LiveWire has started a 30 day public consultation into the proposed changes to their library and learning offer in Warrington.
The neighbourhood wellbeing company has had success in increasing participation and memberships in integrated library sites since it took over the management of 11 libraries in Warrington in 2012, but stand-alone library sites have continued to see a decline in lending and memberships in line with the national trend.
Since 2010, library visits have decreased by an average of 32% at all libraries in Warrington with the exception of integrated hub libraries in Orford and Woolston which have seen visits increase by an average of 96% over the last six years.
As a result of this and funding cuts to library services from central government, LiveWire and Warrington Borough Council are looking at alternative ways to improve library and learning provision so it is cost effective and more accessible.
LiveWire wants to transform the existing library service so it reaches customers it currently struggles to embrace through innovative methods without relying heavily on physical libraries in every community.
Under the proposals, centres of excellence would be developed at the existing Orford Jubilee and Woolston Neigbourhood Hubs, the new £16 million Great Sankey Neighbourhood Hub and at future hub developments in Birchwood and at Broomfields. These centres would provide an enhanced lending offer, an improved reference library and cultural and heritage programmes.
Smaller wellbeing hubs that are currently in development in Bewsey Dallam, Burtonwood, Westbrook and the town centre, would also provide a lending offer and outreach activities.
Lending lockers would also be introduced at locations across the town including some areas where LiveWire currently has stand-alone libraries and some new locations where there is currently no library provision. This would allow for flexible borrowing at convenient pick up times and in convenient locations for customers.
These new proposals would see LiveWire’s library and learning provision increased to operate for 928 hours per week, with longer opening hours at evening and weekends, compared to its current operation of 494 hours per week.
The percentage of library and learning provisions in disadvantaged wards would also increase, giving further opportunities to improve health and wellbeing and access to employment.
A key element of the proposal would see an innovative and unique offer that provides flexible outreach activities developed. This would include ‘themed libraries on tour’ that can be expanded across the town and will target vulnerable and hard to reach groups.
LiveWire is also proposing to increase investment in state-of-the-art digital technologies to enable online learning.
There may be potential opportunities for community organisations to manage current library sites subject to the council’s community asset transfer process and if the community had a viable business case. LiveWire would offer continued support to communities who wanted to run their own library by offering a book exchange and a range of outreach activities.
The savings generated from these proposals would be reinvested into digital technology, the outreach team, lending lockers and a new town centre learning offer.
These proposals were generated following a survey of more than 4,000 users and non-users of libraries earlier this year.
46% of non users and lapsed users who responded to the survey said they now get their books via the internet or other ways rather than libraries.
A large number of those surveyed that still use libraries said that library opening hours needed to compliment today’s lifestyle and lending needed to be available in more convenient locations.
A need for advanced digital services along with arts and cultural events in libraries and more activity based reading and learning programmes was also shown through the survey.
Jan Souness, strategic projects advisor at LiveWire, said: “These are challenging times financially and we’ve seen the average cost of borrowing a book at one of our libraries rise to £1.43 over the last few years excluding the cost of the book.
“When the average price of a paperback book from Amazon costs £3.50 and more of our users accessing reading this way, we are looking at innovative ways to make our library service fit for the present and the future.
“Our innovative and unique proposal is based on extensive evidence that we have compiled in great detail about who uses our libraries, when they use our libraries and what needs our users have.
“We have also looked at national and international evidence which shows that libraries which are located alongside or integrated with other services have more users and issue more books than stand-alone libraries.
“Our aim is to offer a truly modernised library and learning service with more events, more outreach programmes and more exciting ways to read books and get involved than ever before.
“We want to safeguard our library and learning service for the future, and in order to do that we need to move with the times and invest in a new delivery model and expand and improve our current offer.
“I would encourage anybody who shares our desire for a vibrant and modern library to respond to this consultation and give their views.”
During the consultation, LiveWire will be holding a series of sessions across the whole of the town to give residents the opportunity to have their say on proposals. Please find details of sessions in each area below:
| Venue | Date and Time |
| Stockton Heath Library | 5 September 2016 18.00 |
| Penketh Swimming Pool | 6 September 2016 18.00 |
| Culcheth Library | 7 September 2016 19.30 |
| Lymm Library | 8 September 2016 19.00 |
| Padgate Library | 10 September 2016 10.00 |
| Jubilee Suite, Orford Jubilee Park | 12 September 2016 18.00 |
| Warrington Library | 13 September 2016 19.00 |
| Burtonwood Library | 14 September 2016 18.00 |
| Westbrook Library | 15 September 2016 18.00 |
| Birchwood Library | 19 September 2016 18.00 |
| Woolston Library | 20 September 2016 18.00 |
| St Margarets Community Centre | 21 September 2016 18.30 |
| St Elphin’s Community Centre | 22 September 2016 18.00 |
| Bewsey Park Community Centre | 26 September 2016 18.00 |
| Broomfields Leisure Centre | 27 September 2016 18.00 |
| Great Sankey Leisure Centre | 28 September 2016 19.30 |
| Studio Theatre, Pyramid | 29 September 2016 18.00 |
| Walton Hall | 4 October 2016 19:00 |
Feedback can also be provided online https://livewirewarrington.co.uk/library/modernisation-consultation
The consultation period closes on Tuesday 4 October 2016.
Artist’s impression of the dementia friendly Great Sankey facility
5 Comments
Can people only respond to the consultation by going along to one of the library sessions at the dates/times listed?
Why have they not got a on-line consultation and information on possible proposals that people to browse and make comment/suggestion online. I’d imagine they would get far more feedback if they allowed people to do it on-line too.
I’ve only just realised…the consultation at MY local library was TONIGHT MONDAY (5th) at 6pm and the news story was published at 7pm. They could have given more notice so people could/would actually go !!!
No doubt they will be saying there wasn’t much interest at Stockton Heath so we might as well close that library and save some money.
You can be sure there will be an incomprehensible stream of Newspeak mumbo jumbo ” explanations” offered up by someone in LiveWire, on similar lines to that claimed by Cllr Hans Mundy (why and how do these people get elected?) when increasing some but not all car park charges; that curtailing library services and “bringing them into the 21st century” will somehow result in an “enhanced user experience”. All the while overlooking the years, nay decades, of benefits and enjoyment the existing library services have brought to their communities.
Sign our petition! https://www.facebook.com/groups/117484348394724/
Libraries as a statutory service
Local authorities have a statutory duty under the Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964 ‘to provide a comprehensive and efficient library service for all persons’ in the area that want to make use of it. In considering how best to deliver the statutory duty each library authority is responsible for determining, through consultation, the local needs and to deliver a modern and efficient library service that meets the requirements of their communities within available resources.
In providing this service, local authorities must, among other things:
• have regard to encouraging both adults and children to make full use of the library service.
• lend books and other printed material free of charge for those who live, work or study in the area.
It is the statutory duty of the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport to:
• superintend, and promote the improvement of, the public library service provided by local authorities in England.
• secure the proper discharge by local authorities of the functions in relation to libraries conferred on them as library authorities
The Secretary of State has the power to make a remedial order against a library authority following a local inquiry. Such an inquiry can be commenced either on receipt of a complaint that a local library authority is failing to carry out its statutory duties or of the Secretary of State’s own motion.