Cross Cutting Policy Areas to be considered by Assessors (Appendix Four).

ICT

Have plans to introduce the People's Network been made and / or implemented ?
Is provision made for continuing ICT training for all staff ?
Have digitisation programmes been planned as a conservation and / or access activity ?
Has funding for digitisation programmes been made available, or provided ?
Are ICT services sustainable ?

Social Inclusion

Has the 6 point plan from "Libraries for All" been adopted ?
Have the policy objectives from "Libraries, Museums, Galleries and Archives for All" been adopted ?
Have social inclusion requirements been considered in policies relating to:

1. the location of libraries and their opening hours ?
2. charging policies ?
3. services to children ?
4. working with the community ?
5. disadvantaged groups ?
6. people with disabilities ?
7. the provision of ICT services ?

Lifelong Learning

Has the authority responded to "Empowering the Learning Community" ?
Is there evidence of satisfactory linkages with the authority's education service ?
Is there evidence of seamless access to learning materials with other learning agencies ?
Has specific training for staff in relation to lifelong learning been planned ?

Reader Development

Is there evidence of reader development being integrated into the library service in sustainable fashion ?
Is best practice cascaded within the authority, and from other authorities ?
Is the impact of reader development programmes evaluated ?
Is reader development given an acceptable profile within the authority's plan ?
Has specific training for staff in reader development been planned ?

Partnerships and New Services

Are public sector partnerships being developed and fostered ?
Are private sector partnerships being developed and fostered ?
Is there evidence of new services being developed with private sector support ?

Performance Indicators and Benchmarking

Is there evidence that significant performance differences over time or with other authorities are examined and action planned ?
Is there evidence of satisfactory benchmarking ?

Standards

Is there evidence that performance against standards is planned to improve ?
If the authority has achieved high performance against standards is there evidence that this is planned to be maintained and/ or improved ?