Minutes:
It was reported that Ms. I. Knox, Chief Executive, and Ms. M. Bryson, Business Manager, Libraries NI, were in attendance to provide the Members with details of the proposals contained within the consultation document and they were admitted to the meeting and welcomed by the Chairman.
Ms. Knox outlined the need for undertaking a strategic review of library services in Northern Ireland. She pointed out that the previous Education and Library Board boundaries were no longer applicable since the new single authority, that is, Libraries NI, had been established to provide a regional service. That meant that there was now a single budget for the whole of Northern Ireland which needed to be used effectively and efficiently. She explained that a lack of investment in the Library buildings had resulted in a deterioration in the condition of the estate, there was a low and declining usage in many of the Libraries, there had been a lack of expenditure in stock and other services, the opening hours needed to be reviewed and increased in order to reflect modern lifestyles, there was a need to deliver the efficiencies required by the Review of Public Administration and a need to investigate ways of accessing capital funding.
She explained that the review would be undertaken in three stages, with Stage One, which was being undertaken currently, to include the thirty-three libraries in the Greater Belfast area, Stage Two, to include the libraries in the rest of Northern Ireland and Stage Three, the mobile library service. She outlined a proposed three year plan for the refurbishment, rationalisation and capital development of libraries within the Greater Belfast area.
Ms. Knox then proceeded to display photographs of eight of the libraries which would be subject to rationalisation which showed the poor condition of both the exterior and interior of the buildings and the inadequate facilities which were provided. That meant that many of the libraries could not deliver the vision of a new library service which was to have the vast majority of libraries open for a minimum of 30 hours per week, of which 10 would be outside normal office hours offering: up?to-date stock in a variety of formats; sufficient computers to meet demand, with free internet access; one?to-one support from experienced staff; and space for activities to support learning, culture, information and heritage activities. In addition, there was a need for a small number of strategically placed larger libraries to be opened for a minimum of 50 hours per week, 15 of which would be outside normal office hours and, in addition to the services previously mentioned, these would host specialist collections and resources and provide meeting rooms and exhibition space.
Ms. Knox stated that the vision had been realised already in a number of libraries, including Finaghy, Dundonald and Antrim. She stressed that without introducing changes there would be a reduction in the opening hours of all libraries, ad?hoc closures, which had happened previously, insufficient funding to carry out necessary improvements to meet basic health and safety requirements and there would be implications for the purchase of new stock and other resources. She stated that Libraries NI aspired to have a network of bright, modern, well-resourced libraries which could be co-located where possible with other services. In addition, those libraries would provide proper public facilities, with disabled access, toilet provision and social, study and meeting spaces. She reminded Members that this co-location of services had been provided previously in conjunction with the Council at the Grove-Wellbeing Centre and Libraries NI was now looking at the possibility of co?locating on the new development on the Girdwood site.
Several Members expressed the view that there was a need for Libraries NI to ensure that local communities had access to libraries and that those provided a safe and neutral environment for people from all sections of the community. The reviews should take into consideration the need for shared public space, the co-location of public and community-type services, perhaps located in or near shopping centres, and whilst there was a need to avoid duplication of services, which was unsustainable and inefficient, consideration still needed to be given to the option of providing small satellite library services. In addition, any proposals to rationalise the library service needed to take into consideration the public transport system in Belfast which tended to follow the arterial routes and might not provide direct access from the communities where it was proposed to close libraries to the suggested alternative library which those users were expected to avail of.
The deputation then answered a number of questions in relation to capital development, the consultation on the Equality Impact Assessment and the provision of mobile library services in the Belfast area.
The Chairman, on behalf of the Committee, thanked the members of the deputation for attending and they retired from the meeting.