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BEST VALUE REVIEW SUMMARY 2003

• Background
• Values and Vision
• Achievements of the Last Five Years
• Accessibility
• Benchmarking
• Library Environment
• Consultation Programme
• Service Profiles
  • Resources
  • Information Services
  • Special Collections
  • Promotions and Marketing
  • Reader Development – Lifelong Learning
  • Youth Services
  • Home Services
• Usage Patterns
• Service Delivery Recommendations
• Planning for the Future
• ERL services to the aged
• Continuous Improvement Plan
• Reporting to stakeholders and the community
• Best value at Eastern Regional Libraries
  

 

background

Eastern Regional Libraries has undertaken a Best Value Review as required by the Local Government (Best Value Principles) Act 1999.
The process involved reviewing ERL under the following sections:

• Governance
• Operational Functions and Procedures
• Financial
• User Services

The six principles of Best Value have been applied when reviewing the service.

• Best possible quality and value for money
• Responsive to community needs
• Accessible to the people they are intended for
• Show continuous improvement
• Subjected to regular community consultation
• Reports regularly to community on performance against Best Value principles
  

 

values and vision

Eastern Regional Libraries provides library services to the Cities of Knox, Maroondah and the Shire of Yarra Ranges. Together the three municipalities cover a large geographic area on the outer metropolitan area of Melbourne. There is a diverse range of communities with a combined population of 390,000 people. Some areas are of suburban density with commercial and retail being the predominant activities, while there are also areas that are rural and remote with several small communities.

It is important to recognise that the Corporation is a regional authority that is organised and operated on a regional basis with the focus of service delivery at the local level.

Public libraries are expected to serve everyone in the community, regardless of age or socio-economic background, so varied services and the delivery of services are important.

ERL Values

• Empowering our communities with knowledge
• Equity of access
• A people-oriented community focus
• Lifestyle enhancing experiences
• Co-operation, partnerships and alliances
• Customer service excellence

Governance and Funding

The Eastern Regional Libraries Corporation is established under Section 196 of the Local Government Act 1989. The organisation is administered by a Board comprising two Councillor representatives from each of the member Councils. Council officers from each Council attend Board meetings as advisors. The Corporation Chief Executive Officer reports to the Board and is responsible for the management of the organisation. Funding is provided by contributions from the member Councils together with a grant from the State Government. At present the member Councils contribute $3.00 for every $1.00 of State Government grant. Contributions by each member council are guided by a formula basis that includes direct per capita and usage components. The Corporation receives other small one-off grants and generates a small amount of income from its own operations.

ERL takes a strong business approach to the provision of library services. Alternate sources of funding are explored and investigated, and ERL endeavours to make Governments aware of the importance of funding for library services, at both local and state Government levels. ERL delivers financial accountability and is committed to ongoing financial sustainability.

 

Community

ERL is people-focused and seeks to provide a life-enhancing experience for community members. ERL strives to empower the community by providing information and services they might need for life skills in today’s rapidly changing society. Strong partnerships have been developed with many other community groups and organizations.

• Schools and tertiary institutions
• Community houses
• Council departments
• Local arts, cultural and leisure organisations
• Service and community groups
  

 

Service Delivery

• Thirteen branch libraries, with a broad range of opening hours, ensure accessibility to library services throughout the region. Public transport, while of a high standard in some parts of the region, is almost non-existent in other areas. This impacts on the way ERL provides library services to communities where transport is an issue.
• Three bookmobile services cater for outlying communities. Bookmobiles also regularly visit nursing homes and hostels to ensure access to library services for residents not always able to access branch libraries.
• ERL provides a total of 652.5 hours of opening to the public throughout the region every week. Administrative support for branches and bookmobiles totals 51.5 hours per week. The ERL website also offers the community 24 hours a day/7 days a week access to library services from home. People can join, renew and reserve books, check on their loans, gather information about programs, find information through databases, access useful sites on the Internet and ask information questions - www.erl.vic.gov.au
• ERL’s service ethos is very dependent upon quality staff. Staff operate under the Local Government Award and Enterprise Agreements. ERL has always maintained a strong family-friendly attitude to its staff. ERL staff are well trained, both as library and information professionals, and in customer service. Ongoing training seeks to continually improve ERL’s standards of service delivery. Effective systems and policies are in place to support these standards.
• The ERL management group provides strong and sound leadership and seeks staff input wherever possible. The ERL management team is very receptive to change and fosters a positive approach to change within the organisation. Improvement is a positive outcome of this approach.
  

 

Accountability

• Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are in place to ensure quality, cost, social and economic accountability.
  
• Staff are required to achieve KPIs. These KPIs are documented throughout ERL’s
• Enterprise Agreements.
• All staff have annual performance appraisals.
• The Corporation annual budget is forwarded to the member Councils for approval before the statutory public advertising process and adoption of the budget by the Board.
• ERLC Corporate Plan
  

 

Reporting mechanisms

• ERL has open and transparent methods of reporting.
• Policies and plans comply with all required legislation, including reporting to the Department of Infrastructure.
• The Chief Executive Officer reports to the Board.
• Annual Report
• Audit Committee
• ERLC Board meetings are open to the public
  

Service Planning

ERL takes a strategic approach to forward planning for service. Demographic, geographic, cultural and educational aspects of the ERL communities are taken into account in service planning and delivery. Other considerations of service planning include the financial parameters of member councils and other ERL funding.

Underpinning the Mission Statement and Objectives are seven themes, which influence planning and service provision:

• Community
  Enhance the library’s role as a vibrant and vital community resource.
  
• Library Resources
  Identify and provide sufficient books and other library resources to meet the diverse interests and needs of our community.
  
• Customer Services
  Provide a timely, dynamic and extensive range of library services for our customers
  
• Business Outlook
  Demonstrate a cost-effective, affordable business focus
  
• Sustainability
  Ensure ongoing financial sustainability
  
• Best Value
  Commitment to and compliance with Best Value principles and practices
  
• Outcomes for our communities
  • Increased community awareness of the library as a valuable community resource
  • Wide community participation in all library programs
  • Collaboration with Council and local community organisations
  • A range of co-operative ventures with member councils and other community organizations
  • Maximised community access to library materials, services and facilities “any format, any place, any time”
  • A vital, vibrant collection of books and other library resources
  • Continuing strong customer satisfaction
  • An organisation committed to community consultation and feedback
  • Community needs met through implementing the principles of Best Value
  • A financially responsible organization providing value for money
  • A review of ERL’s sustainability
  • A library service strategically positioned to meet the challenges of the future
    

erl achievements of the last five years

• Increased the range of information services offered to the customers
• Increased loan frequency of new material
• Introduced a Customer Service Charter
• Implemented a Tiny Tots story time at four service points
• Developed Housebound Services in partnership with volunteers
• Introduced state of the art photocopiers
• Introduced transaction printers at all circulation desks
• Implemented online access to the library catalogue 24 hours/7 days a week
• Provided online availability to members’ own borrowing records with personal password access
• Implemented public access catalogues self-serve reservations
• Introduced personal computer training for the public
• Introduced topical reading guides
• Sheet music collection commenced in the region
• DVD collection commenced in the region
• Introduced specialist activities promoting reading, authors, leisure and learning activities under the Books of Magic branding
• Increased opening hours including Sundays

accessibility of erl libraries

The Project Team participated in a visitor audit of the branches as accessibility is one of the key principles of Best Value.

Location of branches
Historically, branches have been located by each individual Council in consultation with ERL. Most branches have a central location in their community, either in or near a shopping centre or community centre.

Physical access to buildings, including disabled access
All branches are on ground level. Entrances are either flat or fitted with ramps and most branches have automatic doors fitted.

Parking
There is adequate parking provided at most libraries, either library-specific or shared.
Lilydale Library parking is unsatisfactory. The parking for library users is a considerable distance away, especially for the elderly and parents with young children.
Knox and Ringwood Libraries suffer from the problems of parking associated with being located in a very busy shopping centre, particularly at peak shopping times of the year.

Signage
External
External signage is the responsibility of the member councils. External signage needs reviewing at each branch library. Signage from the roads and car parks is inadequate in some locations

Internal
Internal signage is produced in-house within staff and budgetary constraints. This current process is unsatisfactory as it has led to inconsistencies in quality and placement.
Recommendation: a signage audit be undertaken of all external and internal signage (see Continuous Improvement Plan).

Lighting
Lighting is of satisfactory levels at Montrose, Croydon, Rowville, Mt Evelyn, Ferntree Gully and Yarra Junction.
Lighting at Healesville is adequate but could be considerably improved.
Mooroolbark’s internal lighting is good, but external lighting is inadequate as is surrounding street lighting particularly close to the car park area.
Lilydale also has adequate internal lighting but external lighting needs considerable improvement.
Knox Library has very poor internal lighting and has no real natural light. The poor lighting combined with low ceilings and high shelving creates a dark cramped atmosphere. External lighting is controlled by Knox City Centre Management which is not always a satisfactory arrangement- particularly if the centre is closed and the Library remains open.

Shelving
The height of shelving is a problem in many branches.

Metal shelving with adjustable shelves is usually considered the most practical and cost effective (refer Australian Standard 2273).

Shelving heights should be user-friendly:

• Shelving for adults has a recommended maximum height of 1800mm and for children's areas the maximum heights recommended are 1500 mm.
• The lowest shelf should be at a height that can be reached comfortably without excessive bending, for example, 300 mm. Specialist shelving should be used for storing alternative format resources.

Some branches have shelving that do not meet these standards. Knox, Healesville and Ferntree Gully libraries all have shelving that is too high. Yarra Junction, Healesville and Ferntree Gully have shelving that move with use.
Aisles between bays of shelves should have a minimum width of 1.25m between bays.
Shelving sequences should be clearly labeled and well lit.

Furniture
Councils are responsible for the provision of fixtures, fittings and maintenance at their respective branch libraries.

Branches are furnished with comfortable chairs for casual reading and are heavily used. However, in many cases, this furniture is tired, worn, faded and in some cases, unsafe.

Service agreements between ERL and the Councils will help to develop a programme of gradual replacement.

Some branches also provide study carrels in quiet areas and tables and chairs for work space.

ERL has purchased some child-size tables and chairs, basic, safe, play equipment and/or toys for the children’s areas, and bean bags in the teenage areas.
Recommendation: Service agreements should be developed between ERLC and individual member councils (see Continuous Improvement Plan).

"libraries for access"

Eastern Regional Libraries endorses the Australian Library and Information Association’s “Statement on Library and Information Services for People with a Disability” which states:

“The right of people with a disability to equitable access to information through all library and information services, and promotes the observation of current Commonwealth, State and Territory disability discrimination legislation.”
Staff are trained in all aspects of customer service, which includes assisting people with disabilities to access the library collection and services. ERL endeavours to link with member Councils’ disability programmes, projects and training.

• tick All branches have wheelchair access
• tick Some branches have self-opening doors
• tick Internal signage
• tick Access to catalogue
• tick Access to information desk
• cross Space between rows of shelving poor in some branches
• cross Lighting poor in some branches
• cross Specialised equipment and technology has not proved to be very successful – staff training, technology problems
• tick Large print collection
• tick Audio books
• tick Videos, dvds, cds
• tickTrack balls for computers – Knox, Ringwood, Croydon and Lilydale
• tick Web page accreditation WC3 – Web Content Accessibility
  

benchmarking

The Review has benchmarked ERL against two similar library services - Whitehorse Manningham Regional Library Corporation and Yarra Plenty Regional Library Service. These public library services have been selected for benchmarking because

• They are comparable regional library services
  
• All participate in the Regional Libraries Syndicated Survey conducted by Nexus Research.
  
• Shire of Yarra Ranges selected these services for their Eastern Regional Libraries Service Review in March 2001undertaken by Macro Plan Australia.
  

Whitehorse Manningham Regional Library Corporation
The Whitehorse Manningham Regional Library Corporation was formed in December 1995, and provides library services through eight branch library outlets. These are located at Blackburn, Box Hill, Nunawading and Vermont South in the City of Whitehorse; and at Bulleen, The Pines, Doncaster Shoppingtown and Warrandyte in the City of Manningham. The Library’s Outreach Service also operates throughout the region.

Yarra Plenty Regional Library Service
Yarra Plenty Regional Library Service was formed in 1995 and provides library services to the municipalities of Banyule, Nillumbik and Whittlesea. Branch libraries are located at Diamond Valley, Eltham, Ivanhoe, Lalor, Rosanna, Thomastown, Watsonia and Mill Park. A Mobile Library provides service to areas without easy access to a branch library and a specially designed van visits housebound residents throughout the region.

The benchmarking figures have been taken from the Annual Survey of Public Libraries 2001-2002 published by the Department of Infrastructure.

Factors included in benchmarking were:

• Population
• Total income
• Council contributions
• State government contribution
• Expenditure per capita
• Cost per hour of operation
• Hours open per week
• Number of members
  

ERL compares favourably in most areas with benchmarked libraries. However, ERL is below the bench marked levels for number of items purchased and in the provision of the number of public use computers. In considering number of hours open and number of service points ERL is very cost effective when compared to the benchmarked library services. ERL performs well in areas such as loan, visits and information services.

Note: Macro Plan concluded that ERL could be considered to perform “reasonably well in terms of outputs (visitations, membership and loans) given relatively modest inputs (floor space, staff, expenditure) and is consequently a low cost fairly efficient operation”.

Comparative data – Annual Survey of Public Libraries 2001-2002

Financial information

	ERL	Whitehorse Manningham	Yarra Plenty
Population	392,098	263,655	298,862
Area served sq. km.	2623.3	175.9	988.4
No. of service points	16	8	9
Total income $	8,075,895	6,080,834	7,103,582
No. of councils in regional library service	3	2	3
Councils contribution p.a. per capita $	5,467,004 13.94	4,319,423 16.38	7,690,020 25.73 (inflated due to new Mill Park branch opening) 2000/2001 figure 15.47
State Government contribution $	1,821,443	1,229,389	614,097
Expenditure per capita $	21.56	23.51	31.58
Cost per hour of opening $	249.5	323.0	453.5

Note: ERL is providing a cost-effective library service in terms of population and area served when compared with the other regional library services.

the library environment

The Best Value Project Team has conducted an Environment Analysis to determine the standing of Eastern Regional Libraries in the current marketplace and to identify future trends and shifts. The predominant emerging lifestyle trends affecting libraries include:

• Expectation of faster accessibility to services
• Emphasis on user pays
• Longer opening hours in the retail sector
• Longer working hours
• Higher customer service expectations
• Uptake of latest technologies
  

Strengths

Access
Eastern Regional Libraries provides public library service to the communities of Knox, Maroondah and Yarra Ranges. There is diversity in the geographic and demographic characteristics across the region, from rural to suburban areas and from newly-established suburbs to retirement villages. This diversity is reflected in our collections and programmes.

The spread of opening hours of the branches and mobile libraries ensures easy access to the library services.

The ERL web site provides 24 hour, 7 day a week access to the library service.

Community commitment and values

The community places significant emphasis on Eastern Regional Libraries as a valuable resource, which fulfils a range of functions. The community has a strong feeling or ownership of “their library service” as indicated in the recent Community Consultations. There is an expectation that the library service will continue to provide access to resources free of charge and act as a gateway to external information sources and networks.

Performance measures (2001-2002)
Membership: 183,497
Annual visits: 2,105,840
Loans: 3,194,758
Reference inquiries: 166,139

Established service provider in current market place
ERL had its beginnings in 1967 and is the largest service provider of public libraries in the outer eastern suburbs. The library service is delivered through 13 branches and 3 mobile libraries. A delivery service exists to some housebound residents.

Knowledge of community
Throughout the region there is a wide range of educational institutions and services. These range from pre-school to university.
Community groups such as book clubs, University of the Third Age, literacy groups, local history and genealogy groups, employment service groups and other cultural groups heavily use the library service.

The number of local businesses exceeds 15,000. Key areas are retail, construction, food processing, property, tourism and hospitality, agriculture and horticulture, business services and health and community services

Collections
ERL has developed collections that are diverse and well-used. These collections have been developed in response to community needs.

Community Programmes
A wide range of community programmes and activities for all ages is offered throughout the region. These range from Tiny Tots Storytime to Teenage Book Clubs and Classic Books are Magic.

Information
A core service provided by ERL is the provision of information services to the community. The regional library service allows access to a wide range of information resources that would not necessarily be accessible, for example, large reference collections, electronic databases and Internet directories.

Staff
ERL staff are trained and professional in their approach. There is a strong commitment to customer service excellence.

Community Sustainability

Libraries are innately “green” in the nature of their operation:

Continuous lending of materials

Holding information resources that can be accessed and re-accessed

Internal policy of recycling

Energy Audit 1999

 

Weaknesses

Lack of recognition of the social capital value of libraries
The social value of libraries is great but is not often recognized and is hard to measure. Surveys continue to indicate that libraries are important even to non-users. Libraries need to promote this value particularly to governments and funding bodies. Library users have access to $12 million worth of library materials. Library users can participate in a myriad of activities and services. The libraries play an important role in their local communities as somewhere to meet and a place for social interaction.

No performance based funding
The funding that the public library receives from the state and local governments is not dependent on, nor related to, growth and performance. This limits the capacity for growth and expansion.

Geographic spread of the Region
The range of libraries in the Region can create difficulties. Communication and standardisation across the number of branches are problematic. Innovations, such as new technologies, are always expensive to implement because they must be spread across 16 service points.
Resources also have to be spread across the sixteen service points. Many of the branches are physically small and can only offer limited collections and hours of opening. While recognizing the value that small local community libraries provide, in future it may be that these small branches are no longer viable. Larger branches, particularly those located in or near shopping centres, would be able to offer a more comprehensive collection and range of opening hours and services.

Depreciation of stock
The turnover rates and age of the collection is leading to an increasingly imbalanced collection. Customer surveys constantly mention the lack of stock and unavailability of new materials.

Accessibility
The libraries are often not readily identifiable from the exterior. Library signage, both external and internal, needs to be more prominent and recognizable.

Threats

Funding
Failure of funding to keep pace with community demands and expectations, the rising costs of library materials and staffing, will impact on all aspects of ERL’s capacity to deliver effective service.

Emphasis on cost
Public libraries are community-focused non-profit organisations whose outputs cannot be measured exclusively on the basis of cost. Sole emphasis on cost effectiveness means a reduction in all aspects of the delivery of library services with a consequent reduction in the quality of library collections.

Technology
Technology is increasing at a rapid rate and funding is not always available for ERL to benefit from advances that could be utilized for enhancements.

Community expectations
The changing lifestyle of the community is creating a demand for instant satisfaction. The expectation is that new release material will be available immediately and that information resources will be freely available twenty four hours a day. Surveys show that more people are purchasing their own materials.

Opportunities

Access
Upgrade external signage to create greater community awareness of the existence of the libraries and improve internal signage for ease of access to the collections. Presentation of the collections needs to be more eye-catching and user-friendly. ERL may be able to utilize book shop layouts to make these improvements.

Community partnerships
Recognise opportunities to establish partnerships with community organisations. ERL would benefit from a higher profile in the community.
Current partnerships include Morrison House, Outer Eastern Literacy Program, ERL National Storywriting Competition and Swinburne University.

Promotion
Wider promotion of ERL within the community would create greater awareness and use of the services on offer. There needs to be an increase in funding for this to be achieved effectively. Funding and sponsorship opportunities need to be continually explored.

Technology
Eastern Regional Libraries has always been pro-active in the acquisition and use of new technologies. Developments in technology keep providing opportunities to deliver increased access to collections and services.

Web-based services
Surveys show that many people are now time-poor and find it difficult to visit a library. This provides ERL with the opportunity to expand the existing library services offered through its web page.

Relationships with member Councils
Opportunities exist to enhance relationships with member Councils, particularly working on joint projects in community and cultural areas.

consultation programme

An extensive consultation programme was conducted with stakeholders and particularly with the community. The results of the consultations have been taken into account in developing the Continuous Improvement Plan. The main findings of the consultations are summarized below.
Participants in the community consultations expressed a strong sense of ownership of their local library and considered it a valued community resource. They expressed the view that there be no reduction in service levels or in Council / State Government library funding.

NEXUS SURVEY 2002 - CUSTOMER SATISFACTION
(Prepared for the Regional Libraries Syndicate by Nexus Research)

This annual telephone survey provides ERL and other library services with data to evaluate customer satisfaction and usage levels. The following libraries form the Regional Libraries Syndicate and participated in the survey.
Casey Cardinia
Central Highlands
Hume Moonee Valley
Eastern Regional Libraries (ERL)
Geelong
Whitehorse Manningham (WM)
Yarra Plenty (YP)
Yarra Melbourne

The survey comprises questions relating to:

• Importance of provision of library service
  
• Patterns of, and reasons associated with, library use and non-use;
  
• Awareness and satisfaction with library services
  
• Suggestions for improvements to services and access
  
• Impact of Internet use and access on library use
  

The Eastern Regional Libraries sample size for 2002 was 311 participants.

Customer satisfaction

The four components that contributed most to the satisfaction are

• range and quality of books
  
• staff courtesy
  
• staff help & knowledge
  
• opening hours

The 2002 Survey resulted in an average customer satisfaction level of 8.4 (on a scale of 10) for all participating library services. The results for ERL and the two benchmarked libraries were
ERL 8.3
WM 8.6
YP 8.4

Eastern Regional Libraries is close to the survey average but slightly below our benchmarked libraries in the following areas:

• Opening hours
  
• Range & quality of books
  
• Provision of computers
  

Summary

Eastern Regional Libraries’ level of customer satisfaction meets the Survey average. This result has remained consistent over several years of this Survey. The component that would contribute most to increasing this figure would be the provision of more resources – books, videos, magazines.

Impact of Internet use on visits to public libraries

Impact of Internet use on visits to public libraries

	ERL	WM	YP	Survey average
No change	76%	69%	67%	68%
Visited more often	1%	4%	3%	3%
Visited less often	16%	20%	17%	18%
Have not visited in last 12 months	7%	7%	13%	9%

Note: The use of the Internet has not made a change to the number of visits to the library in the last 12 months by the majority of ERL Survey participants.

Differences made to use of other library services by Internet use

	ERL	WM	YP	Survey average
Easier to do research on Internet	59%	52%	60%	51%
Reduces use of other services	41%	22%	8%	21%
Check library web site for book availability	12%	22%	15%	13%

community consultations

Four consultation sessions were held with our community at Boronia, Croydon, Lilydale and Belgrave libraries. Forty-five people attended and sessions were facilitated by independent facilitator Vivien Pappas. The participants were presented with a series of targeted issues and were given the opportunity to raise any other issue of interest or concern with regards to the library service.

Satisfaction with staff knowledge, expertise and customer service was rated highly
Choice of branch library use was influenced by shopping patterns and other family activities. The majority of participants used more than one branch.
The library service was highly valued community resource and participants did not want any reduction in service levels.

Library materials

Positives

Negatives

Pleased with resources provided to bookclubs Reference information was up-to-date and reference staff approachable

Range and quality of materials need improving across region supported by an increase materials budget More copies of daily newspapers in larger branches Generally happy with the loan periods but would like to renew items more than once and to be able renew videos Proposed fee-based best sellers not popular Smaller branches can be read out Not enough latest releases and take too long to arrive in branches Photocopying too expensive

Accessibility/Facilities

Positives

Negatives

Don’t want opening hours enhanced to the detriment of existing services Enjoyed the adult and junior activities Sponsorship only considered suitable with guidelines and for specific projects Liked the ability to access catalogue online from home

Variation of small branches opening hours confusing Signage – internal & external poor Parking a problem at some branches Programs and new materials better advertised More advertising in local paper More general equipment for public use e.g. scanner, paper cutter Differing quality of air-conditioning in branches an issue Current public access catalogues not user-friendly Tea/Coffee availability wanted Keen on libraries displaying the work of local artists

Charges

Strong reaction against reservation charges for materials held within Eastern Regional Libraries. The reservation charge penalised users of smaller branches Suggestion for an annual amnesty for return of overdue library items Higher overdue charge for videos seen as not equitable Overdue charges seen as personal responsibility of individual library users

staff focus group

Staff attending the focus groups came from different areas of the organisation – branches, mobiles, administration. They also came from various levels within the organisation, so the group presented a diverse mix of opinions and experience.

Staff focused on customer service enhancements and promotion of the library service.

Customer Service Improvements
Accessibility for Customers

Staff suggested improvements to the following:

• Library entry points – need to be welcoming and attractive
  
• Signage – current, eye-catching, neat and positive
  
• Desks – removing as many barriers as practicable (screens, partitions, notices)
  
• Staff accessible – welcoming smile, eye contact and acknowledgement
  

Membership

• Electronic joining procedures
  
• Allowing members to borrow without their card – use photo id
  
• Multi-use membership card – photocopying, reservations, public transport
  

Customer Service Officers

Staff free to rove the library, providing assistance and help to library users. This will help to overcome the barrier of the desk and make customers feel welcome. There would be no need to employ new staff to implement this improvement as existing branch rosters could be adjusted to enable all staff to participate.

Staff Identification

Staff agreed that they should be easily identified by the library users.

Their suggestions included the following:

• Redesign of the name badge
  
• Staff working group to rewrite the existing dress code
  
• Continuous customer service training for all staff
  

Collections

More user-friendly arrangements of the library collection, as used by book stores, video shops, etc. Some of these ideas could be trialled.

• Fiction arranged by genre – sci-fi, adventure, romance, etc.
  
• Some non-fiction subject arrangements eg gardening, botany, landscaping shelved together
  

Multiple subscriptions to newspapers and magazines for reading in the library, particularly in larger branches with lounge areas

Reservations

• Automatic reservations for latest releases of favourite authors
  
• Ideally reservations should be free
  
• Reservations Plus card available for smaller number of reservations
  
• Holding time of reserved items should be reduced from 14 days
  
  

Best Sellers

Several ideas were mooted, with much discussion about “Are we a bookshop?”, “Can we compete?”, “Should we try to compete?” Customers these days expect instant satisfaction for their wants and needs and this is the challenge facing the library service.

• Extra copies of high demand titles available for a charge
  

Loans

• Videos - length of loan period and overdue charges should be same as books, and renewable
  
• Project material limit of 2 per family should be removed
  

Self-service checkout

• This would allow staff to be released for other services eg roving customer service
  
• A limitation is that technology is still not totally reliable eg can only be used for books but not any audio-visual material
  
• Staff checkout would still be necessary
  

After hours return chutes

• Location and design of existing chutes are important issues
  
• Knox Library is the only branch that does not provide this service
  
• Book return depots at other locations eg railway stations, supermarkets was not considered viable and would not encourage users to visit the branches as often
  

E-services

• Email service for notification of new books, profiles of library borrowers with authors and subject preferences
  
• Web catalogue displaying covers of books
  
• Internet bookings – choice of a dedicated computer with 15 minute bookings, and a self-regulated booking computer available
  

Promotion of Library Service

Ideas suggested:

• Mobile membership officers to visit businesses, retirement homes, etc.
  
• Letterbox drops
  
• Promotion of staff skills – professionals, information navigators
  
• Tours of libraries
  
• Demonstrations to businesses, particularly Internet
  
• Tap into council business initiatives
  
  

community house focus group

All Community House Coordinators within the ERL catchment area were invited to attend a meeting. The Community Houses and ERL share a commitment to lifelong learning.
A focus group was conducted with representatives from 8 Community Houses. Discussion centred on common goals and opportunities for partnerships. Acknowledgment was made of the governance and funding formulas differences between libraries and community houses.

Recognition of current partnerships includes:

• Literacy group Boronia
  
• Mt Evelyn Career Information
  
• Nth Ringwood English Second Language (ESL)
  
• Nth Ringwood Display week
  
• Adult Learners week
  

Issues for Community Houses with the library service include:

• Restrictive library opening hours – some branches opening at 11.00 a.m.
  
• Availability of meeting spaces within libraries
  
• Meeting room charges
  

Areas for future co-operation:

• Mutual distribution of publicity materials
  
• Use of library notice board to promote community houses
  

Library staff promoting library services to community house participants

• How to use your library
  
• What the library can offer
  

Future meetings

All agreed it would be beneficial to meet at the end of each year to discuss forthcoming programs.

home services survey & focus group

Population statistics indicate a fairly rapidly increasing ageing population. Demands on library service for this sector of the population will also increase.
At present Home Library Service has a limited availability, due to restrictions of staffing, available materials, vehicles and funding generally.

The current main criteria for this service is that the library member is totally housebound and cannot access mainstream library services.

A survey was conducted with the Home Service recipients to determine satisfaction levels and usage patterns.

Outcomes of the survey:

• Average length of time in receipt of home services is 7 years
  
• Material predominantly accessed is large print and audio books
  
• Home library service invaluable to housebound recipients
  
• High satisfaction level with the service (98% very satisfied)
  

A focus group with staff involved with home library service was conducted and the following issues arose:

• Use of a staffed van (possibly replacing the Knox Bookmobile) to deliver library materials to retirement villages and nursing homes.
  
• Continued use of volunteers for service provision to housebound individuals.
  
• Provision of a community bus to bring the more mobile people to visit the library and select their own library materials.
  
• If the service is to be expanded ERL will need to consider a dedicated Aged Services Position and a component of staff to help service the whole region.
  
• Again, if the service is allowed to grow and expand, the amount of material available will need to be considered. The service may require a dedicated collection.
  
• For larger institutions it may be appropriate to ask for a fee for the provision of the service or possibly a refundable bond that allows for replacement of lost stock.
  
  

mobile library survey

A number of issues have been identified regarding usage of bookmobiles, locations of bookmobile sites and retirement village use of sites.

This survey was designed to gather more data, keeping these issues in mind and to determine user satisfaction levels.

The ten Mobile stops surveyed were a combination of twice weekly stops, weekly and fortnightly stops. Clients from all three Mobile Libraries were surveyed.

Frequency of Visits	Travel to Mobile
Once a week – 40%	Walked – 50%
Once a fortnight – 33%	Drove – 48%
Once a Month – 15%	Unanswered – 2%

 

Other activities with mobile visits	Reasons for using Mobile
Shopping – 66%	Ease of Access – 83%
School – 8.3%	More suitable service – 23%
Other/nothing – 18%	Static branch difficult to visit – 11%

Frequency of Visits to Site	Location to Stop
Excellent – 45%	Excellent – 45%
Good – 46%	Good – 46%
Poor – 5%

Choice of Stock	Staff Helpfulness
Excellent – 25%	Excellent – 75%
Good – 56%	Good – 13%
Poor – 16.5%

General comments on Mobile Library service

Access

• Improved pram access needed
  
• Parking often a problem.
  

Layout

• Bottom shelves too low
  
• Need Internet access
  

Stock

• Limited stock
  
• 7 day loans a problem
  
• Need more new books
  
• More children’s videos needed
  

General

• Service is wonderful
  
• Made to feel welcome
  
• First choice of service point
  
• Emergency returns
  
  

youth services focus group

A focus group was conducted with the Youth Services Staff from all branches.

This was done to determine issues that impact on children’s services including story times, holiday activities, toddler times and school partnerships.

Consensus was that the activities conducted presented good value for money and encouraged children and their families to utilize the library resources, thereby creating life long library users.

A survey was formulated to seek responses from the parents and family day carers, to evaluate the usefulness of storytimes and toddler times.

School holiday programmes and after school programs were examined on their viability and content, to determine if these were relevant to libraries, when so many other agencies run such programmes.

The Youth Services Staff identified a need to address issues for teenagers. Most of ERL’s activities do not include this group.

Ideas from the Youth Services Librarians were;

• Extension of Story times to include weekends
  
• More Toddler Time sessions
  
• Dedicated staff- better for users
  
• On-Line Story time
  
• Simple crafts or no craft for Story times
  
• Production of Booklists
  
• Story times and After-School Activities should remain free of charge
  
• School Holidays- one off activity
  
• No January Holiday Programmes
  
• Story time to continue through school holidays
  
• Not all branches to run School Holiday programmes
  
• Teenage - Homework Helpers (Would require more staff)
  
• Liaison/Partnership with Council Youth Workers to plan and run Youth Activities
  

The results from the Story time surveys show an overwhelming support for Story time and the work the Youth Services Staff perform. The ages of children attending range from 9 months to 5 years of age. Borrowing of library materials is high after Story time for both child and parent or carer.

Many parents with younger children desired a toddler time; if the branch did not all ready cater to this need.

Comments
“The quality of storytelling is invariably excellent”
“I think it is a very important activity for the children”

online survey of erl web services

ERL will continuously survey Web Services using an online survey.

A survey was available on the web site during March 2003 and 77 people participated.

• the majority were members of ERL
• most used the web weekly or monthly
• access to the Internet was predominantly from their homes
• the web catalogue was the most popular service
• there was a high level of satisfaction with the design and layout of the ERL web page
  

The survey asked for comments and they ranged from how useful the web catalogue was to reserve books, to constructive criticisms and recommendations that will be taken into account in the design of the web page in the future.

“YOUR COMMENTS COUNT”
CUSTOMER FEEDBACK FORMS

Customer Feedback forms are provided in all branches for on-going comments and suggestions. Staff encourage customers to use these forms.

There is an average response of 50 forms returned per month. Responses are given to those customers who provide contact details (approximately 5 per month).

The forms provide information on the reasons for customers to visit the library and the activities they engage in during their visit. The majority of customers visit to borrow library material or request information. Other reasons for the visit include to access the Internet, attend storytimes or other library events, to read the newspaper or meet friends.

Each form has space for comments and recent comments have included:

• Provision of more books
  
• Provision of more large print books
  
• Recognition of excellent and poor customer service
  
• Notification of new releases
  
• Appreciation of bookclubs
  

The forms have provided some useful comments and ideas that have been implemented in the branches.

users, lapsed users and non-users

Why don’t people use the public library?

The Nexus Survey 2002 identified “cluster groups” of people who do not use a public library and their reasons for non-use:

• Uninterested people-“not likely to be interested in using a public library”
  
• Savvy people – “aware but not likely to use the public library”
  
• People who are too busy- “time poor”
  
• Ultra savvy people- “would use the library if it was promoted to them”
  
• Marginal non users- “like to own books and use internet for information needs”
  

 

Reasons for non-use

	ERL	Survey average
Too busy	23%	24%
No real reason/don’t know	14%	11%
Buy books	11%	11%
Have what we need at home/no need	8%	14%

Is there any likelihood of non-users becoming users?

The Nexus Survey asked respondents, who said they had not used a public library in the past twelve months, how likely they were to use a local public library in their council area if they knew it had one of a number of services.

The main reasons given that they would use a public library would be for:

• Videos not available in video shops
  
• Family History resources
  
• DVDs
  

When asked if they could think of any other services which would encourage use- the largest percentage of respondents said none.

In summing up, the chances that non-users will become users is quite low.

The report from the UK Audit Commission, Building Better Library Services also talks about non-users and lapsed-users.

Three common issues come up: “Too busy” “Not interested” and “Prefer to buy books”

“Lapsed –users are more likely to say that they do not have time to go to libraries anymore or do not feel the need to go (for example, having left school): whereas non-users are more likely to say they have no interest at all in going to a library –they tend not to read or have other ways of spending their leisure time.

The principal reasons why non-users do not use libraries are to do with lifestyle issues-not interested/not have time – and these will be difficult to address. It needs to be recognised that there is a significant minority of non-users who feel they will never use libraries in the future. In a study in a County Council, for example, over one-quarter of non-users said nothing would persuade them to use libraries.

However, there still remain a large number of non-users who could be attracted to using libraries-though this is likely to require some radical changes. People say they want libraries to be modern and welcoming. Raising awareness of what is available, having up-to-date stock, additional facilities, providing more information and extending opening hours may have some effect on increasing usage, and should increase satisfaction among users”

lapsed users survey

ERL has 70,000 members who have not used the library in the past twelve months (2001/2002) – these could be described as lapsed users. Given that we have identified marginal non-users, it was thought to be useful to conduct a survey of this group to find out why they have not continued to use the library and to find out what would be needed to encourage them back to using the library. A pilot survey of 60 lapsed users was undertaken with responses that indicated that almost 50% of those lapsed library members had moved address.

Those who were contacted gave the following responses as shown below.

Reasons for non-use:
“Inadequate stock (5)
“Time poor” (8)
“Buy books” (3)
“Reservation charge” (1)
“One-off need” (2)
“Language difficulties” (1)

Services which might encourage the lapsed users to use the library again:
“Nothing” 2
“Not interested” 1
“Better stock” 1
“Free reservations” 1
“Life change – age of children” 1
“Use other card in family” 2
“More audiovisual” 1
“Will return” 3

This pilot survey of lapsed users reflects the same results from the Nexus survey section on non-users. The reasons for non-use cover inadequate library book stock; lack of time, purchase own books and only had one-off need to join the library. As 50% of lapsed users were not contactable and the staff time involved in collecting survey data was extensive, the likelihood of encouraging lapsed users to the library is minimal and the pilot survey showed a small percentage of lapsed users were using another household library card.

The Project Team recommends against a more extensive survey of lapsed users.

Nexus survey data and overseas experience (Building better Library Services, U.K. Audit Commission) indicates that public libraries are unlikely to attract those who are categorised as non-users regardless of services on offer.

There may be some possibility of attracting some lapsed users and marginal non-users.

service profile

The Review profiled all services provided by ERL. Some important areas of the Service Profile follow.

 

RESOURCES

Selection and allocation of library materials

The aim of Eastern Regional Libraries is to provide a high-quality, attractively presented, usefully organised informational and recreational collection in a range of media that is current, relevant and responsive to the needs of the whole community.

“Resources” refers to any material acquired for the library’s collections. Although library materials are predominantly books, whether fiction, non-fiction, large print or reference, they may also include videos, music CDs, DVDs, CD-ROMs, music scores , audio books, foreign language material and on-line databases. ERL aims to provide a current and varied collection catering to a diverse range of reading tastes and information needs.

Each branch and mobile library holds its own core collection of reference and lending stock, including fiction and non-fiction in a variety of formats, suitable for all age groups, and responsive to the particular needs of the locality. The quantity of materials held in each service point is variable and dependent upon the size of the facility, the requirements of the community service and budgetary considerations.

ERL introduced “floating stock” to improve the rotation of library materials throughout the region. This gives users greater access to, and a larger selection of, audio-visual and large print material. This is particularly beneficial to smaller branches.

Selection Policy

The primary purpose of selection is to collect materials of contemporary interest and significant value. ERL will always be guided by a sense of responsibility to both present and future library users in adding materials which will enrich the collections and maintain an overall balance. ERL recognises an immediate duty to make available current, high demand, high interest material, in a variety of formats for persons of all ages.

Collection Development

The Corporation delegates responsibility for the management of the collection to the Collection Development Team (CDT), a team of professional librarians co-ordinated by the Resources/Youth Services Manager. The team consists of five branch staff and the Resources/Youth Services Manager based at Administration. Library materials are sourced from a number of suppliers- local, interstate and overseas- who are able to offer very competitive discounts on the large number of items purchased. The bulk of the selection is done on a weekly basis from new stock left by ERL’s two main suppliers. The CDT also regularly visits specialist suppliers, including bookshops (Readings, Collins, The Little Bookroom), to buy additional new stock and fill subject gaps.

Requests and comments from library users

Library users are encouraged to make requests and recommendations for items that are not already in the library collection and to comment generally on any aspect of the collection.

A range of avenues for requests and recommendations is provided – including suggestion cards, “your comment” feedback boxes, online requests. The results of library surveys are also taken into account.

Branch profiles for selection of materials look at the demographics served by that particular service point. Performance criteria ratios, borrowing profiles and turnover rates for adult, junior and teenage material are also used as a guideline when material is being selected.

Purchasing and Materials Handling

Technical Services operates from the Administration and acts as a centralised unit for the buying and processing of all library materials. It incorporates the acquisitioning (ordering, processing of invoices, payment of accounts and upkeep of the acquisitions database), cataloguing, data input and end processing of all library materials. Using available technology, workflows have been streamlined ensuring quicker and more efficient processes. The staff are multi-skilled and flexible, able to work in several areas as required.

Books designated as urgent (requests) and priority (“media buzzes”, reference, popular fiction authors and travel guides, standing orders) have a turn-around rate of one week, if required, from when they are delivered by the supplier to being on shelf at the branch. Standing orders are maintained with suppliers to ensure these materials, which are in high demand, are available in the libraries as soon as possible after publication. Non –fiction books have an average turn-around rate of 4-6 weeks depending on peak publishing times such as pre-Christmas and available staff. KPI’s have been set in the Technical Services area to ensure service standards are monitored and met.

 

 

Comparative data Annual Survey of Public Libraries 2001-2002
Items and expenditure per capita

	ERL	Whitehorse Manningham	Yarra Plenty
No. of items in the collection per capita	1.31	1.56	1.87
Expenditure on library materials per capita $	3.25	4.01	7.65
Items acquired per capita	0.16	0.18	0.33

Note: The standard of 15 books per 100 people per annum is the ALIA Standard bench mark for Public Libraries serving a population of more than 250,000. The trend over the past 5 years has been that ERL has not kept pace with this Standard and currently is purchasing at the rate of 13 books per 100 people per annum.

Satisfaction With The Collection

Range of quality of books for adults (Nexus Survey 2002):
ERL 7.6
Whitehorse Manningham 7.8
Yarra Plenty 7.8
Survey average 7.7

ERL community consultation also indicated a need for a better, more up-to-date range and quality of library materials.

Targets:

• Maintain or exceed current levels of funding support for collections
  
• Adjust print resource material budget to better reflect demand
  

 

Print material budget allocations at ERL

	Adult	Children/Teenage	Large Print
2002/03	47%	33%	7%
2003/04	57%	23%	10%

 

• Work towards achieving the ALIA Standard of 15 books per 100 people per annum
  
• Work towards achieving the Library Material Asset Depreciation Standard of an average age of eight years for the ERL collection
  Recommendations in Continuous Improvement Plan:
  
• Review of selection and purchasing practices
  
• Aim to increase book collections by 20%
  

service profile

INFORMATION SERVICES

Information services are a core activity of any library service and are provided by librarians and other trained staff, and as such are essential to the philosophy of a public library.

There are several aspects to the information services that are provided by ERL to its users:

• Finding the right book (author, title, series enquiry)
  
• Finding the correct information in response to a “reference enquiry”
  
• Assisting with book selection (authors, genre, subject)
  
• Helping with technology – computers, Internet, email, word processing, printing
  

Enquiries can come from anyone at anytime via:

• In person
  
• Telephone
  
• Email
  
• Ask-a-Librarian email service from ERL home page
  
• Fax and mail
  

All the above means of communication may be used by the staff to answer a question and provide information.
Enquiries from customers can be for their:

• Personal use
  
• General interest
  
• Recreational reading
  
• Projects / homework
  
• Research
  

Resources used by staff to answer enquiries:

• General collection – lending
  
• Reference collection – in-depth, specialised, not for loan (encyclopedias, yearbooks, statistics, etc.)
  
• Cdroms
  
• Newspapers
  
• Magazines
  
• Internet
  
• Electronic databases
  
• Professional knowledge
  
• Referrals to outside organisations
  
  
  

The ERL home page allows users to access many resources from home:

• Links to useful sites grouped under useful heading e.g. biographies, literature, statistics, etc.
  
• For Kids – links to web sites of interest to children
  
• Teen Page - links to sites of interest to teenagers (compiled with the help of local teenagers)
  
• Databases available from both within the libraries and to members, at home or work or school, to full text articles from journals, newspapers and encyclopedias e.g. ANZ Reference Centre, Health and Wellness Resource Centre, Onefile, Grove Dictionary of Art, Biography Resource Centre.
  
• Library catalogue – for searching, reservations and renewals
  
• Ask-a-Librarian and Ask-a-Genie email services
  

 

Comparative data Annual Survey of Public Libraries 2001 to 2002 and Nexus
Information Services statistics

	ERL	Whitehorse Manningham	Yarra Plenty
Reference Enquiries	166,139	228,821	127,853
Satisfaction with Information Service – score out of 10	8.2	8.6	8.7

ERL Information services provision rates well in comparison to bench mark libraries.

SPECIAL COLLECTIONS

LOTE - Languages Other Than English

There are four LOTE collections in the Region that have been identified through Census data as being the main languages spoken within the three Council areas. Staff maintain an awareness of the changing needs of the Region’s multicultural composition.
The Chinese and Vietnamese collections are located at Knox, the Italian collection at Lilydale and the Dutch collection at Croydon. The collections are mainly books with some audiovisual material and journals.

Knox Library also has a LOTE Picture Book collection in Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Spanish and Vietnamese languages.
Members who require reading material in other languages may receive a bulk loan from other library services through Inter Library Loan.
A number of specialist suppliers are used for purchasing LOTE material. Items are selected for perceived popularity with non-fiction titles mainly in the cookery, family health, personal development and history subjects and a range of fiction genres. Recent purchases of AV material, mainly in Chinese, have proved to be very popular.

Music Score Collection

The Music Score collection was established at Belgrave Library in 1997 when the new Belgrave library was opened.
There are now approximately 800 titles in this collection and they are used extensively. It is one of the few collections in Victoria available for loan. The collection comprises music score compilations written for guitar and piano. The collection is accessed through the catalogue. Further individual song indexing is available at the Belgrave library. The collection is shelved in subject categories.

The Music Score Collection is further enhanced by a strong Reference collection, including The New Groves Dictionary of Music and Musicians.

Bookclub Collection

The Bookclub program began in 1988 and now has 93 Bookclubs. The growing interest in the community in books and reading has led to a steep increase in the number of book clubs joining the program.

There are nearly 200 titles available for Bookclubs to choose from with comprehensive notes. At least 25 new sets are purchased each year. Membership has been increased to $99.00 per annum for each Bookclub.

This is a service that is offered by very few other library services. The bookclubs have provided ERL with a positive public image and the opportunity to target-market programmes and activities. The huge success of this programme has created a heavy demand on bookclub sets.
Recommendation: The growth of the bookclubs should be continued, but to enable this to happen, membership fees need to continue be increased on an annual basis.

Family History Collections

There are collections in 6 branches, some with a dedicated space for microfiche readers, computer, microfiche drawers and books at Knox, Ferntree Gully, Ringwood, Belgrave, Yarra Junction and Lilydale.

Resources are purchased for the collection in various media - books, microfiche and cdroms. Computers provide Internet access.

The ERL web site has a page for Family History which has links organised in subject area. These links tend to be to gateway sites, rather than having links to hundreds of smaller, specialised sites.

The ERL home page has an Ask-a-Genie inquiry service. The questions go to the Family History Librarian and Information Services Manager.

The ERL Family History Newsletter is an email-based service that has been very successful. It is sent out on an irregular basis and used to publicise new resources, events, State Library news and anything else of interest to family historians.

Family History Internet training is offered. The cost is $27.50 for a two hour session and participants are given notes. The charge and program will be reviewed in 2003/2004

Genie Exchange is a new initiative started by ERL with the aim of providing an ongoing forum for local people to get together to discuss their family history research.

Survey of family history users:
An online survey was conducted in September 2002 of a small number of family historians on the email newsletter list. Responses were received from 12 people.
The results showed that the majority of users were satisfied with the resources provided by ERL. They all used other organisations and the Internet to conduct their research.

SERVICE PROFILE

PROMOTIONS AND MARKETING

ERL has developed a Marketing Plan to ensure that the service is dynamically promoted within its communities.

Marketing Aims

1. To increase the visibility and profile of Eastern Regional Libraries Corporation in our communities.
   
2. To continue to monitor the library needs of our communities and develop services that respond to those needs.
   
3. To ensure that library services are as accessible as possible to people in our communities through efficient marketing methods.
   
4. To continue to market and promote the value and importance of reading, knowledge and information provision.
   

A number of initiatives have been developed to address these aims.

1. Expanding and developing the Books are Magic program. This program encourages the use and enjoyment of books, reading and libraries. Books are Magic activities encourage community interaction and promote the social value of the public library. Books are Magic is an ERL program designed to promote reading, literature, libraries and literacy. The program takes advantage of the Merlin brand used by ERL as a market brand. Books are Magic events are signified by the use of the Merlin symbol.
   Conducted on a regional basis, programs are spread across all static branches wherever is most appropriate. The program covers all age groups and works closely with the Youth Services team.
   
2. Increasing services and facilities for library users. This includes looking at library buildings and facilities to ensure they are pleasant to use and are very accessible. Tea and coffee is available at Croydon Library and helps created a relaxed atmosphere.
   
3. On-line databases are an important information source and ERL is seeking to actively promote these amongst the community, especially schools.
   
4. Strengthening links with other council areas and with community organisations.
   Partnerships with other council areas and with community organisations are
   important in the development of community building. Joint projects are beneficial not only for community members but for the organsations involved.
   
5. Responding to community needs and promoting the social capital value of Eastern Regional Libraries. ERL values feedback from the community and uses feedback boxes in all branch libraries in addition to regularly conducting user surveys.
   
6. ERL explores opportunities for sponsorship and additional funding. Additional funding can assist in the provision of beneficial services or programs.
   

The use of the wizard brand has given ERL a marketing identity within the community. The symbol is well recognized and associated with the library service.
Check It Out! The ERL community newsletter helps inform the community about new services or events at ERL.
Library products including library bags and the Reservation Plus Card not only provide some income generation but also add to the convenience and enjoyment of library use.

Evaluation and Benefits

The program is evaluated in terms of satisfaction and numbers attending. Evaluation sheets from program attendees provide feedback. Numbers attending programs have increased substantially since the implementation of Books are Magic and its many components. Feedback has been very positive.

Other benefits:

• Helps attract new library members
  
• Promotes library materials
  
• Promotes borrowing of library materials
  
• Provides interesting community programs
  
• Creates partnering opportunities
  
• Assists in connecting community members and building community.

SERVICE PROFILE

READER DEVELOPMENT - LIFELONG LEARNING

Reader development – lifelong learning covers a range of functions designed to educate our customers in the use of the library and its resources, both through a formal process and in many informal ways. Self-education and learning is encouraged through these functions. ERL also supports community lifelong learning programmes e.g. Mt Evelyn Learning Town Project.

New members are informed about ERL when they join – branches and their hours, home page, borrowing rights, variety of collections and media, programmes and events that may be of interest.

Users who are interested at any time are shown how to use the public access catalogue in their branch so that they are able to search and locate material for themselves, place reservations and check their membership account.

The opportunity is taken whenever possible to show users with Internet access our home page and the benefits of using it as a gateway to the Internet, as well as for searching the catalogue, reserving, renewing and checking their own account details.

Students, as a matter of course, are always being shown how to use the catalogue, how to locate information in reference books, how to use an index, how to access databases or useful sites on the Internet.

With the increased use of technology, staff are now also educating users in word processing, opening and saving files, using their email, printing, photocopying, typing in a web address, searching for sites.

All of the above functions work on a fairly informal level i.e. on a “needs-to-know” basis, but library staff also conduct more formal training sessions.

Youth Services librarians are very active in this area, visiting school classrooms or school libraries, and holding sessions in their own libraries for groups of students. Students are given guided tours of the library and shown the various collections of interest and use to them, and how to use the catalogue and access the library from home.

Internet training has been provided by ERL for the public for many years now. Again, this can happen in a brief, informal way or customers can book in for a formal two hour session with training provided by accredited trainer-librarians. At various times, these staff have also presented Internet training tailored to specific interests eg during Senior Citizens Week, Adult Learning Week and in subject areas like travel, stockmarket, etc.

Family History is a specialised area in which staff are able to educate beginners on how to start their research, the use of library resources, the use of the Internet for family history, and at various other times talks and seminars.

ERL staff conduct tours of our libraries for community groups if their members are interested. These tours have proved popular with U3A, Probus and other local service clubs.
ERL maintains strong links with Community Houses throughout the three municipalities. ERL has worked on a number of joint projects and will continue to participate in these partnerships as the opportunity arises. There is joint exchange of publicity and information between ERL and the Community Houses which is mutually beneficial.
Links with local U3A groups have been established and will increase in importance as the membership of U3A expands with the early retirement of more and more active people.

ERL offers a free online information technology tutorial programme called Learningfast that can be accessed from home or work at any time. This is an accredited programme produced by Monash University. This allows ERL staff and members to undertake self-paced learning in a wide range of computer and software applications.
Information literacy is a major consideration in the design and presentation of the ERL web site. ERL supports and encourages information literacy within the community through the provision of a timely, well-organised and reliable gateway to online information. This online information includes authoritative web sites, electronic databases that provide access to full text articles from magazines and newspapers and online encyclopedias
The ERL web site is a powerful tool reaching a much wider audience than is possible with static branches. Accessible at any time, the web site has achieved accreditation from the internationally recognised Web Accessibility Initiative. This means that the web site is more accessible to all users and particularly those with disabilities.

SERVICE PROFILE

YOUTH SERVICES

Children and teenagers throughout ERL are well-served by an enthusiastic, committed youth services team. Each branch has a member of staff responsible for the materials collection as well as activities ranging from tiny tots story times to teenage book clubs.

Knowledge of the collection is important in maintaining its freshness and relevance through continuous weeding and replacement of standard titles. Youth services staff also use this knowledge to advise parents and children regarding suitable books for various stages of reading.

Each branch has at least one preschool story time per week, most have two, and five have tiny tots sessions. Two branches provide after-school activities. During the school holidays every branch has a program of events or activities which may include crafts, games, demonstrations or professional performers. Children’s Book Week and other significant occasions are celebrated at ERL with displays and special events.

The Youth Services team visits local schools and preschools and conducts class visits to the libraries. They take part in community festivals, community children’s days, and liaise with local councils in areas concerning children and youth. In 2001/2002, 5,528 children were reached by external visits.

The Youth Services staff also attend and contribute to professional meetings such as the VICLINK Children’s Services meetings and the Australian Centre for Youth Literature workshops at the State Library of Victoria.

SERVICE PROFILE

HOME SERVICES

ERL operates an extensive Home Services programme. Library materials, mostly books but also magazines, jigsaw puzzles and audio books, are selected by library staff and delivered monthly by volunteers to housebound people. Home Service users reside in their own homes or institutions such as hostels and nursing homes.

To be eligible for the service a person must be unable to come to the library due to illness or incapacity of a temporary or permanent nature. If at all possible, relatives are encourage to collect books for the housebound, allowing our volunteers to provide a service for those who have no other means of accessing library materials.

ERL also arranges for the delivery of bulk loans of library material to institutions such as day care centres, hostels and nursing homes. Maroondah Council provides a weekly service to transport elderly users to their libraries using volunteers and the community bus.

At present, this service is not publicised as the demand would outstrip ERL’s ability to meet and satisfy increased numbers of Home Service customers.

Volunteers

All of our static libraries operate a Home Services programme with a total of 50 volunteers delivering to 180 users at home and 21 institutions. An individual may receive as few as 3 or 4 items or as many as 30 per month. Institutions usually receive a selection of about 30 or more titles (usually large print and illustrated books) from which residents make their own selection. At least one staff member from each branch co-ordinates Home Services for that particular branch.

Many of our volunteers have been with us for a number of years and form close relationships with the users to whom they deliver and often stay to chat. For many elderly people this might be one of the few visits for the week. Inevitably some volunteers resign, due to a move or other commitments. New volunteers are recruited regularly, usually through advertising in the library. Volunteers are processed through Eastern Volunteers and Knox Community Volunteers who arrange police checks of all volunteers for us. Volunteers are paid a small travel allowance and are insured whilst engaged in library work.

Recommendations:
A review of library services to the aged is needed to investigate methods of service provision to an increasingly aging population.

usage patterns

Patterns of library usage have been surveyed and analysed to demonstrate how well ERL meets user needs and requirements. It is important to ensure that resources are utilised efficiently and cost-effectively, in the most appropriate locations, and accessible to the community. How do people get to ERL Libraries? A sample survey was conducted in all branches and a total of 2165 people were surveyed as they exited the library and they were asked “How did you get to the library today?” The overwhelming majority of people travelled by car. The rest of the people either walked or used public transport. The smaller community libraries had a higher percentage of people who walked to their branch and the libraries in or near larger shopping centres had higher percentages of people who came by car. How many people visit the branches each opening hour? Data on hourly visits was collected from 28th January – 9th February 2003. (This is not a peak time for library use. Peak times are towards the middle of the year when visits increase by 10% on average). The data collected highlights the need for some changes to opening hours based on the following points: Rowville is a growth area with many young families, and consequently the library is very busy, particularly on Saturdays and Sundays – traditionally family time. Knox library is busier during the day because of its location in the shopping centre. Ferntree Gully has low evening usage, partly due to its isolated location. Children’s activities at Ferntree Gully are very popular with large numbers of participants. These activities take place during the day and stretch staffing levels at these times.

Ringwood and Croydon are both well-used on Saturdays but usage drops in the late afternoon. Ringwood is very busy during week days but use during the last hour of opening between 8pm and 9pm has gradually decreased over the last few years.

Yarra Junction is a very busy branch and the community would benefit from additional opening hours.

Mt Evelyn is presently closed for one hour during the day. For improved customer service and access, it would be beneficial for the library to remain open between 1pm and 2pm.

Belgrave has high demand during their first hour of opening on weekdays, illustrating a demand for earlier than 11am opening. On Saturday, the library is still very busy at closing time.

service delivery recommendations

The ERL Best Value Project Team has profiled the current services and identified areas of service delivery that need improvement.

• Selection and purchase of library materials
  
• Opening hours of some branches
  
• Mobile Libraries
  
• Changing demographics i.e. ageing population
  
• Accessibility issues – signage, ambience
  
• User-friendly policies
  

The Project Team has also conducted an extensive stakeholder consultation programme and identified areas that concern our community. The main areas are:

• More library materials
  
• Faster availability of new materials and personal notification of new material
  
• Accessibility issues – parking, opening hours, signage
  
• Limitations of smaller branches i.e. size of collections, reservation charges
  
• Loans policies – renewals, length of loans
  
• More promotion of library activities and new materials in the local press
  

Both the profile of ERL’s current services and the outcomes from the stakeholder consultations have jointly highlighted the need for continuous improvement in similar areas of the library service. From this data the Project Team has developed the following recommendations for improvements to service delivery.

• ERL will improve collections
  
• ERL will review selection and purchasing practices and the role and composition of the Collection Development Team
  
• ERL will aim for an increase of book stock
  
• Floating stock categories will be extended
  

Outcomes for our communities:

• Achieve more efficient selection and purchasing to give greater range and depth to the collection
  
• More books
  
• Small branches benefit from floating stock
  

Quality standard:

• Provision of a diverse range of books and other materials for all ages responsive to community demands. This includes assessing new formats as they appear in the marketplace
  

Targets:

• Maintain or exceed current levels of funding support for collections
  
• Change allocations within resource budget to better reflect demand
  
• Work towards achieving the ALIA Standard of 15 books per 100 people per annum
  
  

ERL will improve accessibility

• Opening hours will be improved
  
• Ensure disability access at all branches
  
• External signage will be improved– seek additional funding through Local Priorities funding (Department of Victorian Communities)
  
• Internal signage will be improved – an audit will be conducted and signage will be implemented to meet accessibility standards, requires Council funding, grants or sponsorship
  
• Ensure book return chutes are available and accessible at all branches
  

Outcomes for our communities:

• A library service responsive to changed lifestyle patterns
  
• Libraries easily located and identified
  
• Library collections more accessible
  

Quality standard:

• A vibrant, easily identified library service accessible to everyone in the community
  

Targets:

• Internal signage audit completed by end of financial year 2003/2004
  
• Successful funding application to improve external signage
  

Implement revised opening hours by end of financial year 2003/2004


ERL will strive to be more user-friendly

• Increase renewal limits
  
• Email notification of reservations and overdues
  
• Improved Reservation Plus card system
  
• Review of fees and charges annually
  

Outcomes for our communities:

• Increased ease of access to library materials
  
• Continued satisfaction of customer requirements
  

Quality standard:

• Customer-oriented policies to ensure an efficient loan service and equity of access to library materials
  

Targets:

Key Performance Indicators	Current Measurements (2000/2001)	Targets for 2003/2004
Registered members as a proportion of the population	46.8%	47%
Annual no. of library visits per capita	5.40	5.45
Average cost per visit	$4.01	$4.10
No. of information enquiries per capita	.42	.45

planning for the future

ERLC is a very diverse regional library service and each Council area has different usage patterns which present specific issues for future strategic planning.
Changing social patterns combined with technological development are impacting on the traditional library service. Surveys show that people are increasingly time-poor and that there is more competition for leisure activity time. Windows of opportunity for families to spend time together have decreased. Retail outlets are now open up to twenty four hours per day and consumer expectations are higher. Libraries now have to compete in this changed environment.

The Best Value community consultations highlighted a strong sense of ownership of their community libraries. Any major changes to community services will always be controversial. Marketing of any changes to the library service in the future will be of crucial importance.

The Best Value Project Team has considered some of these specific issues for each Council area and presented a number of scenarios.

The aging population will have an impact in many areas of the service. The Project Team has recommended a review of the provision of library services to the aged by ERL.
Shire of Yarra Ranges Branch Libraries

Some identifiable issues with Yarra Ranges Branch Libraries

• Seven branch libraries and two mobile libraries have to serve a very large and widespread area
  
• Of these seven libraries, there are four branches clustered within an 8 kilometre radius of each other
  
• Residents of individual townships within the Shire greatly value their libraries, but through community consultation have told us they would like a greater quantity and greater range of stock available to them. Satisfaction ratings with staff and service is good but is lower for collections (Nexus Survey 2002)
  
• Budget allocations to Yarra Ranges libraries have to be spread across the nine service points which results in available resources being thinly spread
  
• Building maintenance and upkeep of seven branch libraries and two mobiles is an ongoing and expensive problem
  
• The two mobile libraries, whilst providing a valuable service to outlying areas of the Shire, is a costly service at some sites
  
  
  

Future Developments in the Shire of Yarra Ranges:

Shire of Yarra Ranges has a proposal to relocate Lilydale Library to a new building in Chirnside Park. The Project Team has recognised that this area is being rapidly developed for both residential and retail usage, and would therefore be an ideal site for a new main library for the Shire of Yarra Ranges. The new Chirnside Park premises would replace Lilydale Library as the major central library for the Shire of Yarra Ranges. For this reason the new building should be larger than the existing Lilydale Library premises.

This relocation would present the opportunity to review the location of some other branch libraries and mobile library sites within the Shire. A review panel would need to be established to consider all scenarios.

The review should use the following criteria to determine outcomes:

• current usage
  
• future patterns of use
  
• location within the Region
  
• closeness to other Shire branch libraries
  
• mobile library service
  
• costs
  
• staffing
  
• community support and value
  

If the Chirnside Park proposal does not eventuate, the Shire of Yarra Ranges may still want to review the location of branches within the Shire, particularly the cluster of branches – Lilydale, Mooroolbark, Montrose and Mt Evelyn.

The proposed Stage 2 Development of Belgrave Library will allow ERL to develop partnerships within the community and highlight the Library’s role in the cultural hub of Belgrave and the surrounding area.

Redevelopment of the Healesville Memorial Hall complex offers an exciting opportunity for Healesville Library to occupy a more prominent position in this developing township.
The planned gallery and café attached to Mt Evelyn Library is an example of a strong partnership in the local community with many beneficial outcomes for all partners – an opportunity for local artists to display and sell their work, increased awareness of the Library and a social meeting place for local people.

The Valley and Ranges Mobiles need to introduce the recommended changes to sites and hours of opening as many of the current sites are under-utilised and costly, for example, Powelltown. The proposed changes to opening hours include options for both mobiles but major changes to the Valley stops cannot be determined until decisions are made regarding the possible relocation of Lilydale library to Chirnside Park.

City of Maroondah Libraries

Ringwood and Croydon libraries are both large, well-used branches. Surveys have identified some dissatisfaction with the resources available at both libraries – range and quality. The Continuous Improvement Plan proposes a 20% increase in collections which would help to address this situation in these branches.
The Best Value Project Team has recommended some changes to opening hours to provide improved access, particularly for families.

City of Knox Libraries

Some identifiable issues with Knox Branch Libraries

• A mobile library is servicing an area already well-served by four static branches. Consideration needs to be given to the Bayswater area which is currently served by the Knox Mobile library. The Best Value Project Team has recommended a full review of the Knox Mobile Service. There is some urgency to conduct this review as the mobile vehicle is in need of refurbishment or replacement.
  
• Rowville/Lysterfield is a high-growth area with implications for future service in the size and location of branches. This may mean larger premises for the Rowville branch and/or a smaller branch located in the Lysterfield area if the growth continues at its present rate
  
• Knox library is the busiest branch in the Region in an unsuitable, cramped, poorly-lit building
  
• If Knox library was relocated in the future to an appropriate location and enlarged in size, then a review could be undertaken of the location of the other branches and mobile library service
  

ERL Administration

Consideration should be given in to the incorporation of Administration into any future planned new library buildings. This would give greater efficiencies in staff utilisation and building and utilities costs.

erl services to the aged

The Project Team has identified the growing library service requirements of our communities ageing population.

Ageing Population projections 2003/2010 *

	2006	2011	2016	2021
KNOX	30,668	35,566	29,785	42,916
MAROONDAH	23,564	26,104	28,807	31,169
YARRA RANGES	31,564	35,657	40,805	44,016

*Based on DOI population projections 55 years to 90+

This ageing population will have an impact in many areas of the service provided by ERL. There will be more demand for large print books and audio-visual material. The population, although ageing, is healthier and longer-living than ever before. Many communities have a growing percentage of early retirees. These trends create a greater need for life-long learning programmes through community houses and libraries.

ERL currently provides a Home Library service for the housebound with the support of volunteers. Due to financial constraints, this service is only supporting a very small percentage of eligible people. Again, the demand for this service will continue to grow as our ageing population increases. There will be more demands on the budget to meet all these needs.

To support the Home Library service the purchase of a smaller, dedicated vehicle that would be used for the provision of library services to the growing aged population in retirement homes and hostels and nursing homes in the region.

Aged care facilities could be charged for this specialised service as it would enhance the services they offer to their residents.

A review of services to the ageing should also include a major review of the Home Library Service.

continuous improvement plan

After a number of consultations with stakeholders, and taking into account the Principles of Best Value, a Continuous Improvement Plan for Eastern Regional Libraries has been developed.

The following Table demonstrates ERL Planning and Operational Activities that ensure compliance with Best Value Principles.

The Continuous Improvement Plan has been divided into seven main areas of operation and service.

• Customer Service
  
• Web based customer service
  
• Collections
  
• Governance / Finance
  
• Infrastructure
  
• Human Resources
  
• Marketing
  

A brief description, date, budget requirement, outcome, measurement and what stakeholder will be reported to has been included in this Table. Priority has been indicated by date of implementation. Some continuous improvements can be implemented immediately as these have no, or little, additional funding or resource needs. Longer time frames have been allocated for those projects that will require additional funding or resources.

The majority of the improvements in the Continuous Improvement Plan are customer service enhancements that were particular issues of concern at all the community consultations. These enhancements will contribute to raising ERL’s standards of service delivery.

Future growth and development, also outlined in the Continuous Improvement Plan, may need additional funding and resource requirements. Some of these improvements, particularly Opening Hours, Review of Mobile of Libraries and ERL Services to the Aged, are dependent upon the ERLC Board and member Council agreement and approval.

Note: All financial calculations are based on 2002/03 financial information and may be subject to change.

Planning and Operational Activities to comply with Best Value Principles

Best Value Principles	1. Offer the best possible quality and value for money	2. Are responsive to community needs	3. Are accessible to the people they are intended for	4. Show continuous improvement	5. Are subject to regular community consultation	6. Reports regularly to community on how services measure up against Principles
Plans & Strategies	Strategic Plan Service & Funding Agreement Budget Enterprise Agreement Financial strategy Asset Management Strategy	Demographic analysis and trends Surveys LGA General Satisfaction Survey Community Consultation Strategy	Opening Hours Fees & Charges Targeted collections Web initiative External & internal signage review After hours book chute review	Continuous Improvement Plan Comparative data over time	“Your comments count” feedback forms Surveys Staff feedback Email via website	Reports to Board and Councils State Government ERL Annual Report Council Reports ”Check It Out “ Newsletter
Major Initiatives/ Activities 2003/04	Improve access to new library materials Continuous Improvement Plan IT Strategic Plan	Projects and partnerships Review selection and purchasing practises Promote and enhance access to library collections	Improved electronic information delivery Information in resident newsletters and local newspapers Improved opening hours	Increase renewal limits Email notification of reservations and overdues Improved Reservations Plus card Annual review of fees and charges	Establishment of ERL User Group Online survey	Analyse, and present to various stakeholders, data gathered through range of consultations, survey and feedback

1. CUSTOMER SERVICE

	Description	Date	Budget	Outcome	Measurement	Report to stakeholders
Opening hours	See Opening Hours documentation	2003/04	No additional funding or resources Some costs to Councils	Improved customer access	No. of visits	Community Staff Board
Review Loan Policy	Remove loan limit on school project material. Increase loan period from 7 days to 28 days, except for videos/DVDs	2003/04	Nil	Improved customeraccess	No. of loans	Customer satisfaction (Survey) Community Staff
Renewal of items	Increase renewal limit from 1 to 2 per item unless reserved	2003/04	Nil	Improved customer service	Customer satisfaction (Survey)	Community Staff
Reservation holding times	Reduce current 14 days pickup time to 7 days	2003/04	Nil	Higher turnover rate of in demand material	Reservation turnover rates	Community Staff
Multiple copies of newspapers	Increase daily newspaper availability in reading areas in larger branches	2003/04	Cost of extra subscription per branch	Increase in numbers of people reading newspapers in library	Customer satisfaction (Survey)	Community Staff
Reservation Plus Card	$10.00 for 7 reservations $5.00 for 3 reservations	2003/04	Nil	Greater access forsmall branch users	Increased value for money Number of cards sold	Community
User Group	A group of interested community members	2003/04	Nil	Continuous consultation	Four meetings per year	Community Board
Mobile Review	Review Knox Mobile in conjunction with Aged Services	2004/05	Councils approval	Viable services	Customer satisfaction (Survey)	Community CEO/Board
Amnesty	An advertised amnesty period for return of overdue library items	2004/05	Loss of revenue offset by value of returned library materials	PR Return of outstanding library materials Lapsed users encouraged to return	Customer satisfaction (Survey) Return rate of overdue items Return of lapsed users	Community Staff CEO
Email notification of reservations/ overdues	Additional service to current telephone and mail notification	2004/05	Cost of software	Faster, more personal notification	Customer satisfaction (Survey)	Community CEO/Board
Borrowing with non library identification	Enables borrowing without library card if forgotten by producing suitable identification	2004/05	Nil	Friendlier policy forease of borrowing and better access	Customer satisfaction (Feedback)	Community Staff
Personal notification of new material	Email-based, personalized service to advertise new library materials	2004/05	Staff time	Increased awareness of library collections	Customer satisfaction No. of loans	Community CEO/Board
On going roster review	Identifying times when roving customer service staff would be beneficial	2004/05	Nil	Improve customer service	No. of questions asked No. of times service used	Community
Library smart card	A card which can be used for multiple library uses	2007/08	Cost of technology	Multi-use smart card could be extended for other purposes e.g. public transport	No. of cards sold	Community CEO/Board

2. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

	Description	Date	Budget	Outcomes	Measurements	Report to stakeholders
Upgrade of library management software	Existing system will become obsolete. Investigate possibility of consortia purchase	2004/2005	Dependant on outcome of consortia project	Migration to alternative system	Successful introduction of new system for staff and customers	Staff Community CEO/Board
Investigate options for upgrading bandwith	Improved connectivity between branches and Administration	2004/2005	Cost benefit analysis to be conducted in 2003/2004	Complete investigation into feasibility	Analysis completed	CEO/Board
Replacement of public access catalogue terminals with pcs	Provide access to Internet and databases in addition to ERL catalogue	2004/2006	Leasing costs	Improved customer access in branches	Replacement of 45 terminals	Staff Community CEO/Board
Provision of additional public access Internet pcs	Lease additional pcs	2004/2006	Leasing costs	Installation of additional pcs	Satisfaction of customer demand	Community
Investigate radio frequency book tagging	Books tagged to track and locate stock	2006/2007	Cost benefitanalysis to be conducted in 2005/2006	Complete investigation into feasibility	Analysis completed	CEO/Board

3. WEB-BASED CUSTOMER SERVICE – Community Connectivity

	Description	Date	Budget	Outcome	Measurement	Report to stakeholders
Global Librarian	Joint project with overseas partners to provide 24/7 “Ask a Librarian” information service via ERL web site	2003/04	Nil	24 hour access to information/enquiry service	Global Librarian statistics	Community
Catalogue with multi-platform capabilities	Web portal	One search yields results from the library catalogue, electronic databases and the Internet	2004/05	Cost of software	Improved access to information and library collections Customer satisfaction Usage statistics	Community
Visual catalogue	Book covers displayed on catalogue	2004/05	Cost of software	Enhanced, user-friendly catalogue	Customer satisfaction Usage of catalogue	Community
Hosting Community Web sites	The ERL server hosting web sites for community groups	2004/05	Grant - funding	Partnerships with community stakeholders Provides community groups opportunity for a web presence	Number of groups that access service	Board Community
Usage of web site	Annual online survey Email feedback available on web site	2002/03	Nil	Increased usage of web site services	Number of users Customer satisfaction	Community

4. COLLECTIONS

	Description	Date	Budget	Outcome	Measurement	Report to stakeholders
Collection Development Team	Investigate composition of Collection Development Team Review selection and purchasing practices	2003/04	Staff time	Increased diversity and depth to the collection	Customer satisfaction (Survey) No. of loans	Community Staff
Book stock	Aim to increase book collections by 20%	2003/04	Seek grant/funding from member Councils	Collections more up-to-date, better depth and breadth	Customer satisfaction (Survey) No. of loans	Community
Aboriginal collection	A targeted collection of material by and about indigenous Australians	2004/05	Seek grant/funding	Specialist collection housed at Healesville Collection recognizing cultural diversity	Loan statistics Customer satisfaction	Community
Music score collection	Establish another music score collection in ERL – existing collection at Belgrave	2004/05	Seek grant/funding	To enhance accessibility of music scores to a wider audience	No. of loans	Community
Family history collections	Larger collections in four branches instead of six	2004/05	Cost saving	Accessibility to larger, improved collections. Reduce duplication of resources.	No. of bookings	Community
LOTE collections	Review and relocate if necessary LOTE collections according to demographics	2004/05	Nil	A better service to our multicultural community	No. of loans	Community
Non-fiction collections	Redesign non fiction areas to emulate accessibility of stock in bookshops. Trial in one branch	2004/05	No cost	Increased use and greater accessibility	Customer satisfaction (feedback)	Community
Genre classification	Expand genre classifications to paperbacks and audio books given a genre label in line with adult fiction	2005/06	Cost of labels Staff time	Ease of access to collections	Customer satisfaction (feedback)	Community

5. GOVERNANCE / FINANCE

	Description	Date	Budget	Outcome	Measurement	Reporttostakeholders
Definition of role of ERLC Board	Board should develop a statement defining their role to the public	2003/2004	Nil	Greater understanding of the role of the Board by the community	Statement displayed on ERL web site and other documentation	CEO/Board Staff
Draft budget timelines	ERL budget prepared in line with Council budget-setting time frames	2003/04	Nil	Better lead-in time to the main Council budgets	Budget prepared within time frames	CEO/Board Councils
Service agreements	Develop building and equipment maintenance and replacement agreements between ERL and its three Councils	2003/04	Nil	Improved system of maintenance of library buildings and equipment	Clearer definitions of responsibilities Stakeholders satisfaction	CEO/Board Council officers Staff
Branch amenities	Increased monthly branch allocation for small purchases	2003/04	Increase budget figure	Allow branches to purchase essential/emergency items as required	Monthly accounting	CEO
Signage	Conduct audit of internal and external signage	2004/05	Cost of additional signage to Councils	Improved signage	Improved accessibility Highlight Council assets Customer satisfaction	Community CEO/Board _
Sustainability	Identify and measure social capital of libraries, using links between environmental and economic and social factors	2004/05	Nil	Recognition of value of libraries in our communities	Apply balanced scorecard to library services	Board
ERL Vision Workshop	Collaborative meeting with stakeholders to develop the ERL Vision	Annual review	Nil	Ownership of ERL Vision by stakeholders	Corporate and Operating Plans	All stakeholders
Fees & charges	All fees & charges to be reviewed on an annual basis according to Strategic Plan	Annual review	Variable	Provides opportunity to ensure fees and charges are equitable and realistic	Budgetary income	All stakeholders
Strategic planning day	All management staff to be involved in annual strategic planning	Annual	Staff time	More strategic approach to forward planning	Strategic Plan Staff involvement and input	CEO/Board Staff

6. INFRASTRUCTURE

	Description	Date	Budget	Outcome	Measurement	Report to stakeholders
Meeting room at administration	Improved facility to enable meetings of staff and others to be held in a professional atmosphere	2003/04	Cost of renovations to existing building	Productive and efficient meetings	Staff performance	CEO/Board Staff
Uniform region wide telephone system	Implementation of a telephone system using ADSL technologies	2004/05	Cost of new telephone equipment Cost saving using ADSL	Uniformity of telephone procedures in all branches	Ability to install a single centralised telephone number for renewals and bookings, etc. Cheaper utility accounts Customer satisfaction Staff satisfaction	Community Staff
Centralised training room at administration	Convenient and cost-effective training of staff	2005/06	Cost of renovations to existing building	Opportunity to conduct more training programmes	Less travel time for staff Staff performance	CEO/Board Staff
Combine administration and branch in one building	Integrated management and operations Branch library with Administration functions attached	To be considered if opportunity arises	Cost saving after initial set up costs	Better utilisation of buildings and multi-skilled staff	Staff performance	CEO/Board Staff

7. HUMAN RESOURCES

	Description	Date	Budget	Outcome	Measurement	Reports to Stakeholders
Staff identification	Redesign of ERL logo and badging Reviewing ERL dress code	2004/05	Cost	Improved customer recognition of ERL staff	Customer satisfaction	Community Staff
Staff skills audit	Conduct a training needs analysis of all staff Review of skills required for all positions	2004/05	Training budget	Development of a two year staff training program including skills requirements for each position.	Improved staff skills Annual staff reviews	CEO Staff
Intranet payroll management	Using intranet for documenting and recording payroll adjustments	2004/05	Existing budget	Improved payroll efficiencies	100% paysheets received on time	Staff
Review of specialist positions	Review need for new specialist staff positions e.g. Mobile Membership Officer	2005/06	Staff costs	Possibility of new specialist positions to reflect changing demographics and demands	Customer feedback Positions KPI’s	CEO
Roster review	Seek continuous improvements in rostering practices	Annual	Nil	Best rostering practices to maximise staff effectiveness	Staff savings	CEO Staff

8. MARKETING

	Description	Date	Budget	Outcome	Measurement	Reports to stakeholders
Marketing plan	Review Marketing Plan to position ERL at its best advantage in the community	Annual	Nil	Improved marketing and promotion initiatives Raised community awareness of ERL	Marketing Plan Achieve targets	CEO Board
Lifelong learning	Explore lifelong learning programmes Develop future directions with community houses and learning centres	2003/04 & ongoing	Seek grant/funding for individual programmes	Learning enrichment for the community	Participation rates Annual meeting with community house coordinators	Community
Literature based programs for youth	Develop youth literature programs in conjunction with Councils’ art/youth departments	2003/04 & ongoing	Seek grant/funding for individual programmes	Greater involvement of youth in libraries and literature	Community satisfaction (feedback) Participation rates	Community
Tea/coffee in branch libraries	Increase number of service points where tea/coffee is offered	2004/05	Seeks sponsorship/donations	Enhance the library experience	Community satisfaction (feedback)	Community
Readings in Retirement	Introduce programs of regular readings in libraries for older members of the community	2005/06	Nil	Social interaction for our ageing community and expanding appreciation of literature	Community satisfaction (feedback) Participation rates	Community
Local art work	Display and sell works by local artists in libraries	2005/06	Income from commissions	Opportunities for local artists to exhibit and sell their works	Sales	Community
Advertising on mobile libraries	Offer opportunities for advertising on mobile libraries but within our sponsorship guidelines	2005/06	Generating income	Revenue raising	Uptake of offer	CEO Board
Discarded library bookstock outlet at shopping centre	Undertake a feasibility study on the establishment of a shop front outlet to sell discarded library books	2006/07	Rent?	Continuous revenueraising	Sales	CEO Board
Electronic storytimes for children	Provision of storytimes through the ERL web site to children in their own homes	2006/07	Cost of video streaming software	Expand the accessibility of storytimes to 24/7	Customer satisfaction (Usage statistics)	Community
Book depot at train stations	Investigate feasibility of establishing a book depot on a local train station	2007/08	Establishment costs	Taking library service to commuters	Staff costs No. of new members and loans	CEO Board Community

 

REPORTING TO STAKEHOLDERS AND COMMUNITY

How will ERL report to their Stakeholders and Community?

• 
  Annual Report
  
• Regular reports to Staff
  
• Regular reports to Board
  
• A specific report will be produced and distributed to Community members
  How will we continue to consult with Stakeholders and Community?
  
• On line survey
  
• Your Comments count
  
• Formation of an ERL user group
  
• Annual Internal survey
  
• Annual Syndicated Survey produced by the Nexus Company. An annual survey with several regional library services participating
  The Best Value Review has shown Eastern Regional Libraries to be an efficient, cost-effective library service, highly-valued by community members. The Review provides a framework to ensure that the library service continues to grow and develop and remains relevant to its community.
  

best value at eastern regional libraries

The ERL Best Value Project team would like to thank the members of the Steering Committee for their contribution and support.

Project Team
Lorraine Seeger (Project Team Leader)
Christine Smith
Gail White
Bern Nolen
Sue Pitt
Louise Rockne (Community Representative)
Geoff Dempster (Community Representative)
Additional support from Rosalinda Batson

Steering Committee
John Binnion
Lorraine Seeger
David Blair
Roma O’Callaghan
Terry Wilkinson
Shane Looney
Alison Cran
Graeme Townsend