure can be broken down into three dimensions: the costs of each service (e.g. static lending, reference and information, mobile services) the cost of each component activity (e.g. stock selection, stock acquisition, management of existing stock, customer services, management administration, other activities) the traditional breakdown by subjective heading (e.g. employees, premises, supplies and services, transport, support services) to illustrate how library services can be costed, and provide comparisons between different library authorities. For instance it is possible to compare the cost per issue for the static adult lending service in five different authorities, taking the comparison down to a detailed level by showing separate comparisons for each of the components of the cost of lending per issue (see Fig overleaf): employees premises other costs The results of pilot work in five authorities can serve Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 47

58 2 : NATIONAL PERSPECTIVES ON PUBLIC LIBRARY USE Comparison of costs in five library authorities: cost tree for static lending services for adults Employee costs/ issue Cost per full-time equivalent Issues per fulltime equivalent 16,500 17,300 14,600 16,100 15,600 29,000 29,300 29,800 31,500 43,200 Cost/issue A 1.35 B 1.12 C 1.10 D 0.91 E 0.76 Premises costs/ issue Cost per square metre Issues per square metre Other costs/issue Stock management The Audit Commission report covered a number of features of stock management, including the need for more rotation (or circulation) of stock. The feature covered here is the need for better management of the acquisition of new stock. There are wide variations in the total resources that authorities employ on this activity (see Fig 2.3.4). Such differences primarily reflect differences in the purchase price, the cost of servicing new stock, and the staff effort used to acquire it. In particular, the effective ending of the Net Book Agreement in November 1995 (formally abolished in April 1997) has provided the opportunity for libraries to secure more cost-effective arrangements with suppliers Costs of new stock selection and acquisition 48 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

59 2.3 Due for renewal The benefits of improved stock management include both financial savings and service improvements. Estimates of achievable savings can be derived from calculating the impact of stock management improvements (see Table 2.3.5). Increased discounts, reduced stock loss and greater use of external cataloguing and other supply-based services may give rise to financial benefits. These benefits will be partly offset by the increased costs of stock rotation, binding and cleaning, but there would still be net savings. Applying these estimates to the circumstances of a sample of typical authorities yields savings estimates of between 2.5 and 5 per cent of total library expenditure. Recognising that some of these estimates are already under way, the Audit Commission believes a conservative extrapolation of savings achievable through improving stock management is 2% of expenditure, or about 14 million a year Estimates of the financial impact of stock management improvements Area of stock management Savings Supplier discount Stock loss In-house cataloguing Assumed change Price discount increased from an average of 18% to 25% as a result of reduced use of approvals, introduction of EDI and consortium buying. Reduced from 4% to 2% a year. In-house cataloguing to fall from 30% of titles to 15% of titles; in-house cataloguing costs 2 a title; 3 copies of each title are bought. Additional expenditure Binding and cleaning Stock rotation Expenditure to rise by 15% to support more intensive use of stock. Expenditure to rise by 1p per head of population. Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 49

60 2 : NATIONAL PERSPECTIVES ON PUBLIC LIBRARY USE Service planning For a long time there has been little change in the underlying nature of the library service, both in its key services and the means of their delivery. Changes in user demands and new choices in service delivery raise fundamental questions for the library service. Service planning needs more attention at all levels. It also provides a mechanism for integrating the service with other parts of the local authority and outside agencies. Some authorities lack any sort of planning process, and one quarter of authorities responding to an Audit Commission questionnaire in January 1997 reported that they have no statement of policy aims specific to the library service. There are some good features, but also evidence of internal weaknesses within the planning process. Some of these are set out in Table an Audit Commission review of planning documents in eight authorities, followed up by telephone interviews with the senior librarians responsible for service planning in a further eight authorities Current library service planning compared with good practice Expected features of rigorous service planning Explicit links between the library s planning and the authority s corporate processes and policies Current practice in library service planning Not all library authorities make these links Specific aims that the authority wishes to see its library service pursue Priorities among those aims to inform choice of services and activities Gathering of user and non-user views about library services, and the planned application of those views in objective setting, in strategic planning and in operational decisions Statements of how far the authority judges that the library service can realistically achieve each aim in the light of budgetary and organisational constraints Specific achievements expected of each part of the library organisation Statements to the public of what it can expect in terms of stock range and availability of other services Aims and specific targets set, both for continuing work and for innovations Success criteria for each target to be achieved Coherence among the different constituent parts of the planning process Clarity, so that all library staff can see what they are called upon to do and why the planning process is relevant to them Monitoring of achievement built into the regular routine of the planning process Patchy levels of involvement of the wider authority in determining library aims No mention of possible services and activities in which the library service is not going to be involved (i.e., priorities are not expressed) An increasing minority of authorities gathering user views and collating them through CIPFA s PLUS survey Occasional work on non users views Confusion between the library service s aspirations and the specific actions that it has decided upon Statements that do not discuss what the library service is to do Increasing adoption of library charter often supported by the Library Association Model Statement of Standards for Public Library Services (1995) A focus on new developments to the exclusion of continuing operations Success criteria not always specified Operational targets that have no apparent connection with the rest of the planning process Planning documents in some authorities are confusing Some monitoring is systematic but some is not well integrated with the rest of the planning process 50 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

61 2.3 Due for renewal Overview and recommendations Table below summarises the main problems affecting public library services, the causes of the problems, and some possible solutions Summary of the problems of the public library service, their causes and solutions to them Decline in loan issues Problems Causes Solutions Wide range of different services provided by libraries, many of them hard pressed and skimped, especially innovatory services Patchy co-operation between libraries and potential partners (other local authority departments and external agencies) Poor knowledge of whether libraries are efficient or not Declining acquisitions; reduced opening hours; and poor stock management and service planning Lack of vision for the library service (nationally, and at local authority level); generally poor planning processes Conservatism about service delivery and, in particular, a reluctance (professional and political) to close any existing provision Incomplete knowledge of costs of the different components of libraries activity More rigorous and coherent plans to provide a firmer basis for corporate working. Plans to cover, for example, the scope to attract new borrowers and, where borrowing cannot be revived, the transfer of resources to other services Process for costing library services and operations to identify where efficiency needs to be improved and a better basis for decisions An overall plan to bring together the separate elements of stock management: identification of desired stock profile, stock audit, stock planning, stock rotation and stock acquisition Some inefficient stock management practices Some library administrative functions are not as efficient as they could be Increasing competition for libraries from sources of electronic information, entertainment, education and cultural materials superior to those currently available in libraries Poor understanding of the alternatives to these practices Professional attachment to certain traditional librarian activities (book selection, bibliographical services) Stock acquisition practice not yet fully adapted to commercial environment following the abolition of the Net Book Agreement Relevant technological developments are not being fully taken up Technological developments Updated commercial relationships with suppliers of library books to respond to the abolition of the Net Book Agreement More use of new technology to enhance the efficiency of traditional library services such as book issue, access to library catalogues and provision of reference information Adaptation of library services and their delivery to allow the accessible provision of some of these materials to all users The recommendations of the Audit Commission report were: Monitoring of resource use and stock management Library authorities should make fuller use of new technology to enhance the efficiency of traditional library services such as book issues, access to the library catalogue and the provision of reference information. Library authorities should establish and maintain processes for costing library services and operations, to identify where efficiency needs to be improved, and to support priority setting. Libraries should develop integrated stock policies and procedures covering the identification of the desired stock profile, stock audit, stock planning, Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 stock circulation and stock acquisition. Libraries should update their commercial relationships with suppliers of library books to respond to the changes in the book purchasing environment since the abolition of the Net Book Agreement. Service planning Libraries need to adapt the services that they provide and the way that they deliver them, to respond to the many challenges that they face. Authorities must make their plans more rigorous and coherent to ensure that changes are successful, and to preserve the best of current practice. 51

62 2 : NATIONAL PERSPECTIVES ON PUBLIC LIBRARY USE 2.4 CIPFA PLUS archive for 1997 Institute of Public Finance (IPF) Ltd The CIPFA PLUS project embraces the largest and most significant user satisfaction survey for public libraries. The project has worked on a standard adult user survey since The scheme is managed by a steering group from library authorities, under the auspices of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) and the Institute of Public Finance (IPF). This report covers authority surveys included in the PLUS archive in As of August 1998, 125 authorities were PLUS members - although fewer carry out regular surveys. Members can compare their own results with published national averages. The PLUS core questionnaire is merely a starting point, and authorities normally add to it questions of local interest. A PLUS children s questionnaire was launched in 1998, and survey results will be made available to PLUS members in CIPFA PLUS archive for Full data available only to PLUS members. More information about the CIPFA PLUS group may be obtained from David Lightfoot, Chair, PLUS Steering Group, County Library Services Manager, Lancashire County Council; or Martin Jennings, Market Research Officer, The Institute of Public Finance Ltd, 7th Floor, NLA Tower, Addiscombe Road, Croydon, CRO OXT. Introduction The tables and figures below portray aspects of the CIPFA PLUS archive for The contributing authorities are: 8 English counties 6 metropolitan districts 6 London boroughs 1 Northern Ireland Education and Library Board 1 Welsh unitary 1 English unitary The findings are presented for All UK (which includes all the above), and separately for the English counties, metropolitan districts, and London boroughs % of users undertaking different activities during visit Headline results for the UK Figures to portray the overall results for all the contributing authorities for The total number of service points included in the 1997 archive is 260, from which, of the 82,517 records, 68,787 were completed questionnaires. Of these completed records, approximately 54% were from the English counties, 22% from London boroughs, and 16% from metropolitan districts. The findings all relate to what users did during the visit in which they completed the questionnaire. See EXHIBITION or EVENT 3.1% Borrow / Return COMPACT DISC(S) Did SOMETHING ELSE Borrow / Return VIDEO(S) Use the PHOTOCOPIER Borrow / Return CASSETTE(S) Sit to STUDY or WORK 4.2% 5% 5.3% 6.2% 6.6% 6.9% Read NEWSPAPER(S) / MAGAZINE(S) 13.2% Seek INFORMATION / find something out BROWSE 22.2% 27.4% Borrow /Return BOOK(S) 77.6% Response to Question 1: What did you do during today s visit? (options prompted) 52 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

63 2.4 CIPFA PLUS archive for % of users borrowing different numbers of books during visit 2.4.3a % of users finding (or reserving) specific books sought Five or more 25.0% Four Three Two One 14.7% 18.4% 23.3% 18.5% 0% 0 10% 20% 30% Response to Question 2: How many books did you borrow from the library today? 2.4.3b % of users seeking specific books by author, subject or title Response to Question 3: If you were seeking a particular book during today s visit, were you able to find it? (or did you reserve it?) % of users finding a book to borrow (not a specific book) Response to Question 3: Were you seeking the specific book by author, subject or title? Response to Question 4: If you came to the library today without a particular book in mind, did you find one to borrow? 2.4.5a % of users whose information needs were satisfied 2.4.5b % of users seeking information who consulted staff Response to Question 5: If you came to the library today to seek information: (i) did you get the information you needed? % of users finding audio visual materials sought Response to Question 5: If you came to the library today to seek information: (ii) did you consult a member of staff? 28.9% 39.7% 42.5% 45.1% 68.5% 58.0% 55.3% 52.4% Response to Question 6: If you came for a cassette(s), CD(s) or video(s), did you borrow or reserve any? Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 53

64 2 : NATIONAL PERSPECTIVES ON PUBLIC LIBRARY USE User opinions of aspects of library service Hours of opening Guiding/signs Layout & arrangement Staff helpfulness Time spent waiting for service Staff knowledge & expertise Range of books/other materials Services for children Reference/information provision Response to Question 7: Please show what you think of the following aspects of this library Frequency of user visits Gender of users Response to Question 8: How often do you usually visit this library? 54 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

65 User age groups CIPFA PLUS archive for 1997 Users occupations Results by authority type In this section the summary findings are broken down by sector type. Results are shown below for all UK and for the three prominent groups of libraries carrying out surveys in 1997 (English counties, Metropolitan districts and London boroughs) Response rate to the survey Responded Did not respond % % UK English counties Metropolitan districts London boroughs User activities during visits Note: % base: visitors surveyed English Metropolitan London UK counties districts boroughs % % % % Borrow / return book(s) Borrow / return cassette(s) Borrow / return compact disc(s) Borrow / return video(s) Read newspaper(s) / magazine(s) Seek information / find something out Use the photocopier Browse Sit to study or work See exhibition or event Did something else Note: % base: all survey respondents Numbers of books borrowed during visits Number of books borrowed English Metropolitan London UK counties districts boroughs % % % % Response rate One Two Three Four Five or more Note: % base: respondents to Q.2 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 55

66 2 : NATIONAL PERSPECTIVES ON PUBLIC LIBRARY USE Tables to detail the responses to Question 3, which asked whether particular books, which may be specified by title, subject or author, were sought by users, and if so, whether they were found. Table shows the percentages of users who did find one or more of the books they were seeking. Table shows how many were looking for books with a specific title, on a specific subject, or by a specific author. Table combines both sets of information to give a composite needs fill rate the percentage of respondents who found what they were looking for according to whether they were seeking a particular title, a book on a specific subject, or a book by a particular author. So that whereas 31.9% of books were sought by subject (i.e. no specific author or title in mind) - see Table these accounted for 42.5% of books found (see Table ) % of users finding (or reserving) specific books sought % Yes % No % Reserved UK English counties Metropolitan districts London boroughs Note: % base: respondents to Q % of users seeking specific books by title, subject, author Books English Metropolitan London sought by UK counties districts boroughs % % % % Title Subject Author Unstated Total Note: % base: respondents to Q Crosstabulation of book(s) successfully sought by title, subject, author Books English Metropolitan London sought by UK counties districts boroughs % % % % Title Subject Author Unstated Note: % base: respondents to Q.3 56 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

67 2.4 CIPFA PLUS archive for 1997 Tables , and show, respectively, the percentages of users: finding a book to borrow (not a specific book); seeking and finding information; borrowing audio-visual materials sought % of users finding a book to borrow (not a specific book) Found a book to borrow % of total % survey Yes No respondents UK English counties Metropolitan districts London boroughs Note: % base: respondents to Q % of users seeking information who got the information they needed English Metropolitan London UK counties districts boroughs % % % % Yes Yes in part No Who consulted a member of staff Yes No Note: % base: respondents to Q % of users borrowing audio visual materials sought English Metropolitan London UK counties districts boroughs % % % % Music cassette(s) Yes No Reserved Talking book(s) Yes No Reserved Compact disc(s) Yes No Reserved Video(s) Yes No Reserved Note: % base: respondents to Q.6 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 57

68 2 : NATIONAL PERSPECTIVES ON PUBLIC LIBRARY USE Table shows how users evaluated a variety of service aspects User evaluation of library service aspects Very good Good Adequate Poor Very poor Response rate % % % % % % Hours of opening UK English Counties Metropolitan Districts London Boroughs Guiding/signs UK English Counties Metropolitan Districts London Boroughs Layout & arrangement UK English Counties Metropolitan Districts London Boroughs Staff helpfulness UK English Counties Metropolitan Districts London Boroughs Time spent waiting for service UK English Counties Metropolitan Districts London Boroughs Staff knowledge and expertise UK English Counties Metropolitan Districts London Boroughs Range of books/ other materials UK English Counties Metropolitan Districts London Boroughs Services for children UK English Counties Metropolitan Districts London Boroughs Reference/information provision UK English Counties Metropolitan Districts London Boroughs Note: response to Q.7. Percentages are within each type of authority. 58 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

69 2.4 CIPFA PLUS archive for 1997 English Metropolitan London Frequency of visits UK counties districts boroughs % % % % Response rate % First visit More than once a week About once a week About once a fortnight About once every three weeks About once every four weeks Less frequently Note: % base: respondents to Q.8 The tables on this page show: the frequency of user visits (Table ); the gender of respondents (Table & Fig ); the age of respondents (Table ); and the occupation of respondents (Table ) Gender of respondents Gender Response Female % Male % rate % UK English counties Metropolitan districts London boroughs Note: % base: respondents to Q Gender of respondents English Metropolitan London Age group UK counties districts boroughs (in years) % % % % Response rate % or under to to or over Note: % base: respondents to Q.11 English Metropolitan London Occupation UK counties districts boroughs % % % % Response rate % Looking after the home Part-time paid employment Full-time paid employment Self-employed Seeking work Retired At school or 6 th form college At college or university Doing something else Note: % base: respondents to Q.12 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 59

70 2 : NATIONAL PERSPECTIVES ON PUBLIC LIBRARY USE 2.5 Pilot of proposed new measures for CIPFA public library statistics David Spiller and Claire Creaser Library & Information Statistics Unit (LISU) A pilot study of some new statistical measures proposed for UK public libraries was carried out by the Library & Information Statistics Unit (LISU), Loughborough University, at the request of the CIPFA Committee on Public Library Statistics (under the Chairmanship of David Fuegi). The committee felt that the results were of wide interest, and should be made available for publication. A number of the measures have subsequently been adopted. April 1997, unpublished LISU survey - not available. A number of new measures were proposed for inclusion in the the CIPFA Public Library Statistics, covering active borrowers, housebound users, new title acquisitions, large print and minority language stock, reservations, enquiries, opening hours, expenditure and income. LISU surveyed - in January a random sample of 35 public library authorities covering all sectors in the UK, and received 28 responses. Active borrowers This question explored the viability of a count of active borrowers - defined as the number of members who have borrowed at least one item during the year. This proposal has recently increased in significance because of the inclusion of a similar measure amongst the performance indicators listed in the Public libraries review document, Reading the future (Dept. of National Heritage). The questionnaire began by investigating library membership records. All but one of 27 respondents reported keeping a record of current members. A follow-up question about the frequency of updating of records elicited different interpretations of current. Ten authorities replied annually, three every two years, 13 less often, and one not at all. Asked whether they could obtain a figure for active members (based on the above definition) from their systems, 11 authorities responded yes, for all service points and six said yes, for some. All but two of these said that they could make a reasonable estimate for the authority as a whole. However six authorities reported that they could not provide any active borrowers figure based on the definition, and four of these said that they could not obtain a figure based on an alternative definition. Ten authorities gave the number of active borrowers, and seven of these could give separate figures for adults and children. There was quite a wide variation in the proportion of the resident population who were active borrowers, ranging from 19%, though this figure only related to borrowing over six months, to 72% (see Table 2.5.1). Authorities comments demonstrated how reliant this measure is upon their having an automated system (for at least some service points), and upon writing/ running the appropriate report for the system. A couple of authorities felt that they could estimate active borrowers through sampling, although it was not clear how this could be done. In the absence of an automated system, annually revised membership records could be the best secondary indicator - and the information that many authorities do not regularly update membership records is therefore a cause for concern. A performance indicator in Reading the future (Dept. of National Heritage) - the percentage of total population who are library members - should encourage authorities to maintain more up-to-date membership records. Housebound users This question investigated a count of housebound users, and suggested that this should cover users who have material delivered to them outside library premises on an individual basis (i.e. that it should not include residents in institutions served through bulk loans). The proposal was not found difficult to introduce, with 26 of the 28 respondents already able to make a count of some elements of their housebound service. However, housebound user needed careful definition to determine which service delivery methods should be included. The three most common - delivery by dedicated housebound service vehicles, by volunteers, and by mobile libraries - were each used by about half of the authorities (with most respondents using more than one method) (see Table 2.5.2). 60 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

71 2.5.1 Data from new measures relating to users 2.5 Pilot of proposed new measures for CIPFA public library statistics These data have been presented in the format of the CIPFA Actuals, including a selection of derived statistics, utilising figures taken from the draft Actuals. Population figures for the Scottish unitary authorities have been taken from the Estimates. Twenty-three authorities were able to provide some of the data requested for 1995/96. None had complete information. Active borrowers Housebound users Local authority Adults Children Total active Total per 1000 Total Total per 1000 borrowers population population (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) London boroughs 66,845 3,013 69,858 13,434 # col 3 col 3 110, ** ** * 50,510 17,400 67, ,216 13,968 48, ,386 20,498 72, ** ** ** ** Metropolitan districts col 3 col 3 118, ** ** ** ** ** ** ,575 43, , , ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ,385 26,975 77, , English counties ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** 2, col 3 col 3 360, ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** 110,765 32, , Scotland ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** N. Ireland ** ** ** ** * Active Borrowers borrowed in the last 6 months ** Not available # Unusual figure relates to a very high day-time population of users Actual data on the number of housebound users were given by 18 authorities (see Table 2.5.1). Again there was a wide range, from less than one per 1,000 population in a London borough to ten in a metropolitan district. Two authorities were uneasy about the exclusion of deposit collections, described as a significant element of service delivery. One commented on rather a meaningless distinction. Users served by bulk loans also have personalised service. Under Disability Discrimination Act...if (bulk loans) were omitted, we could be held in breach of our obligations quite unjustly Which of the following methods of delivery would you include in this count? Yes No Not No. of applicable respondents Delivery from housebound service vehicles Delivery by volunteers from a service point Postal loan service Mobile library service to homes Other Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 61

72 2 : NATIONAL PERSPECTIVES ON PUBLIC LIBRARY USE New title acquisitions This question explored a proposal to count annual new title acquisitions (for books and a/v materials) as a way of assessing the variety and richness of authorities stocks. Exactly half of the 28 respondents reported that a count was feasible - for both books and a/v. But answers to a question about when the data could be made available were less positive. Only seven authorities reported by 1997/98 for books (11 for a/v), with 16 authorities reporting don t know (16 for a/v). Comments reflected a heavy reliance upon having the right automated system with the appropriate reporting mechanism activated. The proposal to make the book count through ISBNs would separate hard and paperback versions of the same titles, and authorities were asked whether the two versions could be linked. Only five authorities could do this. (In every case, the two versions were linked through the catalogue record.) Five authorities reported actual data for 1995/96 (see Table 2.5.3) Data from new measures relating to stock Bookstock at 31st March 1996 Large Print Stock per Proportion Stock for Stock on Reserve & Total large 1000 of total loan loan unallocated print stock population stock % (14) (15) (16) (17) (18) (19) London boroughs 9,260 4,041 ** 13, ,291 7,234 ** 29, ,677 12,365 5,137 28, ,724 6,828-15, Metropolitan 36,000 14,000 ** 50, districts ** ** ** ** ** ** 29,541 12,011-41, ** ** ** ** ** ** 31,330 29,090 ** 60, English counties 17,456 24, , Wales ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** Scotland ** ** ** ** ** ** Book acquisitions Audio-visual Annual Issues Stock turn 1995/96 acquisitions 1995/96 New titles acquired New titles acquired Books Books Total New titles Total New titles new per 1000 new per 1000 Large Minority Large Minority titles population titles population print language print Language (20) (21) (22) (23) (24) (25) (26) (27) London boroughs ** ** ** ** 54,752 12, ** ** ** ** 100,667 45, , , ** ** ** ** 14, , ,254 ** 7.5 ** Metropolitan ** ** ** ** 195,000 ** 3.9 ** districts 24, , ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** 226,974 ** 5.5 ** 20, , ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** 244,727 16, English counties ** ** ** ** 360,620 11, Wales ** ** ** ** ** 10,219 ** 0.5 ** ** ** ** ** 14,213 ** 0.4 Scotland 17, , ** ** ** ** 62 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

73 2.5 Pilot of proposed new measures for CIPFA public library statistics Stock in large print One question explored the introduction of statistical reporting on stock in large print. Seven authorities - all from England - were able to provide actual figures for stock and issues, mostly under broad headings. (Two were able to provide a breakdown between adult fiction and non-fiction.) Seven respondents mentioned systems problems in introducing the count, while three observed that large print was absorbed in their fiction sections and therefore not separately identified. The data provided (see Table 2.5.3) showed stock ranging between 76 books per 1,000 population in one county to 230 in a metropolitan district. The percentage of total book stock varied from 2.5% to 9.8%. Seven authorities also provided figures for issues. Stock turnover is somewhat lower than the figure for adult fiction for all seven authorities, and is generally similar to that for all books, being higher for four authorities, lower for two and the same for one. Stock in minority languages Another question explored the introduction of statistical reporting on stock in minority languages. Six of the 28 authorities were able to report on stock (Table 2.5.4), and two were able to subdivide stock figures into fiction, non-fiction and children. Four authorities gave a figure for minority language periodicals stocked: 8, 13, 5 and 20 titles respectively. In the four English authorities, stock figures for minority languages represented less than 5% of total stock, and turnover was low - the highest was two issues per book (Table 2.5.3). In the two Welsh authorities, provision (including Welsh language materials) is, as might be expected, rather better. Total stock figures are not yet available for the unitary authorities in Wales, so proportions of total stock could not be calculated, but stock per capita is considerably higher than in England. Stock turn is disappointingly low however - at less than one issue per book per year. This raises interesting questions about the provision and use of Welsh language materials, which may merit more detailed research. Seven authorities commented on systems problems as obstacles to counting, and a few observed that language material is classified in the non-fiction section and is therefore not separately identified. The languages for which stock is currently provided vary considerably depending upon the ethnic make up of the community (Table 2.5.5). Those cited by respondents are listed. A new CIPFA measure might need to distinguish - and perhaps choose between - the major European languages (notably French, German, Spanish, Italian), indigenous languages (Welsh, Irish, Cornish) and other community languages (from the sub-continent, China, Vietnam, etc). There was little or no comment on the desirability of a measure for these different categories Minority language stock and issues 1995/96 stock stock reserve & total total for loan on loan unallocated stock issues London boroughs 5, ,210 12,386 18,920 6,447 25,367 45,235 Metropolitan districts 17,096 4,038 21,134 16,825 English counties 3, ,455 7,649 11,610 Wales 19,780 1, ,228 10,219 12,372 1,041 21,333 34,746 14, Languages included in authorities stocks No. of No. of No. of No. of respondents respondents respondents respondents French 5 Gujerati 5 Arabic 1 Welsh 3 German 5 Bengali 5 Chinese 3 Irish 1 Spanish 5 Urdu 5 Cantonese 1 Cornish 1 Italian 6 Hindi 5 Japanese 1 Portuguese 1 Punjabi 5 Vietnamese 1 Polish 2 Tamil 1 Greek 1 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 63

74 2 : NATIONAL PERSPECTIVES ON PUBLIC LIBRARY USE Reservations satisfied A question analysed the extent to which a count of satisfied reservations could be made. Currently, nine out of 28 authorities make an annual count of satisfied reservations, whilst five also count those unsatisfied. From those who do not make annual counts, 11 reported making a sample count of satisfied reservations (while nine do not), and three made a sample count of unsatisfied reservations (while eight do not). (These numbers do not add up, suggesting some misunderstanding of the relationship between the two questions.) Comments were almost equally divided between those who felt that sampling was the easier approach, and those who rejected manual counting for an automated system (despite confronting some technical problems). The questionnaire made the assumption that few authorities would be able to link counts of reservations received and satisfied to exactly the same sample. One clear authority statement - we make monthly counts of requests a) taken b) received by user c) cancelled, but do not track specific requests - suggested a possible line to pursue. Comments also suggested the need for closer definitions (e.g. The definition of unsatisfied request is not consistent amongst our service points.) There is a particular problem of deciding what is unsatisfied if the authority has a policy of not accepting reservations in certain categories. Nine authorities reported having such a policy - e.g. for fiction which is out of print or not stocked by the authority (e.g. romances, Westerns), or for high price or very specialist materials. Seven authorities gave actual (1995/96) figures for satisfied reservations : one at 55%; two between 80 90%; three between 95-98%; and one of 100%(!). All but one of the 28 respondents reported keeping a count of whether reservations were supplied from inside or outside the authority, and six gave actual figures (Table 2.5.6) Percentage of requests satisfied within the authority Authority % London borough 71 Metropolitan district 86 English county 89 Wales 96 Scotland 94 N. Ireland 96 Breakdown of materials expenditure This question explored the viability of a more detailed breakdown of materials expenditure. (Two of these breakdowns - those for books and audio-visual materials - also appeared as performance indicators in the Reading the future (Dept. of National Heritage). Authorities were asked to give 1995/96 expenditure under 11 headings for different types of material. The main elements of change piloted here were the splitting of book expenditure into four categories, sound recordings into music and talking books, and the separation of electronic materials in two categories from other materials. Figures supplied are shown in Table Twenty authorities supplied data, in varying degrees of detail. Two could not separate the various heads under book expenditure at all, and four more could make only a partial split. As might be expected, levels of expenditure in the various categories showed wide variation. Seven authorities could not separate music and talking books. Eight authorities reported expenditure on CD ROMs, and three on online and electronic media. It is interesting that in several cases the total figures supplied differed from those shown in the draft CIPFA Actuals for 1995/96 - sometimes quite considerably! There is no obvious explanation for this. Only three of the sub-headings included in the questionnaire were said (by one authority each) not to be wanted: the split between books, the split between sound recordings, and binding (the last is in fact already included in CIPFA returns). Three sub-headings were suggested for further sub-division: an open learning category under CD-ROMs and computer software (by three authorities - though this possibility was prompted in the questionnaire); a large print category under books ; and a serials/annuals category under reference. Revenue income This question surveyed whether there were any substantial categories of revenue income which should be recorded, beyond the existing ones of overdues and reservations, lettings, hire of a/v materials, photocopying, specific grants, and miscellaneous. The main changes from the current data collection were: splitting overdue charges from reservation fees; separating income from hire of audio and video materials; a new category for revenue from electronic services; and separating miscellaneous receipts from the public from those from corporate sources. The questionnaire asked authorities to give actual 1995/96 figures - where these existed - for some additional categories. Twenty-one authorities provided figures (shown in Table 2.5.8). (Again it was noticeable that the total income figures given did not correspond to those supplied to CIPFA.) 64 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

75 2.5.7 Materials expenditure breakdown 1995/ s 2.5 Pilot of proposed new measures for CIPFA public library statistics reference London boroughs * * * * * * * * * * * * * Metropolitan districts * * * * * * English counties * * * * * * * Wales * * Scotland * * * * * * * * * N. Ireland * = included in other columns adult fiction adult NF children s total books periodicals music rec. talking books total rec. video CD-ROM other online/elec. binding total exp Revenue 1995/96 outturn 000 s overdue fees reservation fees lettings London boroughs * * Metropolitan districts * 46 2 * * 1,008 1, * * English counties * * * * * * 233 1, Wales * Scotland n/a N. Ireland * summarised in the total in immediate righthand column audio hire video hire electronic revenue copying specific grants misc receipts from public misc corporate income total revenue income Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 65

76 2 : NATIONAL PERSPECTIVES ON PUBLIC LIBRARY USE Fourteen authorities gave separate figures for overdue charges and reservation fees. Reservations constitute between 8% to 26% of the overdues and reservations total for the category, registering annual amounts between 15 and 687 per 1,000 population. Eighteen authorities gave separate figures for the hire of audio and video materials. Of these, three reported zero for audio and two for video. Video revenue was the greater in eight of the returns where figures for both categories were provided. The amounts varied between - for video - 11 to 558 per 1,000 population and - for audio - 23 to 331 per 1,000 population. Nine authorities recorded revenue under the new heading of electronic services, with amounts between 1 and 27 per 1,000 population. Eighteen authorities gave separate figures for the two heads of miscellaneous income. In nine of these, one or other figure was zero. There remain some relatively large figures in this area: in particular one of 2.14 per capita corporate income and another of 37p per capita from the public (out of a total of just 52p per capita). Of the nine authorities which recorded a separate income under both headings, receipts from the public was the larger figure in five cases, ranging between 4 to 624 per 1,000 population. Miscellaneous corporate income ranged between 28 to 2,141 per 1,000 population. Authorities were also asked to note what constituted miscellaneous income, and to record approximately what proportion of the total each item represented (Table 2.5.9). Most of the items identified fell under the receipts from the public heading (rather than corporate grants ), despite the relatively high sums listed under the latter in the overall analysis. The items most commonly identified were: book sales (ten authorities, ranging between 12% 51% of the total miscellaneous revenue) sales of publications (ten authorities, ranging between 3% to 76% of the total) lost books (seven authorities, and 5%-20% of the total revenue) In the current CIPFA returns, what does your authority include under miscellaneous income? Percentages of total miscellaneous revenue lost/damaged books etc replacement tickets 3 5 book sales record/cd sales 6 4 commission on sales commercial artist exhibs sale of publications shop (misc. sales) 3 sale/photocopies 1 sale/obsolete material 11 3 cost recovery services * 56 reproduction of photos 2 other sales 57 fax telephone stamps for resale rents grants 10 admission charges 19 1 family history 11 research fees 1 events 53 5 miscellaneous computer services 9 computer service grants 35 city tours 3 cafe 7 * local studies, open learning, visitors centre 66 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

77 2.5 Pilot of proposed new measures for CIPFA public library statistics One heading, cost recovery services (56%), included local studies, open learning and visitors centre. Another heading of other sales comprised 56% of the total for that authority. Amongst helpful comments, one authority observed that it may be sensible to distinguish items regarded as income generation from those seen as discrete areas of expenditure and income (such as publications). This point underlined the likelihood that most of the figures noted under income generation would have been echoed elsewhere on the balance sheet by a cost element, and that the proportions of costs to income vary greatly. Another authority pointed to the difficulty of breaking down income involved in partnerships, especially when the library did not manage the funding and/ or receive it directly. Another respondent observed: miscellaneous corporate income is always going to be difficult to compute accurately. Weighted opening hours This question asked whether authorities would welcome a new measure of opening hours for each service point, weighted according to the size of the service point (measured by the total bookstock on open access to the public). The intention was to provide a figure which would enable authorities to compare their own situation with previous years (rather than with other authorities). The method was described as follows: Average opening hours per week, weighted by size of service points Opening hours for each service point are weighted according to the size of the service point, measured by total bookstock on open access to the public. This is intended to provide a superior measure of the availability of the service to the public than the simple total hours open per week currently collected. The value is principally for authorities to compare their own situation with previous years, rather than with other authorities. The calculations would be made as follows: Service Bookstock Weekly Multiplication point ( 000) opening hours (a) (b) (a)*(b) , , , total ,890 Weighted average opening hours = 6,890 = Fifteen authorities replied that they would welcome the measure proposed, with nine against and three don t know s. Ten respondents provided a weighted average opening hours per service point figure for 1995/96 (shown in Table ). This ranged between 29.4 hours per service point to 48.4 hours, with a median of 39 hours). There was also one response which had clearly been wrongly calculated (not shown) Weighted average opening hours 1995/96 The comments on this question were mostly expressions of doubt. Perhaps the most relevant point was that poorly maintained stocks would distort the figures. One authority commented: there is no direct relationship between stock size and opening hours, and some measure of use rather than provision would be more valid. Another: some libraries are smaller than required for the size of their population and others are larger. There were also some calls for closer definitions: what to do about special collections in service points, and circulating collections; how to define housebound user services, and mobile libraries. Measuring enquiries A final question explored whether authorities were satisfied with the existing measure of enquiries. Eighteen (out of 27) said yes, six said no, and three did not reply. Six authorities reported that they did keep a more detailed record, and a list of their headings is given in Table Possible changes to the current measure are implicit in the listing London boroughs Metropolitan districts English county 30.6 Wales 37.7 Scotland N. Ireland 34.5 More detailed enquiry counts kept local information 4 careers 1 council 2 equipment 1 European 1 lending 1 homework/project 3 by length of time 3 business 1 by method of receipt 1 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 67

78 2 : NATIONAL PERSPECTIVES ON PUBLIC LIBRARY USE The comments reflected the difficulty of recording in this area. On defining unambiguously: Only two of the examples given in the CIPFA not counted section actually fall within the definition of directional enquiries or items for sale. On recording accurately: There is no way of knowing whether staff abide by the definitions. There is a lot of under-recording at busy service points. On recording pertinently: The main categories of enquiry should be used to reflect and illustrate the corporate information role of libraries within the local authority; and We would like some measure of the time taken to deal with enquiries. References Department of National Heritage (1997). Reading the future: public libraries review. Department of National Heritage. 68 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

79 2.6 Libraries and community development national survey 2.6 Libraries and community development national survey Lindsay McKrell, Andrew Green and Kevin Harris Community Services Group of the Library Association, and Community Development Foundation The national survey was part of the Libraries and Communities research and demonstration programme funded by The British Library Research and Innovation Centre, looking at the social impact of libraries and how they relate to the communities they serve. It aimed to examine community development strategies in public library authorities throughout the United Kingdom. The need for this research was established by the Community Services Group of the Library Association, represented by Chair, Andrew Green, and the Community Development Foundation, represented by Information Manager, Kevin Harris. These two, with assistance from Lindsay McKrell and advice from marketing consultant Tina Dunn, drew up the questionnaire. McKrell, Lindsay, and others Libraries and community development national survey: A report on the national survey of public library authorities. London: British Library Research and Innovation Centre (BLRIC report no. 86). ISBN Methodology For the purposes of this research, community development was defined as a process which develops the power, skills, knowledge and experience of people as individuals and in groups. This enables them to undertake initiatives of their own to combat social, economic, political and environmental problems, and to participate in the democratic process. It aims to empower groups and positively engage communities. A questionnaire was mailed to every UK library authority in 1997, with a closing date set for 12 September. One hundred and eighty-six questionnaires were mailed in total. The final total of completed questionnaires stood at a 63% response rate, though not all authorities answered every question. Findings The main findings are summarised below. Question numbers from the original questionnaire are retained - and there are some questions missing where these called for comments rather than for quantification. Question 1 asked: Does your local authority have a published community development strategy? This may be in the form of a social strategy, or anti deprivation policy, or other commitment to working with disadvantaged groups (109 responses). Forty-two per cent of local authorities responding did have a community development strategy, and in the remaining 58% there was no strategy, or it was not known. Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 Question 2 asked: Is your authority currently working on a community development strategy? Of the 88 respondents completing this field, 39, or just over a third, reported that they were working on a strategy. Question 3 asked: If your local authority has, or is currently working on a community development strategy, please state what level of contribution was made, or is expected from the library service? (63 responses) Given the range of local authority services in operation, it is significant that for 16 of the 63 respondents to this question (25%) the library service played a major role. (The questionnaire defined being part of the steering group or a similar level of involvement as a major role.) Twenty-six (41%) described their involvement as a minor role in strategy development, 12 (19%) reported making a specific contribution, and nine (14%) either made no contribution, or reported that they didn t know their (expected) contribution. Question 5 asked: Does your library service have a strategy for working with communities? (110 responses) Only 18 authorities, 16% of respondents, did have such a strategy. Question 7 asked: Was the Chief Librarian involved in agreeing the strategy? (23 responses) In every case the answer was yes. Question 8 asked: Was the strategy initiated by elected members or council officers? (20 responses) 69

80 2 : NATIONAL PERSPECTIVES ON PUBLIC LIBRARY USE In every case the strategy was initiated by council officers, although in two cases the impetus came equally from council members. No library service indicated that the onus for strategy came solely from councillors, so there appears to be no pressure for formal strategy from this direction at the present time. Question 12 asked: Does your library service work in partnership with other agencies on initiatives aimed at regenerating or empowering local communities? (110 responses) Ninety six authorities (87% of those answering the question) said that it did. Question 9 asked: Who was involved in agreeing library service strategy on working with communities? As some parties would have contributed more than others, respondents were asked to estimate the extent of their involvement. While this question still operated on the small base of respondents (18) who do have such a strategy, it was instructive to see who was involved in the process. Responses are depicted in Table It shows, for example, that the chief librarian was the lead agent in deciding strategy in eight of the 18 authorities, an equal player in the process in six authorities, was consulted in three, and not involved in one Who was involved in agreeing strategy? Question 13 continued: If yes (does work in partnership with other agencies), please list those agencies with which you work. If you have regular scheduled meetings, please tick formal. If your joint work is on a more ad hoc basis working with personal contacts, please tick informal. Responses are depicted in Table Question 14 asked respondents to indicate if your library service is, or has been, involved in partnership bids for funding with specified schemes. Question 15 asked: Which bids have been successful? Responses to both questions 14 and 15 are depicted in Table Lead agent Equal player Consulted Not involved Chief librarian * Senior library managers Community librarians/other staff User groups Voluntary sector/umbrella agencies Community organisations Councillors Community development unit Planning Chief Executive s dept Social services/social work Youth & community services Academic sector Consultant Other * There was a contradiction in the responses between questions 7 & 9. Formal Informal % % Formal Informal Careers service Community education Community Health council Economic development dept Education service Health authority NHS Trust Social services/social work TEC/Local Enterprise Co Churches Community council or Forum Local community groups Racial equality council Voluntary sector forum Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

81 2.6 Libraries and community development national survey Partnership bids for funding? Bids? Successful? Yes No Yes No Pending City Challenge Rural Challenge Strategic Dev. Scheme (Wales) Single Regeneration Budget (England) Urban programme Millennium fund National lottery PLDIS/DFPL * EU libraries programme EU telematics programme European Social Fund Notes: No has been counted only when entered on form, although No is implied if Yes is not entered. Respondents could give more than one answer to the success question - hence sum of yes, no and pending exceeds numbers bidding. * Public Library Development Incentive Scheme/Development Fund for Public Libraries Question 16 asked: Do you have any of the following? (115 responses) specialist members of library staff working on community liaison budgets devolved to working with communities inter agency community development projects user committees/focus groups. empowering local communities. The response in that case was positive from 96 authorities (83%). Thirty eight authorities (33% of respondents) had library user committees or focus groups. Question 17 asked: Are you represented in community activities which have not been initiated by the local authority e.g. community councils or consultative committees, arts festivals or other community organised events? (111 responses) Thirty six authorities (31%) reported having specialist library staff working on community liaison. Only 15 authorities (13%) had budgets devolved to working with communities. Forty five authorities (39%) had inter agency community development projects. This response was much lower than the response to Question 12, where libraries were asked if they were involved in partnership initiatives aimed at regenerating or Which do you offer on a regular basis? Offer? It was encouraging that 88 library services (79%) responded positively to this question. Question 18 asked: Which of a number of prompted options were offered on a regular basis. Table depicts the findings. It also indicates responses to Question 19: Which of these activities were established in response to community demand or have community involvement in their operations? Please indicate where there is demand you are not able to satisfy. Community involve/demand Yes No Community Community Not able involve demand to satisfy Accommodation for groups Problem solving information Information about local groups Basic skills education provision Continuing education provision Participative arts workshops Events for older people Events for children Events for teenagers Multicultural events Events for parents Events for women Local studies events Note: No has been counted only when entered on form, although No is implied if Yes is not entered. Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 71

82 2 : NATIONAL PERSPECTIVES ON PUBLIC LIBRARY USE Question 20 asked: What is your charging policy on the activities outlined above? Responses are depicted in Table The highest number of authorities (66) stated that they aimed at partly offsetting costs, though this was closely followed by 64 authorities offering services free to all. The apparent conflict here is explained by the fact that respondents were free to choose more than one option, and an individual service might offer some activities free and others charged. Thirty nine authorities offered some services free to certain groups such as the unemployed and pensioners, and 38 offered reduced price services to the same groups. It is interesting to note that 25 library authorities (22% of respondents) ran some of their activities for income generation. This would appear to conflict with a community development strategy. Question 21 asked: Has your library service s work with communities been reduced because of funding constraints? (102 responses) Sixty four authorities (62% of respondents) replied that it had, 38 (37%) that it had not. Respondents were then asked how funding had been reduced, and given eight prompted options. Responses are depicted in Table Question 22 asked: Do you monitor the effectiveness of your development work with communities? (108 responses) Sixty library authorities (56% of total) replied that they did. Question 23 asked respondents to indicate if they used any specific method of monitoring and prompted five options plus an other category. Sixty eight authorities reported that they used performance indicators, 54 used qualitative evaluation by survey, and 55 comments from user groups. Fourteen library services used monitoring groups and two used other methods What is charging policy on items in Q18 (Table 2.6.4) above? Number % of forms Aimed at income generation Partly offsetting costs Charges reduced for e.g. unemployed/oaps Free to some e.g. unemployed/oaps Free to all How has your work with communities been reduced because of funding constraints? Number % Librarians covering for library assistants Reduction in number of professional librarians More service points, less staff Reduction in mileage and subsistence allowances Removal of key posts Lack of staff training/development Community librarianship a lower priority Emphasis on other activities Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

83 3.1 Report of a survey of central library users User surveys: satisfaction and impact 3 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 73

84 3 : USER SURVEYS: SATISFACTION AND IMPACT 3.1 Report of a survey of central library users Birmingham Department of Leisure and Community Services, Libraries and Learning A survey of Birmingham Central Library users was undertaken in November The sample size was 1,309 in a week when it is estimated that 31,000 people visited the library. This was a follow-up to an earlier survey conducted in 1992, and some comparisons are made between the two surveys. Report of a survey of central library users, Full report available from John Dolan, Birmingham Central Library, Chamberlain Square, Birmingham B3 3HQ, price 10. The sample It is estimated that the sample of 1,309 interviewees represents 4% of the total users of the library during the week of the survey; 52% of respondents were male and 48% female. The report focuses on Central Library users of 16 years and older. Table shows the age ranges of people interviewed Percentages of respondents in given age ranges Age range % of total Table shows the ethnic origins of respondents Ethnic origin of respondents Ethnicity % African 1 Afro-Caribbean 8 Bangladeshi 1 Chinese 2 Indian 6 Kashmiri 2 Pakistani 7 White 62 Irish 3 White Other 4 Other 4 Table summarises disabilities of respondents. Table shows the status/occupation of respondents. Not surprisingly, a large number of respondents (39%) were in formal education. (However, see information below regarding students/ independent learners.) This supports the contention that a significant proportion of library activity is in support of education Occupation of respondents Status/occupation % Disabilities of respondents Disability % of total Mobility 3 Sight 6 Hearing 3 Other 1 13 Employed 28 Self Employed 6 Unemployed 10 Unwaged 2 School 4 College 13 6th Form 4 University 18 Retired 14 Findings Frequency and length of visits Compared with the 1992 survey, there was an increased percentage of users who were first-time visitors (6%). Table shows the frequency with which the remainder of respondents (i.e. those not first time users) visited the library in Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

85 3.1.5 Frequency of visits Frequency % of total respondents Once per week 22 More than once per week 25 Once a fortnight 17 Once a month 18 Less frequently 12 Respondents were asked about the length of time that they stayed in the library (see Table 3.1.6). This varied from service to service - shorter visits were associated with information-seeking and borrowing items; longer visits were associated with - for example - more extended study/research or newspaper reading Length of stay Length % Less than 1 hour hours hours 15 4 hours+ 4 Respondents were asked about their place of residence; 73% were living in Birmingham and 27% living outside Birmingham. This confirms the regional role of the library, although many living outside Birmingham were working in the city centre. Purpose of visits Respondents were asked why they were visiting the library: A consistently high proportion of respondents used the library in connection with education and study (54%) Leisure (36%) and hobbies/personal pursuits (14%) accounted for a similarly large proportion A small but significant number (4%) used the Central Library to help in finding work. Respondents were also asked what they did at the library: There was an increased number (almost double the number in 1992) who said they were looking for information (44%) A large proportion wanted to borrow materials (40%) 3.1 Report of a survey of central library users Some also used their own materials (11%) A significant number (19%) were happy to explore the library browsing Nearly 5% used the library on behalf of others. Use of other libraries For many respondents, use of the Central Library was made in conjunction with other libraries, or for a different purpose to other libraries: 41% also used other Birmingham community libraries 14% used other public libraries in the West Midlands. Also significant was the cross use between public and academic libraries: 16% used university libraries - 18% said they were at university 6% used college libraries - 16% said they were at college. This gave the impression that FE students in particular sometimes made use of the Central Library instead of their own institution s library. While 54% of respondents visited for purposes of education/study, 39% were at school/ college/ university. A considerable number were therefore, by implication, independent learners. A separate analysis of the survey results in relation to these two groups is given below. Outcomes and implications Satisfaction levels are an indicator both of achievement and of issues to be addressed: Overall, satisfaction remains high, and consistent with the 1992 survey, at 88% The tendency of female respondents to express dissatisfaction had fallen slightly since 1992 (86% of females expressed overall satisfaction with their visit in ) Young adults were marginally more dissatisfied than average Satisfaction among older people was high - 64% of over 65 s were very satisfied The above average dissatisfaction among ethnic minorities in 1992 was no longer evident in In general though, fewer ethnic minority respondents said they were very satisfied. A similar proportion of respondents used library materials (37%) or newspapers (12%) in the library Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 Issues to be addressed can be identified from the 75

86 3 : USER SURVEYS: SATISFACTION AND IMPACT detail on concerns/dissatisfaction which respondents expressed. Respondents considered there had been five areas of improvement and seven of decline since 1992: Those aspects of the library showing improvement included: time spent waiting helpfulness of staff ease of finding books study/reading space helpfulness of signs and guides. Those areas giving rise to over 20% dissatisfaction were: range of books and other items of stock temperature levels noise levels. A second tier of sources of dissatisfaction (under 20%) would include: quality of equipment opening hours lighting levels ease of getting around the library building. Students and independent learners We have defined as students those at colleges of further education, in sixth forms and at university. We have defined as independent learners those employed, self employed, unemployed, unwaged, retired and other, when they gave as the purpose of the visit education/study. User profile Students are more likely to be female. Women form a higher proportion of students (59%) than of independent learners (45%). are from minority groups and only 25% of independent learners are from such groups. Most independent learners are in paid work. The employed/self employed form 60% of the sample, with a significant minority of 24% which are unemployed/unwaged. Both groups prefer short visits of less than an hour 43% of students and 52% of independent learners. The four hours and over enthusiast is as likely to be an independent learner as a student approximately 6% of both groups. Students are more like to use the library for other (non-study) purposes during their visit, though the difference is slight. They are 3% more likely to use the library for a hobby and 4% more likely to use it for paid work or business. Independent learners are almost 10% less likely to use books than students (either their own or the library s), and about 10% less likely to use a photocopier. They are 4% more likely to consult a newspaper or magazine however, and are 4% more likely to browse, and 4% more likely to be in the library on behalf of some one else. Students have lower satisfaction than independent learners with almost all aspects of service and environment, notably: 5% less satisfied with helpfulness of staff 6% less satisfied with opening hours 4% less satisfied with range of items 6% less satisfied with ease of finding items 6% less satisfied with the temperature. But there are three exceptions where independent learners had lower satisfaction than students: 6% less satisfied with helpfulness of catalogues 10% less satisfied with quality of equipment 6% less satisfied with study/reading space. Students are 13% more likely than independent learners to use other libraries. Students are considerably more likely to be young. The vast majority of students are 25 years or less (83%), a much smaller proportion than for independent learners (20%). Of independent learners, the biggest single category (27%) falls within the age range. Students are considerably more likely to be from an ethnic minority. Almost half of all students 76 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

87 3.2 Report of a survey of children using the library 3.2 Report of a survey of children using the library Birmingham City Council, Department of Leisure and Community Services, Libraries and Learning Birmingham is an authority that is very active in user studies. This research - based on interviews at all Birmingham service points - is a rare example of a survey of children using libraries. The survey is based on 5-11 year olds using the libraries. Report of a survey of children using the library, May Full report available from John Dolan, Birmingham Central Library, Chamberlain Square, Birmingham B3 3HQ, gratis. Aims and methodology The following findings are based on the first city wide survey of child library users conducted in Birmingham. The reasons for carrying out the survey were: 1. To use the results to improve the way we plan services for children in the future and to ensure that we direct our resources in the most appropriate ways; 2. To discover children s opinions of the library service. Children have a threefold importance to us because: they use the library as children they are our future users they can influence adults eg parents/carers to visit the library. We wanted to collect children s opinions but our past experience had shown that it was difficult to include children in a standard user survey. It was clear that we needed to do something specifically geared to them, although we made use of our previous experience of conducting surveys and community profiling guidelines. A children s survey needs to: take account of ethical guidelines affecting market research with children reflect children s priorities and language be conducted in a way that is child friendly be in a format that means that a child s opportunity to respond is not determined by their reading level. For these reasons we opted for a structured Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 interview based on standard questions and answers, which allowed us to analyse the data more easily and cumulate the results for all libraries with confidence. We have an ethical and moral obligation, when entering into market research with children, to let parents know what is happening. We tried to ensure this by: sending a standard letter to all primary schools at the end of February, informing them about the survey producing an A3 poster at the start of the Easter holidays for display in all service points producing an A5 handout in English and the main community languages to be given to all children and their parents visiting the library from the Easter holidays onwards press and radio coverage especially aimed at parents who may not speak English producing thank you slips to give to children after they had been interviewed. We ran four training sessions for all staff who would actually be conducting the survey. During February we ran a pilot of the survey in two libraries. This was a useful learning experience and we adapted the questionnaire as a result of it. During the week beginning 20 May 1996, 1,236 children aged 5-11 were interviewed in all library service points, including the Central Library and mobiles. All libraries aimed to interview 30 children during the week beginning 20 May, except for two libraries which aimed for 60. Staff were asked to select the first children coming into the library after specific times, and the importance of these children being selected in a consistent way was stressed. The interviews took place on the way in to the 77

88 3 : USER SURVEYS: SATISFACTION AND IMPACT library and so the answers children gave to the questions were based on their intentions rather than necessarily what they actually did. The interviews took place after school and on Saturdays and specifically did not include class visits. There was no weighting of the results - all questionnaires were used. Findings Who are our customers? Gender Table shows more girls than boys using the libraries. This does not reflect the balance of the population as a whole but, as the figures for the Community Library User Survey show, it does reflect library use generally Use of libraries by boys/girls Community Children s User Census 91 Libraries Survey User Survey * Boys 51.1% 42.8% 42.7% Girls 48.9% 57.2% 57.3% *All ages using libraries Age Fig shows a clear pattern of increasing numbers of children using the library as they got older. This does not match the population profile for this age group in the city, which shows a more even distribution across the age bands, varying only between 13.9% and 14.7% for each year of the total for the 5-11 age group. More children used the library as they moved through their primary years. Education 99.6% of the children surveyed were educated in school. However, there were four children who were home educated, and who were interviewed as part of the survey. The Tuition Service of Birmingham Education Department estimate that there are just over 160 children currently being educated at home. Visits to other libraries 73.4% of the children surveyed said that they did not use libraries other than the one they were interviewed at and the one at school. This compares with an average of 35.7% of users in the Community Library User Survey in 1994 who said that they never used other libraries. That survey showed a wide variation between the different Birmingham public library service points but the highest figure for people never using another library was still only 62.4%. Children were clearly less likely to use another library than adults. Who accompanied children Children in the younger age bands were more likely to be accompanied by their immediate family - particularly mothers, sometimes brothers and sisters, and occasionally fathers. Neither grandparents nor childminders featured significantly. Older children were more likely to come to the library on their own or with friends. Membership of the library A high proportion of children surveyed (90.6%) had their own tickets Percentage of survey respondents and 1991 census (age 5-11) in specified age groups % yrs 6 yrs 7 yrs 8 yrs 9 yrs 10 yrs 11 yrs Children s user survey 1991 census 78 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

89 3.2 Report of a survey of children using the library Frequency of visits There were two principal preferred options amongst children using the library: 27.2% preferred to visit weekly while 32.6% preferred to visit once a month. Children, especially younger children, were dependent on parents to bring them. Only 7.6% of the children surveyed used the library less than once a month. 5% of children surveyed were on their first ever visit. Information books There is an obvious correlation between age and coming to the library for information books to take home, demonstrated in Table below which shows the percentage of children for each age group who said that they came to the library to choose information books to take home. The older the children, the more likely they were to take information books home. Use in term time Children declared a clear preference for coming to the library either straight after school or on Saturdays during term time (see Table 3.2.3). This was consistent across all the age bands Percentage of children, in age groups, borrowing information books Age % of age group Timing of children s visits to libraries Time % Straight after school 44.3 In the evenings 14.5 On Saturdays Patterns of use Children visited the library to do several things on the same visit, and some of these activities are not captured by our current performance measures. Table shows what children intended to do on their visit, not necessarily what they actually did Children s intended activities during visits to libraries Activity % Story books to take home 60.2 Look at books in the library 38.6 Information books to take home 37.4 Help with homework 27.7 To choose a storytape 17.2 Story books The most popular activity was clearly to take story books home. When we looked at the age profile of children who came to choose story books to take home, there was a reasonably consistent response from children aged five to ten (ranging from 60.3% 69.8%), but only 45.4% of eleven year olds said they came to choose story books to take home. A higher proportion of girls (65.8%) than boys (53.0%) said that they had come to the library to take story books home. At both Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 more girls than boys chose story books to read often or very often. A higher proportion of boys (40.1%) than girls (35.3%) had come to the library to take an information book home. Homework For those children who declared that they came to the library for help with homework there was a similar pattern of increasing use by older children (see Table 3.2.6) Percentage of children, in age groups, using libraries for homework Age % of age group Storytapes There was some indication that younger children were more likely than older children to come to the library for storytapes, with 23.9% of five year olds saying that they had come to choose a storytape, against 13.3% of eleven year olds. Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 79

90 3 : USER SURVEYS: SATISFACTION AND IMPACT Asking staff for help Of children responding to the survey, 55% had at some time asked staff for help. The age profile of children asking staff for help shows a clear trend of older children being more than twice as likely to ask staff for help (see Table 3.2.7) Children s success rates in finding materials Percentage of children asking staff for help, by age 30 Age % of age group % When children came to the library on their own or with friends they were more likely to ask staff for help than when they came with their mothers, fathers, or brothers and sisters (see Fig 3.2.8) Always Nearly always Sometimes Never Asking the staff for help did not seem to lead to children having greater success in finding what they were looking for. Fig below shows children s rating of their success in finding something, when they asked staff for help. The picture is very similar to the graph above Who children were with when they asked staff for help Children s success rates in finding materials after asking staff % % On own Friend Mum Dad Sibling 0 Always Nearly always Sometimes Never Satisfaction 23.5% of children declared that they always found what they were looking for when searching for materials (see Fig 3.2.9). However, the highest response (39.4%) was for those children who only found what they were looking for sometimes. Sometimes could include quite positive and negative levels of response. Staff 91.1% of children said that the staff were either always or nearly always helpful. Those children who declared that they had asked staff for help were more inclined to think that the staff were helpful. 82.3% of the children who had asked the staff for help found them always helpful. 80 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

91 % of respondents 3.3 Library lapsed-users survey 3.3 Library lapsed-users survey Sandwell Community Libraries As measures of the penetration of public library services receive more emphasis, attention is turning to non-users and lapsed users. This is a report of a postal survey of 138 library members who had not borrowed on their library tickets for three years. The survey found that most of those who had apparently lapsed were in fact using the library for various purposes other than lending. The main reasons for non-use were connected with access (particularly opening hours) and stock inadequacies. Library lapsed-users survey, Available (gratis) from Library Support Services, Sandwell Community Libraries, Town Hall, High Street, West Bromwich, W Midlands B7 8DX. Aims The purpose of this survey was to investigate the reasons for registered borrowers not using the library. The reason for doing this was to investigate methods of encouraging greater use of the library. It was hoped that lessons could also be applied to non users. Methodology The survey was undertaken by library staff, with support and advice from the Policy and Research Unit. Lapsed-users were defined as those who had not used their library tickets for over three years. 500 randomly selected lapsed-users were sent a questionnaire through the post. Of these, 138 (28%) were returned. This level of response would normally allow the survey results to have an accuracy of plus or minus 8.5%, 95% of the time. However, the results may also be skewed as a result of some types of people being more likely to respond than others. The respondents Fig shows the breakdown of respondents by age and sex. It follows closely the pattern of library membership, except there are more males than females in the 65 or over group. The respondents were almost all white, with only one respondent identifying himself as from another ethnic group (i.e. Indian). As the questionnaires were distributed in an entirely random way, there appear to be language barriers in responding to postal surveys. Fig shows that of the 138 people who returned questionnaires, 90% have used the library regularly or a few times. These lapsed-users do in fact use the library, although not necessarily to borrow materials. The most common reasons (selected from a prompted list - see Fig overleaf) were to use reference materials (28 responses) and/or to visit with children (24 responses) Number of respondents Age and sex of respondents Age group or over Male Female Have you made any use of the library since you joined? Regularly 90 A few times 8 6 Once No Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 81

92 3 : USER SURVEYS: SATISFACTION AND IMPACT How have you used the library in the last year? Using reference materials Visited with children Other Using the photocopier For personal study Choosing books for other people Reading newspapers or magazines Number of responses Fifty three percent of the responses fell into the personal category, the main reasons being Don t have time (40 responses) and Tend to buy books (28 responses). 24% of the responses fell into the access category, the main reasons being Opening hours not convenient (17 responses) and Using another library (11 responses). In the prompted list the only reason which received no responses was Unhelpful staff. When asked (from a prompted list - see Fig 3.3.5) what would encourage borrowers to make more use of the library they were registered with, stock-related questions appeared most influential, followed by factors related to access. Used library regularly Other What would encourage you to make more use of the library? This finding highlights the concerns of using issue statistics as the primary means of evaluating library performance. Other measures (such as the number of enquiries and the number of visits) must be used in judging the success of a library. Personal reasons were the most frequently cited when respondents were asked why they had not used a library (see Fig 3.3.4). The most common reasons related to the library service itself appeared to be those concerned with access (and in particular opening hours). Stock 67 Access 43 Other 27 Services 20 Personal Fees Staff Number of responses (more than one per respondent) Why have you not used a library in the last year? Personal 79 Access Other Stock Services Fees Staff Number of responses Sixty seven percent of responses fell into the stock category, with 37 respondents asking for A wider range of books, 18 for More cassettes and CDs, and 12 for More videos. Books should be seen as the highest stock priority for libraries. 43% of responses fell into the access category, with 40 respondents asking for More convenient opening hours - the largest number of responses to any option in this question. These results mirror those from the annual library user survey, where the least satisfaction with the service was in the areas of stock and opening hours. Finally, the list of comments (see below) was analysed, using six main categories, into positive and negative comments. These are summarised in Table There were more positive than negative comments. Fifty percent of the negative comments concerned the stock. 82 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

93 3.3.6 Comments about Sandwell Community Libraries Positive Negative Total 3.3 Library lapsed-users survey Performance indicators other than issues need to be used in order to assess the success of a service point. The number of visits and the number of enquiries are obviously important. Stock Staff Services Personal Access Fees Total Conclusions Our initial thought that lapsed-users can be defined as those who do not borrow material with their tickets has been shown to be inexact. The majority of people with a library ticket visit the library at least a few times, even if they do not borrow. They use it for a variety of other reasons - visiting with children, consulting reference material, using the photocopier, for example. To discover more about non-users (cf lapsed users) an entirely new piece of research will be required. Special care will be needed to ensure that the views of all residents are collected, as cultural and language issues appeared to pre-empt non-white ethnic groups from responding to the survey. The two major issues flagged as a barrier to further use were: 1. Opening hours 2. Stock The survey suggests that if we were to improve performance in these areas, use of the library service would increase. Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 83

94 3 : USER SURVEYS: SATISFACTION AND IMPACT 3.4 Different language, different needs?: a survey of Asian library users Elizabeth High Hounslow Leisure Services Generous space is given to this summary, in view of the importance of the subject and the relative lack of information available on it. The full Hounslow report runs to 128 pages. It is an excellent example of local findings which have wider relevance. The survey examines the use and non-use by Asian members of a variety of services. The findings demonstrate the need for the questions to be asked not least in revealing the highly specialised use of services by many members, and the diminishing interest in Asian language services from Asian children. Different language, different needs?: a survey of Asian library users, Copies of the report cost 30 and are available from: Barbara King, Library Management Office, Hounslow Library, 24 Treaty Centre, High Street, Hounslow, Middlesex TW3 1ES. Aims and methodology The survey had five very broad aims and objectives which were agreed and developed through a research steering group, containing a member from each section of the library service - from customer services to adult lending: To look at the ethnic language abilities and requirements of Hounslow s Asian library users To look at the current use patterns of the ethnic language collection To explore areas of future development of the ethnic language collection The respondents Hounslow has a diverse and interesting Asian community from many parts of the Asian sub continent. The survey showed that this diversity is mirrored in the library customer base. The largest group are of Indian origin, with a smaller section of the community originating from Pakistan. Fig shows the ethnic grouping represented in the sample. When the ethnic groups of respondents are compared with ethnic groups in the 1991 census profile, it is clear that the Pakistani community makes a disproportionately high use of the library services. To get a general view of Asian library members awareness of the current service To collect information about the quality of the service that the Asian users feel they receive Ethnic origin of Asian respondents The results here are based on a survey conducted over a two week period between 6 to 20 March A total of 451 respondents were interviewed from the Asian customer base at selected Hounslow libraries. The interviewing was conducted by a specialist research agency, Asian Leisure and Arts Planners, who specialise in the development and execution of Asian community-oriented projects. The respondents were randomly selected from the customers moving around four libraries at the time of interview sessions, which were timed to ensure contact with a wide range of potential users, and included evenings and weekends. Asian other Phillipino Arab Mauritian Bangladeshi Sri Lankan Asian other Chinese East African Asian Pakistani Indian % Base for % = Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

95 3.4 Different language, different needs?: a survey of Asian library users Fig shows that there is a balanced use throughout all of the age cohorts. When this is compared to the borough profile however, it is clear that there is a disproportionate use by the older sections of the community. There is also a high level of use for educational purposes from the year old categories, who make up a disproportionate number in the sample compared to the borough profile Age profile of Asian respondents Respondents borrowing patterns Borrowing patterns from the English collection The principal focus of the survey was to establish use of the ethnic language collection, but it was felt that some exploration of the respondents English borrowing habits should also be examined. As a result, the respondents who spoke and read a language other than English were asked about their English borrowing habits, to see if there was a difference in the patterns of use or a specific bias in the collection use. Seventy per cent said that they borrowed English books. The areas of English stock borrowed are shown in Fig Subject areas and genres borrowed from the English collection Age Children's fiction General knowledge DIY Base for % = 451 The principal focus of the questionnaire was the use of ethnic language materials of both a written and an audio visual nature. Ninety four per cent of the respondents spoke another language, with only 6% speaking English alone. A large proportion of the respondents were multi lingual, speaking more than one Asian language in addition to English. The variety of languages spoken are shown in Fig % Arts & craft Romance Travel Gardening Religion Health & exercise Cookery History Computing/technology Other languages spoken by Asian respondents Business & economics Fiction/novels Non fiction Other Chinese Base for % = 168 % Bengali Arabic Gujarati Urdu Hindi Punjabi % Base for % = 425 Borrowing patterns for the Asian language collection The respondents who read an Asian language were asked if they made use of the existing collection of books available in their main language. Fifty nine per cent of the respondents did, and 41% did not. Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 85

96 3 : USER SURVEYS: SATISFACTION AND IMPACT Borrowing habits of Asian language Language No. of people % of speakers % of readers % of speakers spoken speaking who could read who used using the language collection collection Punjabi Urdu Gujarati Hindi Bengali Chinese Arabic Base: 390 respondents The use of the language collections is analysed above, assuming that the respondents predominantly borrowed books in their own language (see Table 3.4.5). Non-use of the Asian language collection Ninety eight (41%) of respondents did not make use of the Asian language collection despite being able to both speak and read their main Asian language. They were asked why, and the main responses are shown in Fig Reasons for not using the ethnic language collection A general lack of interest was also a common reason for non use. It highlights non use of the Asian collections as a particularly difficult issue for policy or product development initiatives to deal with. It is clear that the choices made about the collection are based on lifestyle and priorities of the individual. These are commonly given reasons for not using libraries more generally, and are variables over which the library service has no control or influence. The respondents were asked what the library service could do to encourage them to make use of the ethnic language collections (see Fig 3.4.7). The decision about use of the collection emerged as one of personal choice, with a resolute statement from 36% of non users that nothing could encourage use. Poor quality Didn't know available Read book in library Ways of encouraging ethnic language borrowing among Asian language readers Prefer English books Prefer non fiction Poor selection Buy own books Not interested No time Nothing If I have time Don't know Not interested More up to day stock % Base for % = 98 The most common single explanation for non use was the respondents lack of time. This was particularly common among women, and those in the age range, who are those most likely to be in the middle of their career or fulfilling the role of a full time carer in the family. Will use in future Improve quality Other % Base for % = 98 Fourteen per cent said that when they have time they will borrow the books. This response was particularly common among the younger groups of students who were currently concentrating on their studies, which centred on the English stock. 86 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

97 The ethnic collection borrowing patterns One hundred and forty -three respondents borrowed books in their main language. This group was asked how often they used the collection. The largest single group borrowed ethnic language books on a monthly basis. The overall pattern is shown in Fig Different language, different needs?: a survey of Asian library users Very dissatisfied Overall satisfaction with the ethnic language selection Dissatisfied The frequency of borrowing Asian language books No opinion Satisfied This is my first visit Very satisfied Less than once a month % Once a month Once a fortnight Once a week More than once a week Base for % = 143 Sixty nine per cent of the respondents borrow books once a fortnight or less often, which suggests that although there is a high daily presence of the Asian community in the libraries, the borrowing patterns are similar to those of the population as a whole - as revealed in a 1992 library users survey. Daily use is not common, and is predominantly related to periodical and reference books, with borrowing being relatively infrequent. Twenty eight per cent however do borrow Asian language books once a week or more. % Base for % = 143 Customer suggested improvement to the range of books The 53 respondents who expressed some level of dissatisfaction with the range of books were asked how it might be improved. The main responses are shown in Fig The main request seemed to be simply an increase in the actual number of books available, with 49% suggesting this development. Thirty eight per cent also wanted to see more authors, with particular emphasis on newer and younger writers. Twenty three per cent backed this up by suggesting that the whole stock needed to be more up to date Customer suggested improvements to the ethnic book range Have more book Satisfaction with the range of ethnic adult books The respondents were asked how satisfied they were with the range of ethnic language books which were available in the libraries. The overall responses are shown in Fig Forty nine per cent of the respondents described themselves as satisfied. A third of respondents (33%), however, described themselves as dissatisfied, with a further 4% claiming to be very dissatisfied with the range of books available. This represents a significant level of dissatisfaction. The highest level of dissatisfaction was amongst Urdu readers. More writers More up to day stock More classical literature More non fiction More Hindi literature More in branches More poetry Other % Base for % = 53 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 87

98 3 : USER SURVEYS: SATISFACTION AND IMPACT Satisfaction with finding specific books The general level of satisfaction with the arrangement of stock was higher than the satisfaction with the range. Of 143 respondents, 45% were satisfied and 6% very satisfied; 21% were dissatisfied and 6% very dissatisfied. There was a large percentage of respondents (25%) who did not have an opinion. The interviewers commented that some respondents found it difficult to answer this question because they do not specifically come to the library to look for a title but tend to borrow what interests them on the day or is available. This was suggested as a cultural factor in Asian library use: selection was based on general browsing in the majority of cases. Subject areas requested The respondents were given the opportunity to suggest any particular subjects or authors they would like to see available or improved in the ethnic language collection. The main subjects are shown in Fig Use of the children s library service One hundred and twenty nine people - a third of the respondents - were parents or carers of a child under the age of 14, and 83% (107 carers) borrowed English library books on behalf of the children in their care. Only 17% did not. Despite the high level of use made of the English collection, the take-up of the ethnic language texts on offer was less encouraging. Only 18 respondents - 14% of those with the responsibility for a child aged under 14 - borrowed ethnic language books on behalf of these children. The respondents who did not borrow ethnic language books for their children were asked if there was any particular reason they did not make use of the stock. Their responses are shown in Fig Reasons for non use of the ethnic language children s stock Main subjects requested to enhance the ethnic language collection Children only read English Children not interested Didn't know available Religion History Health & exercise Cookery Classics Poetry Children too young School work more important No time to teach them Needs simple picture books Prefer to buy books Other Romance Family sagas Travel Arts & crafts Base for % = 111 % Science subjects Other Base for % = 91 The most commonly suggested option by far was religion. There was a clear demand for religious books, both in ethnic languages and in translation format. There was also a desire for books which looked at the philosophy behind religion. History was highlighted, particularly by the older generation. There was a clear library use culture emerging for older male users: spending time in the libraries reading the newspapers for up to date analysis of their countries of origin, and in using the reference collection for historical analysis. % The main reason, given by 68 respondents (61%), was that the children could not read any language other than English. Thirteen per cent (14 respondents) expressed a view that lack of interest from the children prevented the adults from encouraging use of the ethnic language books. The current stock was not seen as exciting, interesting or relevant by the children. Twelve per cent of those with children did not borrow books because they were unaware that a selection of ethnic books aimed at children was available. The non users were asked if there was anything which would encourage them to use the children s ethnic language collection. Their responses are shown in Fig Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

99 3.4 Different language, different needs?: a survey of Asian library users Thirty two percent (35 respondents) said that there was nothing in particular that would make them borrow children s ethnic books, as the factors which currently prevented them from using the collection were not within the control of the library service, but related to the other demands on their time. The other main problem was the fact that the majority of people had a limited command of reading ethnic languages themselves, despite many being multi lingual on a spoken level. The fundamental issue was the ability of the children to learn the language and the opportunities for them to do so. Twenty four percent said that they would definitely use the resources if the children were taught the language. Fourteen per cent felt that they would not actively encourage their children to borrow ethnic language books, but that they would be supportive if their children showed an interest in learning the language, or in looking at the ethnic collection. They were unwilling to force their children to look at the Asian collection. Use of periodicals How to encourage use of the children s ethnic collection Nothing If children learned language May in future If children became interested Don't know Not interested Better choice If I had more time Induction Other % Base for % = 111 Sixty five per cent of respondents read English language periodicals - either newspapers or magazines - in one of Hounslow s libraries. Fifty three per cent of respondents who read an Asian language used the Asian interest magazines and newspapers. As with most of the other services, the principal reason given for non-use was a general lack of interest expressed by 36% of the respondents. Again the issue of time is considered important in the use of resources. Research focusing on general leisure participation has shown that people from ethnic minority communities tend to have less available leisure time than other sections of the community, based on their work patterns and their domestic responsibilities. Twenty nine per cent of the respondents did not make use of the Asian interest periodicals because they could not fit it into their time schedule. Thirteen per cent felt that they preferred to buy Asian newspapers and magazines to read at home in their own time and in a more relaxed environment than the busy and (some commented) noisy environment. The non users were asked what the library service could do to encourage the use of the Asian interest periodicals. Again the main responses were negative and reinforced a general lack of interest and unwillingness to use the services. Of 182 respondents, 29% said nothing could be done, 19% said they were not interested, and 18% had no time. The Asian interest periodicals were read relatively frequently by the respondents. Fig shows that almost half of the respondents used the periodicals on a weekly basis Less than once a month Frequency of reading Asian interest periodicals Once a month Once a fortnight Once a week 2 to 3 times a week Every day % Base for % = 208 The respondents who read Asian interest periodicals were asked how they felt about the range currently provided: twelve respondents (6%) were very satisfied; 112 (54%) were satisfied; 58 (28%) dissatisfied; and four (2%) very dissatisfied. Twenty two (11%) had no opinion. Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 89

100 3 : USER SURVEYS: SATISFACTION AND IMPACT The 62 respondents who were dissatisfied with the range of periodicals available were given the opportunity to suggest ways that the collection could be improved. The suggestions made are shown in Fig Suggested improvements to the periodical collection from dissatisfied readers Slightly more - 27% - had borrowed Asian language videos from their local library. Two hundred and eighty five respondents did not borrow Asian videos. The reasons for their non use are shown in Fig Reasons for non use of the Asian videos More variety More copies of main titles Papers hard to get hold of Keep up to date Modern youth titles in English More at branches More Gujarati titles Other Base for % = 62 The main suggestions were general, with 56% suggesting that the whole collection needed more variety. The issues particularly raised were the re-introduction of the Times of India and Hindustan Times and Tribune at one library. Twelve respondents specifically raised the issue of their disappearance from the range offered in the library. There was again displeasure expressed - not with the range of titles available but with problems of access to the current collection. Thirty four per cent wanted to see more copies made available of the main titles which people read, and 13% complained again about the papers being held by other readers and making it very difficult for the casual and time pressed reader to gain access to a copy. This was particularly expressed by younger people. The other main issue which was raised about periodicals was the delay in the titles reaching the library. Ten per cent of respondents pointed out that the copies needed to be more up to date and that the titles were available in the local shops well in advance of making it to the library shelves. Use of video collections Only 25% of respondents borrowed English language videos from the relevant libraries in the borough. There were no statistical differences in the use and non use patterns at the specific branches where collections are available. % Use video shop Not interested Don't like Asian films No time Don't have video Have TV Asia Shops cheaper Didn't know available 24hr return restricts Out of date choice Shops convenient Not available in branch Buy videos Other Base for % = 285 Twenty-two per cent of respondents referred to the ample supply in local video stores, which were described as more convenient. Six per cent of the non users pointed out that they were significantly cheaper. Again one of the principal explanations for non use was a general lack of interest in Asian videos -expressed by 19%, with a further 12% who did not enjoy watching Asian style films. The non users were asked what the library service could do to encourage the use of the Asian video collection. Again the main responses were negative, and reinforced a general lack of interest and unwillingness to use the services. Sixty three per cent of respondents said that there was nothing that the library could do to encourage their use either because they were not interested or because they borrowed videos from other sources which were more convenient and less expensive. % 90 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

101 Have latest releases Longer hire period How to encourage use of the Asian videos 3.4 Different language, different needs?: a survey of Asian library users Thirty seven per cent of the respondents said that they preferred to buy cassettes and CD s of Asian music because they were very cheap, around 1 to 1.50 per item. The other reasons for buying were that people liked to own their own music, and also felt they could be more sure of the quality. May borrow in future Don't have a video Base for % = 106 One hundred and six respondents did make positive suggestions about how they might be tempted to use the collection. Their comments are shown in Fig Use of audio collections Only 27% of respondents borrowed English language and music cassettes or CD s from their local libraries. Slightly more - 33% - had borrowed Asian audio resources from their local library. The reasons for respondents non use were explored and are shown in Fig Cheaper price Documentaries Don't know More classics Have a branch Larger selection Other % Reasons for non use of the Asian audio collection Prefer to buy Not interested Listen to Sunrise radio No time Seventeen per cent of the respondents said they did not need to borrow from the audio collection because they constantly had Sunrise Radio, which provided a mixture of up to date and traditional programming alternatives. A group of younger respondents commented on how out of date the selection was, and suggested that they wanted to see more modern Asian bands featured in the collection, and less emphasis on the film soundtracks - which they felt dominated the current selection. The respondents who used the Asian audio collection were relatively infrequent users, with 62% (of 130 users) using the collection once a month or less, 22% once a fortnight, 17% once a week, and 2% more than once a week. The respondents who borrowed Asian audio resources were asked about their satisfaction levels. The majority of the respondents (58%) were satisfied with the current state of the Asian audio collection, but 29% were dissatisfied. Identifying problems with the library service The survey wanted to highlight any significant problems in the library service, and to focus the respondents minds on any important issues where more work was needed to develop a quality and customer focused service. The respondents were asked to think of anything they disliked about any aspect of the service. Three hundred and forty five respondents answered the question but 61% said that there was nothing they disliked at all. The analysis of the main issues raised is based on a sample of 133 respondents who were able to think of an element of the service they disliked (see Fig overleaf). Don't like Asian music Didn't know available Out of date Poor choice No classical music Not in branch Other % Base for % = 260 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 91

102 3 : USER SURVEYS: SATISFACTION AND IMPACT Experiences that customers dislike in libraries Too noisy * Problems with Periodical section Lack of school/academic books Queuing Staff unapproachable Stock out of date Lack of study space Limited opening hours No toilets Fines and reservations Late notification of overdues Badly organised stock Other % Base for % = 133 * newspapers used by a group of regular users in a way which excludes other users Identifying positive elements within the library service The survey also explored areas where the customers were particularly pleased with the service. This was intended to reveal areas where policy is currently operating successfully, and to offer opportunities to build on already effective approaches and products The most appreciated elements of the library service Three hundred and eighty eight respondents answered the question, and the analysis of the main issues raised is based on their views (see Fig ). Safe Asian music English stock Clean Asian videos Computers Study area Periodical section Layout Children's library Convenient Information Asian magazines Asian books Good atmosphere Quiet and spacious Large stock Good overall service Staff are good % Base for % = Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

103 3.4 Different language, different needs?: a survey of Asian library users Identifying areas for improvement The survey has thrown up a wide range of comments about the stock, the service, and the range of facilities available in Hounslow s libraries. In an attempt to identify the most significant issues, the survey asked respondents to select the one thing that they would most like to see improved. There was again a wide variety of responses. The largest single response was a clear endorsement of the existing service with 18% of the respondents suggesting that there was nothing they could think of that needed improvement. Table is based on the views of the 276 respondents who made a definite comment about service improvements. the general English language stock is highlighted for expansion by a larger selection of the population than the Asian specific stock. This suggests that the future needs of the population are not necessarily going to be Asian language texts, as the younger generation appear to have only a limited command of ethnic languages - but a re focused stock which caters for the cultural and educational aspirations of the next Asian generation Most requested service improvements Suggested improvement No. % Wider range of up to date books More academic stock Longer or later opening More Asian language stock Wider range of up to date periodicals 26 9 Be strict with noisy youth groups 21 8 More computers 20 8 More and better study areas 16 6 More children s facilities 11 4 Wider range of audio 10 4 More helpful and friendlier staff 10 4 Group study area to talk in 10 4 More copies of English newspapers 9 3 More classical and quality Asian stock 9 3 More staff for fewer queues 6 2 Asian stock 6 2 Better stock arrangements 6 2 Cheaper hire costs for audio visual 6 2 More Asian focused English stock 5 2 Wider range of videos 4 1 Toilet provision 4 1 Other Base for % = 276It is interesting that Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 93

104 3 : USER SURVEYS: SATISFACTION AND IMPACT 3.5 New measures for the new library A social audit of public libraries Rebecca Linley and Bob Usherwood Centre for the Public Library in the Information Society Department of Information Studies, The University of Sheffield This was the most significant piece of research amongst a batch of social impact of libraries projects funded by BLRIC in 1997 and A quotation from the write-up - Generalising from qualitative findings is an impossibility - suggests the difficulties of summarising the work, which was wholly comprised of interviews with elected members, staff and users in two library authorities. Readers are referred to the report itself for all the detail of these interviews. It is to be hoped that these qualitative findings will shortly be joined by some parallel quantitative work. Linley, Rebecca and Usherwood, Bob, New measures for the new library : a social audit of public libraries. ISBN , Sheffield: Dept. of Information Studies, University of Sheffield, BLRIC report 89, 20. The objectives of public libraries are notoriously vague, but official statements issued by national and local governments have often included phrases that imply both economic and social objectives. The activities of public libraries have been assumed to have merit, but relatively little is known about the actual impact of such services on individuals or local communities. Making use of a form of social audit, this project evaluates library services in a new way. Rather than relying on outputs, such as the number of books issued, it examines the outcomes, the impact and value of public libraries. The survey attempts to demonstrate how far ideas about libraries have been reflected in practice, and to ascertain the degree to which aspirations are translated into achievements. The research had three objectives: 1. To develop a tool for measuring the social impact of library activities in relation to objectives. 2. To investigate the social and economic impact of public libraries. 3. To investigate how far a library s activities, in practice, contribute towards the achievement of its social objectives. The basic research premise was to use a social process audit to analyse the goals (aims), inputs (resources), outputs (the programme or service) and outcomes (actual experience) of the public library and information service see the overview of research design in Fig It has been carried out via two separate but related projects in the City of Newcastle upon Tyne and the County of Somerset. The two authorities offer considerable contrasts in terms of geography, demography, politics and the local economy. The methodology has therefore been tested in both rural and inner city areas. The basic approach has been to cross-check the views and perceptions of selected stakeholders to ascertain how far these objectives have been achieved. The key stakeholders for this study were:- elected members (local politicians) library staff groups of library users and non-users. Established functions In this section, using data obtained from the study, the impact of the established roles of the library - i.e. education, literacy, information, leisure and culture is considered. There was support, from all categories of respondent, for the library as a centre of cultural life, and in Newcastle many politicians saw the library service as a vehicle for cultural regeneration. This support, however, was largely expressed as a general perception of the value of local promotion of, and participation in, cultural activities, and of the library as an appropriate centre for these activities. Adults and children s education needs are largely joint impacts with educational providers, and 94 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

105 3.5 New measures for the new library the library might be more important in an area where there are fewer educational resources. The educational impact of the library service in both locations was restricted by factors such as inadequate workspace, lack of reference materials and PCs, and limited opening hours. The responses of both parents and library staff suggested that using the library helped develop children s reading ability. In Newcastle, where concern about literacy levels was expressed in both Council statements and by the general public in focus groups, it was felt that the library was a suitable non-stigmatised place for adult literacy classes but not that it already provided this. Focus groups suggested the enduring popularity of leisure reading. The library remains important as a source of free reading material. These benefits were especially seen by and for economically inactive people, who were seen as having both lower incomes and more leisure time. In Newcastle, these cost related benefits were also seen in terms of audio-visual items, which people could not otherwise afford to buy or rent Overview of research design Social objectives of authorities Literature review Pilot Identification of stakeholders Design of interview schedules Interviews: politicians and staff Identification of case study areas community profiling Design of interview guide Focus groups Report by research staff in Newcastle Interim report Workshop discussion Interim report for National Libraries week Additional work on business information and local studies identification of stakeholders interviews and focus groups Final draft report Steering group discussion 1 Final report 1 There were also steering group meetings throughout the course of the project. Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 95

106 3 : USER SURVEYS: SATISFACTION AND IMPACT As with the educational impact of the library, the effect of its information provision was influenced by the availability of other provision. In Newcastle, other information providers, like neighbourhood housing centres, had a key role in local information provision, although the importance of the City Library for career and employment information was frequently referred to. In Somerset, there was evidence that many libraries acted as a general noticeboard and information point for the local community. In both areas, many respondents saw a contingency value to the library, and felt that it was a non-stigmatised provider. Social and caring roles Despite the fact that the social aims of the library service are more explicitly stated in Newcastle, the data from both authorities indicate that the library is of social value to the individual and the wider community. The social impact of the library comprises a number of elements. In considering these we make use of some of the broad themes identified by Comedia in their work on the social impact of the arts (Matarasso, 1997a). These are:- Personal development This covers aspects of individual change such as education, skills, confidence and social networks. (This theme obviously overlaps with the above discussion of the educational impacts). Social cohesion This concerns issues such as connections between people and groups, intercultural and intergenerational understanding, and fear of crime. Community empowerment and self-determination which addresses organisational capacity building, consultation and involvement in democratic processes and support for community-led initiatives. Local image and identity which deals with sense of place and belonging, local distinctiveness and the image of public bodies. Health and well-being These aspects are summarised by Comedia (Matarasso, 1997b). The library s impact on personal development can be seen in examples of individuals gaining new skills and confidence. Library staff, especially those with specialist work interests, were also instrumental in developing communities of personal interest. The library also had a more general impact as a place where people meet and share interests. As such it was described as part of the cement in the social fabric. It was also very much a social centre especially for elderly people. The focus group drawn from the ethnic minority communities felt that library materials and exhibitions created greater understanding between different cultural groups. The library service in both Newcastle and Somerset supported community groups and activities, and there is evidence to suggest that it built confidence in individuals which might then have an effect on the wider community. The importance of the library in sustaining local identity was observed in both case study areas. The presence of the library was seen as important in maintaining community self esteem, especially in areas which lacked other local facilities and resources. There was much evidence of the library s benefits in terms of psychological health and well-being, especially for isolated and vulnerable elderly and disabled people. Economic impact The initial audits, in both authorities, tended to yield very general statements about the economic impacts of libraries, especially in relation to business services. These general perceptions were examined further in the investigation of business information services, undertaken as part of the second phase of the project. This concentrated on services provided by the Business and Science Library in Newcastle, and the reference library in Bridgwater. The additional work on local studies services also yielded further material on the way the library service contributes to the local economy. The library staff identified four key categories of use of the business library - that is by businesses, job seekers, students and consumers of companies products and services. One of the most clear-cut areas of economic benefit to businesses was in the area of British Standards and Euro Norms. In both authorities, there was evidence of co operation with other business information and advice providers, to help prevent duplication of services. In both authorities, there was evidence that the library service brought particular benefits to new and small businesses which were less likely to have access to the resources provided by membershipbased organisations like Chambers of Commerce. Newcastle s library service seeks to contribute to the economic regeneration of local communities, but the extent to which this had been achieved was difficult to establish. In the wards studied, only one of the four branch libraries was situated close to the main 96 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

107 3.5 New measures for the new library local shopping area. In this one ward, the library had been refurbished as part of a redevelopment of the shopping centre. It would require further investigation to ascertain whether or not these improvements to the library and its surroundings had had a beneficial impact on the retail outlets in the centre. In Somerset, by contrast, the data suggest that the library has a discernible economic impact in supporting local shopping. In one particular area, the parish council s support for one library, perceived as being threatened with closure, was mentioned in an economic context. A Household Survey found that the library was the most used leisure facility in the area (in Somerset County Library Service, 1997). Such evidence supports the conclusion that in some of the Somerset locations, the usage of the library did translate into a positive economic impact in relation to local retailing. People did not just combine shopping trips with visiting the library, but the library was an important factor in deciding where to shop. The data also suggest that the library service supports the local tourist infrastructure in Somerset. This was seen not just with the Tourist Information Centre in Taunton Library, but also in places which had some tourist activity but did not have a dedicated centre. The investigation of local studies services suggested other ways in which the library service brought indirect benefits to the local leisure economy. The findings on the economic impact of library services are tentative and somewhat inconclusive. Investigating the diverse economic impacts of the public library appears to be a worthwhile direction for future work. Equity Most modern statements of library purpose suggest that it is the role of the public library to provide equality of access to the wealth of information, ideas and works of imagination. If equity is narrowly defined as due process or administrative justice the data show that library services, in both authorities, are delivered in a fair or equitable way. In Somerset, the emphasis of the authority s core principles is on equitable access to service delivery. But there are a number of constraints on effective access which can work against the equity concept. These include physical, geographical and economic barriers. In Newcastle, many local politicians voiced criticism of the facilities for physical access to library buildings. In Somerset, elected members and library staff repeatedly referred to the improvements Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 to disabled access at many of the libraries. The focus group discussion with people with disabilities and carers confirmed that there were obvious and immediate impacts following such improvements. This focus group s greatest concern was, however, about lack of consultation on access issues. In both Newcastle and Somerset, respondents gave individual examples of the benefit of library materials such as large print and spoken word collections on people with sensory disabilities. In Somerset, a core principle of the local authority is to use decentralisation to improve access to services, especially in rural areas. The geographical penetration of the library service itself was seen as a particular strength by local politicians across the political divide. There was general support for the value of mobile services, and this was confirmed by focus group participants. In Somerset the main reference services are divided between the four largest libraries and the library service would argue that by dispersing the service in this way, rather than from just one centre, it was delivering a more equitable service to the County s geographically dispersed population. Broader definitions of equity may encompass issues of neutrality and fairness between different groups. In Newcastle, an awareness of the groups and individual communities prioritised by the City Council was shared by library staff as well as elected members. For instance, one member of staff summed up the priority groups as mainly unemployed people, elderly people, children and young people, ethnic minorities. At a Citywide level in Newcastle, one way in which library policy supported this community priority was that resources were allocated on a ward basis, irrespective of usage. In Somerset, the notion of equity between groups is implied by the reference, in the authority s core principles, to citizens not being handicapped by social, economic or other disadvantages. The potential relevance of libraries to unemployed people was highlighted in many interviews in both authorities. But, in Somerset, staff doubted the extent to which, despite this kind of demographic and social change, unemployed people used the library for leisure or information. In Somerset there was a strand of opinion which, although not expressed that widely, suggested that the library service was not as open and inclusive as many other respondents felt it was. Newcastle politicians saw the libraries provision of materials in mother tongue languages as extending 97

108 3 : USER SURVEYS: SATISFACTION AND IMPACT ethnic minorities access to Council services. But the general perception of elected members was that people from ethnic minorities under-used the library. Library staff, on the other hand, commented on the large numbers of children from Asian backgrounds using certain libraries. Participants also thought that children s English language skills could be improved as a result of using books and videos from the library. Some groups prioritised by Newcastle City Council did not welcome the idea of being identified as having special needs. In Newcastle, staff and politicians referred to the library s relevance to lone parents, emphasising the importance of the largely free service and a non-stigmatised environment. But the feeling of many lone parents was that they did not wish to be identified as having particular needs. Young people were perceived by elected members and library staff as under-using the library. There was widespread concern about a perceived ageing of library users, with a consensus that young people did not see the library as relevant to their needs. Although younger children used the library, there was a stage when most stopped going there (this stage was put at between about 12 and 16, in different interviews). In both case study authorities, young people from detached youth projects were interviewed. In Somerset, if they used the library it was for education or to borrow CDs - which they were rather more enthusiastic about. They were also critical of the library s image and associations. For the Newcastle focus group there were despite a high incidence of reading as a leisure activity - very strong barriers to using the library, suggesting the difficulties that some people may have dealing with what they perceived to be an agency of authority. There was a view, found across the broad range of our respondents, that older people belonged to the library generation. Other evidence to support older age groups loyalty to the public library and the high value they place on it has already been identified in our discussion of its social and caring role. In conclusion, the data suggest that the library is perceived as providing equity for most older people, those with disabilities and people from ethnic minorities. A sense of equity impact is felt less strongly by lone parents and unemployed young people. Management and other issues affecting impact The data suggest that the extent to which the public library service fulfils its social objectives depends, to some degree, on how the service and the local authority are managed, and also on other factors outside the immediate control of library staff. Factors which have been identified as helping or hindering the attainment of social objectives include:- Resources Marketing and awareness of the service Library rules and culture Structure Staff attitudes The relationship with local politicians Fear of crime Location. Making use of the findings A social audit can help library managers monitor and guide the service, improve the way the value of the service is reported to policy makers, enable stakeholders to make a judgement on the service, and affect organisational behaviour. In short it can help improve the social performance of the public library. An objective quantification of concern or social need is not possible, but it is practical to develop a framework for an informed value judgement. The success or failure of this, in practice, will be influenced by the research culture of the organisations concerned and the available research infrastructure and experience in - for instance - running focus groups. Fig represents current thoughts on this framework. Using this framework has enabled the surveyors to identify some of the matches, mismatches and differences between social objectives of local authorities, and the intermediate and final outcomes of the library services they provide. References Matarasso, F. (1997a). Use or ornament? The social impact of participation in the arts, Comedia: Bournes Green, Stroud. Matarasso, F. (1997b). Beyond book issues: the social potential of library projects, p.4 Comedia: Bournes Green, Stroud. 98 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

109 3.5.2 Framework for an informed value judgement 3.5 New measures for the new library Social objectives of local authority e.g. Council policy, mission statements etc Needs analysis e.g. Community profiles, marketing activities Context e.g. Central Government policy economy environment organisational culture Supply indicators Number of staff bookfund etc Management e.g. style culture structure quality marketing Service patterns e.g. centralised decentralised Output indicators book issues number of visits reference enquiries Intermediate outcomes (getting started) child reads people meet Variables Variables Final outcomes community confidence child becomes employed social cohesion Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 99

110 3 : USER SURVEYS: SATISFACTION AND IMPACT 3.6 What do people do when their public library service closes down? An investigation into the impact of the Sheffield Libraries strike Richard Proctor, Bob Usherwood, Gill Sobczyk Department of Information Studies, University of Sheffield Whereas many library surveys look at use of services, this one examines what happens when services are withdrawn. Of particular interest are the behaviour of users deprived of their library, their search for alternative sources of materials and their alternative activities, and an analysis of the importance of libraries to their users. BLR&D Report 6224, Available from the British Thesis Service, The British Library, Boston Spa. On 5 June 1995 strike action by the staff of Sheffield Libraries and Information Services caused the closure of almost the entire service. Staff returned to work on 2 August. The primary aim of the present research was to increase the knowledge of library managers and professionals about user behaviour and attitudes. We were particularly interested in changes in behaviour and attitudes that occurred as a result of the service closure. The research attempted to answer the following specific questions: 1. To what extent might service disruption affect established patterns of library use and behaviour? What efforts were users prepared to make to replace lost services from: a) other libraries, and b) other sources? How far did the service disruption change users attitudes to the service? How did the service disruption affect people s choice of leisure activities? To what extent might it affect the way people use the service in future? 2. How important are libraries in the lives of library users? Which library services did users miss most? What efforts were library users prepared to make during the strike to secure alternative sources of books and information? To what extent did non library-related activities replace library use? What impact did the loss of service have on users quality of life? Were any differences in behaviour and attitudes revealed which were dependent on the nature of specific communities? 3. What did the strike reveal about public and media attitudes to the library service? How was the service loss reflected in the media? How was it reflected in user complaints and comments? 4. How important are libraries to the local infrastructure? Do library closures effect users frequency of visits to their local centre? What is the impact of library closures on the local retail economy? Methodology We decided that a combination of quantitative and qualitative techniques was the most appropriate strategy to achieve the aims of the research and to gain the richest picture of the impact of service loss. Qualitative data provided an understanding of the impact of the closure from interviewees own perspectives. By analysing quantitative data we were able to determine how far the qualitative data reflected a more general pattern. The choice of five service points (Central Lending Library, Broomhill, Darnall, Southey, and Waterthorpe) for participation in the research survey was made. 100 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

111 3.6 What do people do when their public library service closes down? The research methodology comprised four main elements: Semi-structured interviews with library users Interviews were carried out with 518 library users returning library material to the community libraries and the Central Library in the four week period following the re-opening of Sheffield libraries on 2nd August. Semi-structured interviews with telephone enquirers Since so many reference enquiries are made by telephone we felt that a separate survey of this group of users was required. Library staff recorded details of enquirers willing to participate in a telephone survey over a two week period following the reopening of the libraries. A sample of these (38) was interviewed over the telephone. Telephone interviews with staff at libraries in the region Librarians from academic libraries in Sheffield and other major public libraries in the region were interviewed by telephone to gain their observations of the impact of the Sheffield library closure on their services. Interviews with staff in book shops We interviewed staff from a sample of five book shops in Sheffield, by telephone. Charting of books on loan data The research tracked the return of books still on loan at the time of service closure. The objective was to determine whether the percentage of books not returned was greater than the percentage of books normally written off stock through non-return. Charting of issue data Book issues were plotted monthly, from February 1992 to January 1996, for a sample of eleven community libraries. Using Minitab software a seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average (SARIMA) model was fitted to the issue data up until the library closure in June 1995, and then forecast for a six month period following resumption of library services until January Comparing the issue forecast with actual issues from August to January 1996, we were able to assess the effect of the library closure on issue trends and test the robustness of findings in the user survey. Media coverage Local newspapers were scanned regularly (Sheffield Star, Sheffield Telegraph, Yorkshire Post) for news items, editorials, readers letters, etc on issues related to the closure. Comments and complaints analysis Sheffield Libraries encourages, records and analyses comments received about the service on a quarterly basis. The research analysed the returns for July - September 1995 to seek additional evidence of user attitudes to the stoppage and to the service. Changes in user behaviour resulting from service disruption The user survey identified what distinctive changes took place in the behaviour and habits of library users during and because of the strike. A distinction was drawn between alternative activities (those not directly related to library use) and replacement activities (those which sought to replace the lost services with a similar service). The survey asked if anything had taken the place of library activities during the closure. 243 respondents (47%) did not find a replacement, 226 (44%) found other means of reading or replacing specific library services, and only 49 (9%) found a replacement in the form of a non-library oriented leisure activity. Alternative activities Of the 49 users who volunteered alternative activities, 25 said they had found more than one alternative. 26 (53%) of the 49 had participated in more outdoor activities (eg gardening, walking), 14 (29%) in craft based activities, and 21 (43%) watched more TV (fewer than 4% of total respondents). However, when all users were asked directly if they had watched TV more than usual, 108 (21%) said they had and 100 (19%) had listened to more radio. Replacements for lost library services The research examined the efforts users made to replace services lost as a result of the closure and identified the extent to which both alternative libraries, and sources other than libraries, were used to acquire information or reading material. One approach used in the study, to assess people s willingness to travel to use alternative service points, was to measure the extent to which users transferred to Hillsborough and Parson Cross - the two libraries remaining open in Sheffield for the duration of the strike. It was calculated, from management information, that about 17% of Hillsborough s active users are registered at other libraries in the city. This figure was based on the average for six months during During the period of the strike active users registered at other libraries rose by over a third to 24%. Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 101

112 3 : USER SURVEYS: SATISFACTION AND IMPACT Using the same method of calculation, the proportion of Parson Cross users registered at other libraries rose from 12% to 13.3%, an increase of nearly 11%. In the user survey, an open-ended question asked users how they replaced the services not available to them during the closure. Responses are summarised in Table Of the 226 people who replaced their libraries with some other activity, 62 (27%) visited other libraries (16% school or university libraries, and 11% other public libraries). However, 47% did not replace their library services. Where practicable, the percentages in Table are derived from the number of users who use the associated services: Categories percentages derived from the number of users who said they borrowed books. Category 9 - percentage derived from number of users who use the library as a place to study. Category 10 - percentage derived from those users who borrow videos. Category 11 - percentage derived from those users who read magazines and newspapers. Category 12 - percentage of those who borrow tapes or CDs. Categories it could only be determined on an individual basis which service users were replacing. For instance it could be borrowing books, using reference material or reading newspapers or magazines or indeed a combination of purposes, and hence the percentages relate to the 226 users who did replace services with a related activity Replacements for library services Category Replacement All Library no. categories users C B S D W 1 Did not replace services % 49% 30% 41% 54% 53% 2 Buying books in book shops % 10% 26% 6% 4% 18% 3 Browsing book shops % 5% 1% 2% 4 Borrowing from friends % 7% 9% 16% 8% 14% 5 Read own books at home % 13% 19% 13% 13% 13% 6 Jumble sales/charity shops etc % 2% 10% 12% 6% 5% 7 Joined a book club % 1% 3% 1% 8 Borrowed books from playgroup/ social club/hospital 1.5% 1% 1% 3% 1% 2% 9 Studied at home % 5% 100% 10 Hired videos % 3% 6% 24% 7% 2% 11 Bought magazines/newspapers % 14% 66% 100% 16% 100% 12 Bought tapes % 2% 13 University/college/school libraries % 30% 19% 12% 14 Public libraries in other towns % 14% 9% 3% 3% 13% 15 Hillsborough public library % 2% 3% 102 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

113 3.6 What do people do when their public library service closes down? Further evidence was gathered from the telephone survey. Of the 38 enquirers interviewed, 28 had needed to telephone either the Business, Science and Technology or the Arts and Social Sciences reference libraries for information during the closure. Of these 22 (79%) were able to find alternative services (Table 3.6.2). This compares to 40% of reference users calling in person, as identified in the main user survey (not shown) Replacement services for reference enquiries made by telephone Type of replacement No. of users % Other public libraries 7 25 University libraries 5 18 Professional organisations 5 14 British Library 3 14 Relied on own resources 2 7 Did not replace 6 22 Total Fourteen (64%) of the 22 users who did find replacement services were satisfied with these alternatives, while 8 (36%) were dissatisfied. Table indicated that a significant proportion of users bought books as a replacement for their library service, and further evidence from interviews with staff at local bookshops also suggested that this was the case. Staff interviewed at Blackwells and Waterstones bookshops said that they had experienced an unexpected increase in book sales during the strike. However, WH Smith had not noticed a change in the number of people buying or browsing the book shelves. The Independent Bookshop, 150 metres from the central library, calculated it had lost up to 100 per day in sales. How important are libraries to library users? The ways in which people use libraries can provide an indication of the role the public library plays in users lives. Our research therefore investigated the frequency of visits, what purposes the library was used for and whether these were missed, and which services were used and missed the most. Purposes most missed The researchers asked respondents for which purpose they had missed the library the most. Table indicates the contrast between purposes used and purposes missed most. The percentages represent the proportion of interviewees who use the library for the given purpose and missed it most for this reason. Seventy nine percent of respondents said they had missed the library for at least one purpose. (16% of users stated more than one purpose.) 78% missed leisure purposes most, and 58% educational purposes. Twenty-one percent said they had not missed the library, of which the majority (56%) only visited the library occasionally (less than once a month). The findings showed that there is a greater dependency on public libraries as an educational provider in communities where people may be expected to have less access to other sources of educational materials, and generally less contact with higher education Purposes used contrasted with purposes missed most Purpose library No. of Library missed responses C B S D W Leisure % 70% 76% 79% 88% 81% Educational % 58% 44% 100% 85% 37% Information on current events % 55% 40% 50% 50% 14% Work related % 56% 33% 50% 80% Information on personal issues % 30% 33% 25% 25% 20% Total responses Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 103

114 3 : USER SURVEYS: SATISFACTION AND IMPACT Purposes missed most by occupational groupings Employed Housewife/ Unemployed Retired In full time % husband % % education % % Leisure Educational Information on current events Work related Information on personal issues Table groups purposes missed most by occupation. The results show there was a high dependency on work related information for unemployed users. Not surprisingly, users who are not in paid employment missed leisure purposes most. Services most missed The services most used by the 518 respondents are depicted in Table Library services used Services used No. of users % Borrow books Borrow books for children Borrow videos Use books/magazines for reference Read magazines/newspapers Use local studies material 35 7 Borrow tapes or CDs Use library as place to study Use equipment e.g. photocopier Information Services/Notice boards users Table identifies the library services that respondents had missed most during the closure. Of those who used a particular service, borrowing books was most missed, but many other services were widely missed. 81% of respondents said they had missed some aspect of the service very much and 19% missed more than one service. 69% missed borrowing books, 53% missed borrowing children s books and 35% missed reference material. The survey also asked users which services they could find no suitable alternatives for during the closure. The results are presented in Fig below. None of the users of large print books had found alternatives. Nearly two thirds of the users of local studies materials had failed to find alternatives. Reasons the library was missed The survey asked why users had missed the library or any of its services. Comments from users provided a qualitative source of opinions and perceptions as to how users felt about being deprived of the library service (see Table 3.6.8) Services missed most Library services missed most All users Library C B S D W Borrow books % 62% 70% 82% 83% 59% Borrow books for children % 38% 74% 40% 67% 47% Borrow videos % 19% 28% 35% 21% 14% Use books/magazines for reference % 39% 17% 44% 20% Read magazines/newspapers % 40% 50% Use local studies material % 63% Borrow tapes or CDs % 35% 17% 20% 44% 25% Use library as place to study % 40% 33% 100% 40% 50% Use equipment e.g. photocopier % 28% 17% 14% 83% 8% Information Services/Notice boards % 50% 24% 7% 50% 17% 104 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

115 Services What do people do when their public library service closes down? Services for which suitable alternatives NOT found No suitable alternatives for library services Large print books Use local studies material Borrow books Borrow books for children Borrow videos Info services/notice boards Borrow tapes or CDs Use books/mags for reference Read mags/newspapers Use library as place to study Use equipment (e.g. photocopier) Business information % of users not finding alternatives for services used Reasons why library was missed Reasons why library All % services missed users 1 Specific information/reference Affected higher/further 19 6 education studies 3 Needed books for school work Needed journals/information 5 2 for job hunting 5 Social activity Habit/routine Dependent on library Library material too expensive 20 7 to buy 9 Activity for children Other libraries do not have 24 8 information 11 Wide range of material Total General reasons missed NOT missed library MISSED library Total users 518 The percentages reflect the proportion of users from the total (category 12) who stated a specific reason. For 68 users (22%) going to the library was part of a routine, or provided a purpose for the day. For 49 users (16%), the library was missed because it was a meeting point, a day out, a place to see people, or a place to participate in social events, somewhere to spend time, to meet or chat to people. Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 The importance of libraries to the local infrastructure Users were asked whether the library closure affected the frequency of visits to their local centre (i.e. the area in which the local library is situated). 23% of users said they had visited their local centre less often than usual during the library closure. A review of press coverage of the library closure between June and August revealed that the majority of articles focused on the progress of the strike action - actions taken by library workers and how the Council dealt with the dispute. There was minimal reference to the impact of the closure on library users. The analysis of comments and complaints received by Sheffield Libraries from July to September 1995 reinforced evidence from the press that the public were overwhelmingly supportive of library staff and of the service. The service s quarterly report to the Libraries and Arts Sub Committee revealed that 98.85% of comments were favourable. 3,388 positive comments about the strike (congratulations on the strike action, welcome back, etc) were collected by library staff, and only 39 negative comments. Long term impact of the strike One objective of the user survey was to ascertain whether the closure would effect the frequency of use of the public library service in the future. 450 users ( 87%) surveyed claimed they would maintain the same frequency of use as before the closure. 105

116 3 : USER SURVEYS: SATISFACTION AND IMPACT A monthly plotting of book issues for a sample of eleven community libraries was undertaken from February 1992 to January 1996 using seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average (SARIMA) modelling (Box and Jenkins, 1976). A comparison of the issue forecast from August to January 1996, with actual issues, enabled an assessment to be made of the effect of the library closure on issue trends. The overall trend since February 1992 is one of decline, and is compatible with the national decline in book issues. The forecast closely matches the path of actual issues indicating that the disruption of service has had no impact on the number of issues. Indeed, actual issues were higher than forecast for five of the six months compared. Reference Box, G and Jenkins, G (1976). Time series analysis : forecasting and control. San Francisco, Holden Day. 106 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

117 3.7 Modelling use at individual service points 3.7 Modelling use at individual service points Claire Creaser Library & Information Statistics Unit (LISU) Following work at LISU relating the Department of the Environment s Index of Location Conditions (DOE) to levels of library use in London and the metropolitan districts of England (Creaser, 1995) a follow up study was proposed by SELPIG (the South East London Performance Indicator Group) to look at the relationships between library use and characteristics of the branch library environment and population served. Creaser, Claire,1998. Modelling use at individual service points. ISBN , Loughborough: Library & Information Statistics Unit (Occasional paper no: 18) SELPIG initiated the project on the proposition that there is a causal inter-relationship between on the one hand the socio-economic characteristics of a lending library catchment population, the building site (for example, proximity to shopping facilities) and design, shelf stock size and money spent on new materials, and on the other hand the use of that library in terms of loans, visits and enquiries. There were two main objectives: To identify elements that have a statistically significant impact as predictors of lending library use (measured by loans, enquiries and visits per year) - in particular, the elements of census data that are significant in this respect To create a weighting formula around those elements that will allow individual library authorities to predict the probable use of a particular library service point, and provide a tool with which to make meaningful comparisons between service points. Although the project was initiated by authorities from south east London, a number of other authorities had expressed interest in following up the early work, and we felt it would be of interest also to examine areas outside London. Accordingly, several authorities were approached and invited to submit data for analysis. Those who were able to provide data for some or all of their branches were Bromley, Lewisham, Birmingham, Cambridgeshire, Lancashire and Northamptonshire. Catchment areas The data required related to individual static service points, using as the base year for the library related data. Central libraries were excluded, as their patterns of use were felt to be somewhat different from those of general branches. The most Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 difficult aspect was that information was required on the catchment population of each service point, as the investigation of deprivation indicators was one of the original aims of the research. This requirement precluded a number of otherwise interested authorities from participating. It is a prerequisite of this analysis that each individual service point has its own defined catchment area which it is designed to serve, and that these areas are geographically discrete. This may be relatively simple for a county authority, with single service points in each of a number of towns or villages which are designed to serve primarily the populations of those towns or villages. It can be more problematic for authorities in densely populated urban areas where residents could equally conveniently choose one of a number of service points. In such cases the allocation of catchment areas and their populations requires careful consideration and scrutiny. There will always be users who are prepared to travel considerable distances to a service point which they consider better than another which may be closer to home. Service points which attract high levels of such outside use are those which we wish to identify, as they must be doing something right! It is not necessary to allocate all areas, and by implication all the population, to service points. Central libraries and mobiles are excluded from this analysis, and they will account for a part of the population in every authority. Information on catchment areas was provided in a number of different ways. Some authorities had already done a lot of work in this area, and were able to provide figures on the catchment population of each service point broken down by age, ethnicity and unemployment levels. In others, the catchments were defined in terms of geographic areas, and a set of census enumeration district codes was 107

118 3 : USERS SURVEYS: SATISFACTION AND IMPACT supplied for each service point. These enabled LISU to extract the relevant data from the 1991 census small area statistics, using MIDAS (Manchester Information Datasets and Associated Services) at Manchester University. At the third level, usage data were provided, based on membership records or user surveys, and LISU derived discrete catchment areas for each service point in consultation with the authority, again extracting population data from the small area statistics. Methodology The full data set used in the analyses comprised: Library inputs Opening hours per week Shelf stock at 31 March, books and other materials separately Additions to stock in the year, books and other materials separately Relationship to shopping facilities, in three categories. Demographic variables Total resident population Number of residents unemployed Number of residents in ethnic minority groups Number of residents over pensionable age (60 for women, 65 for men) Number of residents aged 14 and under. Outputs Issues in the year, books and other materials separately Visits in the year Enquiries in the year. Relationship to shopping facilities was given as one of three categories for each library - good, moderate or poor. The definitions used were subjective, based on the local knowledge of the individual authorities concerned. Raw data were not used for the analyses, but per capita figures and percentages. As well as the outputs listed above per capita, stock turnover was also considered as an output variable. The main social deprivation indicator used was percentage unemployment. Whilst absolute levels of unemployment have undoubtedly changed since 1991, it was felt that the relative positions of each catchment area will have remained relatively stable. Of the seven components of the Index of Local Conditions which are calculated from census data, unemployment had been found to be the most closely associated with library use (Creaser, 1995). The percentages of children and pensioners in the population, and the percentage in ethnic minority groups were also included, as it was thought that these might also have an effect on use. The basic elements considered can be represented diagramatically as shown in Fig Basic elements of the model Library inputs Opening hours Shelf stock Accessions Demographic Unemployment levels Ethnicity Age Library outputs Issues Visits Enquiries Geographic Proximity to shopping facilities 108 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

119 3.7 Modelling use at individual service points There were three main stages to the analysis, which were applied both to data from individual authorities and to the combined data set: - To investigate the basic relationships within the data set, using scatter diagrams, correlation analysis and analysis of variance. This highlighted some unusual figures, and gave pointers to the next stage. - To use regression analysis to develop models for each outcome dependent on as small a set of inputs as was consistent with an adequate description of the data. - To apply these models back to the original data to assess which service points, if any, were performing particularly well or badly. A fourth stage of validation was then carried out comparing the results from the individual authority analyses with those from the combined analysis. As each authority s data were received, they were analysed separately from the rest, to give a first impression of the likely outcomes, and to check that the initial results made sense to the authorities concerned. In the case of the two London authorities, their data were then combined and re analysed, and a report presented to SELPIG, who had sponsored this part of the research. For the full details of methodologies and calculations used at the different stages of the project, readers should consult the main report. Results from these initial analyses were encouraging. Whilst the data sets were relatively small, a number of relationships were found within them which made sense intuitively - for example, book issues per capita were found to be closely associated with both book stock per capita and additions to book stock per capita in all authorities. We then went on to derive models for each of the outcomes for each authority. It was not possible to derive models for all the outcomes for every authority - and in particular, no satisfactory models could be developed for enquiries per capita. There are two possible reasons - either the predictors of levels of enquiries are other than those we had included in this study, or there is so much variability in the enquiry count that no predictions can be possible, whatever explanatory variables are considered. It is difficult to see what other factors could be involved, so it seems likely that it is the mechanism of the count itself which needs attention. The final stage for each individual authority was to use those models derived to calculate expected values for each of the outputs for each service point. These are the levels of output which we would expect to achieve if the model was a perfect one which explained all the variation in that output. They depend only on the levels of the input variables for each service point, and can be seen as a bench mark value for that service point. The actual, observed, value of the output was then divided by this expected value, and the resulting ratios presented graphically for each output (Fig 3.7.2). Libraries which appeared to be performing particularly well or badly in relation to their expected value could then be identified. In many cases, the service points which were singled out in these terms came as no surprise to the authorities concerned, and there were often special circumstances, beyond the scope of a general study such as this, to explain particularly good or poor performance Ratio of observed to expected book issues per capita 2.5 Ratio of observed to expected Actual book issues per capita Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 109

120 3 : USERS SURVEYS: SATISFACTION AND IMPACT The outcomes are not independent and it is of interest to examine the results for each library across all measures. As well as giving the detail of service points with performance in marked contrast to expectation on a single output measure, we also provided a library profile for each service point, showing whether it rated as good, above average, average, below average or poor on each of the indicators for which models had been developed. These tended to give a more rounded picture for each service point - with service points having good ratings on one measure also tending to have above average ratings on others, and those with poor ratings on one measure being below average on others. Whilst useful results had been obtained for individual authorities, the sets of models were not identical, so cannot be said to be generally applicable. The methods described above can be used by all authorities to derive their own set of models, but this is time consuming, and experience has shown that it is not always possible to derive practical models in all situations. We wished to find, if possible, a set of models which could be used by any authority to predict likely library use in a theoretical situation, or to examine relative performance of individual branches. Data had been supplied on a total of 171 service points by six authorities, which included representatives from London, the metropolitan districts and the English counties. It is not immediately obvious that these can be combined to produce meaningful results for the whole of England. We concentrated on two areas to check compatibility - the distributions of the input variables between authorities, and the patterns of correlations observed. Each of the input variables was plotted against population to compare the distributions between the six authorities. There were large differences in the average levels of each input between authorities, as would be expected from such a diverse group, but there was considerable common ground in the ranges, as there was wide variation between service points within each authority. Whilst there are many instances where a marked correlation is found in some authorities, with no significant correlation in others, there were two where a high positive correlation in one authority was accompanied by a high negative one in another, giving rise to concerns. Statistically, this could be expected, and detailed examination showed that no one authority was behaving in a different way to the others. In the vast majority of cases, significant correlations were found for some authorities, with none for the remainder. Some associations were sufficiently strong to appear for all authorities; in general these are the ones which would be expected - higher book stock per capita associated with higher book issues per capita, for example. Although there are differences in the levels of the input measures between authorities, there were no indications from the comparison of distributions that it would be inappropriate to include them all in a single analysis, in order to develop models of library use which might be universally applicable. Similarly, the correlation analyses showed that although there were many differences in the strength of relationships between authorities, there were few contradictions in the patterns. There was no indication that one authority, or one sector, was behaving differently to the rest. We therefore felt it would be reasonable to combine data from all six authorities to develop more generally applicable models. Such models might be limited in that the differences observed in the patterns of data and relationships between individual authorities would serve to weaken associations in the overall data set; conversely they would be expected to concentrate on the most common and strongest associations found, and so result in more robust models. The methodology used was broadly the same as used in the individual authority analyses - i.e. to look firstly at scatter diagrams and calculate correlation coefficients to examine the basic relationships within the data, followed by a series of regression analyses to develop models for the various outcomes. We already had a set of models developed for each authority individually, so a final stage of validation was included, comparing the results of the combined models with those from the individual versions. Details of the analyses carried out are not presented here readers are referred to the full report (Creaser, 1998) for further information. Summary of results This is the first time that these statistical methods have been applied to branch library data in an attempt to model use at that level. While some areas exhibit a need for caution, it proved possible to develop useful models for predicting levels of use - as measured by issues and visits per head of population - which can be used to derive bench mark levels of performance for individual service points given their levels of relevant inputs. The data used for this project were not a random sample in any sense - in all but one case authorities supplied data on all their service points, and the participating authorities were selected on the basis of interest and ability to provide data at the required 110 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

121 3.7 Modelling use at individual service points level of detail. They comprise a cross section of service points from all sectors in England. No attempt has been made to weight the data to allow for sectoral differences, and no statements of statistical significance are claimed. Inputs The library inputs included were those most obviously seen to define library provision - stock levels, additions to stock and weekly opening hours. Each of these was of importance in one or more of the models derived. In addition, it was postulated by the SELPIG authorities, who initiated these investigations, that there might be a convenience factor relating to a service point s location. This was incorporated into the analysis by allocating each service point to one of three groups according to whether its relationship to shopping facilities was seen as good, moderate or poor. Although these were subjective allocations, this factor was found to be of importance in determining the level of visits and stock turn at individual service points. One aim of the research was to identify those elements of census data that had an impact on library use. Previous work had shown a link between socio-economic deprivation and book issues in particular (Creaser, 1995); also the age profile of library users is not the same as in the wider population. Three areas of census data were incorporated into the analyses - the percentages of the catchment population unemployed, the percentage in ethnic minority groups, and the age profile - included as the percentages of children aged 14 and under, and of pensioners. Somewhat surprisingly given the earlier results, the only element not to feature in at least one of the models was the unemployment rate. Unemployment is closely related to ethnicity statistically speaking - the correlation between them is 0.9. Whether the inclusion of more up to date figures for unemployment, or an alternative measure of deprivation, would have had greater effect is a matter for speculation. Ethnicity and both the age variables were included in the model for book issues per capita, while the percentage of pensioners also featured in the model for audio visual issues, and the ethnic minority percentage in that for stock turn. Models derived Five library outputs were examined, with the aim of deriving models to allow individual library authorities to predict the probable use of any particular service point. No acceptable model could be derived for predicting numbers of enquiries per head of population. Book issues per capita A model was developed for book issues per capita which included terms for stock and additions to stock per capita, opening hours per week and the percentages of pensioners, children and ethnic minorities in the catchment area population. This model seems intuitively reasonable, and statistically fits the data well. Any service point where the actual issues are more than 1.5 times, or less than half, the value calculated from the model deserves scrutiny as performing rather well, or badly. Audio visual issues per capita The model developed for audio visual issues per capita was of less value for benchmarking purposes, as the spread of data was very wide, leading to considerable variation in the levels of the predicted values. This is perhaps only to be expected in an area where service provision is developing at a great pace, and where there are still wide discrepancies in provision, not only between authorities, but also between individual service points within authorities. The inputs included in this model were the levels of book and audio visual stock per capita, additions to audio visual stock per capita, opening hours, and the percentage of pensioners in the catchment population. Visits per capita There were a number of possible models for visits per capita, with little to choose between them on statistical grounds. That finally selected was chosen for simplicity, incorporating terms for total stock, opening hours and relationship to shopping facilities. There is slightly more variation in these data than in those for book issues, and the rule of thumb guide here is to examine service points where the ratio of observed to expected visits per capita is greater than 1.75 or less than There is slight evidence that there may be one or more factors affecting the level of visits which have not been considered in this analysis. Stock turn The results for stock turn were disappointing. A model was developed, incorporating terms for stock per capita, replenishment rate, opening hours, relationship to shops and the percentage of the catchment population in an ethnic minority group, which seems intuitively sensible. However, it was clear that there is a further factor with a consistent effect on the level of stock turn which had not been included in this study, rendering the model of little or no use for benchmarking purposes. Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 111

122 3 : USERS SURVEYS: SATISFACTION AND IMPACT Practical implications We believe the models derived to be generally applicable to static branch libraries in England, and when used as described will give an indication of where authorities should look for examples of good practice. Authorities which have the relevant information available for their service points can apply the models within their authority and so identify those service points which may provide examples of good practice, and those where action may be approporiate to improve performance. Although the models are based on data from a wide range of service points in several authorities, their use can only give a guideline of where to look for over - or under - achievement, not a definitive statement of good and bad practice. The methods could be easily adapted by individual authorities, or groups of authorities, to investigate alternative factors which they think may have influence on performance within their own areas. The input of a professional statistician would be advisable, however. References Department of the Environment (1994). Index of Local Conditions, London: HMSO. Creaser, C and Sumsion, J (1995). Deprivation and Library Performance: The DoE Index of Local Conditions and library use in London and the metropolitan districts of England, Loughborough: LISU. Creaser, C (1998). Modelling use at individual service points, Loughborough: LISU. 112 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

123 3.8 The impact of Sheffield public library closures on young children 3.8 The impact of Sheffield public library closures on young children Rachel Ann Reilly University of Sheffield, Department of Information Studies In December 1995 local branch library services at Concord, Lane Top, Grenoside, Hackenthorpe, Handsworth and Hemsworth in Sheffield were permanently closed. This MA dissertation assesses the impact of three of the library closures on young children (those aged 0-9 who are still dependent on parents/carers in terms of library use) by distinguishing what they had gained from - and miss most about - the former services, and whether they have found compensation for the loss in any way. A questionnaire survey of parents/carers in the three districts revealed that 44% of parents had not used a library service with their children since the closure of their local library. MA dissertation: The impact of Sheffield public library closures on young children, September University of Sheffield, Department of Information Studies, supervised by Richard Proctor. Methodology Questionnaires were distributed to parents/carers in seven schools within the catchment area of the former libraries. In three of these schools (two in the Handsworth district and one in Hackenthorpe), questionnaires were distributed only to local families, who were more likely to have used the former libraries. In the other four schools, all class members received a questionnaire. Teachers at one school from each area were interviewed, including one from a school in which questionnaires had not been circulated. These interviews revealed the need to find out more about schools relationships with the former libraries, so a question sheet was generated and sent to eight schools, of which six were returned. Only the results of the survey of parents/carers are included in this summary. Of the 1,000 questionnaires distributed, completed questionnaires from users of the former (now closed) library services were returned by 23 parents/carers in Hackenthorpe, 61 in Handsworth and 40 in Hemsworth (see Table 3.8.1). Returns from parents/ carers who had not used the library services were not analysed. Community profiles All three districts were part of the South group of libraries in Sheffield. They were based in very different, self-contained communities. Table gives a demographic breakdown of each area. Hackenthorpe is a self-contained community with its Response rate from parents/carers No. distributed No. returned Response rate (%) Hackenthorpe Handsworth Hemsworth Total Demographic information about the three districts Hackenthorpe Handsworth Hemsworth Total population 11,947 8,958 5,585 % population aged % 9% 11% % unemployment rate 19.5% 15.2% 31.8% Total number of households 4,947 3,724 2,500 % households with dependent children 27% 24% 23% % households with dependent children and no car 25% 14% 46% % lone parent households 3.4% 1.5% 6% % lone parents with no car 69% 66% 83% Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 113

124 3 : USER SURVEYS: SATISFACTION AND IMPACT own shops and healthcare facilities. Neighbouring areas have been subject to extensive developments which include the widespread construction of new private housing, and the nearby Crystal Peaks shopping complex. The library was situated centrally and conveniently within the community, adjacent to a group of shops. The nearest libraries are now Waterthorpe (situated in the Crystal Peaks shopping centre) and Frecheville. Transport by bus to these two libraries is very frequent from Hackenthorpe. Handsworth is situated to the south-east of the city centre and has more of a village feel to its makeup than the other two communities. The library was within short walking distance from the main Handsworth Road, which contains a considerable number of shops and facilities. Alternative branch libraries that were publicised to its borrowers were Woodhouse (c 1.5 miles away) and Darnall (c 1.5 miles), and even Waterthorpe (c 3 miles) as it is on a direct bus route from Handsworth. There is a regular bus to Darnall and Woodhouse, but it does not stop near the library in Woodhouse, and there is a hill which would have to be climbed to get there. Hemsworth is situated to the south-west of the city, and its housing is part of the Gleadless Valley estate built in the mid-1950s. The housing estate is built on the side of a hill and the valley region in between Hemsworth and Newfield Green (which is to the north of Hemsworth) makes the journey by foot arduous in both directions. The library was purpose built within a pedestrian precinct adjacent to the bus terminal. Many of the shops here have closed down and the facilities in the precinct are extremely depleted. The nearest library is Newfield Green, with regular buses going there. There is also an hourly service to Jordanthorpe. It is possible to get to Woodseats by bus but this would probably entail a special trip. Reasons for using the library The most popular reasons given for using the children s library services before the closures were to borrow children s fiction (83%) and children s non fiction or educational books (68.5%). A sizeable minority also considered a library visit as a family outing (14.5%), while others used it as an opportunity to meet other parents/carers (9%). Responses are depicted in Fig Frequency of library use before the closures As Fig shows, many respondents were frequent users of the library before the closures - 90% used the library at least once a month Frequency of library use before closures Once monthly 12% Once every 3 weeks 19% Every few months 10% More than once a week 7% Once fortnightly 21% Once a week 31% Reasons for using the library before the closures activities 114 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

125 The impact of Sheffield public library closures on young children Use and non-use of alternative library services since the closures Respondents who have used Respondents who have not Responses an alternative service used an alternative service to question No. (%) No. (%) Hackenthorpe (86) 3 (14) Handsworth (61) 24 (39) Hemsworth (32.5) 27 (67.5) Total (56) 54 (44) Use of alternative libraries following the closures Many parents/carers who stated that they had not transferred their membership since the closures revealed that it was due to the inconvenience of using another service. Many described how visits to the library conveniently tied in with other activities like shopping or collecting children from school. As Table shows, almost half of all respondents had not used an alternative library since the closures. Alternative libraries used since the closures Transport was another factor in ceasing to use the library. Many respondents did not have a car and considered it a hassle to use public transport with children and pushchairs. Eleven former Handsworth users, one former Hackenthorpe user and 21 former Hemsworth users did not use an alternative library because they were too far away or it was too far to walk. A number expressed concern about the extra expense involved in visiting an alternative library. Table details the other libraries now used by respondents. The nearest libraries to Hackenthorpe are Waterthorpe and Frecheville. No children from the Hackenthorpe under-5s group were able to transfer to the one at Waterthorpe because of a two year waiting list. In Newfield Green, the nearest library to Hemsworth, staff estimate that approximately 10% of Hemsworth users transferred membership following the closure of their library. Overall, transfers tended to take place in greater numbers to the library which was nearest to the closed service point (Newfield Green, Waterthorpe), or the library near to where there were more shopping facilities (Darnall, Waterthorpe), so that users would not have to make a special visit. Patterns of use of alternative libraries Fig 3.8.7(overleaf) shows that the majority of parents, particularly in Handsworth and Hemsworth, feel that their children are using public libraries less than they were before the closures. The community of Hemsworth appears especially hard-hit by the closure of their library: 67.5% of respondents had not used a library service since then, 83% felt that their children were making less use of public libraries, and 40% felt that their children were reading less (see Fig overleaf) Alternative services used Hackenthorpe Handsworth Hemsworth Alternative No. of Alternative No. of Alternative No. of library transfers library transfers library transfers Waterthorpe 17 Darnall 20 Newfield Green 6 Frecheville 3 Woodhouse 7 Gleadless 3 Gleadless 1 Central 7 Central 3 Manor 2 Manor 1 Woodseats 1 Broomhill 1 Waterthorpe 6 Mobile service 1 Aston 1 Mobile service 1 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 115

126 3 : USER SURVEYS: SATISFACTION AND IMPACT Use of public libraries since the closures 19% 13% 38% 65% 83% 43% 22% 17% Reading habits since the closures 18% 14% 15% 18% 40% 40% 64% 46% 45% Other sources from which children obtain books When asked what other sources their children obtained books from, respondents generally stated schools, private purchases, books clubs, school book fairs, or gifts from friends or relatives. Results are shown in Table Alternative sources from which children obtain books following closures Number of respondents whose children obtain books from alternative sources Hackenthorpe Handsworth Hemsworth School Private purchase Creche Book clubs School book fairs Gifts Mother & toddler group Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

127 Information and communications 4 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 117

128 4 : INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY 4.1 New library: the people s network Library and Information Commission The Commission s publication New Library: the people s network has been one of the most influential LIS publications of the decade, leading to a major injection of government funding into the public library network. Part 2 of the report describes the findings of a small-scale qualitative research programme to discover library users reactions to the development of IT in public libraries. New library: the people s network London: Library and Information Commission We describe the findings of a small-scale qualitative research programme, conducted in June and July A range of experts were consulted to refine the vision of what libraries might offer, and research was conducted among six key library user groups, including mid-teens (aged fourteen / fifteen years in a deprived inner-city location), school-leavers, families with a general interest in the library, lifelong learners, and adults engaged in some form of part-time study to make a career change or return to work. Fieldwork was carried out in four different locations, selected to represent a range of library services: a small local library, a main central library, a library in a deprived inner-city area, and a rural library. In general, people s starting position was full of goodwill towards the current service, even though there was dissatisfaction with cutbacks in opening hours and with the spend on bookstocks. A principal concern was that the introduction of IT could be unrealistic in a regime of tight finance. User attitudes As background to the main fundings presented below, this section outlines perceptions of the existing library service among our sample. Perceived role The public library was perceived to be a keystone in each local community, and there was a common understanding as to its role and purpose. The library was seen mainly as a place to borrow books, but there was a tremendous respect and appreciation of the special space it provides. Other aspects which users perceived as important were: a source of information expert staff to help you a place to study in peace and quiet without distractions an important resource for children, to develop their interest in books and reading a place to help people develop interests/ hobbies a free service - a safety net for all. While the library was known to te the best place where local culture and history are preserved, and people had drawn on this service from time to time, this function was more recessive. Imagery The imagery was dominated by the large-scale presence of books, but other attributes associated with the library were: its public nature, for use by everyone an appealing environment - being surrounded by books an important factor a familiar, relaxing place - unthreatening and safe a quiet haven from busy urban life not as stuffy as they used to be - the rule of silence no longer insisted upon helpful staff an important social place - especially for students and older people. A few younger respondents held the view that the library tended to have a downbeat image and to be full of people killing time when they had nothing else to do. They thought that it needed to become much more mainstream, pushing itself forward and leading with new media rather than lagging. 118 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

129 4.1 New library: the people s network User satisfaction In general, people s experiences were based on one or two libraries in their immediate vicinity, so they were not aware of any wide variations in quality of service. There was a tremendous amount of goodwill expressed towards the local library. Satisfaction with the service was generally high, and also with the library environment. Any dissatisfaction was at a low level and usually about lack of comfortable seating, poor layout/labelling, and slowness of supplying a book on order from another library. Principal concerns The public library was perceived to be under increasing financial pressure, as evidenced by restricted opening hours, closure of some small libraries, and apparent lack of newly published titles in bookstock. Given this view, for some people the concept of the introduction of IT seemed unrealistic, and the funding of it became a major issue for them. Main findings Overall reaction to IT development in public libraries The overall reaction was as follows: The development of IT in public libraries was regarded as essential if libraries were to play an integral role in the new world of networked information, knowledge and learning Respondents were impressed by what the information technology network could potentially deliver, and a large majority reacted very favourably The most enthusiastic were the better informed - aware of the Internet capabilities, and conscious of the fact that, if libraries did not go ahead with public library networking and be part of the global network, they would get left behind The applications of networking libraries that aroused most enthusiasm tended to concern education and support for lifelong learning, while levelling the playing-field for those unlikely to be able to afford to buy the new technology themselves People perceived the library as the natural place for self-learning and training in appropriate skills The librarian was seen to have an important role to play in helping and coaching people in IT. The presence of the librarian was also necessary to maintain a human feel - especially to encourage those people with techno-fear worried about the coldness and inaccessibility of IT Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 Access to the world s information bank was seen to be necessary but was not a primary driver. Most needs were already fulfilled by the local library bookstock and an occasional special request or visit to a main central library. A more tangible benefit was having immediate access to information when all relevant books were on loan More advanced services, such as videoconferencing and virtual reality, were especially appealing to the young audiences, and were acceptable as long as the ideas were information or communication-related. The possibility of videoconference links created broader interest The people who did have possibilities of access from home were very receptive to the idea of using services remotely A minority were slightly turned off by the concept of IT making greater inroads into people s lives generally. This minority tended to be older, enjoyed libraries the way they were, and simply wanted the future to invest in more bookstock, longer opening hours and a few more comfortable chairs. However, they did recognise the value of IT in libraries as an investment for the future of younger generations In the rural user group, the women with the greatest interest in networked libraries were those who had children doing homework projects. Key concepts Meeting the needs of children Specific educational benefits of IT were welcomed with considerable enthusiasm among both parents and children. Homework clubs with IT facilities were thought to be a brillant idea. The reasons given were: IT would motivate children and give them practice in essential computer skills and other new technology the library network would also ensure access to a wide choice of relevant and interesting references for children s project work the children would be less distracted in a library environment and be able to concentrate more help and guidance would be on hand, if needed. 119

130 4 : INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY Links to schools were also felt to be a good idea - mostly because schools resources were thought to be limited and such links would provide valuable support. Use for parent communication with the school was of interest only among a minority; it was generally felt that a direct link with schools would not be practical and could potentially take up valuable time of teaching staff already under pressure. However, mothers did feel it would be a good idea to have access to the national curriculum. Women in the rural user group with children doing homework projects showed great interest in networked libraries, and were very enthusiastic about the idea of being able to remotely access information from home or at a convenient access point. Meeting the needs of school-leavers IT was perceived to be particularly beneficial to school leavers. Not surprisingly, they were particularly motivated by the concept which presented an easy and fast access to a complete up-to-the-minute picture on: careers advice training opportunities FE, HE places jobs company information. And at the same time be able to find out how to write a CV and practise for an interview on a CD-ROM. This age group especially welcomed the idea of an established base where you could learn and use new information technology, including more advanced services. Remote access from home was mentioned by this group as a potential additional benefit, for those times when the library was closed or when there was no need to use any of the other services. Supporting lifelong learning People we talked to who were participating in any kind of lifelong learning already used the public library for that purpose. The library was regarded as a good place to go to pursue self-education with more personal goals, or leisure interests and hobbies. Primarily it provided a quiet study space and reference materials that people could use in their own time - provided the library was open. Longer opening hours were obviously a particular issue here. The majority thought that IT skills were necessary in a world in which technology-based employment is growing, and some had already taken steps to acquire these skills through public libraries. Others showed enthusiasm at the possibility of acquiring these skills at the library. The concept of open learning in a library environment was appealing to many, though a minority felt they would personally prefer to have the greater social interaction from attending a course. The greatest barrier for some would initially be that they would need to acquire basic computer skills and to overcome some kind of techno-fear in order to do this. A few people recognised the value in encouraging literacy among people disadvantaged by a culture / language, who they felt would be less likely to enrol into formal education. Meeting the needs of the community The library was already used as a local knowledge centre by some, though it was recognised that IT could potentially and significantly improve that service and provide a way to be better informed about what was going on in an area - either local or remote, if you were planning a trip. People showed considerable interest in using such a service. Local history and culture archives had been used from time to time, mainly for assistance in school project work, and were thought to be an essential library resource - though IT applications in this area were found to be of limited interest. Providing links to local government received a mixed response. Some felt in principle that it was a good idea but were doubtful about how effective it would be. Women who seemed most likely to participate actively in local government matters were the least interested in this application of IT. New opportunities Training centre for information and communication skills Reactions to the potential use of the library as a training centre depended to a large extent on the subject-matter. People wanted what was on offer to be complementary to how they perceived the roles of the library. Training connected to information and communication skills received an enthusiastic response and fitted with their perceptions. The advantages were that it would bring people into the library who could not go to college. Basic computer skills training was particularly appealing, though it seemed more appropriate for adults than for younger groups, who were already taught such skills at school. The idea of an introductory session to the Internet created strong interest in all groups. 120 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

131 4.1 New library: the people s network Centres where people could improve interpersonal communication skills generated interest and appeal across all groups, and overall the library was fel to be an appropriate place to house them. People responded favourably to the idea of improving communications skills through subject-matter they were interested in. Not surprisingly, guidance on interview techniques was of particular interest among school-leavers. A place to try out new learning experiences The opportunities presented by videoconference links had broad appeal. As well as education-related use, the most relevant general application was as a way to access support groups in health matters. The relevance of the subject-matter would encourage people to use unfamiliar technology and to acquire basic skills. The idea of shared learning experiences through this channel had mixed appeal. The prospect of being able to attend a lecture or consult an expert remotely was very motivating for a few, though the majority of the people we talked to were uninterested in this possibility. Learning a language was of interest to a few, as was the benefit of being able to have a tutorial if doing a correspondence course. Access to advanced services, such as virtual reality, was especially motivating for younger male audiences, who were very enthusiastic at the prospect and though it appropriate as long as the ideas were information or communication-related. It was seen as a way for the library to move ahead and provide a unique service in allowing people to try out and use the latest new technology. Moreover, this group saw the library as the natural place where this could happen in the community. Security aspects were a concern across several of the groups. Worries were expressed about vandalism, and about dealing with kids monopolising equipment. Issues for users in the introduction and use of IT Issue: Achieving the right balance People were passionate about books, about being surrounded by books in peace and quiet, able to browse and find the unexpected - all important library values people do not want to lose. There was a strong concern expressed that once IT gets a foot in the door it could take over at the expense of the bookstock and the good value of the library. Issue: Will it be free? Keeping the service free was really important for many. Mixed views were expressed regard the acceptability of charges. Young people were more prepared to pay for services generally. Many felt that it would be acceptable to charge for some services, and compared this to the charges now made for ordering a book, while others felt quite strongly that all services ought to be free, There was a general consensus that the initial trial of IT services, and basic instruction, should be free. Access from home was seen as a convenience for the slightly better off who had their own equipment, and as such could be more acceptably charged for. Issue: Having enough terminals The demand for IT in libraries was further evidenced by the issue raised regarding the number of terminals required to provide an adequate service. Apart from the funding aspect - which raised some concerns - people reacted negatively to the thought of banks of terminals, which they felt could be intimidating. If the number of terminals was limited, people accepted that some rationing / booking system would be necessary, to give everyone a chance to use them. Access to rare archives The idea of being able to delve into rare hidden collections had mixed appeal. Some were very enthusiastic, especially about the idea of being able to visit a museum or exhibition. Many were indifferent, and the males especially were more excited by the possibilities of being able to access moving images such as sporting archives or news bulletin archives. Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 121

132 4 : INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY 4.2 Building the new library network: report on ICT training needs British Educational Communications & Technology Agency (BECTa) for the Library and Information Commission The aim of this study was to determine and report on the diversity of likely Information and Communications Technology (ICT) needs for UK public library staff, in the light of proposals concerning implementation of the New Library Network. The findings are published in Appendix 9 of the LIC report Building the new library network (Library and Information Commission). Building the new library network : a report to Government ISBN , London: Library and Information Commission. Context and methodology The Library and Information Commission Training Task Group wished to ascertain directly from public library personnel the range and diversity of their training requirements, and to get a sense of the numbers of staff that were likely to require particular kinds of training whether managers, front line workers or other personnel. The study comprised four inter related elements: a postal questionnaire, telephone interviews, group interviews and a literature search. A total of 199 public library authorities took part in the study. Five postal questionnaires were sent to each library authority, resulting in 901 responses suitable for inclusion in the analysis. Thirty five telephone interviews and five group interviews were conducted: two in Wales and one in each of the other UK countries. The postal questionnaire was aimed at five different types of employee, and questionnaires were directed towards equal numbers in each category. The following breakdown (Table 4.2.1) indicates the proportion of actual respondents in each category: Respondents employment Employment category % Strategic Managers (e.g. Head of Library Service) 26 Staff Training Co-ordinators 13 Middle Managers 23 Front-line Workers 30 Others/Ancillary Workers 8 Total 100 Base: 901 responses The significant bias towards managers was an intentional part of the sample design. It is important, however, to note that - as the telephone interviews revealed - front-line workers make up the vast majority (approximately 80%) of those employed in the public library service, and their current levels of training suggest that their needs will dominate provision from the New Opportunities Fund (the funding agency). Findings Main concerns Content analysis revealed the following concerns about ICT among those who responded on the open comments section (Table 4.2.2) Main ICT concerns Expression of concern about. % access to equipment 17 funding 17 time constraints 11 Base: 195 respondents Familiarity and regularity of use A surprising proportion of respondents indicated a degree of familiarity with IT applications, though many of these perhaps owed this as much to home investment in IT as to work-based experience. Most strategic managers, middle managers and staff training co-ordinators reported high levels of ICT awareness. Almost all had access to a computer at work (93%) and over half had one at home. 86% of front line workers had access to a computer at work and, again, over half reported that they had access to one at home. They typically reported use of fewer applications than middle managers. About half of front line workers reported a high level of IT awareness, a view which was generally substantiated by data from the telephone survey, where managers expressed their views about the training needs of other staff. 122 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

133 Building the new library network: report on ICT training needs Regularly used applications All Other Application respondents Managers staff % % % Word processing CD ROMs Internet Combined Office software (a) Communication (b) Any of the above (a) includes: word processing, database, spreadsheet and desktop publishing software (b) includes: E mail, Internet, Intranet and video conferencing Base: 901 respondents A DTI survey indicated that more than a third of homes nationally had PCs in 1996, but the BECTa study suggested that this figure might be as high as 55% among public library staff in Of these, the vast majority had access to a PC at work as well, but 3% of the total sample had PC access at home only, and not at work. Table above includes a split between those in managerial positions and those in front-line, clerical or other positions, and this shows a pattern which is found widely in the data: that in general it was the senior staff who had been most exposed to IT in all its applications. This was particularly true in the case of communications applications such as and use of the Internet, both of them likely to be very ICT competence Managers important in the context of establishing an effective public library network. Levels of ICT competence Another question in the postal questionnaire invited staff to indicate their levels of ICT competence in a range of applications. The results for managers (Fig ) suggest that significant numbers had a degree of confidence in their abilities in a range of applications, although some - such as video conferencing and multimedia authoring - were areas in which few claimed any measure of expertise. In the case of fax, CD-ROMS, OPACs and book issuing systems, however, most claimed some competence and a significant proportion indicated a reasonable level of comfort. Base: 441 respondents Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 123

134 4 : INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY ICT competence Front line workers Base: 270 respondents Front-line workers (Fig ) claimed competence in a similar range of applications, though their selfreported experience of electronic communications appeared to be generally somewhat lower than that of managers answering the same questions. This was in line with their responses to other sections of the survey. Attitudes to IT In general, attitudes to IT were positive. The postal questionnaire included a question based broadly on the five DTI survey categories: Enthusiast, Acceptor, Unconvinced, Concerned and Alienated. Between half and three-quarters of all staff, depending on employment role, pronounced themselves to be Enthusiasts or Acceptors with few real concerns about the use of IT (Fig ) Attitude to IT by employment job role 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% Enthusiast Acceptor Unconvinced Concerned Alienated 20% 10% 0% Strategic Mgr Training Co-ord Middle Mgr Front-line Wkr Other Base: 901 respondents 124 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

135 4.2 Building the new library network: report on ICT training needs Application, attitude and employment Ok Mgr Ok Wkr Con Mgr Con Wkr Indiff Mgr Indiff Wkr Major issues Office s/w Communications Base: 901 respondents. Note: Con = concerned. The Alienated category was hardly found at all, and it was typically a handful of drivers and janitors who ticked this box, perhaps indicating not so much fear as an inability to see the immediate application of IT to their jobs. The Concerned group rose from 16% of strategic managers to 34% of front-line workers. This group represents a potentially rewarding focus for training activities, in that they have implied a degree of readiness in answering, I don t know much about ICT but worry about being left behind. Their increased numbers among front-line workers is significant in view of the fact that four out of five public library employees are engaged in this type of employment. The chart above (Fig ) explores the inter-play between regular use of ICT applications, staff attitude and employment level within the library service. Essentially it groups Enthusiasts and Acceptors as OK, and pairs the Unconvinced and the Alienated as Indifferent. The fifth category, the Concerned, are reported on singly. The analysis suggests that even in the area of communications applications, where there was evidence of a widespread shortfall in job-related training, attitude was less significant than employment type as a predictor of training need. Here we see that Indifferent Managers were as likely to be regular users of ICT applications as the OK Workers. By the same token, exposure to all application groups (as recorded in the Major Uses classification) was much the same for both Concerned and Indifferent Workers. If this is the case then the study suggests that the training needs of public library staff can, to a degree, be predicted Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 from a combination of employment role and general attitude to ICT. New Library-specific skills The postal questionnaire elaborated on the content of five potential new roles sketched out in New Library: The People s Network, asking respondents to indicate their skill levels and the relevance of these roles to their work. The five roles were: Net Navigator IT Gatekeeper Information Consultant Information Manager Educator Analysis of responses to the associated questions again followed the established pattern, with managers seeing relevance in most cases (typically 90-95% for each element), while front-line workers saw most relevance in Net Navigator and Information Consultant roles. Their results in terms of seeing relevance in this section were only slightly lower than those of managers (see Table 4.2.8). Tables and indicate the percentages of those claiming different levels of ICT competence in the named roles, based on those who answered in one of the four columns. Not all respondents felt that the selected item was relevant to their work. The percentage of those who did see the ICT application as relevant to their work is shown in the final column. Data are presented separately for managers and front-line workers. 125

136 4 : INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY Front-line Relevance Managers workers % % Knowledge and understanding of the Internet Ability to identify and retrieve from electronic sources Assess and evaluate electronic materials Assemble information from a variety of electronic sources Understand user needs Know about ICT resources in your own organisation and those of other organisations Base: managers, 441 respondents: front line workers, 270 respondents Managers ICT tasks and skills Percentage of those responding who answered: No Beginner Inter- Confident Seen as expertise mediate relevant 1. Net Navigator Knowledge and understanding of the Internet Ability to identify and retrieve from electronic sources Assess and evaluate electronic materials Assemble information from a variety of electronic sources IT Gatekeeper Allocate budgets and resources for ICT Understand the impact of ICT on service and product development Translate technologies into services users need Use ICT to network people Set targets and allocate resources for digitisation of content Information consultant Understand user ICT needs Know about ICT resources in your own organisation and those of other organisations Understand and market the new range of professional skills Information manager Influence Councils and Committees on the development of ICT policy Understand and comply with legal/copyright issues Develop ICT performance indicators for quality assurance, efficiency and effectiveness Explore and exploit ICT partnership opportunities Understand the need for different recruitment and ICT staff development policies Have a clear vision of long term ICT strategy Educator Plan for staff development and staff access to ICT Plan for user ICT education Understand the use of ICT to deliver training Tutor and mentor other staff in support of their development with ICT Base: 441 respondents Note: % s are of each of their skills 126 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

137 ICT tasks and skills Front line workers 4.2 Building the new library network: report on ICT training needs Percentage of those responding who answered: No Beginner Inter- Confident Seen as expertise mediate relevant 1. Net Navigator Knowledge and understanding of the Internet Ability to identify and retrieve from electronic sources Assess and evaluate electronic materials Assemble information from a variety of electronic sources IT Gatekeeper Allocate budgets and resources for ICT Understand the impact of ICT on service and product development Translate technologies into services users need Use ICT to network people Set targets and allocate resources for digitisation of content Information consultant Understand user ICT needs Know about ICT resources in your own organisation and those of other organisations Understand and market the new range of professional skills Information manager Influence Councils and Committees on the development of ICT policy Understand and comply with legal/copyright issues Develop ICT performance indicators for quality assurance, efficiency and effectiveness Explore and exploit ICT partnership opportunities Understand the need for different recruitment and ICT staff development policies Have a clear vision of long term ICT strategy Educator Plan for staff development and staff access to ICT Plan for user ICT education Understand the use of ICT to deliver training Tutor and mentor other staff in support of their development with ICT Base: 270 respondents School Library Services Where they formed part of local public library provision, school library service staff were targeted in the postal questionnaire and a total of 61 responses in this category were received. Results for these staff were analysed separately to investigate whether or not they had noticeably different training requirements. If anything, the general levels of IT experience and competence in this group were a little higher than average. The wider New Libraryrelated roles were also scored a little higher than average, with for example - a reported level of 30% confident in their ability to tutor and mentor others in support of their development with ICT, compared with an average of 12% for all public library staff. Training Methods The postal questionnaire invited respondents to specify their preferred training methods. This question invited multiple completion and typically respondents indicated two preferences. The following table records the preferences for all respondents. Responses were quite uniform across all categories, with the sole exception of the predilection of Staff Training Co-ordinators for training centre based courses; more than half of them selected this option, whereas only about a third of other employees typically chose it. Analysis of the responses from those who identified themselves as Concerned, and therefore perhaps among those most likely to benefit from training, suggested that their preferred training methods were relatively typical, though they did show a slightly higher preference than normal for the category Combination of short course plus ongoing on-line support in your work place - already by far the most popular choice in answering this question (see Table ). Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 127

138 4 : INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY Preferred methods for ICT training Preferred methods % Combination of short course plus ongoing on-line support in your workplace 71 In-house course 55 Training centre-based short course 39 Self-study 22 On-line training course 14 Distance learning 4 Base: 901 respondents Summary of key findings (Not all of the following findings were referred to in the extract above.) 1. The study indicated that managers of all kinds have typically had significantly more exposure to ICT than front-line workers. 2. Priorities for front-line workers included basic ICT skills, navigation of the Internet, and ICT equipment trouble-shooting. 3. Middle managers needs related well to the five roles outlined in New Library: The People s Network: Net Navigator, IT Gatekeeper, Information Consultant, Information Manager and Educator. 4. The two most popular methods of training across all groups were: (a) a short course plus ongoing on-line support in the workplace; (b) in-house training courses. 5. Training routes should be flexible and should afford the opportunity for accreditation. 6. Time, funding, attitudes to ICT and limited ICT infrastructures emerged as possible barriers to training. 7. There were concerns for single person service points and for part-time staff. 8. Concerns emerged about the ability of school librarians to access the training, and about the risk of their being isolated. References Library and Information Commission (1998). Building the new library network. ISBN , London: Library and Information Commission. Also available at building.html. 128 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

139 4.3 Virtually new: creating the digital collection 4.3 Virtually new: creating the digital collection David Parry Information North, for the Library & Information Commission A review of digitisation projects in local authority libraries and archives, prepared for the Library & Information Commission within the policy context of the Commission s full report New library: the people s network. The review collected evidence by means of a literature search, a postal survey of UK public library authorities, and a series of interviews. Features omitted from this brief summary include a detailed list of digitisation projects, sections on museums and archives, regional co operative projects, and developments in other LIS sectors, and recommendations for future action. The review, 1998, is available on the web at: Introduction and background Aims and objectives This review seeks to address a key issue in the Library and Information Commission s 2020 Vision statement: to support the enabling of a digital library collection in which the UK s heritage of intellectual property will be available at the local, regional, national and global level. The review is seen as a ground clearing study to find out how much has been done already in the local authority library and archive sector, what digitisation projects are currently in progress and what new projects the Commission should initiate - resources permitting - in partnership with local authority services which have important national collections. The research project also seeks to identify sensible criteria for evaluating collections for digitisation - a great benefit for the whole library and information sector. The review will deliver: an overview of the progress and nature of digitisation projects in the public library and archive sectors, with reference to related sectors and key issues a catalogue of completed, current and planned digitisation projects in the local authority library and archive sector in the United Kingdom information on those projects characteristics - including purpose, partnerships and funding sources, content, technical systems and standards, retrieval systems and accessibility identification of material suitable for digitisation which might be of national or international importance, and which may include collections appropriate for receipt of external funds Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 a strategic document for the Commission, including criteria for defining the relative importance of materials or collections, a proposed action plan and identification of potential funding sources, and key implementation partnerships. In reviewing digitisation projects, the brief of this survey was to look at the conversion of materials currently held in traditional formats into digital format. Thus it covers the digitisation by scanning of printed text and manuscripts (and any subsequent conversion into machine-readable text by optical character recognition - OCR), the digital capture of images of various kinds, and the digitisation of sound, film and video recordings. Excluded from the scope of the review are the creation of computerised catalogues of bibliographic or other collection records (except if these include digitised copies of the original items, or involve retrospective conversion by OCR from traditional catalogues), the creation of original documents in electronic form, the collection by libraries and archives of electronic documents published or produced elsewhere, and the accessing by public libraries of digital material held elsewhere via the Internet. Review methodology This review collected evidence by means of a literature search of hard-copy and electronic sources, a postal survey of UK public library authorities, a series of interviews and a focus group. A postal survey of 195 public library authorities in the UK was carried out in September Of 195 survey forms sent, 146 (75%) were returned. The principal result of the survey was the Directory of completed, current and planned digitisation projects. 129

140 4 : INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY Extensive interviews were conducted with interested parties. Almost all the interviews were in depth semi-structured personal interviews. A few were conducted by telephone. On October 30 th 1997, a focus group discussion was held in London on the subject of criteria and priorities for digitisation. The 16 participants included Chief Librarians and County Archivists, librarians and archivists involved in digitisation projects, and representatives from other interested organisations. Numbers of digitisation projects Some of these returns contain data relating to projects carried out by archive or museum departments within or in association with library departments. These are included in the totals in this section, as the data cannot be separated with any accuracy. Overall, 67 library authorities (34% of those replying) had no involvement in any digitisation projects. Ten authorities (5%) have completed projects, 37 authorities are currently engaged in projects (19%), and 53 authorities (27%) have planned projects which have not yet started (this includes some authorities which have also completed or begun other projects). Nature of materials digitised Images from local studies collections - mainly photographs but also including prints, engravings, etc - are by far the most popular material for completed, current and planned digitisation. Seven out of ten of the completed projects involve photographs, four include text files, three contain images of works of art captured for the project, two have digitised manuscripts, two maps, two sound, music and film or video (for CD-ROMs). The 37 projects currently being carried out cover a wider range of material. Photographs still predominate (24 or 65% of current projects) but there are other categories such as maps (included in 9 projects), images of works of art (7 projects), newspapers (3), and monographs (3) - with film, museum objects, and manuscripts also featuring. Of the 53 authorities planning projects that have not yet started (some perhaps are mere wishful thinking), 48 are planning to include photographs, 30 maps, 18 images of works of art, 17 images of museum objects, 12 manuscripts, 11 newspapers and journals, nine sound recordings (such as oral history), eight printed monographs, four film and video, and two music. Access to digitised material Seventeen current projects are designed for access by network (LAN, WAN or Intranet) and 15 by Internet (some projects being accessible both by network and Internet). Three of the public library systems and two archives systems which exist are described as stand alone terminals to which there is not public access. (Others will be public access but are not at present, as they are not yet fully operational.) Of those systems which are currently stand-alone or networked, a further eight plan Internet access as a future development. Of the projects still in the planning stages, the relative proportion of network or Internet access is greater. Of those projects which gave proposed access details, five are to be stand-alone, 12 networked, and nine accessible on the Internet. These results show that despite the problems in making some sorts of digitised material available over the Internet, it is already considered a practical option for many libraries, and the trend is increasing. Systems, hardware and software The directory of projects gives details of systems, hardware and software, where these were supplied. The most common typical system is a PC with data captured on scanner and stored on hard disc. A smaller number of projects run on networks from servers, UNIX or Sun systems., and capture and storage variations include video camera and photo CD. A wide range of software and proprietary systems are in use or planned for content management and retrieval. Types of information Community information The returned questionnaires included 140 where the responses to questions relating to community information, business information etc are amenable to quantification. Of this sample of 140, 34 library authorities (24%) hold no information in digital formats. Of the remaining 106, 64 hold signposting (contact and referral) type information only. Forty two (or 30% of the whole sample) hold some full-text information and/or advice in digital formats; but of these 42, fifteen do not produce any of this material in-house, and hold only material such as TAPS and Health Information acquired in digital formats from other agencies. 130 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

141 4.3 Virtually new: creating the digital collection Of the 106 libraries with digital community information, 28 make it available over the Internet, or have plans to do so in the immediate future. Business information Of the sample of 140, 52 (37%) hold some business information in digital formats. Of these 52, only 13 produce or collate this information in-house. The others obtain it in digital formats, principally CD- ROM. Of the 52 libraries holding digital business information, in six cases it is for staff use only. Census data Thirty three libraries hold census data in digital formats, some in the form of databases or indexes produced in-house. But a majority are acquired in digital format, such as the national CD-ROM. In five libraries this is for staff use only. Genealogical sources Sixteen libraries (in some cases, their associated archives) hold genealogical data (parish registers and indexes) in digital formats. Again the majority are acquired in digital format such as the IGI indexes, but some are transcripts and indexes produced in-house. All are publicly accessible. Local historical sources Twenty seven libraries reported holding local historical information in digital formats, four of these for staff use only. Sites and monuments records Seven library authorities (only 5% of the sample) hold digital SMR data, and in only two cases are these public access databases. Geographical Information Systems Twenty libraries indicated that they hold information on GIS systems (a surprisingly high proportion) - with six of these being for staff use only. Catalogues and indexing Public libraries generally are well advanced in the automated cataloguing of their current loan and reference collections, and in developing networked access to catalogues. However in the areas of local studies and special collections, automated cataloguing (and often cataloguing per se) is less universal. There are many important local and special collections whose catalogues have not been automated and added to union catalogues or networks, or which remain uncatalogued (Bryant 1997). This is a key area for public libraries in the development of networked resource discovery (and is of absolutely crucial importance in the archive sector). Cataloguing and/or indexing of these collections is a necessary corollary, and in many cases a prerequisite for digitisation. A proportion of the digitisation projects reported to our survey are Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 essentially automated cataloguing projects, which plan to add digitised images of the catalogued documents in a later phase. Archives The brief given to this study by the Library and Information Commission was to review digitisation projects in local authority libraries and archives and recommend strategies for future action. This presented some difficulties because despite the overlap in many areas between public libraries and archive services, they do not comprise a homogenous sector in terms of their priorities and problems, their professional practitioners or their governing bodies. All library authorities received the questionnaire for this review, addressed at departmental level, and thus returns included some responses relating to archive services. No comprehensive survey of local authority archives services as such was undertaken and no questionnaire circulated directly to archives departments and sub-departments. Some of the projects reported - and which involved archives and record offices - do not appear greatly different from those involving libraries (with or without museums), even where the archives are the sole operator or lead partner in a project. There are numerous joint projects where archives and libraries (some also with museums and other bodies) are working or planning together on projects, mostly involving local photographs and maps. Other archive projects are basically cataloguing projects with the aim of adding images of some of the documents in due course. A very few local archives have plans to digitise text-based archival materials in bulk. Museums and galleries Of the 103 projects uncovered by our survey of public library authorities, about one third include some element of involvement of museums, often as the lead partner. In many cases projects include digitisation of materials physically housed in a range of libraries, archives and museums in a local authority, or a geographical area. Genres of material for future digitisation We have established that within the public library the content for digitisation is likely largely to be drawn from local studies and special collections. The survey of library authorities identified a number of types of material within these broad areas, and invited respondents to indicate whether they had in their collections material in these categories which you believe could be of national or international 131

142 4 : INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY importance, and which you think should be a priority for digitisation. The replies can be tabulated as follows in Table Thirty library authorities (21%) did not indicate any holdings as priorities for external support for digitisation. Local newspapers Public libraries generally have important collections of local newspapers and there is widespread support for digitising these. Because newspapers are difficult to store and manage, are prone to damage by heavy use, and because complete runs often only exist in distributed locations, there has been large scale microfilming of newspaper collections, particularly under NEWSPLAN. Many of the reasons for microfilming can also apply to digitisation, which has the enormous added advantage of remote access via networks. Newspapers are a hugely valuable source for local and social history of all kinds, but there is generally a lack of indexes, and most collections are unlikely ever to be fully indexed. Digitisation offers a practical substitute for indexing in the possibility of text searching and keyword retrieval. Digitisation can be achieved from microfilm, where this is of sufficient quality. Photographs and illustrations The photograph and illustration collections (prints and engravings, postcards, etc) in local collections have to date been the main focus of digitisation projects. They meet many important criteria such as improving access, protecting vulnerable originals, meeting local public demand and making attractive projects for funding agencies. Many local collections contain significant numbers of works by notable and early photographers, and many unique photographs from the 1850s and 1860s are held in local studies collections. The huge popularity of photographic picture postcards between about 1902 and the First World War has resulted in very large collections of these - usually with local subject matter - being collected in libraries. Historic maps and plans Current digital mapping is available from the Ordnance Survey and is used in a number of public library and archive projects. Two projects, the Durham Record and the Hackney Archives system, also make innovative and valuable use of digitised historic O.S. mapping from the County series of c , linking maps and photographs. Sound recordings and video Several public libraries are interested in digitising sound recordings from their collections, particularly oral history. Up to now, digitisation of sound recordings has rarely been undertaken in libraries, and although it is a standard activity in the entertainment industry, procedures are still relatively costly and complex. In the local authority sector a number of libraries and archives have been involved in the production of CD-ROMs containing relatively small amounts of digitised sound recordings, film and video. Special collections The automation and networking of catalogues to special collections is seen as a priority in any networked resource discovery system. The extent of the task of retrospective conversion of catalogues is covered in Making the most of our libraries (Bryant) Types of material considered a priority for digitisation No. of libraries % of Material type nominating total that type respondents Local newspapers Photograph collections: relating to particular industries or ways of life by early/ notable photographers relating to notable people or events Historic maps and plans Manuscripts: e.g. diaries, letters, literary manuscripts Holdings lists or indexes to special collections not currently available via networked catalogues Local publications, journals etc of potential national interest (excluding newspapers) Special collections of published material not readily available elsewhere - full text Sound recordings: music, oral history etc Local art collections Film or video 9 6 Total of 146 respondents 132 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

143 4.3 Virtually new: creating the digital collection Special collections in libraries cover a wide range of subjects and material types (published monographs, journals, manuscripts, illustrations, ephemera etc) and in the longer term may comprise the major public library contribution to the content of any national digital collection, although at present they may not be a local funding priority and are not yet being digitised in any significant volume. The survey invited libraries to nominate specific collections or items from their holdings which they considered to be appropriate for digitisation if external funding becomes available. Purely as an indication of the range and nature of special collections held in public libraries and amenable to digitisation, a number of examples suggested by library authorities are given in Table 4.3.2; some of this would be suitable for digitisation as whole collections or autonomous projects, whilst some could provide content for subject-based collections drawing digitised material from distributed sources. Criteria for digitisation selection To decide on criteria for the selection of materials for digitisation necessarily includes the question of why we are digitising materials. Of the 103 UK public library and archive projects identified by our survey, 90 supplied a brief statement of project purpose. The following elements featured in these statements (numbers referring to the number of times a type of project was mentioned): Creating or improving access to collections/information 56 Providing unified access/finding aids to distributed resources 16 For collections management/to create catalogues 13 Conservation/preservation 12 Provision of interpretive/educational material 5 Experimental/evaluation of systems and issues 3 Replacement of lost originals 1 Marketing Local newspapers Actual materials considered appropriate for digitisation Newspaper cuttings files Unique titles not held at Colindale Photograph collections Collections by early photographers e.g. J G Tunny 1854/5 Collections of lantern slides and glass negatives currently not publicly accessible, including numerous very large 19 th century collections Unique works of notable photographers Architectural and social survey collections e.g. Dundee streets, 1916; Edinburgh housing improvement programme 1922; Hull City Health Department Collection s; South Shields slum clearance, 1930s Collections by 19 th and early 20 th century travellers to Europe, the Middle East, Iceland, South Africa (Boer War) etc Collections relating to industries e.g. liquorice industry (Pontefract); potteries; coal mining; fishing; agriculture; ships and shipyards; railways and early locomotives Notable events e.g. Jarrow March Illustrations and works of art Numerous collections of drawings, sketches, watercolours etc, by local and nationally significant artists Topographical prints and drawings from the 16 th to early 20 th centuries Unique collections of botanical illustrations Brass rubbings Maps and plans County maps from the mid 16 th century onwards Greenwood s County Surveys (1820s) Town plans, many unique Local publications Transactions of local archaeological societies and Field Clubs Local historical research and natural history journals Publications by local printers Local official records e.g. Records of the Aberfan Disaster Published books Holdings of unique incunabula and early published books Early children s books collections Street and trade directories Special collections Literary and author collections containing unique items, e.g. H G Wells Special collections which, although most of the items contained are not unique, are rare or a local priority due to difficulties of access or deterioration from heavy use Industry-related collections e.g. potteries at Stoke-on-Trent Manuscript items Unique manuscript letters, diaries and literary manuscripts e.g. the Baring-Gould folksong and popular literature collection; theatrical landladies autograph books; autographs of artists and artists letters; Winifred Holtby manuscripts Arkwright s wage books; family papers relating to prominent statesmen, industrialists, inventors, military figures, artists etc Ephemera Theatre playbills from c.1750 Sale catalogues (e.g. c.100 vols. of estate sale catalogues in Devon) Handbills, posters, ballot papers English Civil War tracts and pamphlets Sound archives and oral history recordings held on tape Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 133

144 4 : INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY Conclusions The preceding sections have identified a wide range of possible criteria which might apply when selecting material for digitisation or projects for support. It is a conclusion of this report that it would neither be helpful nor realistic to try and rank individual criteria for selection in order of importance. Where any given item, collection or project is concerned, a number of criteria might apply. Criteria will also differ according to the local needs of particular libraries, the intended user groups and means of access, and the organisational priorities of funding bodies - for different projects the relative weighting of criteria may be very varied. This review has identified a range of the most important criteria on which materials might be selected. They are grouped into broad categories below, but in the real world they will overlap and selection decisions will be made on a combination of criteria. Improving access Making material available in locations and domains other than where it is held Creating or widening access to rare or unique resources Providing access for people who otherwise would not have it - people with disabilities, sensory impairment, etc Providing access in different and customised forms Improving access by providing new or improved finding aids. Projects may involve the creation of and remote access to much-needed catalogues and finding aids which did not previously exist Providing new means of access by text retrieval. For example, non-indexed local newspapers. Networked collection potential / Building up a national digital collection Selecting individual items (rather than complete collections) from public libraries and archives - to complement those in national repositories, to make up location-independent digital subject or author collections Bulk digitisation of certain collections or classes of material to create comprehensive national or international resources It could be a lever for priority in external funding and therefore a selection criterion that digitised material should be amenable to access over networks and/or the Internet. Conservation Making available material that cannot be currently used due to damaged or fragile condition Conservation of material in heavy use or exposed to actual or potential damage / deterioration, by enabling originals to be taken out of use by providing digital copies. Institutional considerations For example, relieving pressure on record offices or local studies centres by scanning and making heavily-used sources remotely available The selection of projects may be conditioned by their compatibility with the aims and preferences of parent funding bodies or external funding agencies, project partners etc. Local / national importance Local importance and local demand. Local authorities have a mandate to produce services for local needs. Demand for improved access to local historical and reference material is therefore a valid criterion for prioritisation National importance. It has been suggested that external funding should go to material that is of national or international (rather than local) interest or significance, but it can also be argued that an accumulation of local resources will build up a hugely valuable national resource. Education / interpretation / promotion of resources There are arguments for priority to be given to materials that are to be / can be used in connection with educational resources, national curriculum, for schools use, or as part of interpretative presentations Selective digitisation and dissemination of items from a collection or institution are a means to widen awareness of resources. User needs Satisfying information needs / demand. It could be a priority for public libraries to digitise material answering users immediate information needs (e.g. community information of various kinds), where this can be shown to be the most effective way of providing that information. Copyright Realistic evaluation of the potential cost of making reasonable efforts to trace and clear copyright may be part of the selection procedure. References Bryant, Philip (1997). Making the most of our libraries: the report of two studies on the retrospective conversion of library catalogues in the UK and the need for a national strategy. ISBN , London: British Library Research & Innovation Centre (BLRIC Report no. 53). 134 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

145 4.4 Information technology in public libraries 4.4 Information technology in public libraries Chris Batt The 6th edition of an invaluable survey which first appeared in 1985, and is distinguished by a very high return from public library authorities on or near 100%. The work s long history permits time series for several long-standing IT features. We are particularly grateful to the author and to Library Association Publishing for allowing us to use material from this very recent title. These brief extracts must be supplemented by recourse to the book itself, which covers many other features including circulation and acquisition systems, system suppliers, cited databases, open learning services, IT charging policies, and much additional information on the features referred to here. Sadly, this summary cannot reproduce the informality and sheer readability of the original text. Batt, Chris (6th ed. 1998). Information technology in public libraries. ISBN , London: Library Association Publishing. CD-ROM There are only eight authorities not reporting the use of CD-ROM in any form and two of these were the two non-repliers. Eighty-eight per cent of all authorities have CD-ROM for staff use, and 85% for public use the latter representing an enormous increase on CD-ROMs for public use in Despite the increase, only a quarter of all public library service points in the UK currently provide public access to CD-ROM databases. Table 1 shows the distribution of the percentage of service points with CD-ROM for public access, by authority type. Except in London, most library authorities have CD -ROM for public access in only a minority of their service points. The Internet 1994 was the year that public libraries began to use Internet services. In November 1995 the Library and Information Commission commissioned Sarah Ormes of the UK Office of Library and Information Networking (UKOLN) to produce a snapshot of Internet developments in UK public libraries (Ormes). The report provides the means of assessing change over the 18 months between November 1995 and June 1997 (as shown in Table 4.4.2) Service points with CD-ROM by authority type <10% 10-19% 20-9% 30-9% 40-9% 50-9% 60-9% 70-9% 80-9% >90% Counties (E) (35) Unitaries (W) (22) London (34) Mets (36) N Ireland (5) 2 2 Scotland (33) Unitaries (E) (26) (191) Diffusion of Internet access Service points with Internet access 142 (3.0%) 357 (9%) Service points providing public access 28 (0.7%) 215 (5%) Number of workstations with Internet access - staff only public use NOTE: 1995 UKOLN survey, 1996 Batt survey Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 135

146 4 : INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY All of the access figures have increased significantly. A threefold increase in the number of library service points with some form of Internet access is reported here, although the total number of service points recorded in 1995 is higher than the data gathered for the current survey (4,216 in 1995 against 4,095 in 1997 but this variation makes only a marginal difference to the comparative percentages). There is still a long way to go. Eighty-seven library authorities (46%) report the provision of public access to the Internet. But 95% of the total service points remain without access. The figure of 40,000 terminals in public libraries proposed in the Library and Information Commission s New library; the people s network (New library) suggests the extent of the task ahead. On-line searching Table shows the total number of authorities with on-line searching capability over the last four surveys Authorities with on-line searching capabilities On-line searching has been a valuable resource for many public libraries, but a technology once used by much more than 50% of authorities is now used by just over a third. Today there is a wide range of CD ROMs which contain information once found only in remote database hosts. The resources of the Internet provide the most obvious challenge to dial up on-line searching. There is every possibility that the move towards a national public library network will bring with it for public librarians the negotiating power of the Joint Academic Network, where deals are struck with database hosts to provide access to the end-users at a flat rate for the year a form of bulk buying. Community information Since 1985 there has been a fourfold increase in the number of authorities using automation in support of community information. The processes of database management and mailmerge have been ideally suited to the traditional model of community information that libraries used to collect: details of clubs, societies and the like. Table shows the type of IT applications used to provide community information. Two comments on the data should be made. First, use of a mainframe was not one of the question options, but the fact that no mention was made of mainframes in replies suggests that they no longer have their former role. Secondly, a number of authorities report using more than one technology (rarely the case with previous surveys); this can be explained by the convergence of technologies - the wordprocessor is now the same machine that runs the database, the spreadsheet, and so on. The significant rise in the use of the library management system for the delivery of community information reflects the maturity of more systems. Library catalogue availability Table shows the data on catalogue availability in authorities how access is provided to customers and to staff compared with the previous surveys IT applications used to provide community information PC/database management system Mainframe Teletext/private viewdata Library management system Wordprocessor OPAC * 143 On-line to staff only Fiche/film Hardcopy * Includes seven CD-ROM or standalone PC-based OPACs 136 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

147 4.4 Information technology in public libraries The table shows a whole life-cycle of development within the public library service. Hard copy has never done more than offer an interim solution. In 1985 fiche/film was the most common choice for public access, with only seven OPACs operational. The rise from seven to 144 OPACs in just 12 years is a not inconsiderable shift and we may expect OPAC to sustain its dominance. But there is still some way to go. At present slightly fewer than half of the total service points have OPAC though this is itself a big increase on the 21% in References Ormes, S and Dempsy, L (1997). Library and Information Commission public library Internet survey, UKOLN, University of Bath. New library: the people s network (1997). London: Library and Information Commission. Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 137

148 4 : INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY 4.5 Networked business information Bob Strong, Head of Reference and Information Service Christine Huglin, Business Librarian Buckinghamshire County This paper examines a range of measures used to evaluate the performance of databases available in Buckinghamshire County Library s Business Library, and of the overall service provided by the Business Library. September Report developed specifically for Perspectives of public library use 2 Introduction In January 1996 Buckinghamshire library service opened the Electronic Networking & Information Centre (ENIC) within the county reference library, Aylesbury. The network allowed concurrent access to CD-ROM and disk based databases, and online services including the Internet. The original set-up of 25 databases was networked to five PCs in the reference library. During 1996 the Local Studies Library and Aylesbury Lending Library, both on the same site, were added to the network. The service was wide area networked to Chesham and High Wycombe reference libraries during 1997 although, because of financial and technical constraints, not all databases are available at these libraries. In January 1997 Buckinghamshire library service entered into a service level agreement with Business Link Thames Valley to provide links with other partners, including Thames Valley Chamber and Berkshire Library and Information Service. Business Link distributes enquiries received to the appropriate answering body, and complex enquiries requiring significant research are referred to the Chamber. Business Link also supports the Buckinghamshire library service with funding which has allowed the appointment of a Business Librarian to its establishment. In January 1998 the Internet was added to the network for public access. By this time the number of databases on the network had grown to around 120 titles, covering business information, business directories, careers and employment, encyclopaedias, Europe, general reference, newspapers and periodicals (indexing and full text), and telephone directories. During 1996 accesses to the network averaged 3,088 per month, rising to 5,321 in ,000 (11% of the reference service materials budget) was spent on the acquisition of databases for the network in the financial year CD-ROM and Internet services have so far been offered free to all customers. There are charges for on-line searches, though the numbers of searches requested have until now been negligible. The numbers of users of the Business Library, and of individual services within it, have not been established - and would be difficult to separate from the numbers of users of the reference library as a whole. Use of CD-ROMs 1997/98 The statistics in Tables and on the use of the CD-ROM-based databases are generated by the Ultra*net software which gives output figures, firstly in measuring the number of accesses to each database, and secondly in measuring the average cost per search. This is calculated by dividing the cost of the database by the number of searches Number of CD-ROM accesses for 1997 (Business Library) Database Total Average accesses per month Key British Enterprises 2, Business Search UK (from April 1997) 1, EMMA (from May 1997) 1, Business Locator 1, Companies House* 1, Kompass* 1, FTMcCarthy (from April 1997) Business and Industry* (from May 1997) Marketline UK* Reports Index (from June 1997) Market Place (from November 1997) * denotes single user licence - only one person can use at one time NOTE: The table records searches carried out in the Business Library of the County Reference Library, Aylesbury 138 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

149 4.5.2 Cost per CD-ROM search 1997 (wide area network) 4.5 Networked business information 82% of respondents found the information they were looking for Database Total Cost per accesses search ( ) Business Search UK 3,233 E 0.07 Companies House* 1, Kompass* 1, Market Place 312 E 0.42 Reports Index 504 E 0.59 Business Locator 1, EMMA 2,618 E 1.03 Key British Enterprises 3, Marketline UK* Business and Industry 552 E 3.24 FTMcCarthy 1,159 E 3.76 * denotes single user, denotes wide area network, E denotes estimated These measurements give no indication of the number of searches that a customer has undertaken whilst accessing a database, nor their complexity. It is useful therefore to have figures on how long the database is in use (see Table 4.5.3). Note that Kompass is slow to open and use, and that most customers using Marketline UK run a print - which takes time Time in use (TIU) November January 1998 Database TIU Total (hours) accesses Average access time (mins) Business Search Key British Enterprises Business Locator Kompass FTMcCarthy EMMA MarketlineUK Companies House Market Place Reports Index Use of the Internet Use of the Internet is measured in a similar fashion, though currently the use of individual web sites cannot be monitored. However, with the introduction of WinU software in the near future, monitoring use of business information sites on the web should be possible. Since its introduction the Internet has been in use on average for 38 hours out of a maximum 54.5 per week (69.72%). A sample survey of 100 users showed that: 80% of respondents found the Internet easy to use 69% of respondents were willing to pay for the service. The willingness to pay was an important factor since the service was introduced free of charge, with the intention to charge once demand had been evaluated. Not surprisingly, respondents favoured a low charge, but as the preferred strategy is one of low cost for the customer and high use, feedback was particularly helpful. A charge of 1.00 per 30 minutes for Internet use was introduced from September 1998, with no apparent decline in use. Quality considerations The tables above give extremely useful information for future purchasing decisions. They also pose questions which will need further research. For example, where the database is not well used and/or the cost per search is high, is it because: the database is not relevant to customers needs? the database is relevant but difficult for customers and staff to access? staff are not able to advise customers as to database selection? customers are not aware of the full range of databases on offer? Indications from initial customer comments are that: there is a need to promote the databases better; more staff need to be better trained in using the databases, so they are better able to advise customers; and some databases are simply difficult to use without acquiring significant expertise. None of the performance measures in the table above gave any indication of the quality of the information provided, as perceived by the customer. Measurement of this feature has taken two forms: Business Link customer satisfaction and performance tracking Where business customers have enquiries satisfied by post, through Business Link, a customer satisfaction enquiry form is included with a pre paid envelope. Responses are entered into a spreadsheet and results are shown against Business Link targets. The satisfaction survey carried out in this way applies to some 10-15% of the total enquiries received in the Business Library. Table suggests that the Business Library is easily exceeding Business Link s quality targets over all service dimensions. Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 139

150 4 : INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY Business Link user satisfaction survey: achievement of targets Action Target Achieved Service delivered within deadlines 80% 100% Clients contacted within timescale 80% 100% Answers & information accurate 80% 96% Service appropriate 85% 96% Diagnosis correct 90% 100% Referrals appropriate 80% 100% Staff knowledgeable & professional 95% 100% Clients return to Business Link 80% 96% Service benefitted client s business 50% 100% Dissertation review The value and impact of public business information services for small and medium sized enterprises: a literature review and case study was a Master s dissertation by Amanda Hicks, carried out at Loughborough University, September 1997 (Hicks). As part of her dissertation Amanda Hicks produced a Business Library survey, and analysed 94 forms which were collected from library visitors during a three week period from 16 July to 6 August question showed that 58% of customers only partly managed to find the information they needed. So in spite of the fact that 73% of library visitors did ask for staff help, only 41% had their information need completely satisfied. This second response was less favourable than those reported in the Business Link customer satisfaction exercise. Two possible reasons for this are suggested: first, the Hicks survey covered a different cross-section of users from Business Link; secondly, the Hicks survey is likely to have included many users who attempted to use the library s resources without any assistance from staff, thus obtaining less favourable results. The responses to these questions seem to demonstrate an awareness of the high quality of resources coupled with some frustration and inability to access them. On the credit side, the fact that 73% of customers ask for staff help is an indication that the new post of Business Librarian has added real value to the business information service. The survey also indicates a need for training among non specialist staff. The survey collected attitudes to the whole Business Library service, including valuable information relating to electronic information sources. One question showed that 95% of respondents rated the resources of the library as fairly good, good or excellent; 5% described them as moderate and no respondents rated them as poor. However, another References Hicks, Amanda (1997). The value and impact of public business information services for small and medium sized enterprises: a literature review and case study. MA dissertation, Loughborough: Loughborough University. 140 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

151 4.6 Exit Survey 4.6 Exit survey Capital Planning Information Ltd for Bromley Leisure & Community Services Bromley has an excellent track record in commissioning and carrying out market research. In this latest survey, 1,156 respondents from nine sites were interviewed as they left libraries. The main part of the survey investigates user preferences for a range of possible new services, particularly IT based options. It was noticeable that for IT based proposals, favourable responses were more likely to come from younger users. February Internal report, available to colleagues for 10 from: leo.favret@bromley.gov.uk. Methodology This was an exit survey, based on a short written questionnaire, which was used to interview users as they left Bromley libraries. A structured or quota sample was used with participants selected by age. Previous market research studies in Bromley had revealed much about the needs and demands of frequent users - usually elderly - but less was known about the specific needs and possible future demands of younger users. The quotas were consequently deliberately skewed to include a greater percentage of younger users, aged years, than were known to exist in the user population as a whole. They were constructed according to the figures in Table Exit surveys were carried out at nine libraries. Interviews were undertaken on weekdays and weekends (Saturdays) and included morning, afternoon and evening periods. 1,156 respondents were interviewed from a total of nine libraries (44%) were male and 643 (56%) female. A quota of 100 respondents per library was the target - achieved in all but one service point. The age range of the sample did not precisely reflect the quotas shown in Table 4.6.1, but higher numbers of young/middle aged users were interviewed than in previous random samples in Bromley (see Table 4.6.2) Age of respondents Age No. of respondents (%) (6.6%) (5.5%) (15.7%) (21.4%) (17.2%) (11.2%) (15.5%) (6.8%) Quotas (stratified sample structure) User Resident % Adult Sample Age population population population per 100 (%) (%) M F M F Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 141

152 4 : INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY Current use of libraries Occupation of respondents Professional people, the retired and house persons represented the largest groups responding to the survey questionnaire (Table 4.6.3). The sample was steered towards year olds Occupation of respondents Occupation No. of respondents (%) Professional 294 (25.4%) Skilled/non manual 92 (8.0%) Skilled/manual 93 (8.0%) Manual 28 (2.4%) House person/carer 176 (15.2%) Student 120 (10.4%) Unemployed 39 (3.4%) Retired 305 (26.4%) Other 10 (0.9%) Frequency of visits More than half the sample (62%) used (Table 4.6.4) the library once or more than once a fortnight How often do you visit this library? Frequency No. of respondents (%) First visit 35 (3.0%) More than once a week 265 (22.9%) About once a week 219 (18.9%) About once a fortnight 254 (22.0%) About every three weeks 150 (13.0%) About every four weeks 130 (11.2%) Less frequently 104 (9.0%) Services used Respondents were asked to indicate which services they had used on the day of the survey and also the services they had used during the past year. Books for leisure was the most popular service, with more than half having used it on the day of the survey and three-quarters of the sample in the past year. Other popular services included, in order of importance, books for study, reference materials, videos, children s books, photocopiers, and newspapers and magazines (Table 4.6.5). Length of stay in library The majority of users only remained in the library for short periods of time. Nearly half of the sample were there for fewer than 15 minutes. A third of the sample spent minutes. These groups were predominately borrowers and returners of material. Only 7% of users remained in the library for periods of 1-4 hours - which may have been influenced by the small amount of space devoted to study in the branches (Table 4.6.6) How long did you stay in the library today? Length of stay No. of respondents (%) Less than 15 minutes 567 (49.0%) minutes 392 (33.9%) minutes 115 (9.9%) 1-2 hours 59 (5.1%) 2-4 hours 21 (1.8%) Longer 3 (0.3%) Which of the following services have you used? Today During the past year Service No. of No. of respondents (%) respondents (%) Books for leisure 660 (57.1%) 887 (76.7%) Books for study 251 (21.7%) 523 (45.2%) Books for children 189 (16.3%) 308 (26.6%) Compact discs 48 (4.2%) 180 (15.6%) Music cassettes 24 (2.1%) 185 (16.0%) Talking books 32 (2.8%) 120 (10.4%) Newspapers and magazines 130 (11.2%) 273 (23.6%) Photocopier 52 (4.5%) 295 (25.5%) Videos 60 (5.2%) 350 (30.3%) Study space 33 (2.9%) 127 (11.0%) Multi-media open learning materials 4 (0.3%) 41 (3.5%) Exhibitions 19 (1.6%) 114 (9.9%) Reference books, pamphlets, brochures 157 (13.6%) 518 (44.8%) Local history materials 16 (1.4%) 149 (12.9%) Note: Open learning materials were only available in one (the central) library, though they were available in branches via the reservation service. 142 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

153 Combining library visits with other activities The majority of customers (53.5%) make a special journey to the library (Table 4.6.7a). This suggests that library use is not casual and is a regular and determined activity. Of those who combine library use with other activities (see Table 4.6.7b), 326 (28% of the whole sample) visit the library while shopping. Very few respondents make casual drop-in while passing visits a Did you make a special journey to the library? No % Yes No b Journey combined with another activity No % Going shopping Undertaking leisure activities Going to or from work Taking children to school Attending school/college Other Total User need for staff help The majority of users (75%) require the assistance of staff at some time, but 23% claimed that they never need any help to find the resources or materials they need (Table 4.6.8) Exit Survey Do you ever need to ask assistance from library staff? Always 25 (2.2%) Sometimes 868 (75.1%) Never 263 (22.7%) Use of computer catalogue More than half of the respondents to the survey reported that they are able to use the computer catalogue without assistance from staff (Table 4.6.9). However, many are unable, unwilling or have little interest in consulting the catalogue when seeking materials Are you able to use the library computer catalogue unaided? Yes 633 (54.7%) No 523 (45.3%) User views on potential new services Respondents were asked for their views on the desirability of a range of new or enhanced library services. More than 47% of respondents indicated that they would definitely or probably use PCs if they were available for public use in libraries - the younger the respondent the more likely an expression of interest (Table ). 44% would definitely or probably use Internet access Table ), 43% would definitely or probably use remote searching services (Table ) and 34% would definitely or probably use electronic document delivery services (Table ) Would you use PCs available for public use in libraries? Age Definitely Maybe Definitely not (57.9%) 17 (22.4%) 15 (19.7%) (60.9%) 10 (15.6%) 15 (23.4%) (36.5%) 46 (25.4%) 69 (38.1%) (34.4%) 63 (25.5%) 99 (40.1%) (26.6%) 38 (19.1%) 108 (54.3%) (18.5%) 18 (13.8%) 88 (67.7%) (11.1%) 11 (6.1%) 149 (82.8%) (6.3%) 7 (8.9%) 67 (84.8%) Total 336 (29.1%) 210 (18.2%) 610 (52.7%) Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 143

154 4 : INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY Would you use Internet access from a public library? Age Definitely Maybe Definitely not (57.9%) 20 (26.3%) 12 (15.8%) (53.1%) 12 (18.8%) 18 (28.1%) (27.6%) 52 (28.7%) 79 (43.6%) (28.3%) 68 (27.5%) 109 (44.1%) (24.6%) 47 (23.6%) 103 (51.8%) (12.3%) 14 (10.8%) 100 (76.9%) (6.1%) 12 (6.7%) 157 (87.2%) (3.8%) 1 (1.3%) 75 (94.9%) Total 277 (24.0%) 226 (19.6%) 653 (56.4%) Would you search for books in the library catalogue and reserve them using your computer at home, work, school or college? Age Definitely Maybe Definitely not (34.2%) 32 (42.1%) 18 (23.7%) (50.0%) 9 (14.1%) 23 (35.9%) (35.9%) 33 (18.2%) 83 (45.9%) (39.6%) 56 (22.7%) 93 (37.7%) (36.7%) 27 (13.6%) 99 (49.7%) (12.3%) 7 (5.4%) 107 (82.3%) (9.4%) 9 (5.0%) 154 (85.6%) (2.5%) 0 (-) 77 (97.5%) Total 329 (28.5%) 173 (14.9%) 654 (56.6%) Would you like to have articles from newspapers, journals and magazines sent to you electronically via your computer at home, work, school or college? Age Definitely Maybe Definitely not (47.4%) 18 (23.7%) 21 (27.6%) (37.5%) 9 (14.1%) 31 (48.4%) (21.5%) 32 (17.7%) 110 (60.8%) (27.5%) 53 (21.5%) 126 (51.0%) (24.1%) 24 (12.1%) 127 (63.8%) (11.6%) 6 (4.6%) 109 (83.8%) (3.3%) 9 (5.0%) 165 (91.7%) (3.8%) 1 (1.3%) 75 (94.9%) Total 240 (20.8%) 152 (13.1%) 764 (66.1%) Respondents were requested to provide information about their use of or access to telephones, cabling (Cable TV/Telephone), PCs, modems etc - in order to assess the likely future interest in IT services provided by their library both locally and remotely (see Table ). About half the sample had experience of smart cards, which have several potential applications in a public library context. Forty two percent of households had access to a PC (Table ) although only 8% were connected to the Internet (Table ). These results suggest a population (particularly those under the age of 55) with a high degree of interest in IT services Do you have a telephone, cable TV, a personal computer, a Modem, an Internet connection or work or store smart cards? No. of (%) respondents Telephone 1,123 (97.1%) Cable TV/telephone 273 (23.6%) Personal computer 486 (42.1%) modem 175 (15.1%) Internet connection 94 (8.1%) Work/college smart/identity card 214 (18.5%) In-store loyalty card 601 (52.0%) 144 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

155 PC ownership by age Age Yes (%) No (%) (68.1%) 23 (31.9%) (51.8%) 27 (48.2%) (45.9%) 87 (54.1%) (63.4%) 78 (36.6%) (58.2%) 74 (41.8%) (25.6%) 90 (74.4%) (14.4%) 149 (85.6%) (7.8%) 71 (92.2%) Total 452 (42.0%) 599 (57.0%) Internet access by age 4.6 Exit Survey Age Internet (% of total access age group) (7.9%) (18.7%) (9.9%) (12.9%) (8.5%) (2.3%) (2.2%) (2.5%) Total 94 Respondents were asked if they were interested in other types of service enhancement. Library users were particularly interested in being able to return items when libraries were closed (Table ), return items to any branch within Bromley (Table ) and extended opening hours (including Sundays) (Table ). There was less (although still significant) interest in fax machines (Table ) and debit cards to pay for library services (Table ). The most elderly group of respondents were generally less interested in service enhancements and required the maintenance of the status quo. Younger and more mobile users would be willing to travel to libraries offering enhanced services Would you find extended opening hours (including Sundays) useful? Age Definitely Maybe Definitely not (55.3%) 17 (22.4%) 17 (22.4%) (46.9%) 14 (21.9%) 20 (31.3%) (50.3%) 39 (21.5%) 50 (27.6%) (45.3%) 57 (23.1%) 78 (31.6%) (44.2%) 41 (20.6%) 70 (35.2%) (25.4%) 26 (20.0%) 71 (54.6%) (12.8%) 25 (13.8%) 132 (73.3%) (10.1%) 8 (10.1%) 63 (79.7%) Total 428 (37.0%) 227 (19.7%) 501 (43.3%) Would you like to be able to send or receive a fax from a machine located in a library? Age Definitely Maybe Definitely not (17.1%) 29 (38.2%) 34 (44.7%) (32.8%) 19 (29.7%) 24 (37.5%) (34.8%) 40 (22.1%) 78 (43.1%) (23.9%) 66 (26.7%) 122 (49.4%) (31.7%) 41 (20.6%) 95 (47.7%) (27.7%) 17 (13.1%) 77 (59.2%) (11.7%) 18 (10.0%) 141 (78.3%) (2.5%) 2 (2.5%) 75 (94.9%) Total 278 (24.0%) 232 (20.1%) 646 (55.9%) Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 145

156 4 : INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY Would you like to be able to return a book to the library when it is otherwise closed? Age Definitely Maybe Definitely not (82.9%) 10 (13.2%) 3 (3.9%) (79.7%) 5 (7.8%) 8 (12.5%) (82.3%) 13 (7.2%) 19 (10.5%) (77.7%) 25 (10.1%) 30 (12.1%) (72.9%) 19 (9.5%) 35 (17.6%) (51.5%) 21 (16.2%) 42 (32.3%) (29.4%) 26 (14.4%) 101 (56.1%) (20.3%) 9 (11.4%) 54 (68.4%) Total 736 (63.7%) 128 (11.1%) 292 (25.2%) Would you like to be able to return borrowed books CDs, videos etc to any library in Bromley? Age Definitely Maybe Definitely not (75.0%) 7 (9.2%) 12 (15.8%) (67.2%) 3 (4.7%) 18 (28.1%) (63.5%) 18 (9.9%) 48 (26.5%) (67.6%) 28 (11.3%) 52 (21.1%) (67.3%) 17 (8.5%) 48 (24.1%) (53.8%) 13 (10.0%) 47 (36.2%) (48.9%) 15 (8.3%) 77 (42.8%) (30.4%) 7 (8.9%) 48 (60.8%) Total 698 (60.4%) 108 (9.3%) 350 (30.3%) Would you like to be able to use a credit card, debit card or library based membership/charge card to pay for charged services? Age Definitely Maybe Definitely not (26.3%) 24 (31.6%) 32 (42.1%) (34.4%) 14 (21.9%) 28 (43.8%) (35.4%) 30 (16.6%) 87 (48.1%) (30.4%) 44 (17.8%) 128 (51.8%) (32.7%) 36 (18.1%) 98 (49.2%) (17.7%) 16 (12.3%) 91 (70.0%) (12.2%) 21 (11.7%) 137 (76.1%) (6.3%) 5 (6.3%) 69 (87.3%) Total 296 (25.6%) 190 (16.4%) 670 (58.0%) 146 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

157 4.7 Electronic serials in public libraries 4.7 Electronic serials in public libraries Kate Brunskill, Margaret Kinnell Evans, Cliff McKnight, Anne Morris. Department of Information Science, Loughborough University A BLRIC funded research project investigating the impact of electronic serials in UK public libraries through a postal questionnaire and four case studies. Brunskill, Kate, and others Electronic serials in public libraries. ISBN , London: British Library Research and Innovation Centre, BLRIC report 118. Findings Background to the project The project was carried out at Loughborough University s Department of Information & Library Studies (DILS) between June 1997 and June 1998, funded by the British Library Research and Innovation Centre. It has investigated the impact of electronic serials on UK public libraries. For the purposes of the project, serial was defined as: newspapers, popular magazines and e-zines. Two primary methods of data collection were employed to gather information about public libraries approaches to electronic serials: a postal questionnaire survey of all 194 UK public library authorities (which achieved a return rate of 59%) and case studies of four authorities. The report introduces the context for the research, noting that, as public libraries move into the networked environment, it will be critical that librarians maintain an awareness of the opportunities and challenges presented by electronic resources. The main aim of the project, therefore, was to provide data and information which would give public library managers a context for strategic decisions on the management and exploitation of electronic serials. Availability of electronic serials The types of electronic serial available in authorities are introduced. Public libraries have a solid history of providing newspapers on CD-ROM and most of the UK s quality newspapers, as well as a handful of popular magazines, are now available in this format. The Web is also being used by an increasing number of publishers to provide electronic serials. Most are an electronic version of an existing printed publication, though they are often inferior to the original in terms of content. A large proportion of Web-based magazines fall into the entertainment and leisure bracket, though more weighty publications are also available, especially in the areas of popular science and business. An evaluative directory of Internet-based newspapers and magazines can be found in the report. Provision of electronic serials The postal survey found that 61% of respondents had electronic holdings; however, the number of titles held was generally modest (an average of just six titles). Most were held or accessible only at the main library and perhaps in a handful of branch libraries (19% of respondents made e-serials available in branch libraries). The majority of e-serials were newspapers and, for 96% of respondents, these were in CD-ROM format only. Just three respondents were providing access to multi-title services and three had taken out a subscription to an Internet-based serial. Promoting electronic serials During case studies, a variety of promotional activities and strategies were reported, though promotion was usually for electronic resources in general rather than specifically for electronic serials. Some staff were concerned that promotion may raise users expectations to a level which cannot yet be met. Strategies included: information leaflets (usually made available only in libraries providing the services); bookmarks given away with lending stock; bulletins (especially targeted to specific types of user); banners at service points with Internet access; lists of holdings (on OPAC or via printed lists); shelving CD-ROM boxes along with printed resources; press releases and announcements; and special events and open days The role of electronic serials Case study staff believed that electronic serials were more useful for information purposes than for leisure. They commented on the benefits and pitfalls presented by electronic serials. Pitfalls included: the slowness of Internet access, long-term access to serials not held locally, loss of content during the shift from print to electronic format, currency, browsability. Benefits centred on: space savings, additional search features, the increased number of titles Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 147

158 4 : INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY available via the Internet, the speed of updating and the possibility of using innovative services to bring in new users. Staff also expressed concerns about: the practical implementation of electronic serials, funding implications, the need for improved technical support, the complexities of negotiating licenses and electronic copyright, the impact of charging for Internet access. Management issues The report introduces the management issues relating to electronic serials. These fall into four main areas: Serials policies - the survey found that there was a lack of policy documents relating to electronic serials. Just 12% of respondents had a policy relating to the provision of serials (in any format). Most respondents reported that they tend to work to informal priorities instead. Staff issues - case studies revealed the problems faced by staff when supporting electronic serials. Those interviewed did not feel that there had been a direct impact on them but that the problems of supporting electronic resources in general was a major issue. Troubleshooting and the need to manage booking mechanisms were the two main issues. Much of the training offered had been ad hoc, and both front-line and senior staff stressed that training programmes are essential to ensure that skills and confidence levels are high. It was noted that the lower levels of ICT training and awareness in branch libraries was a particular problem. Use and users - just 36% of survey respondents with holdings of e-serials were measuring their use, and even where they were doing so measurements were only infrequent or informal. One senior librarian noted that measurements of ICT use are currently not acceptable as justification for funding. During case studies, only a handful of users were observed to use an electronic serial and all of these were using CD-ROMs. A number of Internet users reported that they have accessed Web-based serials; they had been attracted by their up-to-dateness, extra content and added features, searchability and access to archives. However, many users were simply not interested in e-serials, either because they did not have time or they preferred printed formats; others had been put off by charges (usually for Internet access). Performance indicators the full report introduces the problems of applying performance indicators to e-serials, and some measures and indicators are proposed. Conclusions and recommendations The report concludes that electronic serials present something of a missed opportunity for public libraries. Few authorities have plans either to extend their provision of CD-ROM serials or to exploit serials freely available via the Internet. Clearly, there are problems to be overcome before e serials will be genuinely useful to public libraries. The main recommendations arising from the research are that public libraries need to: collect data relating to their provision of serials in various formats in order to measure performance and to facilitate the development of national benchmarks extend networks in authorities as far as possible within their financial limitations to ensure that all libraries have equal access to the additional content offered on and through networks explore and evaluate Internet content; there is an urgent need to develop weblists both locally and on a national scale negotiate trial offers, or exploit existing publishers trial offers, in order to evaluate more titles and determine which other CD-ROM serials will meet the needs of their users work with publishers to develop solutions to the licensing problem; national co-operation might help in the development of consortia licenses take an integrated approach to the provision of electronic and printed resources. 148 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

159 5.1 Public library stock management Stock management 5 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 149

160 5 : STOCK MANAGEMENT 5.1 Public library stock management Capital Planning Information Ltd for the Library Association and the National Acquisitions Group, funded by the British National Bibliography Research Fund A report to the British National Bibliography Research Fund on research undertaken for the Library Association and the National Acquisitions Group on the formulation of national guidelines. Public library stock management, January ISBN , National Acquisitions Group, Westfield House, North Road, Horsforth, Leeds LS18 5HG (BLRIC report 98, BNBRF report 90). Summary These guidelines are based on a review of the literature and consultations with key individuals in public libraries. They were validated by a focus group of interested parties during January For the purposes of the research and the guidelines stock was defined as: all materials provided by public library services including books, grey literature, journals, reference publications, audio and video recordings, CD ROMs, software, and access to electronic information. The guidelines treat all formats of stock in an inclusive way rather than regarding each as having separate stock management requirements. The guidelines Stock Management comprises the following continuous processes: The preparation of stock policies (within the context of both corporate policies, and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport Annual Library Plans) An effective stock management policy will be authority wide, while delivering stock tailored to the requirements of individual communities. Analysis of stock requirements in relation to policies and community needs To include an analysis of user requirements as well as the views of staff at all levels. Stock policies should include a description of: the range of stock to be held by the library service, the special requirements of particular client groups, the stock management process, criteria for inclusion or exclusion of materials, qualitative and quantitative targets, rotation targets, refurbishment, relegation, withdrawal and stock security policies. Summaries of policies should be available to the public. The monitoring of stock policies and the standards set out within them The measurement of the performance of stock is an essential element of monitoring, review, selection and auditing of stock. Budgeting for stock purchase An annual statement of stock requirements should form the basis of the budget. Formulating stock action plans and setting standards and targets for stock These documents should cover all aspects of stock management from selection and promotion to withdrawal. Monitoring their implementation is a key task for library managers. The selection, procurement, processing and deployment of stock Criteria for selection should reflect the library s policies for service to the community. Management information should inform selection decisions. Procurement should seek to achieve best value, and will involve a tendering process with clear specification by librarians. Overheads can be reduced by working with other libraries as consortia. Activities to ensure the maximum use of stock These include reading promotion, literature development, rotation between libraries, and monitoring of availability and use. The review of stock This will assist decision making regarding: supplementation, refurbishment, de-selection, relegation and disposal of stock. Security of stock and minimisation of loss 150 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

161 5.1 Public library stock management Interactions with library co-operation agencies Training for all staff in stock management. Only half of the public library authorities in England and Wales have published stock management policies. Although there are good examples of policies, each authority should produce their own to reflect their particular circumstances. Shifting the emphasis in stock management from selection and acquisition to promotion and rotation is necessary because of the declining resources available to public libraries. Improved management of stock is constrained by the difficulties associated with accessing performance information from library management systems. There is therefore a requirement for exchange of ideas and good practice along with the development of enhanced software by the suppliers. Similarly, training is required for all staff, and opportunities to exchange information on stock management. The guidelines represent the current position and require regular review to take account of changing policies and practice. Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 151

162 5 : STOCK MANAGEMENT 5.2 Audio-visual materials Ian Smith Westminster Libraries and Archives Over the past decade the provision of audio-visual materials has been the fastest growing service in UK public libraries, but little research has been carried out on it. This summary is taken from an in-depth study of video and recorded music services in Westminster libraries based on an analysis of management information - with a particular focus on use, expenditure and income. The summary omits material in the original study on the commercial market for these media, though the linking sections between the markets and library services are retained. August Report may be purchased from Iona Cairns (Adult Lending Services Manager), Charing Cross Library, 4 Charing Cross Road, London WC2H 0HG. Income from audio-visual materials In 1996/7, video recordings raised 161,700 of direct income for Westminster libraries, and music recordings, 54,000. Including associated income (sales of withdrawn stock, fines and reservations on audio-visual material) 235,000 was raised by audio-visual stock - 25% of the Westminster Libraries Business Unit income. The details are depicted in Fig Westminster libraries income (1996/7) Fines Video rentals Music recordings Withdrawn book sales Other sales IfB Photocopying Requests Orchestral sets Other % of total income 152 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

163 Videos Commercial videos and the library market The libraries have committed themselves to generating income from a declining market - that of video rentals. With a broad based stock, libraries are trying to duplicate the video retail market. The rental market requires investment in premises, staff and a membership scheme. Libraries already have all these so it could be argued that they are well placed to compete in this market. Important points are: Video rentals are almost entirely of major Hollywood films, when they are first released for rental Marketing and promotion is heavily concentrated on major Hollywood films Most rented videos are watched at the weekend The age profile of the total audience watching Westminster libraries videos corresponds to that of those using videos from libraries - primarily people in their 20s and early 30s. The main features of the service provided by the large video rentals company, Blockbuster Videos, are: Categorisation - clear distinctions between categories such as comedy, action, sport etc Very spacious arrangement - most stock displayed face on Heavy promotion of a few new releases Only about five or six films at any one time are offered at the most restrictive rate - 3 or 3-50 for an overnight loan Most films are offered for two nights loan Prices are clearly indicated, either on the video or on the shelf by the videos at that price Feature film issues by certificate (1996/7) 5.2 Audio-visual materials Library video issues Since the introduction of videos at Westminster libraries, issues have steadily increased - from 1993/4 to 1996/7 by nearly 80%. However, since April 1997 video issues have fallen significantly at most libraries for the first time since the introduction of the video service. Many factors are likely to influence the performance of the video lending service: The local market and demand for the product Charging policy and loan periods Quality and suitability of the stock Presentation, access and customer service. The most obvious change from 1996 to 1997 has been the extension of the loan periods at most libraries for some categories of videos: Non-new release feature films are now lent for one week, not one night Many non-feature film videos are lent for three weeks, not one week. Extending the borrowing period probably reduces the frequency with which films are borrowed. A film borrowed on Saturday morning and returned one week later on Saturday afternoon may not be borrowed until the following weekend (this being the time when most customers wish to watch videos) and will have missed out a whole weekend as a potential loan. Video issues by subject and film category As with commercial video rental, library borrowing is dominated by feature films. The percentages of total video loans in the libraries are: features 71%; non features 14%; children s 15% % of feature film issues U PG Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 153

164 % of non-feature video issues 5 : STOCK MANAGEMENT Non-feature video issues by category (1996/7) Health Computers Food Lang Music Nature Paranormal Sport Transport Travel Other Fig shows feature film issues by viewing certificates. Nearly two thirds of feature film issues are 15 or 18 certificate - a similar proportion to those borrowed from commercial outlets. Non-feature film issues are spread over a range of categories (see Fig 5.2.3), but a few stand out as being significantly popular. The most important single category is Body and Mind (mostly health and fitness videos included in the figure as health ). Travel and Nature also take more than 10% of non feature issues. However, each individual category is only a small percentage of the overall total - Body and Mind is 2.6% of video issues and Travel is 1.5%. Video stock Total video stock in Westminster is about 12,000 items. Videos make up 3.4% of total lending stock (all materials) but supply nearly 9% of total issues. Issues per item per year average 18, with the stock of only one service point underperforming significantly. At all libraries issues per item are higher for feature films than for non features. Because of the latter, a large proportion of the total stock is on the shelf (73%), rather than on loan (27%). Feature films account for 71% of the video issues but make up only 61% of the stock. This is partly a function of shorter loan periods of feature films, but also indicates that stock is disproportionately weighted towards non feature films (assuming that issues are taken as the key measure). Video expenditure Overall, the relationship between issues and expenditure is a close one - over four years, both have risen by nearly 80%. However there have been wide variations between service points. Overall, issues per pound spent have been 1.8 (for all stock about a figure based on all materials expenditure). Video income During the period from 1993/4 to 1996/7 income increased by 34%, but the income per issue fell by 25%. Issues increased at a faster rate than income. From 1995/6 to 1996/7 issues increased by 28% but income only increased by 7%. The removal of any loan charges on a wide range of non-feature videos can be assumed to have affected the income (see below). Video profit and loss After rising for three years, profit on videos declined by 27% during the period 1995/6 to 1996/7. Out of 11 libraries, eight made less profit in 1996/7 than they did four years earlier. As a percentage of expenditure, profit has also been declining, from 88% in 1993/4 to 43% in 1996/7. Expenditure has increased faster than income. Video income - April to June 1997 special offers From 1st April 1997 several libraries introduced midweek special offer schemes covering new release videos which are normally offered for overnight loan: 154 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

165 5.2.4 Daily distribution of video income (March-June 1997) % of total income % of total income Service point March April-June 5.2 Audio-visual materials Mon-Thur Fri-Sat Mon-Thur Fri-Sat A E I K N Average New release videos borrowed on Monday or Tuesday can be kept for two nights for the same charge New release videos can be borrowed on Wednesday or Thursday for half price. The effect on income was monitored at five libraries (see Table 5.2.4). Comparing March (before the special offers) to the period April to June, there has been no significant shift away from borrowing videos at the weekend. It is clear that customers borrow videos at the weekend because that is when they want to watch them - the cost of borrowing is of secondary importance. Inducements to borrow videos during the week seem to have had the opposite effect. During the period of the special offers a greater proportion of the weekly income was taken at the weekend. Overall average weekly income went up after 1 April, but this was entirely due to a very significant increase at one library (46%) because of a counting change. Otherwise, another library showed a small fall in income, and three others slightly larger falls. There was more of a fall in income on Wednesday- Thursday than on Monday-Tuesday, suggesting that the convenience of an extra day s loan is a bigger incentive than a cheaper price. Video loan policies There have been significant changes in price and loan period: From April 1996 most adult non-feature videos were lent free of charge Between 1996 and 1997 the prices of both overnight and weekly videos were increased From April 1997 feature films which were not new releases were lent for one week (where previously most libraries had been issuing them for one night) From April 1997 many non-feature videos were lent for three weeks, instead of one week. In 1996/7 issues increased significantly - by 28% - but income much less so - by 7% - suggesting that there was an increase in loans of free videos. In the first three months of 1997/8 issues have declined but income has held up. Issues of weekly U certificate videos (which can be assumed to be mostly children s and non-feature videos), have remained at around 19,000 despite the increase in loan period. The non feature videos, for which the loan period has been extended, look as though they are only a small proportion of the issues (8%). The longer loan period for most feature films (and/ or the price increases) has depressed issues - demonstrated by the obvious shift from overnight to weekly loans, but the price increase has maintained income. Table compares income for the period April to June, for 1996 and Video income for April to June (1996 and 1997) Issues Cost Income Issues Cost Income Overnight U 3, , , , Weekly U 15, , Three weekly 3, Overnight 15 6, , , , Weekly 15 7, , , , Overnight 18 2, , , , Weekly 18 4, , , , Total 44,102 50, ,093 54, Income figures are rough calculations based on notional average cost. Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 155

166 5 : STOCK MANAGEMENT New release videos These are major feature films, usually American, often given considerable publicity by the studios and initially released for retail at a premium price. Such films form the bulk of the commercial rental market. The performance of 20 such titles released in 1996, as well as Independence Day (released in 1997), was analysed. This small survey revealed a number of important points: After six months to one year in stock, some of the videos are still categorised as new release for overnight loan only. In some cases different copies of the same title at one library have different loan status! Looking at each video s time in stock, on average each copy is borrowed less than once a week. Less than 3% of copies had been borrowed twice a week. Customers do not borrow overnight loan videos during the week Where videos had gone missing and a library had added a copy to stock some time after the initial release, that copy performed significantly less well. Most of the demand for films occurs when they are new In many cases the same title had been added to stock at different libraries several weeks apart. By not making videos available at the earliest possible occasion, income is lost during the period when the video is most in demand There is no discernible relationship between profit and the number of copies bought, although there probably ought to be one Blockbusters are usually a good investment One film (Independence Day) generated 2% of total video profit! Music recordings The music industry and the library market As with videos, the library service needs to know exactly what its objectives are regarding provision of music items. Traditionally, the library s recorded music service has been dominated by the provision of classical music. A large part of the stock is classical music. Commercially, only 8% of album sales are classical music, but for example 22% of recorded music additions to one Westminster library s stock in 1996/7 were classical, as were 48% of additions to another library s stock. The age profile of those joining Westminster Libraries, as well as the age profile of the overall commercial market, is biased toward people in their 20s and early 30s. Of adults joining the library, three quarters are aged 20 to 44. A 1996 customer survey indicated that 52% of users were aged from 20 to 44. This age group predominantly buy rock and pop music, but very little classical music. The demand for classical music is concentrated among older people: demand for albums is concentrated on a small number of chart best sellers the age profile of those using libraries corresponds to those who listen to rock and pop music the demand for classical music is restricted to those people who tend to use libraries less demand for recorded music is increasing. Music recordings issues Issues of music recordings in Westminster libraries reached a peak of 245,553 in 1991/2 and have been declining ever since, despite a small increase in 1994/5. In the first three months of 1997/8 issues declined at all libraries except one. One projection of issues for all 1997/98 gives an annual figure for music issues of 158,180 - the lowest figure for more than ten years. Music issues have been in steady decline, although demand for albums - measured by commercial sales - is rising. Libraries are not providing the recorded music stock in demand by the people who use the libraries. Since April 1993 music recordings have no longer been free to the unemployed, elderly or disabled (with some exceptions) and this has most likely caused lower borrowing by some customers. Music recordings issues by category The recorded music issue figures for 1996/7 were analysed in terms of different types of music (see Fig 5.2.6). Almost half of all music issues were pop music and just over a quarter classical music (including opera). The performance of pop music is noteworthy given the three month delay in ordering new albums and the poor provision of chart material most in demand Music issues by category (1996/7) Christmas World Stage Pop Jazz Easy Classical % of music issues 156 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

167 5.2.7 Classical music issues and stock (1996/7) 5.2 Audio-visual materials Stock Issues % of stock/issues A C I K N Total In all cases where data are available there is more classical music stock than is suggested by the demand. At one site classical music forms 22% of the stock but only 9% of the issues, and at another it is 48% of the stock but only 34% of the issues. Fig shows the relationship between classical music stock and issues for selected Westminster service points. At almost all sites pop music generates a far higher proportion of issues than classical music; at only two libraries are classical issues close to those of pop music (see Fig 5.2.8) Pop and classical music issues (1996/7) 80 % of pop/classical music issues Classical Pop A B D E F G H I J K L M N Total Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 157

168 5 : STOCK MANAGEMENT Music recordings stock Music recordings stock (all types) is about 27,000 items, making up 8% of total stock of all materials. Music recordings supply 7% of total issues. Average issues per music item are six but for all materials they are seven. These figures suggest that the music stock - particularly cassettes - underperforms. Stock profiling carried out in 1996 at five libraries in the south of the city gives a detailed breakdown into categories of the music stock (see Table 5.2.9). Table shows the percentage of stock on loan for the same categories at the same service points. At all libraries there was found to be a much greater percentage of pop on loan than of classical stock, indicating a stronger demand for pop. Music recordings expenditure There is no discernible relationship between expenditure on music recordings and issues. From 1993/4 to 1994/5 expenditure fell by 22% but issues increased by 6%. There have been contradictory pictures at different service points. In 1995/6 several libraries increased their expenditure significantly but their issues fell. Another achieved a 50% increase in issues with lower expenditure. The following year its expenditure doubled but issues fell by 30%. This suggests that much expenditure is ineffective and in future needs to be redirected to meet identified demands. Music recordings income Income has normally risen and fallen in parallel with issues, except when subscriptions increased. Music recordings profit and loss Overall, the libraries have never shown a simple profit on music recordings. However, if related income - particularly fines on overdue loans - is taken into account, then the libraries showed a profit in 1996/7. Music recordings charges In the standard charge for borrowing a CD in London ranged from nothing at Lewisham (the only authority now offering a free service) to 1.00 at Ealing. Apart from Lewisham only Lambeth (50p) and City of London (40p) charge less than 60p. A comparison of charges with issue figures indicates that too high a charge might deter customers. Table examines charges and issues in a number of London authorities. The figures should be interpreted with great caution, since they take no account of the size or quality of stock. Those authorities that charge higher rates for borrowing CDs have very low issues, particularly when compared with the rest of the service. The experience of Kensington and Chelsea would suggest that a charge of 60p is no barrier to high music issues. The free service at Lewisham has not produced particularly impressive issue figures Categories of music recordings as a % of total stock (1996) A C I K N Total Classical Pop Easy Jazz Other All figures are percentages Percentages of music recordings stock on loan, by category (1996) A C I K N Total Classical Pop Easy Jazz Other All Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

169 5.2 Audio-visual materials In Westminster, cassette charges have been reduced from 50p or 60p to 24p. Issues have continued to fall although the charge for the service has effectively gone down. Annual subscriptions The total number of annual music subscriptions (allowing customers to borrow a set number of music items for a year without further charge) has steadily fallen from about 4,100 in 1992, to 1,500 in In 1995/6 the cost of the six item subscriptions was reduced at many libraries, and the number of such subscriptions actually increased, indicating that there may be an element of price sensitivity. Otherwise, there seems to be no discernible relationship between price or value and the number of subscriptions. Other factors - quality of the stock or publicity and promotion - may determine the popularity of music subscriptions. Annual subscriptions account for up to half the income on music recordings. Recorded music borrowing by membership type A snapshot of the items on loan from the Geac database on June 29th, 1997 gives an idea of who borrows what. Although customers with annual music subscriptions make up just over 1% of all members, they borrowed 26% of all recorded music on loan and significantly more CDs than cassettes. (Holders of annual subscriptions borrowed more music items than books, but still borrowed on average more books than other members.) As the number of annual subscriptions falls every year, this will have a disproportionately high effect on issues. There is a very low rate of usage among ordinary adult members: on average only one member in 20 had a music item on loan, but each subscription holder had an average of 1.3 items on loan. Music sound recordings customer survey In 1995, Westminster carried out a survey of customers of the music sound recordings service (Westminster Libraries). This did give some useful information about who borrows music recordings. Only 40% of customers borrowed music recordings. The 60% of customers who do not borrow music gave a variety of reasons for this: 15% were unaware that they could borrow music 30% did not have a CD player About 25% (who may coincide with those who do not own CD and cassette players) were not interested in music or could not be bothered. Top 40 album chart The top 40 albums are highly significant in terms of sales - in 1995, they accounted for 25% of all album sales. We wanted to know how far top albums were represented in library stock. Accordingly, all the albums listed in the UK Top 40 Album Chart (as listed in Melody Maker, 29 March 1997) were checked on the library catalogue, together with the top 40 albums for the whole of Both checks were made on London authorities music charges and issues (1995/6) CD CD set Music Total Music issues charge charge issues issues as % of total Ealing ,488 2,019, Hillingdon ,120 2,197, Redbridge ,265 2,619, Richmond ,248 1,586, Wandsworth ,822 2,878, Sutton ,215 2,331, Kensington ,945 1,291, Westminster ,295 2,198, City of London , , Lewisham Free Free *169,707 1,465, Issue figures taken from unpublished draft CIPFA Actuals 1995/6. * Lewisham figures include talking books. Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 159

170 5 : STOCK MANAGEMENT The findings are represented in Table Of the March 1997 list, 15 of the top 40 albums were not available at all in any library, and 70% of the albums were represented by one copy or none. Of the all 1996 list, more albums were available, but there were still only 40% of items represented by one copy or more Copies available - top 40 albums (1996 and 29/3/97) No. of albums No. of albums March Top 40 No copies copy copies copies copies or more 1 9 Total Further checks on the actual availability in libraries of the top albums from March 1997 showed that 71% of them were on loan and only 13% were available in the library. A disturbingly high proportion of 16% were missing. Effectively, most customers would have had the impression that the albums were not stocked. Staff costs Table shows an approximate calculation of the staff time involved in processing new music items at each library. A total of over 730 hours amounts to about 21 weeks of a full time member of staff, possibly at a cost of 6,000 to 8,000. Clearly this wipes out even the notional profit assessed for 1996/7. Video processing takes up approximately 475 hours or 13 full time weeks of staff time per year. The resulting staffing costs of about 3,000 to 5,000 are only a small percentage of the profit of about 48, Staff time processing stock additions 1996/7 Cassette CD Video Additions Hours Additions Hours Additions Hours Total Hours/ Hours week A , B E F G H I J K L M N Total 1, , , , Assumes processing time of 6 minutes per cassette and CD, 5 minutes per video. Reference Westminster Libraries Business Unit, Music sound recording services customer survey: full report (London : Westminster Libraries, March 1995). 160 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

171 5.3 Adult non-fiction and the public library 5.3 Adult non-fiction and the public library Ian Smith Westminster Libraries and Archives Survey of a key public library service (adult non-fiction), based upon management information obtained from the library (housekeeping) automation system. The original survey contains much more information than is summarised here, including observations on the non-fiction publishing market, and analysis of the professional literature on non-fiction use. July Report may be purchased from: Iona Cairns (Adult Lending Services Manager), Charing Cross Library, 4 Charing Cross Road, London WC2H 0HG. Introduction Public libraries have traditionally regarded nonfiction as their most important product, and the one that justifies their status and establishes their value. Most library customers over the last 200 years have wanted to read fiction, but use of non-fiction books has increased relative to fiction. The report examines the library market for nonfiction, who reads it and what kind of non-fiction is read, and puts library use into this general context. It analyses the provision and use of non-fiction in Westminster Libraries, and draws conclusions about the demand for non-fiction. The study is based on the assumption that the value of library materials is directly related to their use. It relies heavily on analysis of past circulation data (Gorman and Howes, 1989). The purpose of this study is to predict future use; other research indicates that past use is a good predictor of present or future use (Baker and Lancaster, 1991). Measuring stock use and popularity Use of stock in Westminster Complete data on the use of adult book stock were collected for the year from 1st October 1996 to 30th September 1997, showing the number of issues of each item in stock during that period. Some items were not in stock for the whole period, either because they were added or deleted during the year. Only live lending stock is included. The main findings are: 30% of the stock was never borrowed during the year One third of the stock was borrowed more than six times in the year After items never borrowed, the most common range of issues was two to five times a year. By taking an average number of issues for each issue range (3.5, 8, 13 and 22 respectively) it is possible to estimate the distribution of issues. This shows that a small percentage of the items accounts for many of the issues (see Table 5.3.1). Key findings are: The most used 13% of the stock accounts for 44% of issues The least used 38% of stock generates only 2% of issues The most used one third of stock accounts for almost 80% of issues The least used two thirds of stock accounts for only 20% of issues Percentages Adult book stock use: percentages in different issue ranges Issues per year % of fiction in issue ranges % of non-fiction in issue ranges % of music books/scores in issue ranges % of items - total % of issues - total Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 161

172 5 : STOCK MANAGEMENT In public libraries, use of non-fiction stock is less intense than the use of fiction. Only 13% of non-fiction books were borrowed 11 times or more in the year. Of the non-fiction stock, 40% of the books generated only 2% of the issues; thus some 65,000 items averaged one issue every four years. These 65,000 items could be withdrawn with only a negligible effect on issues. It could be argued that removal of items which are not used - and tend to obfuscate more attractive stock - will increase issues, by allowing users to find more easily what they want. Borrowing frequency by users In Westminster a small core of users - about 30,000 people - borrow books at least once a month. The majority of users borrow books only once or twice a year. Using data from the Geac database, a 1996 Westminster Customer Survey (Westminster, 1998), and knowledge of the annual total of visits and issues, it is possible to calculate the differing impact of frequent and infrequent borrowers (see Table 5.3.2). Most library members borrow books occasionally. The small number of very frequent borrowers accounts for most of the issues. Indeed: Just 18,000 library members (13% of the total) borrow on average 90 items each year and account for 67% of all issues 75,000 library members (55% of the total) borrow on average 1.5 items each year and account for 7% of all issues. Stock performance by category Three methods of ranking the use of each subject are used in this report: of appropriately chosen, relatively new titles in an otherwise lesser-used subject could make the subject appear popular at a particular library. However, a comparison of all three measures of use across all libraries indicates a remarkable consistency. Whatever measure is used, the same type of books are popular at all libraries. The most heavily used categories of non-fiction are practical subjects, rather than academic material: Language use is foreign language learning, mostly basic cassette courses; Law and Business use is books on writing wills, renting and letting property, legal textbooks, management, accounting, CV s and interview skills, marketing and work place issues. Subjects with a lot of stock on loan usually have a high level of issues per item. Those subjects with below average amounts of stock on loan also have low issues per item (see Table 5.3.3). Biography is an exception, suggesting that a small percentage of the stock receives a lot of use, but that the remainder is little used. Some biographies receive a lot of use, particularly when they are first published; however, most appear to have a short period of high demand (maybe for one year), followed by a sudden falling off. The three least used subjects - Environment, Nature, Literature - tend to be of more academic interest and contain fewer books of particular usefulness. Table ranks stock categories by a popularity index obtained by multiplying the % on loan figure by the issues per item figure. This is in essence a measure of the efficiency of stock management processes. Issues per item Percentage of stock on loan Percentage of expected use. A factor in all three figures is the actual amount of stock. Nearly one third of non-fiction stock was not borrowed in the year in question. Past performance is a good indication of future use, so it is unlikely that this stock will be used in future. The quality of the stock can affect use, so the right number Distribution of issues and members % of expected use of subject x = Relative use of subjects A further method of calculating a subject s relative popularity is to compare the amount of use a subject receives with the actual size of the stock. Sharon Baker describes a study which develops the idea of percentage of expected use (Baker, 1993). This is calculated by dividing the relative use by the relative holdings and multiplying by 100. Thus, issues of subject x as % of total x 100 stock of subject x as % of total Frequency of Members Visits/ Annual Issues/ % of % of all borrowing Year Issues Year members issues Once a month or more 33, ,092, Every 2 to 6 months 29, , Every 6 to 12 months 75, , Total 137, ,434, Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

173 5.3.3 Stock categories ranked by order of popularity 5.3 Adult non-fiction and the public library Rank Subject % Issues/ Popularity on loan item index 1 Computers Law Language Paranormal Business Body DIY Photography Crime Food Belief Personal finance Science Fashion Travel Europe London Gardening Craft Media Parenting Pets Myths Politics Transport Art Biography Society Education History Military Sport Music Environment Nature Literature Non-fiction Baker suggests that subjects with an expected use of less than 80% are underused, and those greater than 120% have insufficient stock. There is a very strong correlation between the two different measures of use: expected use, and the popularity ranking based on a combination of issues per item and amount on loan (see Table 5.3.4). The same ten subjects figure in rankings based on the two measures (though they do not appear in the same order). The same correspondence between the different measures of use is evident when we look at the least Perspectives of Public Library Use Percentage of expected use - most popular subjects Subject Percentage of Popularity expected use rank Computers st Language rd Body th Paranormal th Crime th Business th DIY th Food th Law nd Photography th 163

174 5 : STOCK MANAGEMENT used subjects (see Table 5.3.5). Literature receives less than half the use that might be expected from the size of the literature stock Percentage of expected use - least popular subjects Subject Percentage of Popularity expected use rank Military th Education th Environment th Society th Nature th Sport nd Music rd Literature th Whichever measure of use is employed there is a clear distinction between the types of books which are popular and those which are least used. The most popular books are either those of general interest (the paranormal, true crime) or of particular practical use ( computers, learning languages, health, DIY, jobs, CVs, child care, cooking, legal issues, photography). The least used books are those of general academic interest. Book stock size Those categories for which the libraries have most stock are not necessarily the most popular (see Table 5.3.6). Indeed, apart from Business and Body, the largest categories are among the least popular. The most numerous category (literature) is the least popular. There is no discernible relationship between the size of most categories of stock and their popularity. Law, the second most popular category, represents only 1% of the stock. The three most popular categories - Computers, Language and Law - comprise only 6% of non-fiction stock. The relationship between popularity and stock size is even more distorted when we consider what is available on the shelves in the libraries. On any given day in the 11 libraries there are about 600 books on Computers, 400 books on Law, but 9,000 Literature books available. The most frequently borrowed titles In the year from April 1997 to March 1998, about 7,500 non-fiction books were borrowed 16 times or more. By identifying how many of these most borrowed books fell into each subject, it is possible to see which subjects have the most popular individual titles. (About 15,000 non-fiction items were borrowed 11 to 15 times. This is also a very high rate of usage and these items would be worth studying). The results are very similar to those given by other measures of use. Table depicts Stock size and popularity Subject Total Order of stock popularity 1 Literature 11, th 2 Travel 11, th 3 History 10, st 4 Biography 10, th 5 Business 6,447 5 th 6 Body 5,342 6 th 7 Art 5, th 8 Society 4, th 9 Science 4, th 10 Computers 2,868 1 st 11 Language 2,836 3 rd 12 Food 2, th 13 Craft 2, th 14 Belief 2, th 15 Sport 2, nd 16 Media 2, th 17 Education 1, th 18 Transport 1, th 19 Music 1, rd 20 DIY 1,447 7 th 21 Parenting 1, st 22 Gardening 1, th 23 Paranormal 1,400 4 th 24 Politics 1, th 25 Law 1,313 2 nd 26 Nature 1, th 27 Crime 1,235 9 th 28 London th 29 Fashion th 30 Personal finance th 31 Pets nd 32 Military th 33 Photography th 34 Myths rd 35 Environment th 36 Europe th Non-fiction 108,632 the numbers of copies of books which were issued 16 times a year or more, and shows them as a percentage of the most borrowed stock and of their subject stock. Given a loan period of three weeks, books borrowed 16 times a year will spend almost no time on library shelves. Almost 40% of books on computers are in this category. The seven subjects with the highest percentage of heavily used items are also the most popular seven subjects (although not in quite the same order). There is almost the same overlap with the top subjects in the ranking of expected use. Those subjects with the lowest number of heavily used items are also the least popular on any of 164 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

175 5.3.7 Most frequently borrowed titles by subject 5.3 Adult non-fiction and the public library Copies issued 16+ times pa % of total as % of as % of non-fiction Number most borrowed subject stock stock stock Computers 2.6 1, Body 4.9 1, Law Language DIY Business Paranormal Science Crime Travel Personal finance Photography Belief Food Fashion Gardening Sport Transport Craft Military London Music Biography Media Europe Politics Education Pets Art Nature History Society Literature Parenting Myths Environment Non-fiction , the other measures used. Within Biography the most used titles are royal biographies (almost all of Princess Diana and the Duchess of York) and recently published biographies. The most borrowed Literature titles are mostly practical books on creative writing, doing research and writing essays. Among popular Nature books are the Collins guides to flowers, birds and animals (as well as Collins how to identify edible mushrooms). Four subjects alone - Computers, Body, Business and Travel - account for 57% of all the most borrowed books. What makes a popular title? From Westminster s Geac database it is possible to identify each of the books which was borrowed at least 16 times during the year. The list of most borrowed titles reflects two key points: The most demand is for practical books which help to solve problems There is much more demand for general books covering a whole subject, than for books on particular aspects of a subject. Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 165

176 5 : STOCK MANAGEMENT % of subject Titles Subject issues Copies issues from (approx.) most borrowed titles Travel 86 72, Business 50 50, Computers 34 28, DIY 20 11, Body 15 45, Language 14 24, Science 14 26, Literature 10 31, April March Assuming average issues per copy = 20 Note: see Table for total stock in these subject categories The enormous influence of a small number of popular titles can be seen in Table Twenty per cent of all the issues of books on Computers come from only 34 titles. Of the books on DIY, 20 titles provide 10% of the issues. Even though there are 11,000 Literature books, just 10 titles (almost all on creative writing and essay writing) provide 1.5% of issues. If it generates 16 issues a year, a copy is rarely available in a library. There is a need to identify the most sought after titles and provide them in quantities sufficient to meet the demand. In some cases books on Word for windows, Internet, CVs, interview skills, English grammar, driving tests - this could mean purchasing hundreds of copies. A study of the list of most borrowed books establishes several clear principles regarding which items are likely to be popular over a long period of time: Useful books of practical value (e.g. on using computer software) General books, particularly introductions to a subject A level textbooks Standard and classic texts in almost every subject Books of longer term and permanent value With very few exceptions (new biographies) the list does not contain the most recently published books Many books often thought of by librarians as reference material (dictionaries) are heavily borrowed if made available. Conclusions Although library issues in general are falling, there is strong demand for a variety of non-fiction subjects. Libraries are losing their share of the non-fiction market. Far from undermining the value of the book, the growth in home computer use has created huge demand for books on computing and the Internet. Established value rather than novelty is the main factor in determining a book s use. All measures of use indicate that practical books are much more in demand than academic books. General books covering a whole subject are in more demand than particular studies. Although in general, academic subjects such as Art and Literature are not as popular as practical subjects, there is strong demand for some academic books. The established classics of religion, philosophy, literature and science are always in demand. A level textbooks in all subjects are in demand. There is considerable imbalance in the library stock: large numbers of books are unused, while there are insufficient quantities of the books and subjects most in demand. Since automated systems permit libraries to monitor use of particular subjects and titles, there is no reason for so much redundant stock to be retained on library shelves. References Baker, S.L. and Lancaster, F.W. (2 nd ed. 1991). The measurement and evaluation of libraries services. Arlington, Va.: Information Resources Press, pages 82, Baker, S.L. (1993). The responsive public library collection: how to develop and market it. Englewood, Colo.: Libraries Unlimited, pages Gorman, G.E. and Howes, B.R. (1989). Collection development for libraries. London: Bowker-Saur, pages Westminster Libraries. Library use - frequency of borrowing (1998). Westminster Libraries Business Unit (A summary of the research is published in Perspectives of public library use 2.) 166 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

177 5.4 Adult fiction and the public library 5.4 Adult fiction and the public library Ian Smith Westminster Libraries and Archives Research carried out by analysing information about fiction use derived from Westminster s automation system. Loan rates of library fiction stock are measured for best-sellers, literary authors, and prize winners. There are also comparisons of loan rates of hard and paperback fiction, and analyses of rates for heavily requested fiction titles. July Report may be purchased from Iona Cairns (Adult Lending Services Manager), Charing Cross Library, 4 Charing Cross Road, London WC2H 0HG. Borrowing of fiction genres nationally Information contained in Libraries and the consumer (Libraries) shows that over 80% of those borrowing books nationally sometimes borrow fiction. From 1989 to 1996 there was a small decrease in those borrowing mainly fiction, and a corresponding increase in those borrowing mainly non fiction (see Table 5.4.1) Fiction borrowers as % of those borrowing books at least 2 3 times per year Only fiction Mostly fiction Fiction and non fiction equally Fiction sometimes Note: Each category includes the category(ies) above Over half of those who borrow fiction sometimes borrow crime novels. This genre appears to be increasing in popularity, possibly at the expense of romance (see Table 5.4.2). Crime is also the genre borrowed most often (not shown in table) Percentage of those borrowing fiction who sometimes borrow fiction genres Genre Crime Historical Romance Adventure th century novels Short stories Science fiction/fantasy Classics Horror Westerns 3 5 Note: Information from Libraries and the consumer (Book Marketing Ltd) Borrowing of fiction genres in Westminster Fiction borrowing in Westminster shows significant differences from the national situation (see Table 5.4.3). Genre fiction accounts for only one third of fiction issues (less if classic fiction is excluded), with 16% being crime fiction. All other Issues of Westminster fiction genres as a % of total issues Genre Total % % of total * issues of total nationally Classics 20,679 3 Crime 96, Graphic novels Horror 12, Romance 37, Science fiction 28, Short stories 2, Westerns 1, Total genre 201, General fiction 419, Total 621, * Public Lending Right figures Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 167

178 5 : STOCK MANAGEMENT genres account for 6% or less. Nationally, romances appear to be much more popular than they are in Westminster. Science fiction is more popular in Westminster, but Westminster includes Fantasy in Science fiction, and this may not be the case with all sources of the national figures. There could be a number of reasons for these differences: The figures are not always directly comparable Better educated customer base in London A Westminster trend away from traditional genre fiction and a greater interest in new and modern fiction Provision of new and modern fiction is better in Westminster libraries. Classic fiction authors and the bookstock Providing books accepted as intellectual and literary has long been considered one of the key purposes of a public library. There are two related issues concerning the provision of literary and classic fiction: How great is the demand for such material? To what extent do libraries have a duty to provide such material, irrespective of demand? The Westminster Libraries Stock Standards state that the three most important lending libraries will provide a wide range and depth of stock in most areas and formats. What is range and depth of fiction provision? What should be stocked beyond the immediate demands of best-seller lists? There are two aspects to broad coverage of fiction: Historical depth Nationally, several authors of established literary classics regularly record very high levels of issues; in some cases - Emily and Charlotte Bronte, Lewis Carroll, Louisa Alcott these are from a small number of titles (see Table 5.4.4). Table gives details of a survey of demand in Westminster for a selection of 20th century authors considered to be important - but perhaps not very popular - literary figures. Of 1,125 copies of these authors work in Westminster stock, 31% were on loan. As many of the copies involved were old and in hardback, the figure of about one third of stock on loan indicates that demand for these authors is much the same as for fiction as a whole. Many of the authors surveyed were unevenly represented, with several copies of minor works present, but not the important titles. (This was particularly the case with Kafka.) It is clear from this survey that there is demand for a range of literary fiction. Measures of use There are two important measures of use in Westminster: percentage of stock on loan issues per item each year. Fig measures use of the different fiction genres by these two features. On both measures, the general A Z sequence of fiction had more use than the displays of genre fiction - except for the crime category. Crime and romance are the genre categories performing best. Contemporary writing - international authors and coverage of minority areas of interest Most borrowed classic fiction authors Estimated loans between 200,000 and 600,000 Jane Austen Thomas Hardy Daphne du Maurier Estimated loans over 100,000 Arthur Conan Doyle Rudyard Kipling J.R.R. Tolkien Charles Dickens D.H. Lawrence Anthony Trollope E.M. Forster George Orwell Estimated loans over 50,000 Louisa Alcott Wilkie Collins Robert L. Stevenson Charlotte Bronte Joseph Conrad H.G. Wells Emily Bronte George Eliot Oscar Wilde John Buchan Aldous Huxley Virginia Woolf Lewis Carroll W. Somerset Maugham Source: Public Lending Right figures Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

179 5.4.5 Loans of 20th century literary authors 5.4 Adult fiction and the public library On shelf On loan Total % on loan 1 Toole, J Kafka, F Pynchon, T Hemingway, E Isherwood, C Baldwin, J Huxley, A Bellow, S Hesse, H Forster, E M Sartre, J-P Levi, P Maugham, W S Faulkner, W Wharton, E Woolf, V Fitzgerald, F S Gide, A Ford, F M Miller, H Wilson, A Boll, H Priestley, J B White, P Svevo, I Total Data collected last week of November Fiction genres - measures of use ( ) Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 169

180 5 : STOCK MANAGEMENT Paperback best-sellers Table shows an amalgamation of three consecutive weeks of The Bookseller top 40 paperback best sellers, and indicates the availability of copies in Westminster libraries. Most titles appear in all three weeks. It shows that best-seller lists are an extremely good indicator of library demand. Of all copies of the titles in the best-seller lists, 72% were on loan. Of the paperback versions, 78% were on loan. Even a title with a large number of copies - such as High fidelity (67 copies) - had three quarters of those copies on loan Paperback and hardback best-sellers and library use Hardbacks Paperbacks Title Total On % Total On % Total % shelf on loan shelf on loan on loan Bridget Jones diary Alias Grace Captain Corelli s mandolin Cause celeb The beach The branded man Death is now my neighbour High fidelity Mad cows The keys to the street Icon Ramses: the son of light Charity The woman who walked into doors Cocaine nights Cause of death Evening class Cross of St George Shadow baby Next of kin Straight talking The tailor of Panama Quite ugly one morning Popcorn Horse whisperer Grand affair The clinic Sophie s world Sap rising Birdsong The wasp factory Accordion crimes Love in the time of cholera Shipping news Desperation Reading in the dark Foetal attraction Behind the scenes at the museum The laws of our fathers Excession Star Trek new frontier 3 Anita and me Men in black Feet of clay Asylum Total Data collected last week of November Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

181 5.4 Adult fiction and the public library The tables indicate that new paperbacks are just as popular as new hardbacks in terms of the percentage on loan. The presence in stock of hardback copies has no detrimental effect on the use of paperbacks. Each hardback copy generates ten times as many requests as each paperback copy, and this more than anything else prevents the copies from appearing on the shelves. Other points to note are: Insufficient copies are bought to meet the demand for identifiably popular titles Some titles remain in the best-seller lists for a long time Two months after the date of the best-seller lists, there were no paperback copies in stock of 12 titles. Booker Prize Given the low level of expenditure on promoting fiction, it could be expected that the Booker Prize would have considerable impact on demand. The shortlists for the four years from 1993 to 1996 were examined on one date in November to assess the use of the 23 titles involved (see Table 5.4.8). Except for 1996, the winning title has proved to be the one most in demand. The titles which have proved popular are those by established and known authors who have generally received publicity in addition to the Booker Prize. In almost every case paperbacks are more popular than hardbacks. The exception was the 1995 shortlist, which provides evidence of some strange stock selection. Out of 21 titles in stock in hardback, ten had fewer than 30% of copies on loan. It would seem that Booker Prize short-listing does not automatically guarantee usage and popularity Recent Booker Prize shortlist titles stock on loan Hardback Paperback Total Year Title Author On On % On On % % on shelf loan on loan shelf loan on loan loan 1996 Last orders Swift Alias Grace Atwood Fine balance Mistry Every man for himself Bainbridge Reading in the dark Deane Orchard on fire Mackay Total Ghost road Barker In every face I meet Cartwright Moor s last sigh Rushdie Morality play Unsworth The riders Winton Total How late it was, how late Kelman Beside the ocean of time Brown Reef Gunesekera Paradise Gurnah Folding star Hollinghurst Knowledge of angels Walsh Total Paddy Clarke, ha, ha, ha! Doyle Under the frog Fischer Scar tissue Ignatieff Remembering Babylon Mahlouf Crossing the river Phillips Stone diaries Shields Total Grand Total Data collected on 28 November 1997 Winning titles in grey type Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 171

182 5 : STOCK MANAGEMENT Requests In Westminster the availability of new best-selling hardback fiction is determined by the requests system. The top 15 hardback fiction titles for the week ending 29th November 1997 were surveyed (see Table 5.4.9). These titles had generated an average of 47 requests each, although there was considerable disparity between five titles (responsible for about 100 requests each) and the remainder. Of 213 copies of these books, not a single one was available in a library. Because each request is satisfied by the first copy available in the system, each loan of an item is normally followed by a period in transit to another library - to wait on a shelf for the reader to be notified and then to collect the item. The 14 titles considered in Table had all generated on average about one issue a month, irrespective of their publication date. This is a very low rate of use for the libraries most popular material Requests for hardback best sellers Title Author Copies Total Active Active holds holds holds per copy Jingo Pratchett Remote control McNab Unnatural exposure Cornwell, P lb penalty Francis God of small things Roy Certain justice James Excalibur Cornwell, B Memoirs of a geisha Golden Song of stone Banks Lady on my left Cookson Road rage Rendell Does my bum look big... Weir Ghost Steele Question of integrity Howatch Total Average Data collected on 11th December A reissue of The Hobbit was at 6 in this list but was excluded. Reference Libraries and the consumer : a comprehensive guide to the library market (Sept 1997). ISBN , London: Book Marketing Ltd. 172 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

183 5.5 Library use - frequency of borrowing 5.5 Library use - frequency of borrowing Ian Smith Westminster Libraries and Archives This short summary is drawn from a Westminster study of management information concerning the frequency of borrowing by members. The key finding is that a high proportion of issues are made to a small proportion of the membership. February Report may be purchased from Iona Cairns (Adult Lending Services Manager), Charing Cross Library, 4 Charing Cross Road, London WC2H 0HG. Introduction The following analysis looks at data on the frequency of borrowing from Westminster Libraries and at the important effect this has on the distribution of issues among library members. It is not concerned with other uses of the library - i.e. those that do not involve recorded transactions in members user records. We do know that up to 40% of visits to a library do not involve the borrowing of items, and the patterns of library use by those not borrowing books would certainly be worth a separate study. In this study borrowing also includes remote use - for example renewal of items by telephone or letter. Unless specified, use means the borrowing, return or renewal of items. There are about 700 Class memberships involving group use of a single ticket. These memberships are used more frequently than individual memberships - only 36% had not been used in the previous six months. Assuming 20 children to a class this would add about 10% to the membership total if they were treated as individuals. However institutional and class use of libraries is a separate issue from individual use. The analysis of individual library use is not affected significantly by the existence of class use. Frequency of library use From the Geac database we know that library members use their library membership cards with the frequency depicted in Table (These rates of use appear to change very little over time.) Thus approximately one quarter of library members actually used the library in the previous month and it is assumed that this number regularly use the library each month Frequency of library use (from Geac) Members % Last month 32, Last 2 to 3 months 14, Last 4 to 6 months 14, Not in last 6 months 74, Frequency of use by library There is considerable uniformity of use at libraries except that: One library has a very low rate of regular use, with only 470 people using the library at least once a month Another library has lower regular use and a slightly higher rate of members who have not used the library in the last six months The highest rates of regular use are at two very different libraries. Different types of users Westminster has unusually large numbers of users who are not resident in the borough. There is very little difference between the borrowing patterns of residents and non residents, although non residents are slightly more regular users. Table shows that children are slightly more regular users than adults. (This would be even more noticeable if children using class memberships were treated individually.) More than half of all child members have used the library in the last six months. Youth members (16-17 year olds) use the library least frequently Frequency of use by age group Adult Child Youth Last month Not in last 6 months % of members in each group. Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 173

184 5 : STOCK MANAGEMENT Frequency of use and issues In 1996/7 there were approximately 2,500,000 issues and 2,400,000 visits to community libraries in Westminster. We know from the 1996 survey that about 60% of those visiting a library borrow something. Therefore there are about 1,600,000 visits a year resulting in the borrowing of items. The 1996 survey gives some information about how often regular customers visit the library. This survey took place over one week, so the likelihood of frequent and infrequent users being in a library to be surveyed can be calculated as in Table Probability of regular or infrequent users being surveyed Users by frequency of use Chance of being surveyed Last month 81% Last 2 to 3 months 10% Last 4 to 6 months 6% Not in last 6 months 3% A Westminster report in Section 5.3 was referenced as Westminster (Westminster Libraries Business Unit). Using the data from Geac (which gives very consistent information on frequency of library use), and the last customer survey (which gives some idea of the habits of regular users), it is possible to estimate the data in Table and Fig We know the total issues for the year (2.5 million) and the approximate number of borrowing visits (1.6 million). Therefore it is assumed that each borrowing visit results in 1.5 issues. However: It seems likely that the visitors figure is an over estimate Book Marketing Limited assert (England, 1992) that regular borrowers borrow more books on each visit than do less frequent borrowers. It is possible that the following figures underestimate the importance of regular borrowers. This analysis shows the extremely disproportionate impact of the small number of borrowers who use the library frequently: 6% of users account for 35% of issues 24% of users account for 86% of issues There are 75,000 members (55% of the total) who account for just 7% of the issues issues Frequency of members visits linked to issue number Members Visits/ Visits Issues Issues/ % of % of (000 s) year (000 s) (000 s) year members At least weekly Weekly Fortnightly At least monthly Once a month or more ,395 2, Every 2 to 3 months Every 4 to 6 months Every 2 to 6 months Twice a year Once a year Every 6 to 12 months Total ,623 2, Figures in italics are estimates based on 1996 customer survey. 174 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

185 5.5 Library use - frequency of borrowing Frequency of members visits linked to their share of total issues % of issues Two kinds of users? In addition to considering users according to characteristics such as age, sex and language, it may also be relevant to think about users in terms of the frequency of their borrowing. Out of about 135,000 members there are 18,000 who account for 67% of all borrowing. Another 75,000 members are responsible for just 7% of issues. Thus there are at least two significant groups of users: Those borrowing about 90 items a year Those borrowing two items a year. Conclusions We can make assumptions about library use, but it could be very productive to investigate: How accurate is the above analysis? It should be possible to analyse a random sample of user records directly from Geac over a period of time. Of those 55% of members who have not borrowed in the last six months, how many have used the library at all other than to join? Why is the pattern of low use so different at one library only? Do frequent users borrow more books on each occasion? Of those users only borrowing two items a year: What makes them use the library? Is it a correct assumption that most people only want a limited range of specific material. How do we increase the borrowing of users who already take 90 to 100 items a year? We need to decide whether to concentrate services on a small core of regular users (equivalent to less than 10% of the local population) or to look for ways of developing the service to meet the needs of the majority of users who only borrow items infrequently. References Westminster Libraries Business Unit Libraries User Survey : full report. London: Westminster Libraries, 12. England, L Borrowing books : readership and library usage in Great Britain. London : Book Marketing, 18. Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 175

186 5 : STOCK MANAGEMENT 5.6 Paperbacks in public libraries Joan Reuben This is a report of research into several aspects of paperback provision in public libraries. It was undertaken - in association with the Library and Information Statistics Unit (LISU) - as a dissertation for a Masters qualification at Loughborough University. Reuben, Joan The use, acquisition and cost-effectiveness of paperbacks in public libraries. MA dissertation, Loughborough University, supervised by David Spiller. To be published by LISU, Spring Introduction The work comprised four pieces of research, reported below. This summary omits a number of features from the dissertation, and many of the detailed data, including: authority information on the cataloguing, display and reinforcement of paperbacks; user preferences on print size and library layout; and the surveys on the durability of different binding/reinforcing methods. Publication patterns We looked at the sequence of publication for hardback and paperback versions of the same title, the time intervals between the formats, and the price differences. We selected four samples of book titles at random from March 1995 issues of the Bookseller, then identified other editions of the titles - whether these were published before or after the editions originally identified. The relationships between them were analysed. Publication patterns by format Fig depicts format information from the four samples, showing the original format of the title selected, plus any subsequent formats. In the general fiction category, 60% of the titles appeared first in hardback and then in paperback - much the largest percentage amongst the four samples to display this traditional format pattern. Surprisingly, 96% of all the titles appeared in paperback at some point - again the highest percentage amongst the four categories. 28% appeared only in paperback Sequence of publication formats, by category % in each category Paperback only 176 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

187 5.6 Paperbacks in public libraries The genre fiction category presented a more varied picture with 42% of the titles following the hardback then paperback pattern, 15% appearing only in hardback and 27% only in paperback. In the biography category, 35% of titles appeared as hardback then paperback, 38% of titles as hardback only, and 19% as paperback only. The medicine category was different from the other three, since very few titles appeared in more than one format: 54% were in hardback only and 38% paperback only. Intervals between hard and paperbacks Fig summarises - by category - the intervals between the publication of hard and paperback titles for those titles which had been published in hardback initially. In the case of general fiction, 16 (89%) of the 18 titles appeared in paperback within 18 months of the hardback, and 39% appeared within nine months. Paperbacks for genre fiction and biographies had longer gestation periods. With genre fiction, 59% of the paperback editions appeared within 18 months, and a further 18% within months. With biographies, nearly half the hardback titles had not appeared in paperback - at least not at the time of this survey. Of the remaining 11 titles, eight had appeared within 18 months. Hard and paperback price differences For general fiction, the median price of hardbacks was 15 more than double that for paperbacks ( 5.99). The median price difference between the two was 9. The medians conceal a considerable range of price differences, from 3 to 12. Prices for genre fiction were quite similar. The median price of a hardback was and of a paperback The median difference between the two was 10. Again the medians concealed a wide range of price differences, the highest being 12 and the lowest 5. There were only five titles for which both hard and paperback prices for biographies were available. The median hardback price was more than double the median paperback price of The median difference between the two was 10. Paperback provision in public libraries The aim of the survey reported in this section was to provide a current picture of paperback provision in UK public libraries, covering the extent of paperback provision compared to hardback, the cataloguing and display arrangements for paperbacks, the forms of reinforcement used, and librarians estimates of paperback shelf lives Intervals between hard and paperback publication, all categories Number of titles Medicine Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 177

188 5 : STOCK MANAGEMENT A questionnaire was sent by post to all 208 UK library authorities, and 148 replies were received - a response rate of 71%. Quantity of paperback purchasing Respondents were asked: Did you keep a record of the number of paperbacks purchased? Four out of five respondents (119 out of 148, or 80%) said that they did not have a record of the number of paperbacks purchased. Figure shows the responses for the 22 authorities which gave full replies and for which information on total book acquisitions was available from the LISU public libraries database. Paperback provision was substantial, with only one authority buying fewer than 5,000 books. Fifteen authorities (68%) bought between 5,000 and 30,000 paperbacks. Three bought more than 100,000. The median number purchased by this group of 22 authorities was 19,000. When these figures were looked at in relation to total book provision, it was clear that there was considerable variation in paperback purchasing patterns. For four authorities (18%) paperbacks accounted for 60-70% of books purchased. For ten authorities (45%), around half the books purchased (40-60%) were paperbacks and for six authorities (27%) they accounted for 20-40%. There were two extreme values: for one authority it appeared that only 4% of the books purchased were paperbacks (perhaps there was a recording error here). For one large authority, 85% of books purchased were paperbacks and it was stated that it was the policy of the authority to buy paperbacks wherever possible. Paperback purchasing of different book categories Respondents were asked: Please state which format is generally preferred when purchasing the following categories of books (assuming both formats to be available)? The answers prompted were: adult reference; adult non-fiction; adult classic fiction; adult light fiction. Responses, from all 148 authorities, are summarised in Fig A majority of authorities had no preference in the case of reference, adult nonfiction and classic fiction books - though where a preference was indicated, the hardback format was preferred by more authorities for reference and by slightly more for classic fiction. The paperback format was preferred by slightly more for adult nonfiction. Opinions expressed for light fiction were different, with nearly half of all respondents preferring paperbacks, and 41% having no preference. Respondents were also asked: In what circumstance would you buy paperbacks rather than hardbacks? The prompted responses were: to provide copies for waiting lists; where the price difference is considerable; for reference books; for works likely to have limited readership; other circumstances. Responses were received from 132 authorities on waiting lists, 144 on price differences, 105 on reference books, and 131 on limited readership. Nearly all respondents said they would prefer paperbacks when there was a large price difference, 90% when there was a limited readership and 83% would buy paperbacks for waiting lists. Only 38% said they would buy paperbacks for reference works Paperbacks purchased (% of total book acquisitions) % of total books purchased Median = 46% 178 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

189 5.6.4 Authorities preferred formats for book categories 5.6 Paperbacks in public libraries Number of responses Hardback Paperback No preferences Paperbacks and the public library user This survey aimed to find out whether - in the format preferences of public library users had changed since those reported in surveys years earlier. Two hundred adults were interviewed at Cambridge Central library and 100 at Peterborough library in Cambridgeshire. Format preferences for fiction Respondents were shown the same fiction title, in both hard and paperback editions. The two editions had a similar print size, and had received similar amounts of (slight) wear. The hardback was in a plastic sleeve and the paperback a plastic jacket. Respondents were asked: If you wanted to borrow this book, and both these copies were available, which would you choose - the hardback or the paperback? Overall, the responses were: 93 respondents (46.5%) preferred the paperback format, 70 (35%) the hardback, and 37 (18.5%) had no preference. These findings show two differences from those of previous surveys: first, more people expressed a preference for paperbacks than for hardbacks, which was not the case in surveys carried out in the 1980s (Goodall) (Spiller); secondly, views appear to have polarised, with most people expressing a preference for one format or the other, and relatively small numbers reporting no preference. Respondents who had expressed a preference for one format or the other were asked for their reasons for the preference, more than one reason being acceptable. Tables and summarise reasons for preferring, respectively, paperbacks and hardbacks. Perspectives of Public Library Use Respondents reasons for preferring paperbacks Their lightness/portability 62 (67%) Easy to handle/grip 22 (24%) Value judgements 11 (12%) Aesthetic reasons 8 (9%) Total number preferring the paperback edition Respondents reasons for preferring hardbacks Their durability 25 (36%) Easy to handle/grip 21 (30%) Value judgements 16 (23%) Aesthetic reasons 10 (14%) Legibility/print size 10 (14%) Tradition/familiarity with the format 2 (3%) Not mislaid among own paperbacks 1 (1%) Total number preferring the hardback edition 70 Format preferences for non-fiction Following the question about preferences for fiction, respondents were also asked: For a non-fiction book, which format would you prefer? Table (overleaf) summarises the responses, and compares them to the responses for fiction. Overall, 80 respondents (40%) preferred non-fiction in hardback, 65 (32.5%) preferred paperbacks, and 55 (27.5%) had no preference. The preferences relating to non-fiction were different from those for fiction: more people preferred hardback for non-fiction than for fiction, and more people had no preference. 179

190 5 : STOCK MANAGEMENT Format preferences for non-fiction and fiction Number (%) preferring each format for: Non-fiction Fiction Hardback 80 (40%) 70 (35%) Paperback 65 (32.5%) 93 (46.5%) No preference 55 (27.5%) 37 (18.5%) Total Substantially fewer people preferred paperbacks for non-fiction than was the case for fiction. Durability and cost-effectiveness of paperbacks Our aims were to determine which book formats, and which binding/reinforcing methods, were subject to the least physical deterioration during library use. We also wanted - as described later in this section - to relate the costs of different formats and reinforcing methods to their durability, so as to determine which methods were most cost-effective. In the first part of the exercise, we compared the condition on library shelves of hardbacks and paperbacks - the latter subjected to various covering and reinforcing methods - and related them to a) the number of issues they had sustained, and b) the length of time they had been on the open shelves. A study of 100 titles from the biography section was carried out, at Peterborough Central Library, Cambridgeshire. Durability related to issues and/or time on the shelf Considerations of space have obliged us to omit the details of the surveys from this summary, but we try here to relate the omitted data for both issues and time on the shelf. For background information, Fig shows the median numbers of issues for the four biography samples, together with the median time (in months) that the books had been on the shelves. We see that hardbacks in sleeves, and paperbacks in plastic jackets, had on average been on the shelves for considerably longer than the other two categories, and had sustained considerably larger numbers of issues. However, this information does not take condition into account - and in any case it refers to books during, not at the end, of their shelf lives. It is helpful to summarise the condition of the books at one particular point in terms of both the issues and time on the shelf. Condition was indicated by a scoring system described in the dissertation, with a high score conveying good condition, and low scores poor condition. The maximum possible score was 15. After issues, hardbacks in sleeves obtained condition scores of 11-13; paperbacks in plastic jackets, 9-12; paperbacks in takibak, 7-11; and laminated paperbacks After 48 to 72 months on the shelf, hardbacks in sleeves achieved scores of 11-13; paperbacks in Median issue numbers and months on shelf for durability samples Median issue numbers & median months on shelf 180 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

191 5.6 Paperbacks in public libraries plastic jackets, 8-12; and paperbacks in takibak Only two laminated paperbacks had been on the shelf this long and they had scores of 7 and 10. In summary, it is clear that hardbacks in sleeves withstood repeated issues well, as did paperbacks in plastic jackets. The performance of the paperbacks in plastic jackets is particularly impressive, given their softer format. Indeed at the point at which they were examined, the paperbacks in jackets had on average been issued slightly more than the hardbacks - though this may have been an accidental function of the random choice of books. It is also clear that the condition of paperbacks in takibak and laminated paperbacks did not stand up to use nearly as well. At the point at which they were examined, the laminated paperbacks had on average sustained very few issues - though again this may have been accidental or might suggest that lamination was not a common treatment until recently. One would expect issues to cause books to deteriorate more rapidly than time on the shelf, because issues cause the books to be handled more frequently. This thesis is certainly borne out by the survey. Cost-effectiveness The dissertation combined the information on durability with cost data, to produce measures of cost-effectiveness. The average purchase costs of fiction and non-fiction hard and paperbacks were combined with the costs of reinforcement (by several methods) to yield shelf-ready costs. These averages were then divided by the estimated life in issues for different formats to give cost per issue. (The detail of the calculations may be found in the full dissertation.) The average cost per issue of fiction hardbacks was around 1.4 times that of fiction paperbacks, and the cost per issue of non-fiction hardbacks around 1.3 times that for non-fiction paperbacks. We concluded that on average the paperback format was the more cost-effective option - even allowing for the additional administrative costs of reordering paperbacks which had worn out more quickly than hardbacks. However, cost-effectiveness is sensitive to the price differences between hard and paperback formats. The smaller the price difference, the less cost-effective is it to buy the paperback version. Where the hardback is double the cost of the paperback, the paperback is more cost-effective; but where the hardback is less than 1.6 times the cost of the paperback, the hardback is more cost-effective. References Goodall, D. (1989). Browsing in public libraries. Department of Library & Information Studies, Loughborough University of Technology. Spiller, D.J. (1980). The provision of fiction for public libraries. Journal of librarianship 12(4), Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 181

192 5 : STOCK MANAGEMENT 5.7 Practical stock management and stock rotation on mobile libraries: case studies in six English authorities Christopher I Lumb Summary taken from a dissertation submitted for an MA degree. The author carried out case studies of mobile libraries in six public library authorities: the Worksop, Apsley and West Bridgford areas of Nottinghamshire; Rotherham; Kirklees; Lincolnshire; Derbyshire; and Barnsley. The dissertation concentrates on stock management - especially stock rotation - though other management aspects are also referred to. This resume is drawn from the author s own Summary and analysis of case studies. Much additional information can be obtained from the original work - notably the case studies and the author s discussion of the issues and conclusions. Lumb, Christopher I Practical stock management and stock rotation on mobile libraries: case studies in six English authorities. MA dissertation, Loughborough University, Department of Information Science, supervised by John Sumsion. Organisation of services A wide variety of managerial and operational methods were found: In Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire, mobiles are generally based at large static branches and included in district or area circulation rotas for stock purpose. In Nottinghamshire, librarians responsible for both adult and junior stock on the three mobiles all work at the mobiles base libraries. In Lincolnshire the system is similar, but every district employs four area librarians, each with specific responsibilities for an aspect of service throughout all service points e.g. for all adult stock or all junior stock. In Barnsley and Rotherham, mobiles are administered by a separate Mobiles Division. In Barnsley a Senior Assistant-in-Charge is responsible for stock and staffs the mobile full time. In Rotherham a Senior Librarian (Mobiles and Community Care Division) is responsible for stock at several service points, including the two mobiles. In both authorities the mobiles have their own premises, where they are garaged, and where reserve stock is kept. In West Kirklees the four mobiles operate from a central base - the authority s Cultural Services Headquarters - which also houses the specialist Children s Book Service, and all reserve stock for the West Kirklees area. Two assistant librarians (job share) are responsible for the mobiles service and for stock in four other static branches. But each mobile is included separately in the stock exchange cycle which involves all 18 service points in the area. Derbyshire has three maximum capacity vehicles - larger than conventional mobiles, with a shelf capacity of 3,700-4,000 volumes. They operate more as small branch libraries on wheels, spending half or full days in each community. An Assistant-in-Charge is responsible for all three services, and the vehicles travel to all parts of the county. All three are the responsibility of a district librarian, and are included in a comprehensive new stock circulation system involving all 12 service points in the district. Routes and communities served Most mobiles studied operate a fortnightly route schedule, though a few are weekly. Except in Rotherham, base days are usually whole days. They are used for stock revision work, cleaning vehicles, and routine maintenance. All mobiles studied operate on weekdays, during the day - predominantly to very young or older customers. The Derbyshire mobiles operate to 6pm or 6.30pm on four weekday evenings. Barnsley and Rotherham mobiles operate on some or all weekday evenings. Kirklees operates from 9am to 8pm every weekday. One mobile operates on Saturday morning. Most service times - i.e. the average time per week the vehicle is open to customers, excluding travelling time between stops - are between hours per week. The highest figure, in Kirklees, is about 40. No mobiles were open for fewer than 19.5 hours a week. 182 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

193 5.7 Practical stock management and stock rotation on mobile libraries There is a wide variation in the number of stops served by each mobile, ranging from 66 for Apsley (Nottinghamshire) to 180 for Worksop (Nottinghamshire). The average length of time per stop varies from 13 to 43 minutes. Staffing All the mobiles are staffed on the daily routes by library assistants rather than by qualified librarians. Kirklees single-staffs its vehicles with driver/assistants (several originally employed as drivers). In Rotherham, Barnsley and Lincolnshire, the library assistants work full-time on the mobile and do not work in static service points. In Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire the mobiles are staffed by a number of different assistants (as many as 10 in one case), who do the same routes each week or fortnight. In Nottinghamshire most of these staff also work in static service points. In Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, Barnsley and Rotherham the library assistants have some responsibility for stock exchanges. In Derbyshire and Kirklees this function is carried out centrally. Issue figures Table shows the total issues for each mobile in , and the proportion of adult and junior issues. The range per mobile is from 59,114 to 117,022. The median is 84,635. Though issues for Apsley (serving Nottingham City) were the lowest, they still compared very favourably with many of the 20 static services points within the city boundary. Few authorities were able to provide a breakdown of issues figures by stock category, but all said that adult fiction predominated. Adult fiction issues on the Derbyshire mobiles were 61% and 63% of total issues, and in Kirklees 70%. Adult issues comprised a high proportion of total issues, ranging from 75% to 86% across the eleven mobiles Book issues figures Authority and mobile library Adult issues % Junior issues % Total issues Derbyshire (1) MCV2 64, , ,635 MCV3 70, , ,563 Nottinghamshire Aspley 46, , ,114 West Bridgford 55, , ,515 Worksop 100, , ,022 Barnsley (2) 71, , ,223 Rotherham (3) M2 Not available Not available 80,709 M3 71,413 Kirklees (4), (5) 50, , ,524 Lincolnshire Boston (6) 73, , ,808 Holbeach (7) 82, , ,756 Notes: (1) Junior issues for MCV2 and MCV3 include Jigsaws (2) Figure for total Spoken Word issues included in Adult issues (3) figures (4) Figure for total Spoken Word issues included in Adult issues (5) Kirklees figures are average figures for four vehicles (6) Figures for total Spoken Word and Videos issues included in Adult issues (7) Figures for total Spoken Word, Videos and Other have been included in Adult issues Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 183

194 5 : STOCK MANAGEMENT Stock Table shows the total stock held by each mobile, and the balance of stock in the major stock categories. Total stock includes bookstock for lending which is either on loan or on the shelves at the annual count. Total stock allocated at the annual counts ranged from 6,500 to 10,000. (The shelf capacity of most mobiles ranges from 2,500 to 3,000). Kirklees, by rotating vehicles weekly, estimate that they can give mobile customers access to 11,000 different books over a four-week period. Stock is clearly geared towards adult customers - adult stock comprising 70-80% in many cases. Adult fiction is the biggest single element, accounting for over 60% of stock on four mobiles, and only dropping below 50% in Derbyshire and two of the Lincolnshire vehicles. (In the two Derbyshire vehicles, 47% and 48% of stock is adult fiction, but the proportion of total issues generated by adult fiction is 61% and 63%.) The amount of adult non-fiction stock is relatively low on all vehicles, falling below 10% of all stock in Barnsley and Kirklees, and rising above 20% only on the five Lincolnshire mobiles Total stock and bookstock proportions Authority/mobile Total stock % adult % junior % AF % ANF Derbyshire MCV2 8, MCV3 8, Nottinghamshire Aspley 6, West Bridgford 6, Worksop 7, Barnsley 11,565 (1) Rotherham (2) M2 9, M3 6, Kirklees (3) Not available Lincolnshire Holland area: Boston 8, Holbeach 9, (4), (5) Mid-Lincs area: Sleaford 1 2, Sleaford 2 2, Horncastle 2, Notes: (1) Includes reserve stock at base (2) figures (3) Estimated average figures for four vehicles (4) All figures for Mid-Lincs based on shelf stock at annual count (5) AF figures for Mid-Lincs include Spoken Word stock General notes: All proportions are percentages of total stock, e.g. 50% in AF column would indicate 50% of total stock, not 50% of adult stock. Stock proportions are for bookstock only and therefore will not all add up to 100% (audio-visual materials not included in table). Where large print stock figures were provided separately these have been included in AF. 184 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

195 5.7 Practical stock management and stock rotation on mobile libraries Stock turn Stock turn figures (for most of the mobiles studied) were obtained by dividing total adult and total junior issues by the total amounts of adult and junior lending stock (see Table 5.7.3). The adult stock turn figures are very consistent, with all but one coming in the range The 18.4 figure for Worksop is extraordinary, and may have been influenced by a computer error. Six of the eight junior stock figures obtained are in the lower range 7.0 to 8.3. We compared some mobile stock turn figures with the stock turn for static service points in their areas (see Table 5.7.4). The static service points have where possible been chosen because of their similar stock allocation or similar numbers of annual issues to the corresponding mobiles. Nevertheless comparisons should be treated with caution, because of probable differences in stock levels, local circumstances, and opening hours Stock turn figures mobile libraries Adult Junior Derbyshire MCV MCV Nottinghamshire Aspley West Bridgford Worksop (18.44) 8.30 Barnsley Rotherham Kirklees Figures not available Figures not available Lincolnshire Boston Holbeach None of the static branches have a higher stock turn figure than mobiles in the same authority - for adult or for junior stock. In fact, most of the branch adult figures are approximately half their areas mobile figures Stock turn figures comparable service points Authority/branch Adult Junior Adult Junior Stock turn stock stock issues issues A J Derbyshire Alfreton (dist lib) 26,356 7, ,565 33, MCV2 5,825 2,774 64,174 20, MCV3 6,047 2,837 70,527 21, Nottinghamshire Western Boulevard 7,270 3,529 29,837 20, Aspley mobile 4,684 1,788 46,523 12, Cotgrave 7,163 4,500 35,925 21, West Bridgford mobile 5,078 1,595 55,440 12, Langold 4,704 1,850 20,897 5, Worksop mobile 5,445 2, ,411 16, Barnsley Wombwell 15,093 6,128 91,678 19, Mobile 7,572 2,715 71,342 14, Rotherham Kirklees Figures not available Figures not available Lincolnshire Donington 6,273 3,251 25,485 7, Boston mobile 6,602 1,701 73,079 13, Holbeach mobile 7,152 1,865 82,352 19, Notes: (1) Nottinghamshire figures for static branches based on statistics (2) Book stock only has been used to calculate static branch library stock turn figures. Mobile library figures include all stock (Spoken Word and Other accounts for 2-5% of stock on mobiles). Mobiles in green font. Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 185

196 5 : STOCK MANAGEMENT Proportion of stock on shelves Table shows the percentage of total adult and junior stock on mobile shelves. The adult proportion was between 35-45% for all eight mobiles which had a breakdown of adult/junior stock. The junior figures fluctuate more, ranging from 27-70% of stock available on the shelves. New stock Table is a composite table showing the amount of new stock added to each mobile library during the financial year Where all the figures were available, these have been included as a percentage of adult and junior stock. A considerable variety was found in the replacement rates by new stock. (10% may be regarded as a healthy ratio of new for old stock.) Circulation of new stock In most cases, a significant amount of new stock circulates between all or some of the service points in each area - static and mobile. The exceptions were Barnsley and Kirklees - the latter rotating vehicles between routes. Usually, stock spends either six or nine months at each service point - irrespective of the numbers of issues. In Nottinghamshire some stock spends nine months at the first service point and six months at each thereafter - to allow reservations to be satisfied first. Derbyshire operates a more flexible system, with decisions on circulation chains and the length of time spent by stock at a service point made by bibliographic librarians when allocating stock. Circulation chains vary between three to four service points in Mid-Lincolnshire and Derbyshire, and service points in Worksop, West Bridgford and the Holland area of Lincolnshire. The stock management system operated in Derbyshire displays some of the best characteristics. The mobiles are part of a district circulation system, able to receive a wide range of stock. The circulation sphere of each book varies according to the number of copies bought and likely demand. Some books circulate between 3, 4, 6 or all 12 service points, and some just between the three mobiles. The starting points for new books added to the rota vary - a common feature in most services Adult and junior book stock on loan/on mobile shelves Authority/mobile Total stock On loan On shelves % stock on library shelves (3) A J A J A J A J Derbyshire MCV2 5,825 2,774 3,217 1,356 2,608 1, MCV3 6,047 2,837 3,663 1,377 2,384 1, Nottinghamshire Aspley 4,684 1,788 2,809 1,111 1, West Bridgford 5,078 1,595 3, , Worksop 5,445 2,002 3, ,893 1, Barnsley 7,572 2,715 4,665 1,726 2, Rotherham (1) M2 6,053 3,427 3,673 2,512 2, M3 5,072 1,522 2,857 1,102 2, Kirklees Figures not available Lincolnshire (2) Boston 8,303 4,128 4, Holbeach 9,017 4,228 4, Notes: (1) figures (2) Figures in each column are a total figure for Adult and Junior in each category (3) The figures in this column represent a proportion of Adult OR Junior stock. E.g. 45 and 54 for MCV2 (Derbyshire) means 45% of Total Adult stock was on shelves at annual count; 54% of Total Junior stock was on shelves at annual count. 186 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

197 Practical stock management and stock rotation on mobile libraries Adult and junior new stock additions Authority/mobile Total stock Additions Proportion of library (on loan + on shelves) total stock % A J A J A J Derbyshire MCV2 5,825 2, MCV3 6,047 2,837 1, Nottinghamshire Aspley 4,684 1, West Bridgford 5,078 1, Worksop 5,445 2,002 Barnsley 7,572 2, (1) 5 3 Rotherham M2 6,053 3,427 Not available M3 5,072 1,522 Kirklees Not available 431 (2) 16 (3) Lincolnshire Boston 6,602 1, Not 4 Holbeach 7,152 1, available 4 Notes: (1) Additions are estimated figures based on average prices and percentage of book fund available. (2) Average figure per vehicle of total new stock added. (3) This is the average proportion of shelf stock replaced by new stock. Proportion of total stock replaced is not known but will be lower. Exchange of stock Exchange systems cover older stock which is not on the circulation rotas, and refer to both static and mobile service points. All the mobile library services studied exchange stock, and in most cases this is done to a formal timetable. Typically it involves choosing a certain number of books in any one category (notably popular adult fiction categories such as crime, and popular adult non-fiction), and exchanging them with the same number of titles from another service point. It is usual for mobile libraries to exchange books in any one category three or four times per year. Most authorities ensure that rotas for new stock circulation and old stock exchange are complementary. In almost all cases, exchange stock is chosen by the library assistants who staff the mobiles - unlike new stock circulation systems, where librarians allocate stock to the rotas. Other stock rotation methods In addition to the scheduled circulation and exchange methods described, stock rotates naturally on mobile libraries from one stop to another. Stock returned by customers at one stop is borrowed by other customers at the next stop. Stock is also kept fresh through the various functions carried out by staff on days spent at the base - to weed stock, and to exchange stock with a base library or reserve stock (instead of, or in addition to, regular exchanges). Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 187

198 5 : STOCK MANAGEMENT 5.8 A study of the provision and usage of periodicals in public libraries, using six libraries in the Midlands as case studies Sandra Matchett Extracts from a dissertation submitted as part of an MA degree. The summary concentrates on the section reporting the findings of user surverys in three central libraries. Matchett, Sandra A study of the provision and usage of periodicals in public libraries, using six libraries in the Midlands as case studies. MA dissertation, Loughborough University, Department of Information Science, supervised by Diana Dixon. Introduction and methodology The dissertation research comprised: interviews with the librarians responsible for periodicals, in six authorities; and surveys of periodical users in three libraries. This summary concentrates on reporting the user surveys. The surveys were conducted in three central libraries: Leicester, Nottingham and Coventry. All three took place in late June, 1997, a day being spent in each library. At Nottingham, surveys were only carried out in the Arts and Business Libraries, and other departments were not included because of the size or layout of the periodicals collection. At Leicester, leisure and music libraries are housed separately, and their collections were not included. At all three libraries, users were approached as they chose a periodical, or asked for a title from the enquiry desk, and asked to fill in a questionnaire. The terms periodical, magazine and newspaper were all referred to on the questionnaire. A total of 154 questionnaires were completed: 61 from Nottingham, 48 from Leicester, and 45 from Coventry. Six of these were unusable, leaving 148 to be analysed. Reasons for visits Respondents were asked: Did you come into the library today SPECIFICALLY to look at a newspaper/ magazine/ periodical? At Nottingham, 64% said they did come specifically; at Coventry, 71%; and at Leicester 91% - the high figure partly explained by Leicester services being split into Reference and Information Library and Lending Library. Frequency of periodical use Respondents who said they had come specifically to look at periodicals were then asked: How often (on average) do you come to look at this title? The findings are depicted in Table At Nottingham and Coventry over a third of users visited more than once a week, and at Leicester 74% did so - reflecting the particularly high use of newspapers in that library. At no library did the numbers visiting less frequently than once a fortnight exceed a quarter of the total users. As some users deliberately visit on the day a periodical is released, the findings are to an extent influenced by periodical publication dates Frequency of periodical use Nottingham % Leicester % Coventry % More often than once a week Once a week Once a fortnight Once a month Less often than once a month Don t usually look at this title Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

199 5.8 A study of the provision and usage of periodicals in publics libraries Periodical titles used Respondents were asked which periodical titles had been consulted. Many people listed more than one title, with two the average. The numbers of titles consulted overall were: Nottingham 61 (12% of the total periodical collection) Leicester 42 (8% of the total collection) Coventry 57 (15% of the total collection) The small number of newspaper titles (six in Nottingham and Coventry, and eight in Leicester - all including local newspapers, but not newspapers for ethnic minorities) accounted for a large proportion of use. The Times, the Financial Times and the Guardian were the most popular. In Leicester and Coventry, newspapers left on the tables were often browsed in a way that most other titles were not. In Nottingham, newspapers were more tightly controlled from the counter. The proportions of newspaper vis à vis periodical use are depicted in Fig Titles held in all three libraries and used in two or three of them are listed in Table Titles used in survey and held by all three libraries Title Used in Also held Amateur Photographer N and C L The Artist N and C L Autocar N, C and L Campaign N and L C Construction News N, C and L Country Life C and L N Dalton s Weekly C and L N Draper s Record N and L N Exchange and Mart C and L N Flight International Investor s Chronicle N, C and L N, C and L Money Facts C and L N New Scientist N, C and L Overseas Jobs Express N and C L PC World N and L C The Stage N and L C Time International N and C L The titles with the most mentions across questionnaires from all three libraries were: 1. New Scientist 2. Construction News 2. Investor s Chronicle 4. Flight International 5. Model Engineer 5. Broadcast (held only at Nottingham) 7. Overseas Jobs Express 7. Railway Magazine Ratio of newspaper to periodical use Coventry Library Leicester Newspapers Periodicals Nottingham 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Percentage of responses Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 189

200 5 : STOCK MANAGEMENT Reasons for use Respondents were asked: For what reason did you look at this/these titles?, and prompted with five responses plus an other category. Some users gave several reasons - for different titles or for the same title. Findings are depicted in Fig Some 40% of all replies fell in the leisure/hobby category. The relatively low response to the study category may be influenced by the timing of the survey in June, when university students were not on campus, and school and college terms were ending. Demand for unstocked titles Respondents were asked: Are there any newspapers/ magazines/periodicals you would like to see in the library which are not currently provided? Twelve (19%) of the 62 respondents who answered this question suggested titles which were in fact already in stock - indicating that the profile and promotion of the periodicals collections could be improved. Some of the other suggestions proposed titles which might have filled an obvious gap - such as the Irish Times, suggested at Nottingham, where no Irish periodicals were taken. Other suggestions, less appropriate, fell into two groups: Periodical holdings There may be a need for libraries to develop a core list of periodicals for use in public library authorities. The following provides a very crude core list by giving the periodical titles which were taken by all three of the survey libraries. List of periodical titles taken by three central libraries (Nottingham, Coventry and Leicester): Amateur Gardening * Amateur Photographer * Animal Action Animal Life Architect s Journal Architectural Review Arthritis Today The Artist * Asian Times Audio Visual * Autocar* BBC Wildlife The Bookseller British Birds British Journal of Photography * British Medical Journal Building Campaign * Caribbean Times * Specialist titles in very narrow subject fields e.g. Potato World, After the Battle (on military archaeology). Titles on subjects where one or more titles were already held e.g. titles on investment/ railways Reasons for use Number of responses Nottingham Leicester Coventry 5 0 Hobby/leisure interest Business/job Job ads Study Pass the time "Other" Reason 190 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

201 5.8 A study of the provision and usage of periodicals in publics libraries Caterer and Hotelkeeper Church Times * Commercial Motor Community Care Construction News * Country Life * Crafts Dalton s Weekly * Draper s Record * The Ecologist The Economist * Electronics World and Wireless World * Engineering Estates Gazette Exchange and Mart * Fair Trading Farmer s Weekly * Femina Financial Times Forum Council of Europe Flight International * Geographical Magazine * Gardening Which? Good Housekeeping The Grocer Health Service Journal Health Which? Industrial Exchange and Mart Investor s Chronicle * Local Government Chronicle * London Gazette Management Today * Methodist Recorder * Money Facts * Money Management * National Geographic Nature * New Internationalist * New Scientist * New Statesman and Society Nursing Times * Opportunities * Overseas Jobs Express * People Management PC World * Plays and Players * Practical Wireless Railway Magazine * Scientific American Sight and Sound The Spectator * The Stage * The Surveyor * Television Times Educational Supplement * Times Higher Educational Supplement * Times Literary Supplement Universe What to buy for business Which? * and used in the survey Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 191

202 5 : STOCK MANAGEMENT 5.9 Title output in the UK Philip Bryant A study supported by the British National Bibliography Research Fund, which funds work of interest to both libraries and the booktrade. This work tracks the increases in UK book titles published in the past 40 years, under various category heads, and explores the reasons for them. This is a brief summary of a 55-page report. Bryant, Philip Title output in the UK: figures, causes and implications. ISBN London: The British Library, BNBRF report 78, 20. Aims and conduct of the study The aims and objectives of the study were drawn up in consultation with the Publishers Association, J Whitaker & Sons Ltd., the British Library National Bibliographic Service (BLNBS), and the Standard Book Numbering Agency. The two main aims of the study were to provide: Information for booksellers and librarians about sources of the increasing number of titles which compete for their book funds or capital, and their display space; the reasons for the increase and the likelihood of a rise or fall. Factual evidence about UK title output to inform the Net Book Agreement debate. The study carried out an examination of the title output figures produced in the UK, the USA and some European countries; and gathered perceptions from publishers about the possible causes of the increase in title output. UK title output figures Total annual title output figures for new books and new/revised editions The agency which maintains and publishes figures of title output for the UK is J Whitaker & Sons and, unless otherwise stated, all the tables for the UK which follow have either been derived from those figures, or provided on request by Whitaker s Bibliographic Services. Title output for the period is given in Table 5.9.1a and Fig 5.9.1b. The totals given consist of two elements: new books and new and revised editions a , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,254 Title output , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

203 5.9.1b Title output Title output in the UK 100,000 80,000 60,000 Titles 40,000 20, Categories and classes of material making up the UK title output Amongst various cross disciplinary headings used by Whitaker are children s books and school text books. Children s books are defined by Whitaker as texts aimed at children up to the age of 16 and primarily intended for use in the home. Table 5.9.2, giving the figures for , shows that the increase is in line with the increase of the total output. The 1993 figure is 3.6 times that for A school textbook is defined by Whitaker as a text aimed at a child up to the age of 16 and primarily intended for use in the classroom; plus a text aimed at year olds that is specifically linked to secondary school examinations. Table shows the figures for The rate of increase has been less than for children s books, the 1993 figures being 2.4 times that for UK title output - Children s books UK title output School textbooks , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,799 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 193

204 5 : STOCK MANAGEMENT UK title output Total fiction UK title output New hardback fiction , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,014 Fiction is probably an area where it might be expected by some that a marked increase would be evident; however, this is not the case, as is demonstrated by Table for Total Fiction and Table for Hardback Fiction. Whitaker breaks down the annual title output figures by using its own subject headings or classifications, but the system underwent revision in 1990, and in order to obtain some idea of whether the title increase was occurring more in certain subject areas over a longer period of time, the British Library National Bibliographic Service was approached to undertake an analysis of British National Bibliography (BNB) on CD ROM for the years 1988 (the earliest) to 1994, using a selection of 27 of the 100 main Dewey classes (Table 5.9.6) Title output in 27 Dewey Classes as recorded on BNB on CD ROM Totals Generalities (00) ,152 1,148 1,218 1,214 1,196 7,870 Paranormal (13) ,590 Sociology (30) 1,274 1,500 1,450 1,601 1,752 1,760 2,053 11,390 Political Science (32) ,033 1, ,067 6,940 Economics (33) 2,933 2,981 3,117 3,226 3,157 3,014 2,909 21,337 Law (34) 985 1,188 1,413 1,217 1,244 1,315 1,287 8,649 Social services (36) 1,672 1,824 1,908 2,171 2,152 2,134 1,932 13,793 Commerce/transport (38) ,179 Customs/folklore (390) ,096 Language/s (4) 1,570 1,487 1,551 1,541 1,388 1,594 1,497 10,628 General science (50) ,827 Astronomy (52) ,116 Medical sciences (61) 2,509 2,529 2,585 2,788 2,996 2,943 3,186 19,536 Engineering (62) 1,851 1,813 1,981 2,058 2,055 1,936 1,825 13,519 Agriculture (63) ,441 Home economics (64) ,392 Management (65) 1,339 1,372 1,351 1,425 1,534 1,619 1,742 10,382 Drawing arts (74) ,379 Painting arts (75) ,310 Photography (77) ,180 Music (78) ,181 Recreation/sport (79) 1,541 1,562 1,652 1,653 1,815 1,743 1,748 11,714 American poetry (811) English poetry (821) 1, ,000 1,088 1,182 1,243 1,339 7,834 Geography/travel (91) 1,078 1,214 1,098 1,185 1,301 1,298 1,209 8,383 Biography (92) ,832 European history (94) 2,106 2,203 2,299 2,295 2,342 2,170 2,232 15,647 Totals 26,648 27,720 28,793 29,835 31,055 30,836 31, ,944 Source: BLNBS 194 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

205 5.9 Title output in the UK Publishers and their title output The next question addressed was: how far is the increase due to a significantly greater output of titles from mainstream publishers, how far to an increase in the number of publishers, especially small ones, and how far to non UK companies publishing in this country? Whitaker maintains figures of the annual title output of individual publishers and was able to count and compare the output for 79 significant companies which were in existence in 1961 and which were also in existence in 1991.The output for these two years was counted and compared. (Companies such as Collins were omitted since their 1991 structure e.g. HarperCollins was totally different to that which existed in 1961). Table gives total annual output figures of the 79 significant publishers. The total output from the 79 publishers represents 27.9% of the 1961 total output and 17.6% of the 1991 total output from all publishers. The new/revised edition output from the 79 publishers represents 27.5% of the 1961 output and 20.3% of the 1991 output Title output of 79 companies publishing in the UK: 1961 and 1991 compared ALL PUBLISHERS New book titles 18,487 56,216 New/revised editions 6,406 20,210 Total output 24,893 76,426 New/revised editions as percentage of total output 25.7% 26.4% THE 79 PUBLISHERS New book titles 5,195 9,355 New/revised editions 1,759 4,107 Total output 6,954 13,462 New/revised editions as percentage of total 79 Publishers output 25.3% 30.5% Average annual title output per 79 publisher New book titles/publisher New/revised editions/publisher Table shows the number of publishers with titles listed in Whitaker s Books in Print Despite the fact that in 1991 the 79 companies were publishing between them twice as many titles as thirty years earlier, the figures below clearly illustrate the impact on overall title output of the growth in the number of publishers. In order to obtain some idea of the relative increase in the number of companies according to the likely quantity of their title output, an analysis was carried out of the ISBN prefixes for publishers with titles in print at five year intervals This is given in Table Prefixes are allocated according to the publishers own statements of their expected output over a ten year period. In the case of the larger publishers in business at the time the ISBN scheme was introduced, most were allocated prefixes that would last them for several decades. The title allocation for the various prefix ranges within the 0 and 1 groups (the primary English language speaking areas of the world) are as follows: 2 digits = 1,000,000 3 digits = 100,000 4 digits = 10,000 5 digits = 1,000 6 digits = digits = Edition Publishers recorded as having titles listed in Whitaker s Books in Print No. of publishers , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,133 Edition No. of publishers , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ISBN prefixes belonging to publishers active in 1979, 1984, 1989, and I group prefixes Other group prefixes 2 digit 3 digit 4 digit 5 digit 6 digit 7 digit All digit ranges ,186 2, ,102 4,413 2, ,480 6,228 4, ,962 9,053 9, Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 195

206 5 : STOCK MANAGEMENT Overseas input to UK title output figures The publishers focused consultation group ranked More imports from overseas publishers being recorded in the UK in joint second position in the top eight causes of the increase in title output, whereas the opinion survey of booksellers and librarians shows it ranked eighth out of the ten issues listed for consideration. The publishers view is justified by Table Imported titles included in the UK title output figures for 1961 and 1991 The group members were then asked to select the five causes they considered to be the most important and to prioritise them. These were then allocated a score of 5 to 1 in decreasing order of priority. The ranking of the causes with the five highest scores resulted in eight being listed (Table ) because a number of the issues shared the same totals. Apart from these eight there was very little sign of any particular consensus regarding the remaining causes, the scores for these being low and scattered. New book New/revised Total titles editions 1961 USA 2, ,060 Other overseas , , USA 11,815 3,296 15,111 Other overseas 3, ,837 15,209 3,739 18,948 Causes of the title increase: publishers focused consultation group A letter of invitation from David Whitaker, the Project Director, was posted to the chief executives of 21 publishing companies on 24 May This invited either them, or an appropriate member of their senior staff, to attend a consultation meeting to be held on 19 June 1995 at The Publishers Association. There were 11 acceptances. The question What are the causes of, and issues raised by, the considerable increase in title output in the UK was displayed to the group and each member was given a sheet of paper and asked to write down in as brief a form as possible as many of the causes and issues as they could think of in five minutes Top eight causes ranked Ranking Cause Score 1st Type setting/short run printing cheaper 23 2nd = More imports from overseas publishers 22 being recorded in the UK = Better data capture means bibliographic listing agencies are providing greater visibility for titles 3rd Companies trying to publish their way out 18 of recession 4th Academic pressure within HE sector to publish 11 5th = Copycat and me too publishing 9 = English as a world language = Increase in multiple formats and price points USA and Europe: making comparisons A great deal has been made of the fact that, when compared to the situation overseas, this country appears to publish disproportionately more titles - especially when the comparison made is with American output. Is this criticism fair, or even true? Table shows the situation in France, Germany, the Netherlands and Spain from 1984 to 1992 as recorded by figures given in the UNESCO Statistical Yearbook. (Note: No information is given in the Yearbook as to the source of the data for France and Spain. The West German figures were produced by the Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels and obtained from them, and the figures for the Netherlands were supplied by the Dutch ISBN Office.) Although these figures show a marked increase in title output, relatively the increase is not as great as that of the UK and also it displays much more variation over time than is the case with the UK figures; nevertheless the number of titles published per head of population in a small country such as Holland is the same as for Spain and only a little less than for the UK. One of the major difficulties faced when attempting to study title output is that it is impossible to be sure that the criteria by which the varying figures are produced in each country are in any way strictly comparable. Comparisons between figures from the UK and the US need particularly careful interpretation. A request was sent to Albert Simmonds of Bowkers seeking more clarification of US figures, and he wrote back with two sets of figures which are set out in Table The ABPR tracks the new titles catalogued by the Library of Congress each year. The emphasis is on new intellectual works rather than on new editions of previously published works. The second set of statistics track each ISBN published in the United States, as well as those ISBNs from outside the US which have exclusive distributors in the US 196 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

207 Title output in the UK Title output in France, Germany, the Netherlands and Spain France Germany Netherlands Spain West GDR ,189 48,836 6,175 13,209 30, ,860 54,442 6,218 12,649 34, ,701 63,724 6,486 13,576 38, ,505 65,670 6,515 13,329 38, ,026 68,611 6,018 14,370 35, ,115 65,980 6,018 15,392 38, ,720 (*34,400) 61,015-13,891 36, ,682 (*32,677) 67,890 - **16,017 39, ,379 (*36,327) 67,277-15,997 41,816 * These figures are taken from Bibliographie nationale française. ** At this time there was a change in the method of registration. Up to 1991 the totals are the annual numbers of books (new and reprinted) that were published in that year and received by the Koninklijke Bibliotheek in the same year, but, since 1991, in the same year or in the six months thereafter - cf. Whitaker market. It is this second set of figures which should be compared with the figures for the UK which are recorded by Whitaker s Bibliographic Services. Conclusions Publishing output in the USA American Book Publishing Record There has been a considerable increase in UK title output year on year in the UK, especially over the past decade. Attempts to project future trends from past figures have not proved to be accurate and it appears that there has been too much concentration on consideration of global totals rather than examination of the constituent elements of these totals and of their causes. The factors contributing to the increase in title output are many, but fiction and popular bestsellers from established publishers are not the main ones. Three of the principal causes are: a) The increase year on year in the number of publishers responsible for UK annual title output. This increase is due in no small part Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 (US) Books in Print ,907 78, ,012 88, ,067 91, n/a 99, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,309 to the ease with which new technology had enabled many small scale enterprises to emerge. b) Pressure to publish within the academic and scholarly community. c) The dramatic increase in the number of imported titles, especially from the USA. The growth in the number of other overseas publishers with works listed in Whitaker s Books in Print increased by over 750% between 1979 and Some new figures would be of value, although it is likely that they would not be possible to come by in every instance. The number of copies of each title being sold would enable more meaningful comparisons to be made; for example, between academic publisher A who may have decided to concentrate on those titles with more trade potential, and academic publisher B who may have concentrated on producing as many small run specialist academic works as possible. Comparisons which have been made with US figures are erroneous due to the lack of dependable data, and as a result of a lack of commonly, consistently applied, and explicit criteria. The implication of most concern to booksellers is the impact on selection of titles for stock; for librarians it is the impact on managing reduced book funds. It appears that too many value judgements have been made regarding UK title output, due to the lack of data adequate for making proper comparisons. 197

208 5 : STOCK MANAGEMENT 5.10 Report into the effects of the abandonment of the Net Book Agreement Francis Fishwick and Sharon Fitzsimons Cranfield School of Management A study partly supported by the British National Bibliography Research Fund. The findings were drawn from extensive surveying of booksellers, publishers and consumers over 1996 & The section on changes in library supply is of particular interest to public libraries. Fishwick, Francis and Fitzsimons, Sharon, May Report into the effects of the abandonment of the Net Book Agreement. ISBN , London: Book Trust. The history and objectives of the Net Book Agreement The Net Book Agreement (NBA) was an agreement among publishers providing for collective enforcement of minimum prices for resale to the final purchaser. Those signing were not committed to the application of net prices but, when they opted to do so, were required to impose standard terms and conditions on booksellers. The first comprehensive NBA dated from Introduced to increase the likelihood of exemption from the 1956 Restrictive Trade Practices Act, in 1957 a new Net Book Agreement required signatories to enforce Retail Price Maintenance (RPM) through the courts. Formally, the NBA can be described as an arrangement for the collective enforcement of RPM where an individual producer decided to apply it to one or more of its products. RPM in the UK book trade could work effectively only when an overwhelming majority of publishers applied it to most if not all of their output. It survived the de-netting of consumer titles of the Reed Group in 1991 but appeared more threatened after the Hodder-Headline company also went non-net after Christmas The announcement in September 1995 that HarperCollins and Random House would also withdraw from fixing minimum resale prices and would pursue price promotion through WH Smith had a very rapid domino effect, with other publishers following suit, some reluctantly. In 1997 the Restrictive Practices Court not only reversed its 1962 judgement, declaring that the NBA was contrary to the public interest under the Restrictive Trade Practices Act 1976, but also prohibited the application of RPM to books under the 1976 Resale Prices Act. The main conclusion from this analysis is that this study must focus not on the termination of the NBA itself but on the abandonment of the general practice of RPM on books in the UK. As a convenient shorthand, the events of September 1995 are described below as the end (or similar) of the NBA. The degree and nature of discounting The abandonment of the NBA would have had no significant effect on the market for books if it had not led to discounting by retailers, that is if they had universally applied the recommended retail price of every title. Discounting in the UK since the end of the NBA has been both more widespread (applied by more outlets) and deeper (bigger price reductions) than the authors of this report expected. In the aggregate of the three national consumer surveys undertaken for this study, 42% of all book buyers claimed to have paid discounted prices. When book clubs and bargain (mainly remainder) book stores are excluded, to isolate transactions which under RPM would have been at full price, the proportion was still as high as 33%. Price reductions on particular titles have generally been within the range 20% to 40%, with even bigger bargain offers in some cases. Comments about the abandonment of the NBA often relate to the abandonment by publishers of what amounted to an informal agreement that they would apply RPM. This was recognised implicitly by the Restrictive Practices Court, which considered the 1957 revision of the NBA in 1962 and decided to grant exemption from the general prohibition of horizontal agreements under the 1956 Act. Some booksellers have refrained completely from price competition. Indeed the proportion doing so appears to have increased between 1996 and In the 1996 survey of booksellers, 20% of 320 respondents to a question on discounting agreed with the statement I do not discount any titles. In 1997 this proportion had risen to 33% of 335 replies. The willingness to discount varied positively with the size of business: of 80 survey respondents 198 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

209 5.10 Report into the effects of the abandonment of the Net Book Agreement with turnover of 60,000 or less, 37 (46%) agreed that they did not discount compared with 70 out of 227 (31%) larger respondents. Among the 78 booksellers with turnover of over 300,000 only 16 (21%) stated that they did not discount. Of the various forms of discounting, regular discounting of best-sellers and other selected titles, to increase/maintain the retailer s share of its own market segment, has had the greatest impact on the market. Discounting by national chains The analysis of discounting by national chains is confined to those for which data are available for the complete 12-month period. In this analysis a bestseller is defined as any title included at each of the 12 end-month survey dates in the Bookwatch lists at that date. These lists show the leading 60 titles (ranked by bookshop sales) in each of six categories: hardback fiction hardback general hardback reference paperback fiction paperback general paperback reference. To this total of current best-sellers was added the number of previous blockbuster titles, defined as those which had appeared earlier in the 12-month period in the top 15 hardbacks or top 15 paperbacks (the Sunday Times lists). In Table , bestsellers are defined to include the previous blockbuster element. Over the 12-month period lists appearing in the trade weekly, Publishing News, included 870 titles - of which 59 were second or later editions of titles which had appeared in the list earlier in the year. This figure of 870 titles available at discount in one or more of the major chains can be compared with the annual output of 45,000 consumer titles from UK publishers and approximately 300,000 such titles available in print. The largest general bookstores and trade wholesale warehouses typically stock about 120,000 titles. This evidence appears to support the view expressed in the judgment of the Restrictive Practices Court in 1962 that the proportion of titles subject to price cutting would be small. Consumer reaction to price competition Economists writing in support of the Net Book Agreement, and those attacking it, stressed that unless consumers responded to discounts by switching purchases between outlets the absence of RPM would have little effect. Analysis of the national consumer survey results confirms a significant relationship between discounting and switching by customers away from their normal location for book-buying. But a comparison of leading titles at different chains, often with branches in geographical proximity, also shows that many customers are buying at full price books which are available at discount elsewhere. Price may not be the only influence on choice of outlet. Additionally, only a small proportion (around 6%) claim to compare outlets before purchase. Also pertinent to the debate about RPM is the crossprice-elasticity of demand between titles. Since only a limited range of titles tends to be offered at discount, it is desirable to find out whether additional sales of these titles replace those of titles which are not discounted. In other words, does discounting expand the total market or does it redistribute sales within that market? Summary of discounting by national chains (as reported in Publishing News) Number of titles discounted Average Maximum Average list Average Total (1) Best-sellers Total Best-sellers price of (1) discount of (1) % Specialist book chains Dillons Waterstones Mixed goods chains Menzies WH Smith Supermarkets ASDA Safeway Sainsbury Tesco Other non-traditional Woolworth s Note: Analysis relates to the last week of each month from October 1996 to September Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 199

210 5 : STOCK MANAGEMENT Of 2,344 consumers responding to the three national surveys who bought books at outlets other than book clubs and bargain bookshops, 771 (32.9%) claimed to have paid a discounted price. Of these only 57 (7.4% of those buying discounted books) stated that they had bought the book instead of another because it was discounted. Only 214 (27.8%) stated that these were additional purchases induced by the discount. Subtracting these numbers from the total of books discounted by outlets other than bargain shops and book clubs, one can reach the conclusion that in nearly 65% of cases the fact that a book was discounted had no effect on the volume sold - either of that book or any other. This conclusion may be incorrect: only 32% of purchases of discounted books from these same outlets were planned by the consumer before he/ she went shopping, compared with 59% of full-price purchases. With impulse purchases so much more important for discounted books, it is possible that the effects both on additional buying and on replacement have been understated. The impact of the end of RPM on total consumers expenditure on books was expected by most observers to be fairly limited, with both supporters and opponents of the system predicting that in the short-term total demand would be price-inelastic (so that the value of expenditure would fall), and that in the longer-term price-elasticity would be around -1, implying that the total value of spending would be unaffected. Figures of consumers expenditure on books produced by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that in the first full year after the end of the NBA (12 months to September 1996) this expenditure was down by 8.4% in real terms compared with the corresponding previous 12 months. However, in the year to September 1997 the figure rose by 6.7%. A check with three major retailing chains and three of the largest publishers, as well as with trade associations, suggested that these figures were generally consistent with their own experience. The only dissent came from a publisher mainly of mass-market paperbacks, for which the market had developed less favourably. The rise in the latter part of the period can only partly be attributed to the boom in total consumers expenditure, as books increased their share of recreational spending. One of the reasons for growth may be the wider exposure of books, to which greater floor space and promotion are now accorded. Secondly there is evidence that people are buying discounted hard-back fiction titles rather than the subsequent paperback editions, even though the latter are also widely available at quite deep discounts. Thirdly, consumers are paying higher prices for titles which they buy at full price. We should also remember the growth of over 50% (inflation-adjusted) in consumers expenditure on books which occurred during , against a background of almost complete RPM. Table shows that over the three surveys combined, fiction was the category with the greatest proportion of discounted purchases in outlets where discounting would have been prevented before September The percentage of fiction purchased at discounted prices in these outlets was 36.8% in December 1996, 37.5% in June 1997 and 35.2% in December These figures conceal shifts in the market between the two December surveys: first, there was a large increase in the proportion of hardback titles bought at discounted price, from 39% in 1996 to 47% in 1997; secondly, in common with the trade as a whole there was a rise in the proportion of hardback to paperback, from 19% to 24% of fiction sales. The proportion of reference books purchased at discount prices may seem high. However many popular dictionaries and similar publications have been available at discount, particularly at the beginning of the academic year; the figure also reflects discounting of popular cookery titles. The fact that 47% of all children s books were claimed to have been purchased at discounted prices reflects the importance of outlets other than full-price bookshops for this particular category. Specialist shops (Dillons, Waterstone s, other national specialists and independents) together accounted for 19% of all reported purchases of children s books, compared with 31% of all purchases reported in the three surveys. Even when Category of book by discount Percentage of consumers claiming Total Excluding bargain Number of consumers to have bought at discount bookshops and book clubs reporting as last purchase Fiction ,100 Reference Children s Academic Scientific None of these Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

211 5.10 Report into the effects of the abandonment of the Net Book Agreement bargain bookshops and book clubs were excluded, the proportion of children s books bought at discount was nearly 35%. A significantly greater proportion of people buying discounted children s books stated that these were additional purchases induced by the discount. The proportion of academic books purchased at discount was lower than that in all other categories. This corresponds to a much greater proportion purchased from specialist outlets normally charging full price - over 50% of all purchases from specialist chains and independents, compared with 31% of all books. However, the survey results contradict a popular notion that academic books are hardly discounted at all. Even when bargain bookshops and book clubs are excluded, more than one in five purchases were claimed to be at discount. The definition of scientific books may have been ambiguous. Observations of discounting in practice have not identified any cases where advanced scientific material has been included. Respondents classifying discounted purchases to this category (41% of all scientific books bought) may have been referring to popular science titles aimed at the mass market. The final category - none of these - comprises mainly general non fiction. The availability of discounts has varied widely both over time and regionally. This category has not featured in discounting by supermarkets, but the stationers / booksellers have tended to maintain discounts on best selling titles. The impact on booksellers Figures supplied by The Booksellers Association show 239 withdrawals from membership and 195 new enrolments between the end of 1995 and April Independent bookshops made up a greater proportion of the withdrawals, while new members included more branches of the major chains. The total number of independent retailers within the BA declined by 55 (out of approximately 1,300). Some of the withdrawals were retailers who continue to sell books. A survey by the BA showed that half of those withdrawing were influenced by the abandonment of the NBA. One reason why the effect on small retailers has so far been less catastrophic than was predicted may have been the growth of wholesalers. This enables retailers to hold fewer copies in stock and, with 24 hour delivery from wholesalers, it also enables them to provide a more rapid supply of minorityinterest titles than the major chains. The second of two surveys of booksellers (conducted in the early Autumn of 1997) included a set of questions on perceived intensity of competition with other bookshops and outlets for books. This Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 attracted 352 responses. It showed a remarkable degree of market segmentation, with intense competition between those concentrating on more popular titles (supermarkets and books/stationery chains) and also between more specialised independent bookshops and bookshop chains, but with less competition between these two groups. It is difficult to tabulate changes in the pattern of distribution since the end of the NBA, because of lack of consistent definitions. Another problem is that changes were taking place anyway, with for example the growth of out-of-town shopping, mail order and direct supply by publishers. In volume terms, specialist bookshop chains appear to have increased their market share since 1994, but not mainly through discounting. Specialist independents have maintained a fairly constant volume share, which is attributed to electronic point of sale (EPoS) stock control and greater use of wholesalers as a source of supply. The books/stationery chains have seen a decrease in market share, which may be attributed to competition from new entrants, including supermarkets. This last group saw a rise in market share in 1996 but, consistent with the recession in sales of paperback editions, this seems to have contracted again in Immediately after the end of RPM there was a sharp decline in sales of books by outlets in the bottom quartile (by turnover) of respondents to the 1996 booksellers survey. These were mainly small mixedgoods outlets, particularly CTN (confectionerynewsagency-tobacconist) shops. Data from the second survey showed a continuation of this trend, but it was much less pronounced. The general conclusion is that the larger firms have tended to expand sales at the expense of smaller, but there is wide variation within each size range. Only one in eight respondents to the bookseller surveys believed that their company was benefiting from the end of the NBA and the proportion actually rose (but not significantly) between the two surveys. There was a weak positive correlation between the degree of perceived benefit and the company size, and rather stronger evidence that chains felt that they were gaining more than independents. Although fewer than 13% of respondents agreed that they were benefiting from the demise of the NBA, only 31% (average of the two surveys) agreed that their overall profits had decreased. A study of the relationships between gross margin and (i) book sales and (ii) floor space devoted to books showed the latter to be stronger and to have increased in importance since However, this strengthening of the relationship between gross margin and size was not reflected in any significant difference in the growth of profits 201

212 5 : STOCK MANAGEMENT Nearly two-thirds of the respondents to the 1997 bookseller survey agreed that the demise of the NBA had produced a number of threats for their organisation, but fewer than half of these companies feeling threatened had experienced a decrease in profits. While the proportion of retailers feeling threatened showed no decrease between the two surveys, the proportion agreeing that they were surprised by the opportunities created for them by the new situation rose sharply, to 39%, with another 31% taking a neutral stance. The common prediction that the end of RPM would lead to curtailment of free/subsidised services, such as special orders, bibliographic information and professional advice, appears to have been mistaken. There are two reasons for this: first, because the cross-price-elasticity of demand for the same title at different outlets has turned out lower in practice than the prediction implied; and second, because it did not foresee the segmentation of the market, whereby some retailers continue to compete on services rather than price. Little if any contraction of services offered by specialist bookshops (chains or independents) has occurred since the end of the NBA. The impact on publishers Within the broad category of consumer books, analysis of list prices shows the greatest increase in the averages for fiction titles: 18% for paperbacks and 16% for hardbacks between 1995 and 1997, compared with general inflation of 4.6% over the two year period. Since fiction titles have been the focus of most of the discounting, this finding is consistent with the argument that the prospect of selective discounting will tend to raise list prices. However, this evidence relates to a very short period, during which the average prices of titles not affected by the end of RPM (school texts and academic/professional books) also rose sharply. Further support for the argument that the end of RPM may have led to price increases for the range of titles most likely to be discounted is given by an analysis of the list prices of titles appearing in the Bookwatch best-sellers lists: the average list price of hardback fiction titles rose by about 11% between the last quarters of 1995 and 1996, though there has been no further increase during By the end of 1997 paperback fiction bestsellers had a list price 14% greater than at the end of 1995, but again special factors make it hazardous to draw sweeping conclusions from this short-term evidence. Because of delays in the filing of annual accounts by many publishers, there is a shortage of publicly available evidence about changes in publishers sales and profits since the end of the NBA. Since the supporters of RPM believe that it reduces the risks of publishing, its demise was expected to lead to a fall in the number of titles published. The number of titles other than schoolbooks (not previously subject to RPM) fell in 1997 for the first time in 16 years. This fall affected all categories of consumer books, with the biggest percentage drop in hardback fiction. This contrasts with the observation from the consumer surveys that hardbacks have taken an increased share of the fiction market, and suggests that discounted hardback fiction titles have been selling very well, but that the risks of publishing new books within this category have deterred publishers to some degree. All this is consistent with the hypothesis about publishers risks put forward by supporters of RPM. However, attention is drawn to the volatility of hardback fiction title output and the dangers of concluding too much from one year s figures. Analysis of output of new titles by individual publishers in 1995 and 1997 shows a fall in the share of total number of titles produced by smaller publishers. In 1995 the lower 50% of publishers (ranked by title numbers) accounted for 6.5% of all titles; in 1997 this proportion was only 4.5%. If the risks of publication have increased, this increase may be expected to be greatest for those with the smallest number of titles over which the risks can be spread. Effects on the library market Research undertaken and text produced in collaboration with Lindsey Muir, Liverpool John Moores University. Introduction : The distinctive nature of the library supply sector Library purchasers form the major institutional market segment affected by the abandonment of the NBA. Books for schools, the other large institutional market, have been sold non-net for most of the century. In 1929 a relaxation was added as an annex to the existing NBA to provide for a discount of up to 10% to be granted to purchases by libraries open to the public free of charge. In practice 10% discount became the norm. The same Library Agreement specified that the cost of special services provided to libraries should be recovered. Such services include reinforcement of the binding, laminating the covers or adding plastic jackets, and affixing whatever materials are necessary for the issue and control by the library. In practice these services were priced below full cost; in the 1960 s the Publishers Association defined actual cost to be recovered as not less than the cost of materials used. This ignores the high labour content of these special services, as well as overhead expenses. A typical figure for the average cost of preparing a soft cover book for library use might be 202 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

213 5.10 Report into the effects of the abandonment of the Net Book Agreement about 60p, whereas the charge to the library by the supplier might be only 10p. This hidden subsidy developed as a consequence of resale price maintenance. Because of it, there was (and still is, where it remains) little pressure on librarians to take account of the real costs of services. In particular, the subsidy hinders the adoption of common standards and procedures, which would lead to economies of scale. Because competition was focused on servicing rather than price, the supply of books to libraries became concentrated in the hands of specialist library suppliers with expertise in providing these services profitably. The authors estimate that five suppliers accounted for more than 65% of public library book acquisitions in In order to assess the impact of the abandonment of the NBA on public and academic libraries, the authors have used research published by Smith (1997), based on a postal survey, and have also conducted their own survey by questionnaire (the Cranfield survey). Smith s survey in October 1996 produced 131 responses from public libraries; the Cranfield survey in June 1997 produced 100 from public libraries and 113 from academic. This quantitative evidence was supplemented by interviews both with librarians and library suppliers. Some of these interviews took place before the postal survey, thus facilitating its design; others after the responses had been analysed, assisting interpretation. Trends affecting libraries before the end of the NBA According to LISU s Annual library statistics 1997, total expenditure on books by public libraries in the financial year ended March 1996 was million, and that by higher education libraries (universities and higher education colleges) 44.9 million. This combined market of just under 155 million can be compared with an estimate of the total UK market at retail prices of 2,756 million in calendar year 1995 (Publishers Association, 1997). This means that the library sector represents 5.6% of the total UK market for books. This percentage has been falling in recent years. In 1985 the combined library sector accounted for 6.6% of the UK market, and the proportion has since declined steadily. The public library sector in particular contracted in real terms between and (financial years ended 31 March), (see Fig ). Use of public libraries has been declining for a longer period. Total issues fell by over 19% in the ten years to Economic theory would suggest that given the oligopolistic structure of library supply (limited competition between few sellers) existing players would refrain from open price competition, particularly in view of the transparent nature of this market Public library spending on books at 1985 prices ( million) m Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 203

214 5 : STOCK MANAGEMENT In practice, the library supply market has produced an intense price war. Financial pressure on librarians, reflecting tight control on local government and academic spending has induced them to seek lower prices. Both in the public and academic library sectors institutions have combined to form purchasing consortia in order to secure better terms. Another factor is market contestability: the probability that, unless existing players competed, new suppliers would enter the market and undercut them. Two years after the end of the NBA, there is only minimal involvement by new entrants in library supply. However, it appears to the authors that the threat of entry via an alternative supply chain, involving wholesalers and sub-contractors in library servicing, managed by library agents, may have encouraged traditional library suppliers to begin to offer bigger discounts to their customers. The price war which has developed from the initial increase in discounts has made it unlikely that new players could enter the market profitably. (The combined return on sales of the five largest library supply companies was, according to their latest accounts, only 3.4%.) However, it is argued here that the threat of such entry is one of the reasons for a process whereby prices to libraries and profits of library suppliers have fallen. The effect on discounts The evidence shows that most public libraries, in sharp contrast to their academic counterparts, have secured greater discounts. Of the 100 public library authorities responding to the Cranfield survey, 17 had not negotiated new terms and might still be on 10% discount, but this was not made explicit. Of the 131 respondents to Smith s survey, 99 got more than 10% in , but another 14 expected to join them in The two sets of survey results are consistent. From Fig , it can be seen that over half the 75 public library authorities responding to this question secured discounts of 21% or more. By use of interpolation, it is possible to use the Cranfield survey results to estimate weighted average discounts obtained by public and academic libraries - giving 24.7% and 13.5% respectively. It is interesting to note that there is no correlation between the level of discount and size of expenditure. Suppliers who have been unsuccessful in tendering for big contracts have in some cases been willing to secure smaller contracts at equivalent discounts. Four public library authorities have managed to secure discounts exceeding 30%; one of them has total expenditure below 200,000 per annum. Smith also found that there was no relationship between book budget and discount. The trade-off between discount and servicing charges Most of the bigger discounts are associated with bigger payments for services. Including those with unchanged overall terms, 20 of the 24 authorities with discounts of 15% or less paid unchanged servicing charges. Of those on discounts of 16% or more, this proportion was only 4/ Level of headline discount secured in % of each sample (59 & 75) Public Level of discount (%) 204 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

215 5.10 Report into the effects of the abandonment of the Net Book Agreement Although it has not been possible to summarise the changes statistically, it is evident from interviews with both library suppliers and acquisition managers in public libraries that the principle that services should be fully costed has only been partly implemented. There remains a substantial majority of librarians in both the public and academic sectors which considers traditional services to be more important than bigger discounts. Only 25% of the combined sample of public and academic acquisition managers considered bigger discounts to be the more important. Changes in the structure of library supply Of 100 public library respondents to the Cranfield survey, 83 had negotiated new terms since the end of the NBA - and of these 47 had changed their main supplier(s). Among academic librarians only 54 out of 113 had negotiated new terms, and only 28 had changed their principal suppliers. Most of the public library authorities had reduced their number of suppliers. In the four years from to the average number of suppliers per library authority had varied between 6.07 and For the financial year the average is 4.72, a statistically significant change. Smith reports that 77 of the 131 authorities contributing to his survey had reduced the number of suppliers. Note however that some authorities had increased the number of suppliers. The maximum number for any authority in the Cranfield sample in was 27, the same as in Effects on total library expenditure For the public sector the fall in total expenditure on books from to is shown in Fig above. In order to examine the impact of the abandonment of the NBA and availability of bigger discounts, the authors considered mean expenditures per library authority over the years to The comparison is complicated by local government reorganisation in April 1996, making it impossible to get a matched sample throughout the period. For a matched sample for the first part of the period the changes were as follows: % % For a new matched sample the change in the most recent year has been: (rev) % In the most recent financial year, 64 of the 90 authorities have reduced budgets and only 19 have increased them. None of these figures make any allowance for inflation, nor for the increases in list prices which have occurred. Library suppliers The increase in discounts to public libraries has had adverse financial effects on those companies specialising in public library supply. The filed accounts of five such companies have been analysed to identify these effects. The last full year with RPM in place has been compared with the most recent year for which accounts are available. While this does not provide any exact figure, because the financial years differ, it does provide a general indication of the difficulties these companies have had to face. In the most recent year combined turnover of these companies was 14% below that in the last year with RPM, and all five companies registered a fall. Since there has been no significant switch by libraries to suppliers outside the traditional specialists, these figures confirm that public libraries have used the greater discounts now available to reduce expenditure on books, rather than to buy proportionately more books because they represent better value for money. Reduced turnover combined with reduced margin per book sold might have been expected to lead to a dramatic fall in profits. The total operating profit earned reported by the five companies fell from 2.68 million in the last year with RPM, to 1.47 million in the most recent year. One of the five companies actually increased its net profit margin between the two years, and in the case of another company which has filed two annual accounts since the demise of the NBA, the most recent figures show an improvement on those which reflected the immediate effects. The relative buoyancy of profits, despite the fall in turnover and in unit profit margin, is due entirely to cost cutting. Between the last year with RPM and the most recent year, employment in the five companies fell from 1,619 to 1,292 - a fall of over 20%. Reference Smith, G. (1997) Public library book purchasing without the Net Book Agreement and Library Licence, Taking Stock, 6(1), May National Acquisitions Group, Paisley. Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 205

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217 6.1 Inter-authority benchmarking project Information and reference services 6 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 207

218 6 : INFORMATION AND REFERENCE SERVICES 6.1 Inter-authority benchmarking project Benchmarking of enquiry services in four authorities Sara Keable & Tricia Brighton, Berkshire; Karen Tyerman, Brent; Sue Wheeler & Barbara Jennings, Kent; Kate Cole & Andrew Stevens, Westminster Berkshire, Brent, Kent and Westminster library authorities The key service of enquiries is probably the public library function about which least is known in qualitative terms. In this project four authorities benchmarked the enquiry service, through the use of unobtrusive monitoring and process mapping. An important finding was the need for improved referral networks. Internal report, Introduction This report outlines a benchmarking project undertaken by Berkshire, Brent, Kent and Westminster library authorities, believed to be the first of its kind between UK public libraries. The objectives were: 1. to carry out a competitor benchmarking exercise on enquiry services in the four authorities which would lead to improvements in service to customers. 2. to assess the value of the process of benchmarking for public libraries. It was hoped the exercise would: compare not just outcomes, but the processes leading to those outcomes, thus highlighting and sharing best practice give a qualitative dimension to enquiry figures allow each authority to set its own practice in a wider context involve colleagues in participating libraries as much as possible make use of peer evaluation as a monitoring method. Two sites from each authority were selected to take part in the project - small to medium sized service points without any specialist reference collections. This would test the referral network and the level of service that could be provided outside centres of excellence and without specialist staff, as well as the basic enquiry service. Local staff briefings took place to explain the purpose and proposed course of the project. The four main stages planned for the project were: carrying out a customer survey in each of the service points (this is not described in this extract) initial control monitoring to give a comparison with the findings from the survey process mapping which logged the inputs to and stages of the enquiry service remonitoring after local initiatives had been implemented in response to the results. Initial control monitoring Through unobtrusive monitoring techniques, two specific questions were asked in each library in person and another two by telephone. Exactly the same questions were used in each library. The questions were selected on the basis that some information would be available at all the sites, but a referral was necessary for a complete answer in some cases. The questions, the standard forms used to record transactions, and a summary of the key results from both the personal visits and telephone monitoring, appear on pages below. During the personal visits, it was found that customer care was good in all service points involved. In most places, there was evidence of good enquiry technique. However, there was quite a high proportion of partially correct or wrong answers and of inappropriate referrals - i.e. referring users to the wrong organisation, and also directing users to outside organisations too early in the process rather than using networks within the home authority. 208 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

219 6.1 Inter-authority benchmarking project There were more correct answers found during the telephone monitoring - perhaps because the questions asked were less complex. Referrals were generally more appropriate. Process mapping All the stages and factors involved in providing an enquiry service were mapped, from policy and planning, stock selection, presentation, staff deployment and training, right down to what equipment is available for staff and customers to use. The outline process map is reproduced on pages The process maps produced by the four authorities were compared, to identify key factors in delivering a successful enquiry service. The three most significant factors were: Training A systematic, well co-ordinated programme was required covering the following topics in particular: enquiry technique, use of resources, referral process, customer awareness and induction. Documentation Local procedures manuals were important, in giving staff confidence as well as showing how to use specific tools. Any staff manual should be backed up by training to make it effective. Networks and partnerships Internal networks and established lines of referral were not always being used, possibly because: staff may lack confidence in those they should contact or be shy of appearing to have failed ; or staff may be unclear as to the correct referral procedure. Amongst the main responses to the first round of monitoring and the process maps were the following (not all responses apply to all four authorities): training programmes were developed for site staff, both on enquiry skills, and on techniques and use of the existing materials at sites an Information Services Strategy to address issues such as core reference collections at sites and appropriate referral networks Remonitoring Remonitoring was carried out after fifteen months. This time telephone monitoring only was used. Four questions were asked of each site - again selected so that some answers could be found locally but others would require referral for completeness. The questions were designed to be more demanding than those used in the first round of telephone monitoring. Customer care was again generally very good, but there were still problems with appropriateness of referrals. The remonitoring questions and a summary of the key results are in Appendices 6 and 7 below. Conclusions on benchmarking Be specific Benchmarking will only work if the participants define clearly which area of service they wish to explore and ensure that each stage of the process is geared to this area. Planning Invest time and effort at the planning stage. Our project plan was detailed, but also sufficiently flexible to allow for adjustments to be made. Methodology With hindsight, it might have been possible to simplify the methodology. However, given that one of the purposes of the project was to assess whether benchmarking is a process valuable to public libraries, it was important to follow the generally-understood stages. Benchmarking is not a quick-fix option; to derive benefit from it, one must be patient. Process mapping It is crucial to understand one s own process thoroughly before one can usefully compare it to someone else s. Keeping staff informed Communication to staff at all stages of the project was vital in order to keep them up to date with what was happening. If the above points are followed, it is believed benchmarking can be a valuable tool for public libraries. However, it is important to be sure that benchmarking is the best methodology for the topic under examination. more detailed analysis of enquiries in order to move effectively to target stock provision and training a newsletter highlighting new reference publications and giving information updates this was particularly helpful in informing staff. Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 209

220 6 : INFORMATION AND REFERENCE SERVICES Appendix 1: Control monitoring questions Personal visits 1. Can you tell me as much as possible about the life and work of Erich Segal? 2. How can I stop companies phoning me up to try and sell me something? I don t want to go ex-directory and I ve heard there is an organisation you can contact. Telephone calls 1. Can you tell me which museum in Portsmouth houses the Mary Rose? 2. Can you give me the national unemployment figures for the last five years? Appendix 2: Unobtrusive monitoring by telephone: Outline for a monitoring form: Library name: Date: Time: Please describe your interview: How many times did you call when the phone was engaged? [ ] 2 Time to answer telephone (number of rings): [ ] 3 Duration of call: [ ] minutes 4 How did staff greet you? Describe verbatim: Did staff understand your question first time? Yes [ ] No [ ] 6 Did the staff ask you to tell them more about what you needed to know? Yes [ ] No [ ] 7 Was the answer given (tick one box only): Complete and correct? [ ] Partially correct? [ ] Wrong [ ] 8 Was the question answered from (tick as applicable): Library stock? [ ] Referral to another library? [ ] 210 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

221 6.1 Inter-authority benchmarking project 9 Did the staff check you were satisfied with the answer? Yes [ ] No [ ] 10 If your question couldn t be answered at the library, did the staff (tick for YES) Say they would ring/write to you with the answer? [ ] Suggest you try another library or organisation? [ ] Tel. another library and get the answer for you? [ ] Tel. another library to check a visit would be worthwhile? [ ] 11 If staff offered to ring you back, did they confirm when it would be convenient to call and then call back at the agreed time? Yes [ ] No [ ] If No, how long did you have to wait? [ ] 12 Were staff (tick for YES): Comments: Helpful? [ ] Polite? [ ] Knowledgeable? [ ] Efficient? [ ] Friendly? [ ] i.e. pleasant, positive manner Appendix 3: Unobtrusive monitoring by personal visit: Outline monitoring form Please describe your interview: How many customers were in the library (as near as possible)? [ ] 2 How do you rate (ring one number from 1 - low to 5 - high): Ease of locating enquiry point: Helpfulness of guiding Comment:... 3 Did you initially go to (tick one box only): Counter/reception? [ ] Information/enquiry desk? [ ] Other? [ ] Specify:... 4 How long did you have to wait to be attended to (tick one box only)? Under 2 minutes [ ] 2 minutes or more [ ] 5 Were you referred to another (tick for YES): Person for the answer [ ] Who?... Place in library for the answer [ ] Which?... Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 211

222 6 : INFORMATION AND REFERENCE SERVICES 6 Were the staff (tick for YES): Helpful? [ ] Polite? [ ] Knowledgeable? [ ] Efficient? [ ] Friendly? [ ] i.e. smile, positive eye contact & body language 7 Did the staff ask you to tell them more about what you needed to know? Yes [ ] No [ ] 8 Did the staff show or tell you where they found the answer to your question? Yes [ ] No [ ] 9 If you were directed to sources in the library, were you (tick if applicable): Directed? [ ] Taken? [ ] 10 Was the answer (tick one box only): Complete and correct? [ ] Partially correct? [ ] Wrong? [ ] 11 Did the staff check you were satisfied with the answer? Yes [ ] No [ ] 12 If your question couldn t be answered here, did the staff (tick for YES) Say they would ring/write to you with the answer? [ ] Suggest you try another library or organisation? [ ] Tel. another library and get the answer for you? [ ] Tel. another library to check a visit would be worthwhile? [ ] 13 How long did the staff spend on your enquiry (tick one box only)? Comments: Under 2 minutes [ ] 2-5 minutes [ ] 6-10 minutes [ ] Over 10 minutes [ ] 212 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

223 6.1 Inter-authority benchmarking project Appendix 4: Analysis of site visits, December 1995 Note: each letter relates to responses from a single service point Question 6 - Did staff ask you to tell them more about what you needed to know? A B C D E F G H Yes No Question 7 - Was the answer given correct etc.? A B C D E F G H Complete & correct 1 1 Partially correct Wrong 1 1 No answer Question 11 - Referral process A B C D E F G H Correct/ appropriate Not needed 1 1 Inappropriate Not given when needed Question 9 - Did the staff check you were satisfied with the answer? A B C D E F G H Yes No Not expected Question 12 - Were staff...? A B C D E F G H Helpful Polite Knowledgeable Efficient Friendly Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 213

224 6 : INFORMATION AND REFERENCE SERVICES Analysis of telephone monitoring, February 1996 Question 6 - Did staff ask you to tell them more about what you needed to know? A B C D E F G H Yes No Question 7 - Was the answer given correct etc.? A B C D E F G H Complete & correct Partially correct Wrong No answer 2 Question 11 - Referral process A B C D E F G H Correct/ appropriate Not needed Inappropriate Not given when needed Question 9 - Did the staff check you were satisfied with the answer? A B C D E F G H Yes No 2 Not expected Question 12 - Were staff...? A B C D E F G H Helpful Polite Knowledgeable 2 Efficient Friendly Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

225 6.1 Inter-authority benchmarking project Appendix 5: Enquiries process map Policy and planning 1. Definition of customer base. 2. Who has overall responsibility for the enquiry service? 3. Is there a business plan for this part of the service? 4. Is there an overall policy statement for enquiry services? 5. Are separate resources allocated for enquiries and how is this done? 6. Are there different tiers of provision according to the size of the service point? 7. Are there standards/specifications for enquiries, stock and buildings? 8. Are there staff manuals available explaining procedures? 9. Is there a training policy/plan for the service? 10. Is there a policy on networks/partnerships in order to provide additional sources of information? 11. Are charges made for any part of the service? 12. How is the cost of the service assessed? 13. Is the delivery of the service regularly documented e.g. reports to Committees? Review 1. How is the service monitored? 2. What records are kept relevant to enquiry work? 3. What performance indicators are recorded? 4. How is the performance of the enquiry service assessed generally? Inputs Access 1. Availability of service - opening hours. 2. Physical ease of access to building: parking, disabled/pushchairs. 3. Telephone: no. of lines, answerphone, referral system. 4. Layout of library: is there a separate enquiry point(s)? 5. Other facilities nearby offering enquiry service/information? Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 215

226 6 : INFORMATION AND REFERENCE SERVICES Staffing 1. What is the staff allocation for enquiry work? What kind of staff: professional/support/permanent/relief? 2. How are they organised/how is the service staffed: timetabling, who does what etc.? 3. How are staff trained? What kind of courses: internal/external/cascade? 4. How do staff keep up to date knowledge of stock and services? Stock 1. Who selects the stock and how? Input of local staff? 2. Is regular stock work carried out? If so, frequency and method? 3. What different types of media are used to provide the service e.g. CD-ROM, on-line services etc.? 4. How is the stock arranged: categorisation/classification? What specific categories of stock are there? Exploitation 1. What signs and guiding are provided: for stock, services and equipment? 2. Is the service promoted in any way? 3. Are there any self-help guides/instructions which enable customers to answer own enquiries? 4. What equipment is provided for staff or public to use e.g. photocopier, fax, printers? Appendix 6: Remonitoring questions 1. In which state is Melbourne, Australia? 2. Do you have the population of the City of Manchester and the City of Liverpool? 3. Do you have the name and contact details of the Lord Lieutenant for (authority being telephoned)? My parents have been married fifty years this year and I want to register them as possible invitees for the Royal Anniversary Garden Party at Buckingham Palace. 4. What is the name and address of the company that owns the trademark Pierre Cardin, found on ties? 216 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

227 Appendix 7: Analysis of telephone monitoring, March Inter-authority benchmarking project Question 6 - Did staff ask you to tell them more about what you needed to know? A B C D E F G H Yes 2 1 (Q3) 1 (Q3) 1 (Q3) 1 (Q4) 1 (Q3) 3 No Question 7 - Was the answer given correct etc.? A B C D E F G H Complete & correct Partially correct 1 2 Wrong No answer Question 11 - Referral process A B C D E F G H Correct/ appropriate Not needed Inappropriate Not given when needed Question 9 - Did the staff check you were satisfied with the answer? A B C D E F G H Yes No Not expected Question 12 - Were staff...? A B C D E F G H Helpful Polite Knowledgeable Efficient Friendly Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 217

228 6 : INFORMATION AND REFERENCE SERVICES 6.2 Regional reference libraries: a position statement Capital Planning Information Ltd for the British Library Research and Innovation Centre Capital Planning Information Ltd. was invited by the British Library Research and Innovation Centre to undertake this study to update research carried out during 1983/ which examined the position of the self designated regional reference libraries (RRLs) provided by the major city authorities. The study has re-confirmed that: the use of the RRLs is local, regional, national and international; numbers of enquiries are growing; and there is concern that it is beyond the capacity of local authorities to maintain the collections of these libraries. Report available from Capital Planning Information, 91 High Street, Bruton, Somerset BA10 0BH, 1996, Executive summary Most RRLs have come to accept that it is unrealistic to expect neighbouring authorities to contribute directly to the upkeep of these regional facilities, despite the proven evidence that their residents make heavy use of the services. Most professional managers continue, therefore, to look to central or regional sources of finance as more appropriate, particularly where the collections are of national and regional significance. It is clear that local government reorganisation, while not affecting most COCRIL (Council for City, Research and Information Libraries) libraries (except Bristol), will have a profound effect upon the finance available to the smaller city reference libraries which provide a regional service but will be run by freestanding unitary authorities. The research has also confirmed that there are additional costs associated with providing regional reference services (staff and space, the need to maintain and develop specialist collections of international importance, the preservation of old and unique material, and the need to invest in modern formats such as CD ROM). The majority of RRLs have not yet attempted to recover costs except for a limited range of premium services. Current legislation limits the introduction of charges to these extra services and prevents reference libraries raising further revenue in this way. Improved access to resources will be the key for future service provision. This will involve increased cooperation between RRLs and libraries within the higher education sector, along the lines of Sheffield s Access to Libraries for Learning (ALL) scheme. Networking will also have a role to play in this regard. Making the catalogues of RRLs available on a network will be a first step. However, this will not improve access to materials as documents themselves will not be available on-line, and much reference material is not held on local computerised catalogues. Investigations are required to identify the feasibility of introducing or funding: networked information services including online access to CD ROM (centrally licensed), and JANET where appropriate retrospective conversion of reference catalogues to improve knowledge of the material available digitisation of the rarer and most valuable items for improved access and preservation. The collection of performance indicators over the past decade has been generally inadequate, with one or two exceptions. Without this evidence it will be difficult for COCRIL, as a lobbying group, to justify additional funding to support regional reference services. If these data can be collected, and they indicate that RRLs play a significant role in supporting local and regional business, education and research, then COCRIL will have a case for increases in funding to maintain or improve these roles. Another unknown is the extent and depth of special collections (some of them unique) of regional, national and international importance held in RRLs. There is a need to improve access to these resources. The principal recommendation of this research is for the formal designation of regional reference library and information service centres by the Library and Information Commission and the Department of National Heritage (now the Department for Culture, 218 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

229 6.2 Regional reference libraries: a position statement Media and Sport). Such designation would parallel that for regionally based museums and galleries. It would provide recognition, which would be expected materially to improve each designated library s chances of receiving lottery support, European funding, or regional funding. Designation should be based on: the quality of the collections held, the levels of service provided, the maintenance of investment, the contributions made to networks, the promotion strategy employed, the technology strategy in place, the qualifications of reference staff, the size, state and location of premises, formal evidence of cooperative arrangements and evidence of user satisfaction. These criteria will require RRLs aspiring to designation to improve their collection of performance indicators, and it is recommended that internal quality inspection procedures should be in place. Decisions on assessment should be made by a combination of peer group review supplemented by specialist advice on collection content by subject experts. Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 219

230 6 : INFORMATION AND REFERENCE SERVICES 6.3 Business information in rural Grampian Rita Marcella, Judith M Smith, Gerald Moore, Mike Seton, Michael McConnell School of Information & Media, Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen This report concludes stage two of a Scottish Library and Information Commission funded research project which examined the business information needs of organisations in rural Grampian by means of a comprehensive survey and interviews. The present provision and capabilities of public library services and other information providers in the area were also investigated. The full report is available from the Scottish Library & Information Commission, or from the authors, Methodology Two library services, Moray District and the North East of Scotland Library Service, were involved in this project. Grampian is a predominantly rural area. The major conurbation is Aberdeen City on the coast, serving the oil industry, fishing and manufacturing. The only other heavily populat ed conurbation is Elgin with a population of 19,950 (mid 1991), served by Moray District library service. The population of the remaining towns does not exceed 20,000. After a pilot study, the project involved a comprehensive survey of businesses in rural Grampian in order to assess their information needs. Businesses were chosen according to size, industry sector and area, in order to produce a stratified sample. A survey by questionnaire was decided upon as being the most effective means of gathering preliminary data. The results of this survey are summarised below. For other parts of the original project not summarised here, interested readers should consult the full report - in particular a series of structured, in-depth interviews with a sample of respondents from the survey and with all significant information providers in Grampian. The results of these interviews should help to place the statistics from the survey in context Approximate breakdown of questionnaires sent Industry NESLS Moray Total % % % Commercial/Professional Oil/Gas Hotel/Leisure Manufacturing/Processing Totals NESLS = North East of Scotland Library Service By far the greatest proportion of responses came from small companies - reflecting the fact that the highest proportion of companies in the region are small. Fig classifies responses according to the firms number of employees. (The EC & DTI definition of a small company is one employing fewer than 50 personnel.) Over half the companies responding (51.7%) reported an annual turnover of less than 250,000 per annum, as depicted in Fig Size of companies by number of employees Findings Size and activities of the companies A total of 2,000 questionnaires were sent out, broken down approximately as indicated in Table A useable sample of 539 responses was returned. The response rate was a significant 26.9%, or 29.8% when non-trading organisations are included. Number of companies >500 Number of employees 220 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

231 Table shows the main activities carried out by the companies Main activity of company Activity No. of % of companies total Fishing/fish processing Shipping/ship repair Food processing/wholesale Whisky production/wholesale Contracting/building services Tradesmen Textiles & fabrics Leisure/sporting Farming/forestry Finance Oil related Catering Publishing/printing Metal processing Furniture retail Property sales/leasing Agricultural business Architecture/surveying Hotels/caravans Marketing Sales General retail/wholesale Computing/electronics Motor retail/repair Health/medical/nursing Travel agents/tourism Bookmaking/ gambling Accountancy Manufacturing Funeral directors Insurance Landscaping Design Cataloguing Transport Engineering Photography/film Service industry Quarrying Public sector Charity Total response 489 of : Business information in rural Grampian?.? Heading in sentence case Resources available within companies This section of the questionnaire sought to determine whether the responding companies had access to in-house information services and information technology equip ment. Of those that responded, 18.5% did have an in-house information service available, while 81.5% did not. Of those which did have a library or information service, only 3.7% (20 companies) had qualified professional information staff. The companies were asked whether they considered themselves to be self-sufficient in meeting their information needs, without recourse to external agencies. From the 488 that responded, 344 companies (63.8%) felt that they were. Companies were asked to identify the technology to which they had access. Responses are depicted in Table Technology available to companies Technology No. of companies % Spreadsheets Databases Word-processors Stand-alone computing Networked Fax Photocopying BT Mercury Internet EDI GNS Dialplus Base: 539 respondents Only six companies had access to on-line databases. There seemed to be some confusion with this question about what constitutes an on-line database. Of these six, only four identified real databases, or hosts, Dialog, Dunn and Bradstreet, Most and The Insurance Exchange. CompuServe was mentioned, as was Microsoft Access. It would appear that very few rural companies use on-line information. Agencies used by companies to access information Companies were asked to indicate, from a list, which agencies they used to access information and to estimate the frequency with which such approaches were made. The responses very frequently, frequently, and occasionally were subjective judgements. Responses are depicted in Table Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 221

232 6 : INFORMATION AND REFERENCE SERVICES Agencies used to access information Agency Very frequently % Frequently % Occasionally % Business Information centres Chambers of Commerce Local enterprise trusts European agencies Government departments Trade/professional associations Specialist consultants Public libraries Academic libraries Non-specified scientific/technical libraries Non-specified libraries at other companies Non-specified internal sources Base: 539 respondents (percentages are of all respondents ) Companies were asked how they typically approached the agencies identified. Responses are summarised in Table Many of the respondents indicated that they used more than one form of approach Method of approach to agencies Method No. of companies % Telephone Facsimile On-line/Network Post Personal visit Base: 539 respondents Company information needs The questionnaire presented respondents with a series of categories of information and they were asked to indicate frequency of need in relation to each of these. The judgements occasionally, frequently, and very frequently were subjective. A large number of categories were identified (Table 6.3.7). It was felt that one of the most valuable things that a study such as this could do would be to provide a much better base of understanding of the subjects of information need, in order to develop a strategic picture of service requirement. It is interesting to highlight those categories and sub categories for which a regular incidence of frequent or very frequent need was noted (in more than 20 cases). They are as follows: Product information - suppliers, manufacturers and costs Business opportunities - tenders, contracts Financial information - stocks/futures, exchange rates Company information - financial status, future plans, company relations Health & safety - regulations, guidance Scientific & technical - standards, research and development Legislative and legislation Human resources and training. 222 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

233 6.3.7 Categories of information need (continued overleaf) 6.3 : Business information in rural Grampian?.? Heading in sentence case Types of information Occasionally % Frequently % Very frequently % Product/service/distrib information Suppliers Manufacturers Trademarks Cost Business opportunity Tenders Contracts Partnerships Sources of finance Grants Subsidies Development Export/import Regulations Market research Industry sector Product Projections Statistical Population Expenditure/income Economic Socio-economic National International Financial Stocks/futures Investment advice Capital Exchange rates Company information Locations Financial status Personnel Sphere of interest Future plans Company relations European Legislation Future dev Programmes Legislative Legislation Cases/judgement Interpretation Health & safety Regulations Guidance Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 223

234 6 : INFORMATION AND REFERENCE SERVICES Types of information Occasionally % Frequently % Very frequently % Human resources Manpower Training/education Employment trends Contacts info Public/community National gov Local gov European gov Charities Pressure groups Political parties Professional org Companies Univ./research Scientific/technical Research/dev Standards Patents Local region Facilities/resources Environmental Cultural Political Economic Other regions Facilities/resources Environmental Cultural Political Economic Demographic Environmental Categories of information need (cont) Legislative Green marketing Environmental management Base: 539 respondents (percentages are of all respondents ) The survey aims to try to determine which of these categories of information need were felt by companies to require expert guidance or advice in the interpretation of the information, rather than its bare presentation in response to an enquiry. The significant marker here could be seen to be a 25% response, where a quarter or more of the responding companies felt that a category of information would be relatively valueless if not supported by specialist expert advice. The categories where this was felt to be the case are: Sources of finance Health & safety Business opportunities Financial investment. 224 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

235 6.4 European Union information in public libraries in the United Kingdom 6.4 European Union information in public libraries in the United Kingdom Rita Marcella, Graeme Baxter, Susan Parker School of Information & Media, Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen Report of a BLRIC-funded project which investigated the provision of European Union information in UK public libraries and in particular the implementation of a particular service, the Public Information Relay. We present here highly selective extracts from questionnaire surveys of public library authorities and library users. The full report which runs to 180 pages contains much more information on both surveys, as well as reports on eight case studies and a project seminar, and final conclusions and recommendations. Marcella, Rita, and others. European Union information in public libraries in the United Kingdom BLRIC report 19. Available from the British Thesis Service, BLDSC. Introduction At the outset of this project, in July 1995, 154 of the then 167 UK library authorities had joined the Public Information Relay (PIR) a co ordinated relay which brings European Union information closer to the man and woman in the street. Participating public libraries are entitled to receive: free copies of basic texts on the European Union; a 50% discount on items produced by the Office for Official Publications of the European Communities (EUR-OP); a 50% discount on access to certain EU databases, a stock of hand-out material produced by the EC; a list of suggested basic publications; training in the use and maintenance of a European collection. The main objectives of the project are: to provide a review of the types of European information services in public libraries to identify the extent of actual and potential need for European information amongst users to identify best practice for the provision of European information in public libraries to develop a method of investigating users perceptions of and response to European information. Methodology The first stage of the project comprised a questionnaire-based survey of all 154 public library authorities in the UK participating in the PIR. The main aim of this survey was to elicit information on the levels of European information provision (both prior to and since joining the Relay), the manner in which the PIR service was being implemented, and any potential problems and solutions. In the second stage of the project, further information was drawn from a series of case study visits to PIR members. In all, eight visits were made - five to English library authorities and three to Scottish authorities. A survey of the European information needs of the public was also carried out. Three public library services - Aberdeen, Glasgow and Moray - distributed a total of 450 questionnaires to library users. At the time of the exercise, both Glasgow and Moray had made the Relay service available to the public, but Aberdeen was still considering possible launch dates. Some of the user findings were compared with those of Gallup polls conducted previously. The final major element of the Project was a seminar, held at the Representation of the European Commission in London on Tuesday, 25th June The Public Information Relay survey results The overall response rate for the survey was 76% or 117 authorities. Almost all the respondents had joined the Public Information Relay (PIR) between May 1994 and December Sources of European information held One question in this section sought to investigate the extent of collections by comparison with a sample of the core texts taken from the list of suggested basic European information sources from the Federation of Local Authority Chief Librarians (FOLACL). Findings are shown in Table Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 225

236 6 : INFORMATION AND REFERENCE SERVICES Please indicate if the library holds any of the following key hardcopy sources of European information, as published by EUR-OP. Key sources Authorities % of total holding title respondents Directory of Community Legislation in Force General Report on the Activities of the European Communities Treaties Bulletin of the European Union Official Journal of the EC L series Official Journal of the EC C series Official Journal of the EC S series COM Documents Annex to the Official Journal In your European collection, is the stock you hold on the following subject areas adequate for meeting your users needs? Completely Adequate Inadequate Completely No Subject area adequate % % inadequate resp. % % % General information on the EU s activities Customs tariffs and regulations Employment and labour Education Legislation/Implementation Social issues/policy Citizens rights Transport Energy Environmental issues Agriculture, forestry and fisheries Economic and financial issues Business opportunities Market and company information Grants and loans Scientific and technical research Patents and standards Statistics Note: % s within each subject area The next question sought from respondents a qualitative evaluation of their European collection. The question focused on a broad range of categories of European information extending beyond those actual sources identified by FOLACL (see Table 6.4.2). Electronic sources of European information The survey sought to investigate the electronic sources of European information available to respondents and the perceived value of such sources (see Table 6.4.3). Authorities were asked to rank the top three online hosts used to access European information. Using a simple scoring system of 3 points for being ranked first, 2 points for being ranked second, and 1 point for being ranked third, the following list of the hosts most frequently used to access European information was obtained (see Table 6.4.4) Online host Please indicate if the library has access to any of the following online hosts Authorities with access % of total resp. DIALOG DataStar FT Profile ECHO Context 9 8 Eurobases 9 8 Consultancy Europe Associates 1 1 CPC Technologies (formerly BRS) 1 1 Eurokom 1 1 Butterworths Telepublishing Mead Data Central - - NOMOS Legal Information Service - - WEFA 226 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

237 6.4.4 Ranking of on line hosts by use 1. DIALOG 59 pts 2. DataStar FT Profile ECHO Eurobases Context 9 7. ESA-IRS 6 8. Kompass Online 5 9. European Patent Office London Research Centre 3 These findings are unexpected in that DIALOG (which scores highly) is not a rich source of European information. Datastar has several European Union databases, such as CELEX and Spearhead. It is likely that DIALOG s strong showing reflects a lack of awareness of appropriate sources. Interestingly, Context is ranked particularly highly by those who use it, and is indeed a relevant and useful source. A growing number of relevant CD ROM titles are available. Respondents were asked to identify titles held (see Table 6.4.5) From the following, please indicate which CD-ROM titles containing European information the library has in stock 6.4 European Union information in public libraries in the United Kingdom significant proportion of respondents are at present accessing European information via the Internet (see Table 6.4.6) Does the library access European information on the Internet? No. % Yes No No response 2 2 Enquiries for European information The majority of respondents said that European enquiries had increased - but this finding is likely to be based upon impressionistic rather than real data (see Table 6.4.7) Has the service noted an increase in the number of European enquiries received over the last five years? No. % Yes No Don t know No response 3 3 CD-ROM title Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 Authorities with title % of total resp. Eurolaw EC Infodisk 11 9 Justis Single Market 11 9 EUROCAT 9 8 CORDIS 8 7 Justis CELEX 8 7 OJ CD 7 6 Justis European References 6 5 Justis Parliament 5 4 Justis Official Journal C Series 3 3 SCAD+ CD 2 2 Eurostat-CD 1 1 COMEXT on CD-ROM - - Justis Official Press Releases - - The total number of authorities indicating that they held CD ROMs containing European information was 46 (39% of total respondents). Increasingly, European information is becoming available on the Internet. The European Commission hosts a number of servers such as Europa, ISPO, and I M Europe and seven of the Representation offices now have their own sites. All the European supported databases are now available on the Internet and can be reached via Europa.eu.int. A small but Respondents were asked about the impact on enquiries of joining the Public Information Relay (see Table 6.4.8). At first glance this response looks disappointing, in that only 27% of respondents had observed any impact upon demand in the aftermath of joining the Relay. However, not all authorities had launched their service at the time when the questionnaire was completed, and so: Of the 27 authorities who had launched their service up to and including June 1995: 13 (48%) had noted an increase in enquiries (more encouraging) 9 (33%) had not noted an increase Has the service noted an increase in the number of European enquiries received since joining the Public Information Relay? No. % Yes No Don t know No response

238 6 : INFORMATION AND REFERENCE SERVICES Prior to joining the Public Information Relay, did the following user groups make significant use of your European collection? Very Don t No User Group significant Significant Insignificant know resp. % % % % % Businessmen/businesswomen Primary producers (i.e. farmers, fishermen, etc.) Further/higher education students The general public Local government officers Job seekers Schoolchildren (NB 3 authorities (3%) failed to answer any part of this question.) Note: % s within each user group Respondents were also asked about use of EU information before their libraries joined the Public Information Relay (see Table 6.4.9). These responses would support prior anecdotal evidence as to the high frequency of use of European Union information by young people and for educational purposes. They also demonstrate the very significant use made of public libraries in the UK by the business community. Table shows the interesting finding that three user groups which are not specifically targeted by the Relay initiative have to a greater extent become more frequent users, in the aftermath of the Public Information Relay, than have the targeted group, the general public. This is a highly significant finding and calls into question the ethos of targeting user groups by the establishment of separate Relays. Table depicts the frequency with which different types of information were requested before the PIR. The overall ranking is produced by giving four points to daily requests, three to weekly, two to monthly and one to occasional User Groups User groups becoming more frequent users since joining PIR No of authorities reporting more frequent use Further/higher education students 25 Schoolchildren 17 Local government officers 11 The general public 9 Businessmen/businesswomen 8 Job seekers 2 Primary producers (i.e. farmers, fishermen, etc) (In addition, 4 of the 38 authorities felt there had been a general increase in use by all groups.) Please indicate the frequency with which information on the following topics was requested prior to your library service joining the Public Information Relay Don t No Overall Subject Daily Weekly Mthly Occas. Never know resp. ranking % % % % % % % Statistics General info on the EU s activities Market & company information Grants & loans Legislation/ Implementation Business opportunities Economic and financial issues Employment and labour Social issues/policy Education Environmental issues Citizens rights Custom tariffs and regulations Patents & standards Energy Transport Agriculture, forestry & fisheries Scientific & technical research Note: % s within each subject group 228 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

239 6.4 European Union information in public libraries in the United Kingdom Table shows the popularity of the same topics after PIR. ( In addition, three of the 31 authorities felt that all of these topics had become more popular.) Subject Topics becoming more popular since joining PIR No. of authorities General information on the EU s activities 14 Grants and loans 12 Legislation/Implementation 10 Social issues/policy 10 Statistics 8 Citizens rights 7 Employment and labour 7 Business opportunities 4 Environmental issues 4 Agriculture, forestry & fisheries 2 Education 2 Market & company information 2 Transport 2 Customs tariffs and regulations 1 Economic and financial issues 1 Energy 1 Patents and standards 1 Scientific & technical research 1 User survey In total 372 user questionnaires were completed, by users of the public libraries in Aberdeen, Glasgow and Moray; in comparison the Gallup poll of 1995 surveyed 1,024 members of the general public. The first question sought broad information on actual prior need for European information by respondents (see Table ) Have you ever tried to obtain information about the European Union? Number % Yes No A minority of respondents (28%) had actively sought European information in the past. This figure is, however, higher than that found in three years of Gallup polls: 15% (1993), 15% (1994) and 18% (1995). This might suggest that public library users are more active users of information than the general public. Table shows where respondents went to obtain information If YES, where did you go to obtain this information? No. of responses Public library 74 University/college/school library 26 European Documentation Centre 7 Internet 5 EC Representations in the UK 3 European Information Centre 3 Books and other literature 2 Business information centre/shop 2 European Commission, Brussels 2 MEP 2 Other 9 (Note: 103 respondents) Table depicts the kinds of information sought If YES, what kind of information did you try to obtain from a public library? No. of responses Employment/job opportunities 12 Market and company information 8 Business opportunities 7 Grants and loans 6 Economic and financial issues 5 Legislation 5 Citizens rights 4 Travel information 4 Patent information 3 Political information 3 Statistics 3 Environmental issues 2 General information on EU s activities 2 Social policy 2 Other 9 (Note: 74 respondents) Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 229

240 6 : INFORMATION AND REFERENCE SERVICES Table relates to respondents present and future needs for EU information Which of the following subjects do you feel you might want to find out more about, either at the present or in the future? No. % 1. Employment/job opportunities in the EU Citizens rights in the EU Education in the EU General information on the EU s activities EU grants and loans EU legislation Business opportunities in the EU EU environmental issues EU social policy/issues EU economic and financial issues Customs (duty free) regulations in the EU Scientific and technical research in the EU Transport in the EU EU statistics Farming, forestry and fishing in the EU EU market and company information European patents and standards Energy in the EU 27 7 When asked to predict future information needs in relation to Europe, respondents again displayed a wide range of interests, as well as a much higher expectation of need than had been apparent from past usage. The figures, although high, are still less than those gathered as part of the Gallup poll (1995) - where users predicted a future need for information on Europe and their region (73%), employment opportunities (72%), the environment (69%), working conditions (69%), equal opportunities (68%) and education (66%). Interestingly, the response to the present survey also contrasts with the impressions of libraries as to use - as detailed in Table Library respondents had reported a high level of use of statistical and business related information. The response by users would suggest that to a far greater extent, employment information, citizens rights, educational and general information would be sought. The emphasis is much more on the individual and the private citizen, rather than on the professional or commercial need as one would expect from a survey of members of the general public. Finally, Table explores the reasons for seeking EU information For what reasons might you want this information? No. of % respondents Educational/study reasons A general interest Work reasons Job-seeking reasons Recreational reasons (Note: respondents are the 341 users who said they wanted to find out more about particular topics.) 230 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

241 6.5 : Citizenship information 6.5 Citizenship information A national survey of the citizenship information needs of the general public Rita Marcella and Graeme Baxter School of Information & Media, Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen A relatively rare example of research originating from the LIS sector which ranges more widely than libraries. The survey examines the kinds of information that a sample of citizens have sought - and might in future seek - from public institutions. There are questions on citizens satisfaction with information provided, information which is difficult to obtain, reasons for seeking information, and preferred media/formats for using information. Readers should go to the original report for many additional data which have had to be omitted from the summary - notably, some of the demographic data on the respondents. This is an interim report, The final report will be available in April Introduction and methodology This report focuses on the results of the first stage of the Citizenship Information research project - a questionnaire-based survey of members of the UK public, designed to elicit preliminary data on their use of and need for citizenship information. Prior to its dissemination, the questionnaire was tested on 100 users of Aberdeen City Libraries. For the dissemination of the questionnaire, the project team enlisted the help of various public library authorities, Citizens Advice Bureaux and other generalist information and advice agencies throughout the country. In each of the 13 Government Office Regions of the UK one public library authority, plus either one CAB or other advice agency, were asked to distribute questionnaires to their users/clients. In addition, the public library authorities were asked to distribute half of their allocated questionnaires from a central reference library, and the other half from one of their busier branch libraries. In total, some 2830 questionnaires were disseminated from 42 service points in 28 organisations. The public libraries were asked if systematic sampling might be used, whereby every 10th user approaching the issue/enquiry desk in each distribution point would be given a questionnaire. Given that the number of enquiries received annually by CABx throughout the UK is far fewer than that received by public libraries (in , 6,956,459 enquiries in CABx, compared with 57,327,000 enquiries in public libraries) the CABx and the other advice agencies were asked if they could hand out questionnaires to every second user. Such a systematic approach may not always have been possible in practice. Distribution of the questionnaires began on 9th June 1997 and finished on 31st October Response Overall, 1294 of the questionnaires were completed and returned - a very pleasing response rate of 45.7%. The data from the completed forms were analysed using the statistical software package SPSS for Windows. Response by type of organisation There was a sizeable response from all regions of the UK. Table indicates the response by the type of organisation in which the questionnaires were distributed Response by type of organisation Type of % of Response organisation Number total rate response (%) Public library authorities Citizens Advice Bureaux Other advice agencies Total There was an overwhelmingly better response from the public libraries as a distribution mechanism. While just under half (49.6%) of the original questionnaires were distributed by public libraries, over 75% of the completed survey forms were returned by public libraries; and the public library response rate of 69.4% compares favourably with Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 231

242 6 : INFORMATION AND REFERENCE SERVICES Social class of employed respondents Social Class Male Female Totals % (of 409) I Professional etc. occupations II Managerial and technical occupations III(N) Skilled occupations non-manual III(M) Skilled occupations manual IV Partly skilled occupations V Unskilled occupations Totals 195 (47.7%) 214 (52.3%) that of the CABx (49.6%) and the particularly poor response rate of 8.3% in the other advice and information agencies. Demographic details of respondents Of the 1,294 completed questionnaires: 14% were returned from rural areas 48.7% were male; 50.5% female; 0.9% unspecified 90.7% white; 9.3% from ethnic minorities 41.8% working; 13.7% seeking work; 20.8% retired; 6.6% running a home; 14.1% students. Social class of respondents The 541 respondents who were either in paid employment or were self employed were asked to specify their occupation. Those who did specify an Nature of past information need occupation (409 respondents) were then allocated a social class using the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys Standard Occupational Classification. These are detailed in Table Citizenship information need Examples of past need There was an open question which asked respondents to give an example of an occasion in which they had been required to look for information to help them make a decision, solve a problem, or understand something a little better. In total, 769 (59.4%) of the respondents gave such an example. While the number of examples given by respondents in the CABx and other advice agencies was high (60.1% and 57.6% of respondents, respectively) it was surprising it was not greater, for it might be safe to assume that the main reason for their visit to such an organisation would have been to help with a problem of some kind. The nature of this information need is summarised in Table Nature of information need Number % (of 769 respondents) Education - to assist with coursework, projects, etc. (139) - to choose schools, universities, courses, etc. (58) Leisure and recreation - hobbies and pastimes (92) - travel and tourism (38) Health care Welfare benefits Legal information Employment / job opportunities Financial matters Consumer and credit Housing Business information Family / Personal matters Taxation Politics / UK Government Local government Local planning information Charitable / Voluntary work Health and safety at work Technology and communications Other Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

243 6.5 : Citizenship information Satisfaction with information In a further question, the 769 respondents who indicated they had looked for information in the past were then asked how satisfied they were with the information they obtained, and asked to respond for each of the prompted questions. This is summarised in Table What is immediately of interest about these responses is the fact that the accuracy, currency, comprehensiveness and format of information are difficult qualities for users to judge, and higher proportions of respondents held no view on these. Generally they were happy with the comprehensibility and the relevance of the information found. Problems in obtaining information In another question, the 769 respondents who indicated a specific example of looking for information in the past were asked if there were any kinds of information which might have helped them, but which they had found difficult to obtain. In all, 196 (25.5%) of these respondents had encountered difficulties in the past in obtaining information. When asked to provide some details, the majority indicated the types of information that had proved difficult to acquire, and these are summarised in Table Satisfaction with information obtained Was the information: YES NO No response No. % No. % No. % Easy to understand? Relevant? Accurate? Up to date? Comprehensive? In a physical form that was easy to use? Note: % s within each description Types of information that were difficult to obtain Types of information Number % Technology and communications 3 (of 5) 60.0 Health and safety at work 3 (of 6) 50.0 Local planning information 3 (of 7) 42.9 Business information 11 (of 30) 36.7 Taxation 4 (of 11) 36.4 Disability 1 (of 3) 33.3 Legal information 22 (of 75) 29.3 Local government 2 (of 7) 28.6 Politics/UK government 2 (of 9) 22.2 Health care 15 (of 89) 16.9 Education - to assist with coursework, projects, etc. (23; 16.5%) - to choose schools, universities, courses, etc. (8; 13.8%) 31 (of 197) 15.7 Housing 5 (of 33) 15.2 Employment/job opportunities 9 (of 64) 14.1 Leisure and recreation - hobbies and pastimes (12; 13.0%) - travel and tourism (6; 15.8%) 18 (of 130) 13.8 Financial matters 5 (of 40) 12.5 Welfare benefits 10 (of 82) 12.2 Family/personal matters 2 (of 25) 8.0 Consumer and credit 1 (of 33) 3.0 The percentages in each case are of those respondents who indicated they had looked for that type of information in the question relating to Table Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 233

244 6 : INFORMATION AND REFERENCE SERVICES Types of information sought in the past While 769 respondents gave an example of an occasion on which they had sought information in answer to the open, unprompted question (Table 6.5.4, page 233), a larger number of answers were given when respondents were prompted with a list of 23 subjects which, the authors believed, were the prime components of citizenship information. Respondents were asked to indicate which they had ever wanted to find out more about in the past. Overall, 1,100 (85%) had wanted to find out more about at least one of the subjects listed. A summary of the overall response, arranged in descending numerical order, is provided at Table Types of information sought in the past Subject Number % 1. Leisure and recreation Education Employment / job opportunities Transport and travel Legal information Health care Social security benefits Information about your local council Financial matters Environmental information Information about politics/ UK govt Taxation Housing Family / personal matters Technology and communications Health and safety at work Citizens rights Information about the European Union Equal rights and discrimination Business opportunities Crime and security Consumer and credit Immigration and nationality The top six answers to the unprompted question (where respondents had sought information on education, leisure, health care, welfare benefits, legal issues and employment) also occupy six of the top seven places in the table here. The one newcomer is transport and travel information, cited here by 31.6% of the respondents. Past reasons for seeking information Respondents were asked to indicate (from a list of 13 reasons) why they had wanted citizenship information in the past, and these are summarised in descending numerical order in Table Past reasons for wanting information Reasons Number % 1. Educational / study reasons Work-related reasons A general interest Family / personal reasons Recreational reasons Job-seeking reasons Health reasons Financial reasons Legal reasons Business / commercial reasons For work with a representative / interest group 12. For political decision-making Religious reasons Future information need Using the same list of 23 subjects described earlier, respondents were also asked if they felt they might want to find out more about any of these topics in the future. Overall, 1,014 (78.4%) of the respondents predicted a future need for information on at least one of the subjects listed. The total response in descending numerical order can be seen at Table Predicted future information needs Subject Number % 1. Leisure and recreation Employment / job opportunities Legal information Transport and travel Education Health care Information about your local council Taxation Financial matters Information about the European Union Environmental information Information about politics/ UK govt Citizens rights Social security benefits Technology and communications Family / personal matters Housing Business opportunities Health and safety at work Crime and security Equal rights and discrimination Consumer and credit Immigration and nationality Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

245 6.5.9 Difference between past and predicted future needs 6.5 : Citizenship information Subject Past need Future need Net difference % Pos. % Pos. ±pts ±Pos. European Union Business opps Citizens rights Legal Crime/security Taxation Consumer/credit same Technology / communications same Financial same Local council Health care same Equal rights Immigration same Family / personal Environmental Politics/govt Health & safety Housing Employment Welfare benefits Transport / travel same Leisure same Education The Pos. columns in Table indicate the league position each subject held in the respective tables - e.g. leisure and recreation information was top of both past and future needs lists. In the net difference column, the difference is shown as ± percentage points, where + is predicted to be more popular in the future, and - is predicted to be less popular in the future.) Table summarises the differences between the respondents past citizenship information needs, from Table 6.5.6, and their predicted future needs, from Table 6.5.8, indicating those categories where greatest change in future needs is predicted. Preferred sources of information Respondents were given a list of organisations and people and asked to indicate whether they would approach them for information frequently or occasionally. In total, 1,209 (93.4%) of the respondents indicated they would approach at least one of the sources to obtain information. The overall response is outlined in Table Organisations and people that would be approached for information Organisations / People Frequently Occasionally Never No. % No. % No. % Public libraries Family and friends Post offices Academic libraries Professional people (e.g. doctors and social workers) Citizens Advice Bureaux Offices of govt. depts. and agencies (e.g. Inland Revenue, Benefits agency) Local council offices Other information and advice centres Professional / trade associations MPs Chambers of Commerce Note: percentages run horizontally (i.e. percentage of each organisation/people). Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 235

246 6 : INFORMATION AND REFERENCE SERVICES Preferred methods of obtaining information In addition to examining sources of information (Table ), the survey also asked respondents about their preferred method of obtaining the information from a given list. Respondents were asked to indicate their favourite three methods in order of preference. The responses to this question are outlined in Table A small number of other methods were indicated by respondents: reading trade journals (1 respondent), watching/reading Teletext (1), and C.B. radio (1). Access to information using computers Respondents were asked how often they would use computers to look for information, if public access to computers was made more widely available. From a short list of public places (cited as likely locations for public access computers in the Government s government.direct Green Paper (Government), they were asked to indicate where they would go to use these computers. In all, 969 (74.9%) of the respondents indicated they would use computers on at least an occasional basis in at least one of the places listed. A summary is provided in Table These responses were also given weighted scores (i.e. 3 points for a 1st choice, 2 points for a 2nd choice, and 1 point for a 3rd choice) and ranked accordingly Preferred methods of obtaining information 1st, 2 nd & 3 rd choices and ranked by weighted scores 1st 2nd 3rd Method Points choice choice choice (No.) (No.) (No.) 1. Talking face to face with someone Reading a book Looking through a collection without help from the staff Reading a newspaper Talking by telephone to someone Listening to the radio Watching television Reading a leaflet / pamphlet Using a computer Reading a magazine Writing a letter Predicted frequency of use of computers Note: percentages run horizontally Frequently Occasionally Never Location No. % No. % No. % Public libraries Post offices Shopping centres Town halls Reference Government direct : a prospectus for the electronic delivery of Government services. London: HMSO, 1996 (Cm 3438). 236 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

247 6.6: A user survey of Paisley reference and local studies library information 6.6 A user survey of Paisley Reference and Local Studies Library Andrew Givan University of Strathclyde, Department of Information Science Extracted from a Masters dissertation, this is a rare example of a survey of reference library users. It profiles the users, and explores their reasons for using the library, and their reactions to various aspects of the service. MSc dissertation: Library surveys of the community: research carried out for Renfrew District Libraries, incorporating the use of focus groups and a user survey of Paisley Reference and Local Studies Library, September 1996, University of Strathclyde, Department of Information Science, supervised by Paul Burton. Methodology A written questionnaire was given to library users by staff members over a period of one week, to be completed at their convenience. The aim was to give a questionnaire to all people using the library during the week; in practice, most but not all received questionnaires. A total of 491 questionnaires were completed. It is known that at least 662 people visited the library during this period. Profile of reference library users Fig 6.61 shows the age ranges of respondents compared to their share of the estimated population of Renfrew district. Three groups use the library more than their share of the district population would suggest: those in the 15-24, and age ranges. Sixty-five percent of respondents were male and 35% female (compared to a district population which was estimated as roughly 50% male and female in 1994). Females make up 70% of the 19 and under age group of library users, and 76% of the Age range of respondents group. However, there is a dramatic drop in female library users at ages 25 and over, with women making up only around a quarter of users. Fig shows the occupations of the library s users, compared to the occupations of the whole population of Renfrew district. Students, the retired and those looking after the home make up a significantly larger percentage of library users than they represent in the population as a whole. Those at school, college or university account for 20% of library users but only 4% of the district population; this could be due (at least in part) to the fact that many students are not registered as being resident in the district because their address is term-time only. The survey revealed that 88.8% of Reference Library users came from within Renfrew District. Of these, 69% came from Paisley, despite the fact that the population of Paisley makes up only 38% of Renfrew District s population. The incidence of library use fell the further afield users had to travel. 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 3% 19% 10% 10% 8% 9% 16% 20% 18% 17% 16% 14% 14% 14% 14% Library users Residential population 11% 7% 4% 0% 14 or under or over Age group Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 237

248 6 : INFORMATION AND REFERENCE SERVICES Occupation of library users 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 29% 41% 9% 5% 5% 4% Reference library users Renfrew district population 11% 8% 20% 4% 24% 18% 32% 11% 0% Full-time employed Part-time employed Selfemployed Seeking work At school, college or university Retired Looking after home Time and frequency of visit School pupils are far more likely to use the library on weekday evenings (between 5pm and 8pm) and on Saturday - they make up 19.5% of all users in the evenings and 23.9% of Saturday users. Those seeking work are more likely to use the library during the daytime on weekdays than on evenings or Saturdays. As Fig shows, the majority of users - 74% - used the reference library frequently (i.e. at least once a month), and around 43% used it at least once a week. Nearly half of all male users used the library at least once a week, compared to 31% of women. The over-65 s were also very frequent users, with over 50% using at least once a week, compared to just 29% of those aged 19 and under. All of those who used the library every day were aged 35 or over. People seeking work tended to be very regular users (58.6% used the library at least once a week), as did the retired. Those looking after the home, the part-time employed, and the full-time employed were most likely to be infrequent users (i.e. visiting two or three times a year or less - respectively, 40%, 23.8% and 20.3% of each group). Reasons for visiting the library Fig depicts the reasons given for visiting the reference library. Finding books on a particular subject was the most popular reason given. Local and family history enquiries proved popular, with 19% of respondents using the library for those purposes. Nearly a half of all respondents used the library to read newspapers or magazines, and twice as many men as women used it for this purpose (53% of men compared to 26% of women). The most popular response in the something else category was consulting telephone directories. For ages 19 and under, the two biggest uses of the library were to find information on a particular subject (66%) and to study (over 50%). This was not surprising given that almost all were still at school or college. This age group also used the library to find local history information more than any other, presumably as part of school projects. Using the library to find information on family history was of most interest to over-45 s. Sixty-six percent of library users who were seeking work used it to read newspapers and magazines, as did 53.1% of retired people and 52.4 % of the Frequency of visits 13% 4% 9% 3% First visit Every day 12% 19% More than once a week Once a week 2 or 3 times a month Once a month 20% 21% 2 or 3 times a year Less often 238 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

249 6.6: A user survey of Paisley reference and local studies library information Reasons for visiting the library 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% Find books on a particular subject 44.8% Find quick answer to something 26.1% Find information on local history Use photocopier 13.6% 12.8% Find information on family history 5.1% Study/work 19.6% Read newspapers/magazines 44.4% Something else 11.4% part-time employed. Indeed every group except school pupils were heavy users of newspapers and magazines. Finding information on local history was a reason most commonly cited by retired people (15.9%) and school pupils (23.9%), and sitting to study or work was most popular with those at school (52.2% of whom used the library for this purpose) and those at college or university (47.6%). Use of the library for study purposes was also popular with the full-time employed (18.8%) and self-employed (20.8%). The library catalogue Eighty-two percent of respondents thought a catalogue was important in the library, 17.1% thought it quite important and 0.8% not important at all. Almost half (48.1%) would prefer the catalogue to be on computer, 15.3% on paper and 3.6% on microfilm. 33% had no preference. Almost three quarters (72%) of respondents would rather look for items in the catalogue themselves, and only 28% would prefer a member of staff to do it for them. Staff assistance Respondents were asked whether they had consulted a member of staff for assistance, and just over half (57.4%) had. Of those who were visiting the library for the first time, 90.7% had asked a member of staff for help. Almost all respondents (97.7%) were satisfied with the service they received in the library. The library building Respondents were asked for their reactions to several statements concerning the physical layout of the library and access to facilities, the results of which are shown in Table IT facilities In a further question, users were asked which of several IT services they would like to see introduced into the library: Over 80% of the under-24 s wanted to see word processing facilities, but this figure dropped to 31.6% of the over-65 s (although 45.6% of this age group ticked don t know ). In all age groups, the majority wanted to see electronic versions of newspapers and encyclopaedias, but the most favourable response for the Internet came from those aged 19 and under (77%). School pupils, college and university students and the self-employed were all very positive about the Internet Provision of IT facilities Don t % of respondents Yes No Know Word processing Electronic encyclopaedias and newspapers Internet access Strongly Strongly % of respondents agree Agree Disagree disagree The reading area of the library is too small Guides should be introduced showing the ways to make best use of the library The steps outside will put some people off from using the library e.g. people with disabilities There should be a public toilet in the library Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 239

250 6 : INFORMATION AND REFERENCE SERVICES 6.7 Access to legal information in public libraries Susan Mansfield University of Strathclyde, Department of Information Science Citizens are becoming increasingly aware of their rights and need reasonable access to legal information to help them enforce these rights. The results presented here are based on an MSc dissertation which assessed the provision of legal information in three public libraries in Scotland, by investigating the coverage and exploitation of their law collections. Each collection was evaluated against certain criteria and then graded either basic, good or superior. The study is a rare attempt at the difficult task of evaluating a section of library stock. MSc dissertation: Access to legal information in public libraries, September University of Strathclyde, Department of Information Science, supervised by Paul Burton. Methodology The legal reference collections in the largest or central library in each of three public library authorities in Scotland referred to as libraries A, B and C - were evaluated by taking all works in the Dewey Decimal Classification number 340 (law), and dividing them into the following categories for analysis: 1. Introductory works on the legal system and legal research 2. Legislation 3. Treaties 4. Law reports 5. Computer-based systems 6. Other government documents 7. Encyclopaedias 8. Directories 9. Bibliographies 10. Dictionaries 11. Other reference books 12. Current information sources The stock was then measured against certain criteria: 1. The absence of key sources - the absence of an important work can have a serious impact on the usability of the whole collection of primary materials, and so a measure of usability was taken by determining the availability of a range of key sources that could be used to answer typical questions posed of collections of legislation and law reports. See Table for the list used. 2. Currency - 20% of the collection was sampled using the first and every following fifth entry in the catalogue or book on shelf, and this was then checked against Hammicks Legal Catalogue to ascertain how much of the collection was up-to-date. An item was classed as out-of-date if a more recent edition was listed in Hammicks. 3. Collection development and exploitation practices were gathered by a standard, openended interview with the reference librarian in each library. Each collection was graded as basic, good or superior, according to the following definitions: 1. Basic - held only the most essential sources and tools (as listed in Hammicks). 2. Good - held basic sources and a broader range of more specialised tools. 3. Superior - much specialised material, extensive case law materials and parliamentary papers and other services only expected to be found in the larger libraries. Key sources Library A Library A is a large county library servicing a population of about 70,000 the smallest of the three catchment areas investigated. The legal collection, which represents 3.5% of the total reference collection, was graded as basic. Basic sources were held but they were out-of-date, and although a good selection of government publications was held, a major omission was the absence of any general case law. No series of older law reports or the more eminent series of general, 240 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

251 6.7 : Access to legal information in public libraries modern law reports were taken, and there were no indexes, digests or citators to trace case law or update cases. Most of the sources of legislation held were out-of-date. Library B Library B serves a large city population. Ninetyseven percent of the collection was in the other reference books category. The legal collection was graded as superior. Most Scots law texts were held, as well as more specialised material. The series of law reports were extensive in terms of general and specialist coverage, and the holdings of Parliamentary Papers were among the best in Scotland. Major introductory works on the legal system were held, as were current editions of many research tools necessary to exploit the legislation held. Library C The reference department of Library C provides the reference and information service for a Scottish county population about 180,000. The legal collection, which represented 2% of the total reference collection, was graded as basic, if not poor. Legal stock was held in various places throughout the library, making it difficult to locate, and much of it was closed access. Up-to-date essential textbooks were held, along with public and general statutes, but these could not be used in any meaningful way because of the absence of other sources. Beyond this limited provision there was little information available. There was no complete or systematic collection of treaties, and coverage of law reports and sources to find and use them was virtually non-existent. The statutes were the only types of legislation held, and the finding tools for legislation were very out-of-date. Currency of collections Currency tests were performed on samples of items at all three libraries excluding items not subject to ageing. The currency test at Library A was performed on a sample size of 25 items out of a population of 127, while at Library B it was performed on 67 items, or 18% of the open access collection. In Library C the sample size was 37 items (about 12% of the collection). Fig shows the currency of samples from the three collections. Over two thirds of Library A s legal collection was out of date and had been superceded by new editions. The collection at Library B was the most up-to-date, with 64% of materials classified as current, while at Library C, around half of the material was current % 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Currency of legal collections - percentage of collections classified as out-of-date 28% 72% Library A Library B Library C Out-of-date 64% 36% Up-to-date 51% 49% Collection development and exploitation Table summarises the position in the three libraries with regard to size of holdings, selection policy, budgeting for the law collections, staff training, and the sources used for the selection of materials. No formal collection development policies for legal materials in these public libraries exist, and there are no specific guidelines on the level and scope of such collections. Only Library B had a book selection policy, and that was dated. None of the libraries had a specific portion of the budget allocated to the acquisition of legal materials. There is little known about what type of public library users require legal information, and none of the libraries collected any usage information or conducted user studies. There was no specific staff training on the use and exploitation of legal materials in any of the libraries Collection development and exploitation Library A Library B Library C Holdings 152 9, Written policy O P O Specific budget O O O Staff trained O O O Selection of materials Approvals collections Publicity leaflets; advance Booklists; specialist notifications; sales reps booksellers; catalogues; buying trips to bookshops Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 241

252 6 : INFORMATION AND REFERENCE SERVICES a) Legislation Key sources of legislation and law reports Current Law P P House of Commons Weekly Information Bulletin Finding info about a Bill P Finding an Act by subject Checking if an Act is in force Purpose Noting up a Statute Finding local Acts Finding Statutory Instruments on a subject Noting up a Statutory Instrument Locating a Statutory Instrument by enacting legislation Index to the Statutes P Current Law Year Books P P Statutes P Is it in force? P P Current Law P P P P Legislation Citator Index to Government P P P Orders HMSO Daily List P Chronological Table P P of the Statutes Index to Local and Personal Acts and supplements P Table of Government Orders P b) Law reports Purpose Index to citations P Finding cases by citation Finding cases by name only Finding cases by subject Finding cases on legislation Current status of a case Current Law case citator P P Index to law reports series P P P Daily law reports index P P LEXIS P P P P Current Law P Legal Journals Index P P Current Law Legislation Citator P 242 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

253 7.1 Assessment tools for quality management in public libraries Management 7 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 243

254 7 : MANAGEMENT 7.1 Assessment tools for quality management in public libraries Kathryn Jones, Margaret Evans, Bob Usherwood Department of Information Science, Loughborough University and Department of Information Studies, University of Sheffield The interim report of a two-year research project funded by the British Library Research and Innovation Centre, to develop self-assessment tool kits for public library managers. The project findings are included in: Evans, Margaret and others August Improving library and information services through self-assessment. ISBN , London: The Library Association. Research context The research project Quality management and public library services, which ran from September August 1995, recommended an investigation into the potential of self-assessment tools to support public library authorities in their adoption of quality management techniques (Milner). The study also found that whilst public library managers welcomed those techniques which might improve the quality of services, they were generally critical of those which had not been developed specifically for the public sector. The Assessment tools for quality management in public library services study, a two-year research project funded by the British Library Research and Innovation Centre, is developing self-assessment tool-kits specifically for public library managers. The research team from the Universities of Loughborough and Sheffield is working with three case study authorities to develop a practical and effective tool-kit. Three models of good practice, all of which lend themselves to self-assessment techniques, are under investigation. These models are: The European Quality Foundation s Business Excellence Model (European Foundation); Stewart and Walsh s Quality Framework (Stewart); and Pfeffer and Coote s The Democratic Approach (Pfeffer). The following is a brief summary of the interim findings of the research. The quality audit An audit of current initiatives was used to determine how quality was managed and perceived within the three case study authorities. Interviews and documentary analysis were used to identify how quality initiatives were planned, implemented, communicated, evaluated and reviewed. Whilst the focus and emphasis of the quality approach differed between each of the authorities, the desire to provide excellent services to users stayed the same. A number of issues were identified: Each case study authority identified between 10 and 20 initiatives which were considered part of a quality management framework. These initiatives included: customer surveys, quality forums, staff suggestion schemes. In a majority of cases these were found to be stand alone initiatives; there was no co-ordinating structure or framework in place to support them. Communication of the initiatives across the library service was rarely co-ordinated. Front-line staff knowledge of the initiatives was poor compared to those in management positions. Initiatives were not always reviewed for their effectiveness and impact on the library service. Performance targets for initiatives were rarely established. It was not always clear how service review informed service planning. Each of the case study authorities required an approach which would take account of changing service structures. The core values of quality management Discussions with each of the case study authorities highlighted the need to identify a management framework for the quality initiatives in place. A model of good practice was required which would establish the links between initiatives, and set them into a wider management context. 244 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

255 7.1 Assessment tools for quality management in public libraries An analysis of the three models identified thirteen intrinsic values. These core values demonstrated the management principles and practices implicit in the three approaches. Each of the demonstrator authorities was asked to prioritise these core values. customer focus; equity in service; an open system; public participation how the organisation manages its relationships with customers visible and visionary leadership; employee development, involvement and satisfaction how the organisation manages its people and develops a culture for quality consistency of purpose; continuous improvement; management by fact how the organisation develops its plans, policies and strategies stakeholder consideration; public responsibility; partnership development how the organisation manages its relationships with society process management how the organisation manages its processes Table lists the top five core values identified as priorities within each of the case study organisations. Although there was general agreement from the demonstrator authorities regarding those factors which were a priority within their organisation, there was less agreement about those issues which should be considered a lower priority. The organisations priorities focused on the desire to develop relationships with customers and staff. Each authority chose developing an effective customer focus as its main concern and significantly, developing services appropriate to customers needs achieving equity in service - was also high on the agenda. Managing and developing relationships with staff, and ensuring effective leadership, were also believed to be crucial to the success of library services. Those factors which were viewed as a lower priority varied between the organisations: partnership development and public responsibility did not score well; nor did stakeholder consideration, nor the management of processes. The development of the public library improvement matrix The three approaches An analysis of the three models showed that there were similarities in their approaches to achieving good practice, although the focus of each differed slightly. The Democratic Approach was concerned with achieving equity in public services; the Quality Framework concentrated on the customer-service relationship and customer-service surroundings; and the Business Excellence Model placed an equal value on the inputs and the results of the service. Given the widespread public sector interest in the Business Excellence Model, and the local and national collaborative networks which supported its use and implementation, the decision was taken to keep the assessment framework of the Business Excellence Model intact. This assessment framework outlined criteria for assessment in nine key areas (leadership, policy & strategy, people management, resources, processes, people satisfaction, customer satisfaction, impact on society and business results). (See pages for the matrix itself.) A preliminary analysis of the gap between the demonstrator authorities and the three approaches Top core values in case study authorities Case study Authority One Case study Authority Two Case study Authority Three Customer focus Customer focus Customer focus Employee development involvement Employee development involvement Equity in service and satisfaction and satisfaction Equity in service Equity in service Visible and visionary leadership Visible and visionary leadership Consistency of purpose Employee development involvement and satisfaction Consistency of purpose Visible and visionary leadership Continuous improvement Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 245

256 7 : MANAGEMENT under consideration had shown that there was a fit between the authorities and the Business Excellence Model; however, the model would need to be tailored and adapted to take account of the special circumstances of public libraries. There was also a significant overlap with the other two models; as a result, criteria would need to be established to take account of this. In effect the Business Excellence Model offered a structure for understanding the techniques of self-assessment, and the Democratic Approach and the Quality Framework offered guidelines on what could be considered good management practice in the public sector. Changes made to the language of the models The three approaches under consideration were developed or modified specifically for public sector organisations. However, feed back from the case study authorities revealed that the language of the models did not always reflect the direct experience of public libraries. Two issues were raised here: Experience of concept First, the examples used to illustrate the models did not always reflect the working practices of public libraries. Experience of language Second, whilst there was general agreement that the ideology implicit in the models was relevant, some of the terms used to describe these concepts were considered too theoretical and did not always reflect the culture of public library services. It became necessary therefore to strengthen the relevance of the three approaches for public library services. However, whilst the language of the model was changed to match the requirements of public libraries, care was taken to ensure that the rigour of the self-assessment would not be lost. Using the Business Excellence Model as a benchmark, the criteria for assessment were carefully matched against the model. Changes made to the focus of the models Although the decision was taken to keep the assessment framework for the Business Excellence Model intact, the examples of good practice established in the other approaches were also used to establish assessment criteria for effective public library services. Customer focus Whilst the Business Excellence Model provided explicit assessment criteria for results in customer satisfaction, there was no direct assessment of the planning mechanisms required to achieve customer satisfaction. Drawing on the other two approaches, criteria relating to the management of relationships with customers were devised. Impact on society The assessment criteria used by the Business Excellence Model referred mainly to public relations and the environmental impact of library services. Feed-back from the demonstrator organisations indicated that these criteria were not directly relevant for public library services, and that the criteria should be re-written to take account of the social impact of library services e.g. impact on health, education, welfare. Other changes The assessment guidelines also took account of the changing local and national pressures on public libraries, including DCMS planning guidelines, Best Value and the expanding use of the Internet in public libraries. It was hoped that the new criteria would be directly relevant to the working environment of public libraries, and that the guidelines would reflect what were the core management practices of public libraries. Public library improvement matrix These new assessment criteria were pulled together to form the public library improvement matrix. The matrix presents a working model of good management practice for public libraries. It summarises the planning and assessment approaches public library managers might consider if they wish to achieve a consistent approach to continuous improvement. The matrix also provides a useful introduction to the systems, concepts and techniques of self-assessment. Discussions with the demonstrator authorities and an analysis of the three models provide detailed assessment criteria for current management practices in public libraries. The matrix offers a framework for addressing current pressures on public libraries, including annual library planning and proving best value. However, it does not prescribe the approach to take to achieve best-practice, but merely offers a framework for interpretation. The core values and the guiding principles of quality management are inherent in the matrix, including the need to prove that the organisation is continually improving in everything it does, and the benchmarking of best practice. The matrix also provides a useful basis for post-assessment business planning, by summarising stages of organisational excellence and the approaches required to achieve them. 246 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

257 Next stage - the tool-kit The next stage of the research is to develop an assessment tool-kit for library authorities to measure themselves against the public library improvement matrix. Supporting documentation will include examples of good practice; links between the matrix and Best Value and DCMS planning guidelines, and a resource guide for the interpretation of the criteria. References Milner, E., Kinnell, M. and Usherwood, B. (1997). Quality management and public library services. In: Brockman, J. (Ed). Quality management and benchmarking in the information sector. London: Bowker Saur. European Foundation for Quality Management (1997). Guide to self-assessment London: European Foundation for Quality Management. Stewart, I. and Walsh, K. (1989). The search for quality. Luton: Local Government Training Board. Pfeffer, N. and Coote, A. (1991). Is quality good for you? London: Institute of Public Policy Research. pp Assessment tools for quality management in public libraries Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 247

258 7 : MANAGEMENT Stages to achieving organisational excellence Leadership There is no overall vision for the library service in place. Leaders are beginning to learn about quality concepts. The senior management team recognises the need for continuous improvement within the library service. Senior managers promote the need to develop the library service and set targets for improvement. The senior management team ensures effective two-way communication within the library service. Senior managers act as role models in promoting a culture of continuous improvement. Policy & Strategy Plans are developed in isolation. Accountabilities rarely identified. Plans have short term focus. Three/ Five year business planning rare. An annual library plan based on DCMS guidelines exists. Staff involvement in the development of the plan is minimal. Communication of the plan is on a need to know basis. All departmental plans are aligned with the library plan. A system is in place to align the library plan with corporate strategies. The library plan takes account of long and short term needs. Critical success factors are identified. Policy and strategy are informed by relevant internal and external factors, e.g. demographic trends, government initiatives, human resources. Systems are in place to inform all stakeholders of the strategic direction of the library service. Employee awareness of policy and strategy is evaluated. Customer Focus There are no customer service standards in place. There is no systematic attempt to identify the needs of customers. Main customer groups are identified and defined in line with Audit Commission/CIPFA requirements. Limited customer profiling, based on demographic indicators takes place. There is a system in place to identify key partners and suppliers. A mechanism is in place to identify lapsed and nonusers. These data are used to inform marketing strategies. The library service makes a public commitment to the delivery of quality library services to its current and potential customers. It sets and reviews customer service standards. Public Library Improvement Matrix Employee Management There is no formal system in place for the management of employees. Career development is seen as the responsibility of the individual. Resource Management There is no system in place to ensure resources are adequately deployed. Processes There is no formal system in place to ensure working practices are standardised. Customer Satisfaction There is no systematic attempt to identify customer satisfaction. Senior managers make a formal commitment to the development and empowerment of every employee. A human resources plan is developed for the library service. There is a system in place to identify what resources are available and how they are deployed. The main processes of the library service are identified e.g. document delivery. Working procedures are imposed on staff. Procedures are changed as and when problems arise. The library services key indicator of customer satisfaction is the number of complaints received. These are reacted to on an ad hoc basis. There is a system in place to ensure employee welfare issues are taken into account, e.g. health & safety, equal opportunities, remuneration. There is a system in place to identify what resources are available and how they are deployed. Key value-added processes are identified. Procedures are documented / flow charted. A system is in place to integrate new processes into library routine e.g. piloting, pre-training. The library service attempts to identify trends in customer comments. Other indicators of customer satisfaction are used. The senior management team ensures effective two-way communication within the library service. There is a system in place to ensure that resources are developed with customer requirements in mind. A system is in place to involve employees in the management and development of key value-added processes. The library service actively surveys customers. Targets are set for improvement. An appraisal scheme is in operation. Appraisal is aligned to the delivery of policy and strategy. The effectiveness of the appraisal system is assessed. There is a system in place to ensure that relevant information is made available to all stakeholders. The effectiveness of key value-added processes is assessed. The library service has internal measures in place to predict customer satisfaction e.g. building audits and press and publicity. Employee Satisfaction There is no systematic attempt to identify employee satisfaction. Issues are dealt with as and when they arise. Limited data collection relating to employee satisfaction takes place. Internal measures of employee satisfaction are identified e.g. sick leave. Data are collected. Consultation focuses on working practices and procedures. Surveys are used to identify employee satisfaction. Trends are identified. Communication channels are evaluated and improved. Impact on Society There is no formal mechanism in place to identify impact on society. Impact measures generally relate to customer perception of the service received. Basic information on impact on society is collected e.g. press and publicity. Measures relating to impact on society are identified e.g. equity in treatment, economic impact. A mechanism is implemented to collect relevant evidence. There is a system in place to identify public perception of the library services impact on society. Targets are identified for improvement. The library service develops employee awareness of its role in society. Overall Performance Trend data are not collected. All available data relate to short term. Annual results are perceived as management data. There is an emphasis on financial results. Critical success factors for the library service are identified. Non financial results are also evaluated e.g. achieving policy and strategy goals and objectives; efficiency and effectiveness measures. Targets for improvement are identified. Results are used to inform policy and strategy. Results and new targets are communicated to staff. Stage Two Stage One Baseline Planned Implementation Organisational Commitment Approach 248 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

259 7.1 Assessment tools for quality management in public libraries Stages to achieving organisational excellence Senior managers work with all stakeholders to ensure that the library service is improving in everything it does. Senior managers are visibly involved in the development and support of improvement teams. Policy and strategy reflect the core values of quality management. The relevance and effectiveness of policy and strategy are assessed. Critical success factors are reviewed and if necessary reset. The library service has a system in place for informing users of service level decision making. All employees receive regular customer awareness training. Customers are given clear rights for redress and complaint. Training and development plans align individual aspirations with policy and strategy. These plans are regularly reviewed for every employee. Managers ensure that work is delegated to the appropriate level. The library service works with partners and suppliers to review, monitor and improve the resource management process. There is a system in place to identify and remove waste e.g. rework and time. A mechanism is in place to identify areas for improvement. Targets for improvement are established. Feedback from all stakeholders is used in the review of processes. Non-users and lapsed users are surveyed. Results are fed back into the improvement cycle. The library service makes use of more sophisticated methods to identify customer satisfaction e.g. customer forums and citizens juries. Two-way communication takes place on a broad range of issues. Morale is high. Targets for improvement are set and published. Management of change is sympathetically dealt with. There is a system in place to ensure that environmental impact is minimised e.g. recycling of waste. The library service undertakes a regular social audit to identify all stakeholders perceptions of its impact on society. 50% of internal targets are being met. Adverse trends are identified and linked to processes. Improvement targets are reset. Trend data is routinely tracked across the whole library service. Positive trends are identified in key areas. Senior managers are proactive in rewarding and recognising employees efforts and achievements. Senior managers ensure a consistent approach to continuous improvement. Policy and strategy are regularly reviewed and updated. An effective planning cycle is in place. Policy and strategy are informed by performance against internal and external benchmarks. There is a system in place to ensure citizen participation in service level decision making. Customer service standards are negotiated with the public. Training and development are aligned with customer focus. There are systems in place to encourage and enable people to participate in improvement activity. Human resources plans are aligned with policy and strategy. There is a system in place to evaluate and understand the potential of new technology for the library service. There is a system in place to review and modify the allocation of resources based on changing corporate agendas. Standards are established for key processes. These standards include measures which will be used to review and evaluate current practice. Process performance is demonstrably linked to customer requirements. Employees are made aware of targets relating to customer satisfaction. 50% of targets are being met. Available data show that employees are committed to their work and the organisation. Available data show that employees feel valued in their work. Results from the social audit are used to inform policy and strategy and business planning. 50% of targets are being met. Benchmarking is used to compare results. The library service is performing consistently well in relation to best practice organisations. Targets are reset. The library service makes its results available to all of its stakeholders. Senior managers promote and support the principles of quality management outside the library service. Continuous improvement is ingrained into the structure, culture and management ethos of the library service. The library service takes a lead role in the delivery of many council strategies e.g. Internet access, community development. All stakeholders understand the strategic direction of the library service. Continuous improvement is ingrained into the culture of the library service. The customer focus of the library service is informed by internal benchmarks. Best practice organisations are identified and experience is shared. All actions are directed towards meeting the requirements of customers. Systems are in place to empower people to take action, improve working practices and increase organisational performance. The library service ensures that the full potential of all employees is being realised. Systems are in place to identify and pursue alternative funding arrangements e.g. partnerships with other council services, EU. Resources are developed and deployed in line with policy and strategy. Processes are benchmarked against good practice organisations. Experience is shared and changes are implemented. Value-added procedures are understood by all staff, systematically managed and continuously improved. 75% of targets are being met. Trends are consistently improving. Positive trends are identified when compared to best practice organisations. Positive trends are established when compared to best practice organisations. Employee satisfaction is consistently improving. Two-way appraisal is the norm. Positive trends are established when compared to best practice organisations. Results are fed back into the improvement cycle. How the library service plans its processes What the library service is achieving (review and improvement) All targets are being met. The library service can provide evidence that it is consistently improving in relation to its critical success factors. Results are directly linked to inputs and processes. Derived from: British Quality Foundation (1997) Guide to self assessment: Public Sector London: British Quality Foundation Loughborough University, University of Sheffield, British Library 1998 Pfeffer, N.; Coote, A. (1991) Is Quality Good for You? London: Institute of Public Policy Research Stewart, J.; Walsh, K. (1989) The search for quality. Luton.: Local Government Training Board Stage Five Stage Four Stage Three Achieving Excellence Ensuring Consistency Systematic Review Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 249

260 7 : MANAGEMENT 7.2 The impact of the opening of a new university on a public library service in Lincoln Marie S Nicholson Extracts from a dissertation for an MA award. The research was carried out over a two-year period, to discover the impact upon the public library service in Lincoln of a new university campus, opened in September In addition to field work carried out at both the university and the public library, the author distributed two questionnaires to university students, one year apart, and compared their findings. The questionnaires investigated the students use of various information resources in the city, including the public library service. This summary presents the findings of the second questionnaire, comparing them - in many instances - with the findings of the first. A majority of students did use the public library for academic purposes (especially book borrowing), though their use was essentially for additional rather than core material. Nicholson, Marie S The impact of the opening of a new university on a public library service in Lincoln. MA dissertation, Loughborough University, Department of Information Science, supervised by Eric Davies. Methodology The first questionnaire was distributed over a two week period in May 1997 i.e. at the end of the academic year and before the vacation. Of the students studying at the university, 400 were ed with the questionnaires. Hard copies were also placed on the desk in the Learning Support Centre of the university. Sixty-three responses were received. The second questionnaire had essentially the same content, with some slight amendments. The questionnaire was distributed over a three-week period in March 1998, through the same combination of and hard copy. Of the 1,200 students studying at the university, some 500 were ed. There were 179 responses - the increase over the previous year probably due to the earlier survey date. Student courses Students were asked: What course are you studying? Responses are summarised in Table All courses fell within humanities/social science subjects (as there were no science-based courses at the university). The great majority of the students were undergraduates, with only three Masters courses reported. Ninety-eight per cent of the students responding were full-time. Asked How long have you been studying at Lincoln University campus? 56% replied one year and 44% two years. Respondents were asked: What information needs Courses studied by students 1998 Course No. of students % of who responded respondents Tourism Management Criminology Humanities Health studies Media* Psychology* Social policy Criminology & social policy Other * = new subjects for and facilities do you require as a student? Replies under the seven prompted options, plus an other category, are depicted in Table Respondents were asked (with reference to the previous question): Where do you find most of the information and facilities? Responses for 1998 (and percentages of students for both 1997 and 1998) are depicted in Table The word most in the question is key, and not surprisingly the majority of students (58%) obtained most of their information needs from the Learning Support facility at the university. However this percentage had significantly decreased from the 73% mainly using Learning Support the previous year. 250 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

261 The impact of the opening of a new university on a public library service in Lincoln Information and facilities required by students Facility or information No. of % of % of need required respondents respondents respondents Journals Information technology Study space Books for your course Books for leisure time Photocopying Audio visual equipment Others Main source of resources for student information needs Location/service where most No. of % of % of information and facilities are respondents respondents respondents found Public library Learning support at the university Materials provided on your course Own books and equipment Others Not stated which is most important No answer Percentages of respondents using Lincoln public library service User of public library in No. of % of % of Lincoln/Lincolnshire respondents respondents respondents Yes No No answer The percentage of students relying mainly upon their own materials had increased from 6% to 16%. The numbers obtaining most of their requirements from the public library had remained constant at 5% - a small proportion. Public library use Students were asked where they lived before studying at Lincoln University. Twelve per cent had lived in Lincoln itself, 14% in Lincolnshire, 67% elsewhere in the UK, and 8% abroad. They were also asked whether they had been public library users before becoming students. 90.5% had been, and 9.5% had not. Respondents were then asked whether they currently used the public library service in Lincoln. Responses are depicted in Table together with percentages of respondents for both 1998 and Three-quarters of the students used the public library in an increase on the two thirds who used it in Respondents were asked: When did you last use the public library service? and prompted with eight responses, summarised in Table Recent use predominated, with 72% having used the public library within the previous month Respondents previous use of public library 1998 Last use of No. of % of public library respondents respondents This week weeks ago weeks ago One month months ago months ago months ago More than 12 months ago 0 0 n/a Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 251

262 7 : MANAGEMENT Purposes of public library use Respondents were asked What do you use the public library for?, and prompted with 10 options, including an other category. The percentages of respondents using the different services are depicted - for both 1998 and in Table The most common uses of the public library were for borrowing books - with slightly larger numbers borrowing books which are not on a reading list. Use of reference materials and borrowing for leisure were also common. The percentage of students using interlibrary loans had halved in perhaps because charges for requests at the public library had risen since 1997, making the service more expensive than the university service. The percentage using photocopying facilities at the public library had also halved - probably for similar reasons related to cost. The percentage of students using study space at the public library had almost doubled - though it is difficult to know the reasons for this. Reasons for public library use Respondents were asked: Why do you use the public library service?, and prompted with five options, including an other category. The presentation of the findings in Table takes into account responses citing more than one reason. In 1997, 59.5% had used the public library because it provided materials not available from the university. This remained the most important reason in 1998, for 66% of those who had answered the question. No other reason given was prominent Percentages of respondents using public library services, 1998 and 1997 Services used in public library % % Borrowing books from a reading list Books for course which are not on reading list Interlibrary loans Looking at journals Study space Using Information technology Using reference material Photocopying Borrowing books for leisure time Others Reasons for student use of public library 1998 % of respondents Reasons for using public library No. of respondents % of respondents who answered the question Provides materials which are not available from the University Its location is more convenient than the University The opening hours are more convenient than the University s The facilities e.g. photocopying are cheaper than the University Other Provides materials which are not available from the University and more convenient location Provides materials which are not available from the University and more convenient opening hours Provides materials which are not available from the University and cheaper facilities Provides materials which are not available from the University and other More convenient location than University and other Provides materials which are not available from the University, more convenient location and opening hours Provides materials which are not available from the University, more convenient location and cheaper facilities More convenient location, opening hours and cheaper facilities n/a Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

263 7.2 The impact of the opening of a new university on a public library service in Lincoln Student opinions of public library facilities compared to other resources, 1998 % of respondents Opinion of facilities No. of % of who answered respondents respondents the question Essential to your studies as you cannot get them elsewhere More preferable than other sources but you could get them elsewhere if necessary A backup to other sources Other Essential and more preferable than other sources Essential and backup to other sources More preferable and a backup to other sources A backup to other sources and other Essential, more preferable and a backup to other sources n/a Respondents were also asked whether the facilities which they used at the public library were essential, or preferable to the university resources, or a backup to other facilities. Responses - and percentages - are depicted in Table They suggest that the public library was used for additional rather than primary information by the majority of students. Non-use of public library The 42 students who did not use the public library were asked why not, and prompted with four replies plus an other category. Of the 42, 29% said that the materials available at the public library were not relevant to my study, 21% that the university provided all the facilities which were needed for my study, and 12% that they obtained information from places other than the university and public libraries. Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 253

264 7 : MANAGEMENT 7.3 Children s library design Faye Sisson University of Sheffield, Department of Information Studies This dissertation examined the attitudes of public library authorities, children and their parents to the design and location of the children s library in relation to the adult department. A survey of 23 public library authorities indicated that decisions on the children s library location appear to be a compromise between the perceived advantages to the child and the resources available. A series of interviews with parents and children in four libraries - two open plan and two with a separate children s department - revealed that most preferred the type of library they were accustomed to. Observations showed that more children will go into the adult library to seek out their parent when there are separate children s and adult departments, but children were equally likely to ask library staff for help regardless of the location of the children s department. Sisson, Faye Children s library design: does the location of the children s department in relation to the main adult library affect the interaction between the child and the library? MA dissertation, University of Sheffield, Department of Information Studies, supervised by Richard Proctor. Methodology Four branch libraries in Sheffield were used in this study: A and B were open plan, with the children s and adult libraries in a shared room, and C and D had a separate room for the children s library. Children were observed in the libraries on one school day and one non-school day. A series of interviews with children and parents was scheduled in the four libraries. Around ten children (of various ages) and ten adults from each library were interviewed. Questionnaires were distributed to 30 public library authorities in the UK to ascertain whether they had a policy concerning the arrangement of the children s library. Twenty three replies (77%) were received: eight from metropolitan districts, seven from London boroughs, and eight from counties. Local authority policy Twelve of the responding authorities (52%) did have a policy on the location of the children s library and 11 (48%) did not. Of those 12 that did, 85% favoured the open plan arrangement. Table details the type of provision for children s libraries in each of the authorities questioned. Overall, an open plan arrangement was most popular, with 13 authorities (57%) providing this type of children s library service. When asked on what basis these decisions about provision for children s libraries were made, a wide range of answers was given. These are shown in Table 7.3.2, which gives reasons for and against an open plan layout, and Table 7.3.3, which details the reasons for and against separate children s library provision. Main reasons cited for an open plan layout were staffing, space and budget restrictions, and the fact that it eases the transition from the children s to the adult service Provision for children s libraries Number of respondents Metropolitan London Counties districts boroughs Separate room with own service desk Separate room with shared service desk Open plan, shared children s and adults room Various arrangements Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

265 7.3 Children s library design Reasons for and against open plan Number of respondents Metropolitan London Counties districts boroughs For: Space restrictions Staffing Budget restrictions 4-2 User surveys Eases transition Higher visibility Parents can choose books at the same time More adults will use the children s library Flexibility 1-1 Tackles departmental mentality of staff Nowhere is out of bounds Eases promotion Parents can supervise their children Follows Library Association Guidelines Equality of service to adults and children Needs to be away from reference areas Needs to be defined by decoration Shared desk Against: Staffing suffers Space or time needs to be allocated for activities Reasons for and against separate provision Number of respondents Metropolitan London Counties districts boroughs For: Class visits Noise Need to be away from adult temperaments Activities Greater access to PCs Market research Better relationship with staff Independence and confidence Safer for lone child Parents can leave children Against: Lack of communication between staff Reduced staff means children s library will have to be closed Health and safety issues Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 255

266 7 : MANAGEMENT Parents views Parents were asked whether they used any other libraries than the one they were interviewed in, and responses, from 40 parents, are illustrated in Fig Use of other libraries not. Fourteen of 19 parents (74%) in the open plan libraries took their children into the adult section, and 13 of 15 parents (87%) in separate libraries did. The most common reason for this was to allow parents to choose their own books - 9 of 14 respondents in Libraries A and B (64%) and 9 of 13 in Libraries C and D (69%) gave this reply. Parents were asked whether they would object to a change of arrangement, and responses are shown in Fig No. of parents Responses of parents to suggestion that the library might change to the opposite layout No The most common reason parents gave for using the particular library they were in was that it was the closest, as shown in Fig % of respondents Reasons for using this library Separate No. of parents Library D When asked which design - i.e. open plan or separate - was most appropriate for their children, almost all respondents from Libraries A and B (open plan libraries) answered open plan (17 of 19, 89%), and 95% of those from Libraries C and D (separate children s department) thought a separate library was most appropriate (the remaining one was undecided). Most adults take their children into the adult department or section of the library, regardless of whether there is an open plan arrangement or The children Fig shows the results of observation of 159 children in Libraries A and B (open plan) and 145 children in Libraries C and D (separate). More children read in the library when the children s department was separate from the adult, and interviews with children revealed that there was a small difference between separate and open plan arrangements in the number of children who said they read books in the library: 5 of 19 children in the open plan libraries (26%), and 6 of 16 children in the libraries with separate children s department (38%), said they read books in the library. More children used adult books in the open plan libraries, and more children went into the adult library to seek out their parents. Not surprisingly, parents told their children off about noise levels more in open plan libraries. Children were asked whether they used the adult library, and if so for what reasons. Seven of 19 children (37%) from the open plan libraries did use the adult library, compared to three quarters (12 of 16) of children in the libraries with a separate children s department. This appears to contrast with the findings shown immediately above. Reasons for using the adult library are shown in Fig Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

267 7.3.7 Children s behaviour in open plan and separate libraries, by observation 7.3 Children s library design Separate Base: 159 children in open plan libraries and 145 in separate libraries Children s reasons for using the adult library Separate No. of childrenn Base: 7 children in open plan libraries and 12 in separate libraries When asked whether they preferred an open plan or separate arrangement, children generally followed the pattern of their parents, preferring the type of library they were used to. In the open plan libraries, eleven children (58%) preferred an open plan arrangement, two (11%) preferred a separate library and six (32%) had no preference. In the libraries with separate children s departments, 14 (88%) preferred a separate department and two (13%) had no preference. Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 257

268 7 : MANAGEMENT 7.4 Job satisfaction and absenteeism Sarah Hall University of Sheffield, Department of Information Studies A survey of library staff in one public library authority revealed that the physical working conditions and salary levels provoked the most dissatisfaction amongst employees, and that library assistants tended to be dissatisfied with their working relationships with professionally qualified colleagues. An examination of absence records over several years showed that whilst colds, flu and viral infections accounted for 43% of illnesses they only accounted for 26.4% of the total number of days lost. Conversely, stress, anxiety and depression accounted for 2.8% of recorded absences but 15.8% of the time lost. Hall, Sarah September Managing absenteeism: correlations between absenteeism, job satisfaction, and stress in all grades of LIS staff within a single authority. MA dissertation, University of Sheffield, Department of Information Studies, supervised by Richard Proctor. Methodology Questionnaires were distributed to 98 public library staff in four different libraries within a single authority. Recipients included all levels/grades (other than manual workers), a range of ages, and both genders. Table show the participants by position Staff included in the survey Professional Senior Library Assistants and Library Assistants District District District District Total The absence records of the participants in the four libraries were examined over the following periods (full records for 1991 and 1997 were not available): Absence records examined 1990 January-December 1991 January-March 1993 January-December 1994 January-December 1995 January-December 1996 January-December 1997 January-March The total number of absences recorded from these records was 604. Responses to the questionnaire were received from 73 employees, representing a response rate of 74%. Table shows the number of respondents according to their position Respondents by job title Respondents Number % Library Assistant Senior Library Assistant 4 5 Assistant Librarian 9 12 Librarian Other (e.g. Admin) Job satisfaction Respondents were asked how satisfactory they found different aspects of their job, and replies are depicted in Fig Physical working conditions and salary provoked the most dissatisfaction, whilst job security provoked the most uncertainty. The majority of staff were satisfied with the contribution of their work to the overall service and its importance to the organisation. Working relationships Eighteen of 72 respondents (25%) were either dissatisfied or extremely dissatisfied with the working relationships between professional and nonprofessional staff. Of these, 13 (72% of the 18 who expressed dissatisfaction) were library assistants. 258 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

269 7.4 Job satisfaction and absenteeism Job satisfaction Stress Eight of 34 Library Assistants (23%) were dissatisfied or extremely dissatisfied with the amount of stress their job entails, compared to 18% of all staff. Other staff were most satisfied (69% satisfied or extremely satisfied), followed by 62% of Librarians and Assistant Librarians. Physical working conditions Only 37% of participants were satisfied with the physical working conditions of their library and information services, whilst 28% were dissatisfied and 20% were extremely dissatisfied. The majority of Library Assistants (69%) were either dissatisfied or extremely dissatisfied, but half of the Librarians, two thirds of the Assistant Librarians and 69% of the Other staff were satisfied or extremely satisfied with the physical working conditions. Length of service and promotion Nearly two-thirds of respondents (64%) had worked in libraries for over five years and 14% had three to five years service. Just 7% had been working for less than one year and 15% had one to three years service. The great majority of respondents (88%) had not been promoted since they started work in their library. Ten percent had been, and two participants did not answer the question. Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 259

270 7 : MANAGEMENT Reasons for working in libraries Reasons for working at the library Respondents were asked for their reasons for working at the library, and five options were prompted plus one other category. Fig shows the results. Absenteeism Number of days absent Six hundred of the 604 recorded cases of absence accounted for a total of 3,829 days off work (the other four cases not specifying the number of days absent over the period of four and a half years during ). The average length of absence was 6.4 days. Fig shows the results Length of absences 260 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

271 7.4 Job satisfaction and absenteeism Reasons for absence Reasons for absence The most common reasons for absence were colds, flu and viral infections, which together accounted for 43% of absences (260 cases). Fig details all the reasons specified. Average length of absence for each illness As Table shows, stress, anxiety and depression accounted the longest average length of absence at 35.5 days (the median was 14 days.) Average length of absence for most common ailments Cause of absence Number of Total number of Average absence cases days absent (days) Stress, anxiety and depression Chest infections Dizziness, vertigo and fainting Neck and back problems Colds, flu and viral infections* 256 1, Allergies and infections Migraines and headaches Upset stomach, sickness and diarrhoea *Excludes four absences of unspecified length. Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 261

272 7 : MANAGEMENT 7.5 Perceptions of the public library and their impact on recruitment Pamela Golder University of Sheffield, Department of Information Studies Taking as its starting point the hypothesis that lack of opportunities, resources and funding within public library authorities adversely affects the recruitment and retention of staff, this study describes the results of a survey of library school students. A series of interviews with employers from public library authorities provided a view from the other side of the fence. The study found that previous public library work experience is a key determinant in career choice in public libraries, but that opportunities for postgraduate students in particular to gain such experience were very limited. Golder, Pamela September Perceptions of the public library: a study of the impact on recruitment. MSc dissertation, University of Sheffield, Department of Information Studies, supervised by Richard Proctor. Methodology Questionnaires were circulated to students (except overseas students) studying for the MA in Librarianship at the University of Sheffield, and the BA in Information and Library Studies at Leeds Metropolitan University. This was complemented by a series of interviews with one or two senior librarians in each of ten public library authorities: Rotherham, Sheffield, Wakefield, Derbyshire, Harrow, Kirklees, Leeds, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire and Sutton. Twelve staff were interviewed in total. Table shows the responses received to the questionnaire. Eighty-five percent of respondents were female, 73% were under-25, and 80% were undergraduates. Popularity of public librarianship Only 16% of students stated that their future career preference was in a public library, as shown in Fig When asked for their views, nine of 12 staff from library authorities (75%) disagreed or strongly disagreed with the statement: public librarianship is a popular choice among library school graduates. The remaining three respondents neither agreed nor disagreed Peripheral information work 15% Specialist library 46% Students preferred sector of employment Non-library work 7% Public library 16% Academic library 16% Response rate Course Year Number of Number of Number of Response students on questionnaires questionnaires rate course distributed completed (%) BA (Hons) ILS MA Librarianship n/a Total Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

273 7.4 Job satisfaction and absenteeism Perceptions of the public library Seventy-five percent of students thought that public libraries had the most negative image, compared to academic libraries (7%) and special libraries (3%), as Table shows Relative image of public libraries % of respondents Most Most No Type of negative positive difference library image image in image Public Academic Special The majority of students (83%) thought the typical image of public libraries was off-putting to potential recruits, while only 32% thought the same for academic libraries and 18% for special libraries. Two main reasons for considering the image of public libraries off-putting were cited: they were stuffy and boring (52% of respondents), and they were underfunded and under-resourced (46%). Job choice criteria Table shows the level of importance students attached to certain criteria when choosing jobs. Those students who had a preference to work in a public library valued hours as significantly less important than those who did not. Pay was also less important to students who had a preference to work in a public library. Those respondents who had a preference to work in a public library valued helping others and working with people as significantly more important, and working with technology as significantly less important, than those without a preference. Previous work experience Interestingly, of the 13% of respondents who had worked as a graduate trainee before their course, none had worked in a public library (11% had worked in academic libraries and 1% in special libraries). In all, 82% of respondents had some work experience in a library or information unit, either as a graduate trainee or in some other capacity, but only 28% had worked in public libraries. Undergraduate students had an even spread of experience between public, academic and special libraries, but the majority of postgraduates had worked in academic libraries, as shown in Table Importance of certain factors when choosing jobs 1=very important 5=not at all important Career prospects Pay Status Job security Social worth Helping others Working with people Hours Working with technology Creativity Variety Challenging Respondents with work experience in each sector Type of Students on % of BA Students on % of MA library BA (Hons) course respondents MA course respondents Public Academic Special National Note: 17% of respondents had experience in more than one type of library Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 263

274 7 : MANAGEMENT Table shows that none of the students who had been on a graduate trainee scheme had worked in a public library, and only four students had worked in a public library under other circumstances Pre-course work experience of MA students Type of Graduate Independent library trainee scheme Public 0 4 Academic 10 6 Special 1 2 National 0 0 The study found that respondents with public library experience were more inclined to want to work in a public library, which suggests that experience is necessary to overcome negative perceptions of the public library. Employer views The librarians interviewed were asked for their opinions on various statements about public libraries and their image, and the results are shown in Table Employers views Statement Strongly Agree Neither Disagree Strongly agree agree nor disagree disagree No. (%) No. (%) No. (%) No. (%) No. (%) Underfunding of public libraries deters recruits 5 (42) 4 (33) 1 (8) 2 (17) 0 (0) Image of public librarians is off-putting 2 (17) 7 (58) 0 (0) 3 (25) 0 (0) Unsociable hours of work deter recruits 0 (0) 2 (17) 1 (8) 9 (75) 0 (0) Salary is competitive compared to other jobs 0 (0) 2 (17) 2 (17) 5 (42) 3 (25) Good job security in public libraries 1 (8) 0 (0) 2 17) 5 (42) 4 (33) Good job prospects in public librarianship 0 (0) 1 (8) 1 (8) 7 (58) 3 (25) Status of public librarian is less than that of 1 (8) 3 (25) 5 (42) 3 (25) 0 (0) other librarians Note: % s are within each statement 264 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

275 Book Marketing Limited publishes a number of reports on various aspects of the book trade, and details of these are given in the bibliography to this book. One of these publications is Book Facts: An Annual Compendium. The ninth edition of this volume (published in 1998), contains some 200 annotated tables and charts, giving data drawn from over 50 book trade, market research and government sources, including contributions from BML and LISU. The majority of tables included in it are concerned with publishing and bookselling trends and with the buying of books rather than borrowing of them (though the two are closely interlinked). In this chapter, a series of tables have been selected from Book Facts which are related to the wider book market. Some tables have been amended and some figures updated for this book. Book trade statistics 8 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 265

276 8 : BOOK TRADE STATISTICS 8.1 Market sizes The value of the UK book market Estimates of the total value of the UK book market come from the Publishers Association (PA), based on the grossing-up of sales data from a sample of its members to retail value for the whole industry. The PA s latest figures (for 1997), show this total value to be 2.86bn, an increase of 5.9% over 1996 at current prices, and following a 2.0% decrease in 1996 over In real terms (i.e. taking into account inflationary increases), the market increased by 2.7% in 1997, following a 4.3% decrease in b Percentage breakdown of 1997 market by value Acad/prof 25.2% School 7.3% The PA s figures segment the market into three main types of books, with consumer titles accounting for c 1.9bn in 1997, or 67.5% of the total value (see also Section 8.5), academic and professional titles representing just over 0.7bn (25.2%) and school/ English language teaching books making up the residual 0.2bn (7.3%). In real terms, the value of school/english language teaching books fell in 1997 (- 3.9%), following a 7.8% increase in the previous year, while consumer books showed the greatest increase in 1997 (+ 4.0%), but had decreased in real terms in the preceding year (by 6.7%). Actual sales values and real growth rates are shown in Table 8.1.1a. The segmentation of the market in 1997 is shown in Fig b. Source: Book Trade Yearbook 1998 (Publishers Association, 1998) Consumer 67.5% 8.1.1a The UK book market: value Book sales: Retail value Consumer School & ELT Acad/Prof Total at current prices ( millions) , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,860 % changes in real terms Avg % changes are based on unrounded figures Source: Book Trade Yearbook 1998 (Publishers Association, 1998) 266 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

277 8.1 Market sizes The volume of the UK book market The PA have also produced estimates of unit sales of books, though emphasise that care must be taken when using their figures as a true measure of output, because of the diverse nature of the book product. This difficulty is highlighted in Table 8.1.2a by the large growth in unit sales in 1995, which was caused at least in part by the success in that year of the Penguin 60s and other low price series appearing then. In 1997, unit sales of books in the UK stood at 470m, a 4.1% increase on the 451m recorded in Whereas consumer books account for around two-thirds of the market value (Fig b), they represent a far higher share of volume sales, reflecting the lower average price of these books, particularly compared with the high unit cost of academic/professional titles (Fig b) b Percentage breakdown of 1997 market by volume Acad/prof 7.7% School/ELT 7.4% Consumer 84.7% Source: Book Trade Yearbook 1998 (Publishers Association, 1998) 8.1.2a The UK book market: volume Book sales: Publishers sales in units (millions) Consumer School & ELT Acad/Prof Total % changes % changes are based on unrounded figures Source: Book Trade Yearbook 1998 (Publishers Association, 1998) Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 267

278 8 : BOOK TRADE STATISTICS 8.2 Book prices Comparative price indices Changes in market value do of course reflect changes in book pricing, as well as changes in the market itself. Various indices of average book prices are available, and a summary of these is shown in Table Three of the indices measure changes in consumer book prices (Publishers Association Statistics Collection Scheme Consumer, ONS Implied and Bookseller Consumer), while three measure changes in all book prices (consumer, academic, professional, etc). Of the indices measuring all book prices, the ONS s Producer Price Index (PPI) is likely to be the most accurate measure of changes in pricing in publishing, because it uses a base-weighting, which measures changes in prices of a sample of products which are as nearly identical as possible. In contrast, the Publishers Association Statistics Collection Scheme (PASCS) All Books Index does not measures changes in identical products: the chain-weighting used means that the mix of product categories in the sample is the same in each year, but the composition of titles within each category in the sample may differ. The PPI index shows a 35% increase in prices between 1990 and 1997, compared to the 29% increase recorded by PASCS. The Bookseller All Titles Index, meanwhile, is a simple measure of average prices of new titles published, and does not take into account sales of the books at all. Average new book prices The overall changes in new title prices shown in Table can be examined in more detail. Table 8.2.2a splits out new editions from genuinely new titles, showing actual average prices, as well as comparing the index of all books to RPI. Table 8.2.2b looks at trends in title prices by category and binding Comparative price indices All Titles 3 PASCS: PASCS: ONS: Implied ONS: Bookseller: Bookseller: Consumer* All books** index*** PPI 1 Consumer In real terms (i.e. relative to RPI) * Based on average invoiced prices of publishers sales, chain-weighted by category ** Based on average invoiced prices of publishers sales, chain-weighted by category *** Implied, because ONS index is not published officially. Rather, it is derived from ONS figures showing consumer expenditure at current and 1990 prices 1 Producer Price Index: based on base-weighted index (i.e. measuring changes of a sample of products as nearly identical as possible) 2 Average price of new fiction, non-fiction and children s titles published (not weighted by sales) 3 Average price of all new titles published (not weighted by sales) Source: Book Trade Yearbook 1997 (Publishers Association, 1997) 268 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

279 8.2 Book prices 8.2.2a Average book prices: new titles and new editions Year Total books New titles New editions RPI Total index books index Source: J Whitaker & Sons, published in The Bookseller (various issues) 8.2.2b Average book prices: by category and binding /1996 % change Fiction - paperbacks other bindings all bindings School textbooks - paperbacks other bindings all bindings Children s books - paperbacks other bindings all bindings Sci/Tech/Med - paperbacks other bindings all bindings Academic/professional - paperbacks other bindings all bindings Non-fiction - paperbacks other bindings all bindings All titles - paperbacks other bindings all bindings The average price of all fiction bindings in 1997 increased at a lower rate than for all paperbacks and for all other bindings. This is due to an increase in the number of paperback titles published in that year, compared to a decrease in the number of hardbacks: the change in the balance towards less expensive paperbacks brings the overall average price down. Source: J Whitaker & Sons, published in The Bookseller (various issues) Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 269

280 8 : BOOK TRADE STATISTICS Academic book prices LISU publish data showing academic book prices by subject area. Changes in these average prices are shown in Table 8.2.3, which also shows indices of these prices, relative to the academic year Periodical prices Detailed data showing average periodical prices (British and overseas) are published annually by Blackwell s Periodical Division in The Library Association Record figures are shown in Table 8.2.4, together with data indicating the change in price compared to 1997, and the number of titles published in each category British academic book prices Trends in major categories - academic years from (N.B. Index: 1984/85 = 100) Category 1993/ / / / /98 Ave Index Ave Index Ave Index Ave Index Ave Index Humanities Social sciences Applied Social Sciences Biological Sciences Listed Pure Science Computer Science Technology Medicine Total Source: LISU (Library & Information Statistics Unit) 270 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

281 8.2.4 Annual periodical prices: by subject area Average price. % Price No. of 1998 ( ) increase titles 1998 Accountancy Architecture/Town Planning Art Classics/Archaeology Commonwealth/Oriental/African Studies Economics/Trade Education/Child Psychology English Language/Literature Entertainment/Theatre/Film/Ballet European Language/Literature General/Popular Geography History Law/Criminology Librarianship/Documentation Management Music/Recording Philosophy Photography Political Economy/Politics Psychology Religion/Theology Sociology Sports/Pastimes Total Humanities/Social Sciences Agriculture Anthropology Astronomy/Astrophysics Biology * 32 Biophysics/Biochemistry * 26 Botany Chemistry Civil Engineering Computers/Automation/Control Electronics/Electrical Engineering/Aeronautics Food/Soap/Cosmetic Industries General Science General Technology Geology/Mineralogy/Geophysics/Meteorology Glass/Ceramics Heating/Lighting/Ventilating Industrial/Engineering Chemistry * 22 Mathematics/Statistics Mechanical Engineering Metallurgy Nuclear Science/Technology Petroleum/Fuel Technology Physics Polymers/Paint/Rubber/Plastics Printing/Paper Packaging Production Engineering/Operational Research Textiles/Leather/Dyeing Transport Zoology Total Science/Technology Dentistry/Opthalmology/Audiology General Medicine Neurology/Psychiatry Pathology/Clinical Medicine Public Health/Nursing/General Practice Surgery/Anatomy/Physiology Pharmacology Veterinary Medicine Total Medicine TOTAL * = less than 0.5%. % change calculated before rounding. 8.2 Book prices Source: Blackwell s Periodicals Division 1998, published in the Library Association Record, May 1998 issue Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 271

282 8 : BOOK TRADE STATISTICS 8.3 Book publishing Publishers sales There are two main sources of data on publishers sales in the UK. The Publishers Association (PA) makes estimates of these based on its survey of members, grossing up sales figures from responding publishers (who account for c50% of industry turnover). These are used to produce the market size estimates at retail prices shown in Section 8.1. The government has also provided estimates of publisher sales based on returns from publishers responding to its PRODCOM (Products of the European Community) survey, since 1993 (before that, government figures for publisher sales were presented in the Business Monitor series Printing and Publishing Books. The PRODCOM figures are not directly comparable with these). The PRODCOM data are based on information from publishers who account for c90% of industry turnover, making it a more accurate portrayal of sales than the PA in terms of its sample size. However, the PRODCOM survey includes items within its definition of books which are not usually included in data on book publishing, such as leaflets, brochures, pamphlets, etc., so that it is not easy to distinguish exactly what data are being shown. This also means that the two sets of data are not directly comparable. Tables 8.3.1a and 8.3.1b show data for UK publishers sales, including exports, according to the two sources (1997 PRODCOM figures were not available at the time of publication). It is noticeable that, despite the differences in product definition used by the two sources, the overall rates of growth in publishers sales are fairly similar, with the PA showing an increase of 7% in 1996 over 1995 and of 23% in 1996 over 1993, compared to the 10% and 25% increases shown by PRODCOM. However, PRODCOM shows higher growth in UK publishers home sales than the PA, which shows greater growth in exports (not shown, but see also the following section on imports/exports). In 1997, the PA indicated that publisher sales had risen by 2%. Table 8.3.1c indicates net publisher sales to the UK market according to PRODCOM, by taking away exports of books and adding in imports into the UK (equivalent data based on the PA survey are not available. Further information on exports/imports follows) a UK publishers sales (including exports): PA Value ( m) % Change (current prices) Profile (%) Consumer 1,304 1,414 1,525 1,540 1, School/ELT Academic/professional * 28 TOTAL 2,269 2,412 2,610 2,792 2, * = less than 0.5% Source: Book Trade Yearbook 1998 (Publishers Association, 1998) 272 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

283 8.3 Book publishing 8.3.1b UK publishers sales (including exports): PRODCOM Value ( m) % Change Profile (%) Books, brochures, leaflets & pamphlets in single sheets Other books, brochures & similar printed matter 2,211 2,399 2,509 2, Of which: - school books children s books excl. picture fiction/literature/classics social sciences science & technology other books, booklets, etc ** Children s picture, drawing, colouring books Dictionaries and encyclopedias (inc. serial instalments) Maps/charts in book form, including atlases *** Printed maps/charts including globes * 7. Music, printed or in manuscript * 1 8. Other TOTAL 2,610 2,871 2,947 3, % changes calculated before rounding * = less than 0.5% ** = In full: Books, brochures, leaflets, pamphlets and similar printed matter, printed or published, INCLUDING telephone/ telex directories, reference books, international/professional directories, instructional leaflets; EXCLUDING single sheets, school books, children s books, literature, social sciences, science/technology books, dictionaries and encyclopedias. *** = In full: Maps & hydrographic or similar charts in book form, printed or published, INCLUDING atlases, topographical plans, geographical/astronomical charts, geological surveys; EXCLUDING maps and plans in relief. 1 = In full: Printed maps & hydrographic or similar charts, printed or published, INCLUDING globes, topographical plans, geographical/astronomical charts, geological surveys; EXCLUDING - in book form - maps and plans in relief. Source: Publishing 1996 (Product Sales and Trade PRA85), based on the PRODCOM statistical enquiry (PRODucts of the European COMmunity). Crown Copyright Reproduced by permission of the Controller of HMSO and the Office for National Statistics c Net supply to home market 1996 Total Exports Net supply Net supply manufacturers minus to home profile output m imports m market m % Total output 3, , Books, brochures, leaflets & pamphlets in single sheets Other books brochures & similar printed matter * 2, , Children s picture, drawing, colouring books Directories & encyclopedias Maps/charts in book form (incl. atlases)** Printed maps/charts incl. globes** Music, printed or in manuscript Other * Imports/exports of sub-divisions of this category not available ** Full category definition as for Source: Publishing 1996 (Product Sales and Trade PRA85), based on PRODCOM statistical enquiry (PRODucts of the European COMmunity). Crown copyright Reproduced by permission of the Controller of HMSO and the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 273

284 8 : BOOK TRADE STATISTICS Imports/exports Tables 8.3.1a and 8.3.1b indicated total UK publishers sales (including exports). Tables 8.3.2a-c show trends in these exports separated out. Table 8.3.2a shows that, according to the PA, exports of books fell by 5% overall in 1997, following growth of 16% in 1996, and representing an increase of 37% over Exports of consumer books fell by 9% in The table also shows that nearly threefifths of publisher sales of school/elt books were exported, compared to just over a third of academic/ professional sales and a fifth of sales of consumer books. Tables 8.3.2b and 8.3.2c provide government data on exports and imports published in its Overseas Trade Statistics (OTS). These figures are based on sales of the three largest PRODCOM categories examined in the section above on publishers sales : books, brochures, leaflets & pamphlets in single sheets, other books, brochures & similar printed matter and dictionaries and encyclopedias. The OTS figures also provide export/import data for the other PRODCOM categories, but Book Facts has always compared the largest three only. These show a 1% decrease in exports in 1997, following an increase of 8% in 1996, with the 1997 decrease fuelled by a drop in exports to EC countries rather than non-ec. Meanwhile, the OTS show a less than 1% decrease in imports of these book categories overall in 1997, though with imports from EC countries actually increasing (+12%). It should be noted that the two export series shown here differ not only in terms of what is included in each definition of books, but also because the OTS export data include books printed in the UK, but published elsewhere (its import data include books published in the UK but printed elsewhere). Bearing this in mind, the UK s main book export and import trade partners are shown in Table 8.3.2d and in Figs 8.3.2e and 8.3.2f a UK publishers exports: PA Exports as % Value ( m) % Change Profile (%) of all sales Consumer School/ELT * Academic/professional TOTAL * = less than 0.5% Source: Book Trade Yearbook 1998 (Publishers Association, 1998) 8.3.2b UK publishers exports: OTS Value ( m) % Change Profile (%) Exports to EC Exports to non-ec TOTAL Based on sales of PRODCOM categories 1, 2 and 4 (see Section 2.3.1) Source: Overseas Trade Statistics, Crown Copyright Reproduced by permission of the Controller of HMSO and the Office for National Statistics c UK publishers imports: OTS Value ( m) % Change Profile (%) Imports from EC Imports from non-ec TOTAL * Based on sales of PRODCOM categories 1, 2 and 4 (see Section 2.3.1) * = less than 0.5% Source: Overseas Trade Statistics, Crown Copyright Reproduced by permission of the Controller of HMSO and the Office for National Statistics. 274 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

285 8.3 Book publishing 8.3.2d Main countries involved in export/ import f Main UK book import countries Total UK Total UK book exports book imports % % Total EC 39 United States 42 inc Germany 7 Total EC 28 Irish Republic 6 inc Italy 7 United States 15 Germany 5 Australia 7 Hong Kong 12 Others 39 Singapore 5 Others??? EC 28% Others 13% Singapore 5% Hong Kong 12% Source: Overseas Trade Statistics 1998, analysed by Book Marketing Ltd. Crown copyright Reproduced by permission of the Controller of HMSO and the Office for National Statistics (applies to Figs 8.3.2e&f as well as this table). US 42% 8.3.2e EC 39% Main UK book export countries US 15% Australia 7% Others 39% Key business ratios Another indicator of the state of the book publishing industry is provided by ICC Business Publications who analyse publishers accounts data supplied to Companies House, and produce average business ratios for the industry. A selection of these are shown in Table 8.3.3, with each line of data based on three consecutive years information from an average of 102 publishing companies. The table shows that, on average, the publishers featured showed sales of 15.7m and pre - tax profit of 1.4m in , representing growth of 8% and 37% respectively over the previous year. It also indicates that the average number of employees was 130. Pre-tax profit margin (profit as a percentage of sales) was 8.8%, on average, in , compared to 7.0% in Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 275

286 8 : BOOK TRADE STATISTICS Book publishers - key business ratios (Based on three consecutive years information from an average of 102 companies) Profit as Percentage of: - Capital employed Assets Sales Return on investment (%) Ratio of Sales to: - Total assets Fixed assets Stock % Gearing Ratios: - Equity gearing (capital and reserves to total liabilities) Income gearing (interest cover) Current ratio (assets to liabilities) Quick ratio (quick assets to liabilities) = acid test Per Employee: - Pay ( ) 18,669 19,564 20,275 - Sales ( ) 119, , ,260 - Capital employed ( ) 40,609 36,517 41,205 - Pay to sales (%) Growth rates Sales: - Total ( 000s) 13,242 14,515 15,722 - compound growth (%) % change over % change over Pre-tax profit: - Total ( 000s) 1,086 1,010 1,382 - compound growth (%) % change over % change over Asset growth: - Total ( 000s) 11,298 12,071 13,423 - compound growth (%) % change over % change over Number of employees: - Total ( 000s) compound growth (%) % change over % change over Source: Business Ratio Plus : Book Publishers (ICC Business Publications, 1998) Title output Figures showing publishers title output are published in each year by J Whitaker & Son, in The Bookseller. Over the past ten years, the total number of new titles published in the UK (including new editions, which comprised around a quarter of output in 1997) has almost doubled, though 1997 actually saw a slight decrease. Trends in output going back to 1947, when the series began, are illustrated by Table 8.3.4a and Fig 8.3.4b. Whitaker publish data showing output in 138 categories, which BML has historically condensed into 48 categories in Book Facts, and trends in the output of these are shown in Table 8.3.4c. Of the larger categories (those with at least 1,000 titles in 1997), growth was greatest in 1997 amongst geography/atlases (+34%), with double-digit increases for law/public administration and political science as well. There were double-digit decreases in output of chemistry/physics, school textbooks, philosophy, computers hard/software, engineering and natural science. 276 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

287 8.3.4a * Year in which series started Total number of titles published: UK Of which Total: Index Year Total new editions (1981=100) 1947* 13,046 2, ,608 8, ,434 8, ,322 8, ,766 9, ,940 9, ,158 10, ,083 9, ,307 10, ,071 12, ,555 11, ,994 11, ** 52,508 12, ** 54,461 13, ** 56,402 13, ** 62,240 15, ** 64,632 16, ** 67,704 17, ** 78,835 19, ** 82,322 20, ** 88,718 21, ** 95,064 22, ** 101,504 23, ** 100,029 24, ** To eliminate titles published in previous year from inclusion in the next year (due to late notification by publishers), the Bookseller has changed method of calculation. On old basis, totals would be somewhat higher than those shown above. Source: J Whitaker & Sons published inthe Bookseller (various issues) 8.3 Book publishing 8.3.4b Total number of titles published: UK No. of titles published Total New editons Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 277

288 8 : BOOK TRADE STATISTICS 8.3.4c Total number of titles published in the UK Change Change Profile Aeronautics Agriculture/Gardening Architecture Art 1,322 1,383 1,616 1,663 2,084 2,154 2, Astronomy Bibliography/Library , Biography 1,211 1,243 2,727 2,939 3,197 3,292 3, Chemistry/Physics ,609 1,531 1,568 1,542 1, Children s 2,688 2,934 7,013 7,080 7,595 8,045 8, Cinema/Television Commerce/Management 771 1,213 3,183 3,241 3,460 3,391 3, Computers hard/software - - 3,228 2,946 3,108 3,712 3, Customs/Costume/Crafts ,089 1,172 1,261 1, Domestic sci./food/drink ,050 1,232 1,186 1,408 1, Economy ,461 3,740 3,991 4,519 4, Education 1,036 1,040 1,667 1,948 2,079 2,170 2, Engineering 1,047 1,488 1,964 1,744 1,901 1,854 1, Entertainment Fiction 4,198 4,747 8,013 8,748 8,654 9,209 8, Geography/Atlases ,501 1,535 1,324 1, Geology/Meteorology History 1,324 1,432 3,391 3,858 4,089 4,348 4, Humour Industry Language ,209 1,220 1,562 1,497 1, Law/Public administration 1,062 1,399 2,139 2,270 2,248 2,804 3, Literature 907 1,151 2,259 2,646 2,966 3,107 2, Mathematics ,202 1,195 1,094 1, Medical science 1,844 2,838 4,345 4,597 4,554 4,924 4, Military science Music Natural science 1,130 1,234 2,126 2,250 2,229 2,448 2, Occultism Philosophy ,094 1,103 1,243 1,418 1, Photography Plays Poetry ,430 1,797 1,944 2,311 2, Political science 2,629 3,765 1,759 1,885 2,144 2,294 2, Psychology/Psychiatry ,614 1,545 1,588 1,743 1, Religion/Theology 1,098 1,363 2,635 3,330 4,442 4,331 4, School textbooks 2,099 1,991 2,828 2,730 3,428 3,629 3, Science (general) Social sciences/welfare 957 1,031 4,597 5,481 6,145 6,746 6, Sports/Outdoor games ,392 1,447 1,491 1,651 1, Stock breeding Transport , Travel ,990 2,028 2,305 2,403 2, Others TOTAL 35,608 43,083 82,322 88,718 95, , , (of which new books) - 33,696 61,518 67,482 72,146 78,246 75, Source: J Whitaker & Sons, published in The Bookseller (various issues) 278 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

289 8.4 Bookselling 8.4 Bookselling Key business ratios Information about the state of bookselling in the UK is provided by ICC Business Publications in an analysis of booksellers accounts data supplied to Companies House, similar to that for publishers (see section above on key business ratios ). A selection of booksellers key business ratios are shown in Table 8.4.1, with each line of data based on three consecutive years information from an average of 95 bookselling companies (which include wholesalers, library suppliers and other direct selling companies, as well as bookshops). The table shows that, on average, the booksellers featured showed sales of 11.9m and pre-tax profit of 0.4m in , representing growth of 11% and 46% respectively over the previous year. It also indicates that the average number of employees was 130. Pre- tax profit margin (profit as a percentage of sales) was 3.2%, on average, in , compared to 2.4% in Booksellers - key business ratios (Based on three consecutive years information from an average of 95 companies) Profit as percentage of: - Capital employed Assets Sales Return on investment % Ratio of sales to: - Total assets Fixed assets Stock % Gearing ratios: - Equity gearing (capital and reserves to total liabilities) Income gearing (interest cover) Current ratio (assets to liabilities) Quick ratio (quick assets to liabilities) = acid test Per employee: - Pay ( ) 11,569 12,101 12,809 - Sales ( ) 100, , ,554 - Capital employed (%) 15,685 16,352 18,106 - Pay to sales (%) Growth rates Sales: - Total ( 000s) 9,578 10,727 11,907 - compound growth (%) % change over % change over Pre-tax profit: - Total ( 000s) compound growth (%) % change over % change over Asset growth: - Total ( 000s) 4,766 5,147 5,610 - compound growth (%) % change over % change over Number of employees: - Total ( 000s) compound growth (%) % change over % change over Source: Business Ratio Plus: Booksellers (ICC Business Publications, 1998) Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 279

290 8 : BOOK TRADE STATISTICS Main bookselling chains The relative size and performance of some of the leading book retailers, based on the latest available published accounts data, and supplemented by information on number of branches from the Booksellers Association, is indicated in Table Main bookselling chains: sales, profits, number of branches Pretax Pretax No. of Increase in no. Year Sales % profit % profit branches of branches end ( m) increase ( m) increase margin % (1998) WH Smith (books) 05/ na na na ** 538 ** - 10 Waterstone s 05/ }*** 207 *** + 23 } Dillons 03/97 # 130 # + 8 na na na Blackwell Retail ## 08/ Ottakars 01/ Thins/Volume One 01/ * Books Etc 01/ Hammicks 06/ ### na Heffers 03/ John Smith 03/ Flatman 03/ Sussex Stationers 12/ Foyles 12/ Except where stated, figures include sales of stationery - most relevant to Heffers and Sussex Stationers 2. Except where indicated, figures do not take into account changes in ownership occurring in 1998 (WHSmith purchase of Menzies, HMV Media Group purchase of Waterstone s and Dillons, Borders purchase of Books Etc and MEGA purchase of Hammicks) * = less than 0.5% na = not available # estimates ** includes Menzies: there were 10 fewer branches in 1998 than the sum of the 2 constituent parts in 1997 *** Waterstone s and Dillons combined, which had 23 more branches than the sum of the 2 constituent parts in 1997 ## excludes Oxford stores (which add around 20m to sales) ### i.e. pretax loss decreased from 0.7m to 0.5m Source: The Bookseller, various issues/booksellers Association 280 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

291 8.5 Consumer book buying UK population The UK population - the potential customer base for books - stood at 58.8m in 1996, forecast to increase to 60.0m by the year 2004 (+2.1%). Females, who buy more books than males, are set to increase by 1.5% over this period, while the heaviest buyers in 8.5 Consumer book buying terms of age (25-44s) are projected to decrease by 1.6%. The UK population, segmented by age and sex, is shown in Table UK Population Forecasts (millions) % Actual Population Projections change profile profile (m) % % 0-4 M F All M F All M F All M F All M F All M F All M F All M F All Total M F All M = Male, F = Female Source: Population Estimates Unit, OPCS, Government Actuary Department, Crown Copyright Reproduced by permission of the Controller of HMSO and of the Office for National Statistics Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 281

292 8 : BOOK TRADE STATISTICS The condition of the consumer (percentage change on previous year) Actuals Forecasts Real gross domestic product Real personal disposable income Real consumer spending Retail prices Unemployment Source: Consumer and Leisure Futures (Henley Centre, 1998) The condition of the consumer The general economic condition of consumers is indicated in Table 8.5.2, which shows, for example, that between 1997 and 2002, real personal disposable income and consumer spending are forecast to rise by an average of 2.5% and 2.8% per annum respectively, while retail prices are projected to rise by an average of 2.7% per annum. Consumer expenditure Section 8.1 showed that, in 1997, sales of consumer books (as defined by publishers) were 1.93bn at retail prices. Not all consumer books are bought by general consumers, of course, with some bought by institutions, such as public libraries and schools Consumer expenditure on books, newspapers & magazines, UK expenditure per annum of all households at constant (1995) & current prices ( millions) Books Newspapers & magazines Constant Constant Current (1995) Current (1995) prices prices prices prices ,502 1,722 3,318 3, ,596 1,762 3,427 3, ,736 1,823 3,607 3, ,686 1,728 3,722 3, ,631 1,631 3,787 3, ,606 1,554 3,864 3, ,805 1,680 3,970 3,566 Source: Consumer Trends (Business Monitor MQ24, 1998). Crown Copyright Reproduced by permission of the Controller of HMSO and of the Office for National Statistics. Consumer expenditure on books in the UK (whether the books are classified as consumer or not by publishers), is monitored by the ONS on its Family Expenditure Survey, and published in its Consumer Trends series. According to this, consumer expenditure on books stood at 1,805m in 1997, representing a 12% increase over 1996 at current prices, and an 8% increase in real terms (i.e. taking into account inflation). The growth in 1997 was in contrast to the previous three years, which had shown a steady decline in actual expenditure (though the decreases between 1993 and 1995 are in contrast to the slight upward trend in sales of consumer books shown in Table 8.1.1a). These trends in consumer expenditure are shown in Table 8.5.3, where expenditure on books is compared to spending on newspapers and magazines, which have shown growth in expenditure at current prices in each between 1994 and 1997, but a decrease in expenditure in real terms. Consumer book buying BML has collected data on consumer book buying habits through its Books and the Consumer survey since Between 1989 and 1996 the survey involved interviews with a nationally representative sample of c1800 adults (aged 15+) in each year. The survey mainly looked at respondents book buying habits over the 12 months prior to interview, asking them to recall what types of books they had bought, what types of outlet they had used, etc. In each year, the full results of the survey were made available to subscribing companies only, though a summary of the main findings was published. Some of the key findings from the Books and the Consumer Summary Report 1997 (featuring results from the 1996 survey) are as follows: c80% of adults had bought at least one book in the previous 12 months just over half of those buying books (42% of adults) had bought books for children 282 Perspectives of Public Library Use 2

293 8.5 Consumer book buying nearly all who had bought books had bought them from shops, while a quarter (20% of adults) bought books by post 8% of adults had bought books via network selling (books sold in the workplace, at a party plan or door-to-door) the most popular source of book purchases - in terms of the proportions using - was books and stationery stores (e.g. WHSmith, Menzies), used by around two thirds of those buying books from shops at all, compared to just under half who bought from bookshops selling all/mainly books, and c20% buying from supermarkets three quarters of book buyers (c60% of adults) bought general or practical reference books; while a half of book buyers (c40% of adults) bought each of fiction and non-fiction the third of book buyers defined as heavy buyers (those buying 16+ books a year), accounted for 70% of all book purchases 62% of adults claimed to have ever bought discounted books; half of adults claimed to have done so in the previous 12 months a quarter of adults said they had bought a spoken word product in the previous 12 months (including comedy and TV radio shows as well as books on tape or CD ). Twice as many had bought children s spoken word as had bought adult books on tape/cd. In 1997, BML changed the methodology employed on Books and the Consumer, to allow it to collect far more detail on exactly what types of books (in terms of genre, format, publisher) are bought from which sources (including named outlets), at what price (and whether discounted), by and for whom (children as well as adults). The new approach uses a nationally representative panel of c7,000 households who record each book purchased by each household member on a monthly diary. The data collected in this way allows BML, and subscribers to the survey, to analyse the consumer book market in great detail. It shows, for example, market shares by genre, publisher, source and type of consumer, etc.; and cross analyses these data (publisher within source, demographics within genre, price within format, and so on). All data are available by both volume and value. Once again, only subscribers to the survey have full access to the results. However, a small amount of information collected in 1997 was released by BML at its annual Books and the Consumer Conference, held in March Some of these data are reproduced in the remainder of this section. As Fig 8.5.4a illustrates, 35% of all books bought by consumers in 1997 were bought for children (aged 16 or under), which accounted for 21% of consumer expenditure. If these data are applied to the ONS s figure of 1,805m for consumer expenditure on books in 1997 (see section above on consumer expenditure ), we can estimate that c 380m was spent on books for children, and 1,425m was spent on books for adults in By applying the average price paid for books bought ( 5.60), we can estimate that c320m books were bought by consumers, of which 110m were bought for children and 210m were bought for adults a Consumer book buying: books bought for adult and children % 65% 21% 79% Bought for children Bought for adults Base: all consumer book purchases, 1997 Source: Books and the Consumer 1997 (Book Marketing Ltd, 1998) Perspectives of Public Library Use 2 283