REVIEW OF GLASGOW LIFE COMMUNITIES AND LIBRARIES

Introduction

This report is the Self-Evaluation and Peer Review of Glasgow Life Communities and Libraries into the following quality indicators:

QI 2; Readers’ Experience

The Self-Assessment was undertaken by the following steering group, of members of staff within Glasgow Life Communities and Libraries, supported by 3 teams, 39 staff in total, from all levels in the service, with each team focusing on one of the three key elements of indicator 2.

Cultural Venues Manager (chair)

Library Operations Manager

Library Manager – Product Planning

Programme Manager – Reader Development and Literacy

Peer Review

The Peer Review visit took place at the Mitchell Library, Glasgow on 15th January 2020. The assessors met with a variety of stakeholders and partners during the lunch session. Visits were also undertaken to Partick Library, Bridgeton Library, Dennistoun Library, Cardonald Library and Langside Library.

Results

The Peer Review Panel commend Glasgow Life Communities and Libraries for their team of knowledgeable, enthusiastic and committed staff and for their detailed and comprehensive approach to this assessment that has involved a wide variety of staff at all levels.

Glasgow Life has a clear strategic commitment at all levels to Libraries and literacy. The relationship between reading, poverty and life chances is strongly articulated in The Vison for Glasgow Libraries and the Communities and Libraries Service Plan. The service has a very strong culture of performance management, customer service, continuous improvement and innovation. Recent initiatives include introducing a customer retention programme, improving the online offer in terms of the catalogue and social media and piloting participatory budgeting with various customer groups to select resources.

In the face of wider public sector funding challenges and reduced spend on resources, Glasgow Life Libraries have managed to maintain a high performance in terms of issues and footfall. Investment has been secured to refresh several community libraries to a very high standard and provide new opportunities for readers.

Quality Indicator 2: Readers’ Experience
The evidence presented in the self-evaluation demonstrates that there are some notable strengths in provision here, including:

Ongoing commitment to securing investment to improve libraries and support reading and literacy. The recent transformation of Partick Library, for example, offered a wealth of experiences for all customers in terms of resources, space and programming.

The Vision for Glasgow Libraries and associated strategic workstreams including targeting areas of deprivation through “literacy hotspots” (working with partners such as Harper Collins publishers) and leading on establishing a Community Reading Plan.

Achieving Customer Service Excellence standard with 25 areas of sector leading compliance plus.

Further development of the world class Aye Write and Wee Write! programmes to include schools.

Varied programme of both established and local author sessions – free of charge - in all community libraries as well as the Mitchell Library ensuring equality of access for all readers.

Strong commitment to providing a range of reading opportunities including children’s reading challenges, Hurricane teenage reading club and adult reading groups.

Strong commitment to involving staff at all levels and the reading public in stock selection as well as use of stock management tools to ensure stock accurately reflects the reader’s needs locally.

The Peer Review Panel endorse the Self-Evaluation Report and with the rating given by the Library Service (or note a different rating if appropriate).	Quality Indicator 2: Readers’ Experience is LEVEL 5 Very Good - Major strengths.	• A high standard of provision, examples of good practice to share.	Any weaknesses do not impact on users’ experience.	• Services will take opportunities to improve and strive to raise performance to excellent.

Quality Indicator	Self-Evaluation rating (1-6)	Peer Review rating (1-6)
QI2 – Readers’ needs	5	5

IMPROVEMENT ACTION PLAN

The Peer Review Panel endorses the Improvement Action Plan for Glasgow Life Communities and Libraries (Self Evaluation Report page 49-51 and summarized below):

Quality Indicator 2 – Readers’ Experience
Work with staff to refresh Vision for Glasgow Libraries, redefine core offer and communicate this to key stakeholders Ensure service plan is better communicated and understood through deliberate dialogue with staff that encourages ownership and participation Continue to develop and use a range of consultation methodologies to ensure we meet customers’ needs particularly in relation to changing demographics Develop and implement Collaborative Reading Plan including staff training Develop role of Children’s Reading Ambassador to support targeted programmes in Literacy Hotspots Develop a more consistent and coherent approach to promotion and uptake of e-Offer in community libraries through programme of drop-in sessions and local outreach activities. Undertake further consultation around community language stock through collaborative working with organizations and groups already working with people whose first language is not English.

KEY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT ACTION PLAN

The Peer Review Panel, while endorsing the Improvement Action Plan for Glasgow Life Libraries, makes the following additional key recommendations:

Look to develop improved opportunities to work with internal Glasgow Life colleagues from other services to complement the high standard of work already undertaken in terms of reading and literacy with external partners.

Consider establishing a baseline survey of customer satisfaction and usage for core services to allow progress to be measured and impact to be evidenced.

Further investigate methods of engaging non-users.

Consider establishing regular Chatterbooks groups or children’s reading groups to offer reading opportunities for Primary school aged children

Collect impact statements from library users as well as conducting satisfaction surveys

Consider undertaking a focused programme of training looking at impact measurement.