TIME TO READ

Time For A Change Toolkit

OUTCOMES

The Bigger Picture

Local

A particular outcome of the funded project was the change in attitude among many staff working in individual libraries that hadn't really understood what concentrated reader development work could do for their services. Some library staff were concerned about the impact of encouraging young people to use services on other older library users. Advocacy training was required both to assist outreach workers with their approaches to the target group and to help wider groups of staff understand the longer term aims of the project. Some of the authorities still recognise the need for more work with staff to show the benefits of this approach. Communication is the key and obviously an ongoing process. These authorities are planning more sessions, which will include elements of youth and culture awareness from appropriate partners. Several have planned to combine the training with supplementary ECDL modules.

There appear to be three ways that the work is being incorporated into mainstream services. Authorities are using at least one, if not a combination of the three. Some authorities have been able to fund a continuation of the outreach worker posts with the ability to focus on reader development activity using their new skills and experience. In Halton for example, this has had to be on a short term contract basis, Secondly, staffing restructures have taken place in eight authorities during the course of the project, and in others subsequently. It is encouraging to note that all of these restructures have been informed by the project and reader development and social inclusion provision has been included in job descriptions. Finally, there has been the establishment of working groups within authorities to co-ordinate reader development activity across all ages, with representatives from all service points.

Working with external partners has given access to a wide audience of young people, some new funding, a sharing of ideas and expertise, and increased knowledge and use of libraries as a venue for these agencies. Working through partners has raised the profile of the library in the locality and improved the library status. At the end of the project the signs were that the established links would continue.

Regional

18 local authorities from North West England participated in Reading Lifelines and Everybody's Reading. As well as participating in these, two authorities (Oldham, Lancashire) undertook additional DCMS/Wolfson projects, while another two (Cheshire, Cumbria) made successful individual bids. Overall therefore, there were 22 funded projects within the region working with different target audiences. This represented a huge increase in the amount and range of targeted reader development work taking place in the region.

The already existing network of reader development activists was well placed to recognise the staff development and progress in experience that had occurred over the two years of funding. The Time To Read network was determined to move forward and continue developing, capitalising on the short-term projects to move forward into new activity. Further information on how this was achieved is given below.

National

A national Conference 'Libraries and Readers: Where next?' was held in London (1/7/03) to present the findings of a survey of all the funded projects, carried out by Book Marketing Ltd [16].

Findings and discussion at the conference reflected and confirmed the conclusions reached within North West England. The key issues presented were partnership working, training and staff development, the strategic impact of reader development and long term changes to library management and working practices.

These conclusions, alongside Framework for the Future and the developing role of Resource, will confirm the action plan to be announced shortly, which will embed the central role of Reader Development in future service delivery.