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Guidelines for the Preparation of Library Plans in 2002.
Download the 2002 guidelines in Adobe
*.pdf format (44 kb)
Download the 2002 guidelines in Microsoft *.doc format (308 kb)
 Download the 2002 standards proforma in Microsoft *.xls format (73 kb)
Download the 2002 submission proforma in *.rtf format
Please note that electronic versions of your library plans should be e-mailed to libplans@ipf.co.uk
1. Introduction
2. Common Format
3. Audience and Presentation
4. Performance Indicators
5. 'Comprehensive, Efficient and Modern Public Libraries'
A1. Appendix One - Annual Library Plans Guidelines 2002
A2. Appendix Two - Timetable for rolling forward the overall plan
A3. Appendix Three - Assessment against Public Library Standards (73 kb)
A4. Appendix Four - Cross cutting policy areas also to be considered by assessors
1. Introduction
The Department for Culture, Media and
Sport recognises that preparing Annual Library Plans is a
time consuming task, and has sought ways to reduce the
effort involved. The Department also recognises that all
public library authorities prepared at least satisfactory
Annual Library plans in 2001. These Guidelines have been
revised after consultation with the Advisory Council on
Libraries for England, representatives of public library
authorities at two consultative meetings, and the Annual
Library Plan Steering Group, with significant input from
the Society of Chief Librarians. We have adopted a simplified layout
for the Guidelines in 2002 and one that will allow
authorities to update sections 1 to 3, rather than having
to re-write large sections. The framework provides Government
with a consistent structure for the intentions and
achievements of all parties, working together towards
national, but also local, objectives for the library
service. Library authorities are asked to concentrate on
policies as well as stating progress in meeting the public
library standards rather than descriptions of services. In promulgating these Guidelines the
Department accepts that by definition guidance is not
totally prescriptive. Authorities should adopt the
structure, but use the described coverage to different
degrees depending upon their own circumstances. The
framework is promoted in the spirit of partnership where
the Department wishes to support each authority in shaping
its own library service to best meet the demands of the
community it serves. Authorities may choose to consult on
the preparation of their Annual Library Plans, but this is
not a requirement. Although this would be welcomed, the
presence or absence of consultation on the plan will not
be taken into account in the assessment. The 2002 Plan should be submitted to
the Department by Monday, 30th September, 2002. Following
consultation it is clear that this provides a “best fit”
to the corporate management and budget strategy processes
of local authorities, and facilitates the production and
incorporation of performance measures relating to each
financial year. Plans may, of course, be prepared within
the authority at whatever prior date is most convenient.
This time-scale reflects the fact that, by the time of
submission, the Plan is covering a year which is half way
through and for which key budgetary decisions are already
taken. It also provides the opportunity for planning data
to be available for local budget setting purposes in
preparation for the next year, and allows the opportunity
for authorities to reflect prospective cost and service
changes in overall national expenditure projections and
grant negotiations. Appendix 2 sets out a time frame for
the years to be covered in each Plan over next three
years. Questions of interpretation of these
Guidelines may be submitted to the assessment team via the
enquiry form on the discussions page of the Annual Library
Plan website (www.libplans.ws/discussions/faq/enquiry.asp).
Answers will be published in the frequently asked
questions section of the website. Please check this before
asking a question, as it may already have been answered.
2. Common Format
The format for the plan will be as follows:
| Chapter 1 | - | Introduction |
| Chapter 2 | - | Statement of Objectives |
| Chapter 3 | - | Service Delivery and Resources |
| Chapter 4 | - | Performance appraisal, assessment against the standards in
"Comprehensive, Efficient and Modern Public Libraries", and customer response |
| Chapter 5 | - | Review of the plan and progress for the previous financial
year. |
| Chapter 6 | - | Rolling 3 Year medium term strategy |
| Chapter 7 | - | Rolling action plans and targets |
3. Audience and Presentation
Council officers and elected members,
Government Departments and external advisers will be the
primary users of this strategic plan. It is appropriate,
therefore, that it should mainly be framed in terms that
are relevant from a managerial and professional
standpoint. However, in the spirit of openness, you may
also wish to consider the clarity of the document from a
user's standpoint.
Authorities are asked to summarise
lengthy policy papers where appropriate rather than repeat
them in full in the Plan. Bullet points may be used to
identify policy papers which could be made available to
the Department if required. Plans should be produced each year in
full. Primarily the plan is an expression
of the authority’s own commitment to the development of
the library service. However, it is also important to
consider the use of the plans by the Department for
Culture, Media and Sport, the Audit Commission and any
research bodies who may have access to plans from all
authorities and who will find analysis and comparison
greatly facilitated by a common approach. Library Plans must be submitted to the
authority's full Council meeting. This will give the plan
the appropriate status for a strategic document. [ See
Statutory Instrument 2000 No. 2853: The Local Authorities
(Functions and Responsibilities) (England) Regulations 2000.
] A foreword in the name of the Cabinet member, Committee
Chair (or other appropriate member) can be used to add
status and set the plan in context. The timing of full
Council meetings may mean that some authorities will need to
submit draft Plans by 30th September and then send final
Plans after their next Council meeting. Where this is the
case the draft should be approved by the Council's Executive
Committee (or similar) before it is submitted. On the basis of experience, no plan need
exceed 100 pages. Some could be significantly shorter without
detriment providing all the required points are covered. Plans
should be expressed clearly for the benefit of the prospective
readership. Readers of the Plan would find a contents page
helpful, supported by page numbering. Some cross-referencing
of sections may be helpful, but overall coherence should be
maintained. Appendices should be avoided to the greatest
extent possible. Information should be presented in a
summarised form where possible. If an authority decides to use
a different arrangement than the one in these Guidelines, it
should provide a site map showing in which section information
requested in Appendix 1 is located. Authorities may submit their plans
solely in Adobe Acrobat format by email or on a standard
floppy disc. The information required in Appendix 3 should be
submitted in a spreadsheet format only. The proforma for this
can be downloaded from the ALP website www.libplans.ws.
The contact at IPF for technical queries is Martin Jennings
(0208 667 1144 email: martin.jennings@ipf.co.uk) Authorities are encouraged to mount
their Plan on their web site, to increase local knowledge of
the developments planned for their library service.
4. Performance Indicators
A ‘Planning Profile’ will be
circulated following the issue of this guidance which will
set out various statistical indicators. These will provide
a convenient summary of statistical measures, as defined
by the Committee on Public Library Statistics, for the
last five years. The profile is meant to be an aid to
the authority in considering the scope and scale of its
services both in time and in contrast with other
authorities. Its purpose is to add context although it is
accepted that no statistical measures can effectively
summarise performance on their own.
5. Assessment
Plans will be assessed in relation to
the Guidelines and any additional guidance given by the
Department during the year. Appendix 4 details the overall
policy areas Readers will be assessing. Readers will be
particularly considering the plans for evidence that
proposals to make resources available to meet the public
library standards are realistic. Plans will be assessed in three ways:
the quality of the plan as a
planning document evidence that the authority has
realistic plans to meet the public library standards evidence that the authority is
improving its library service
Readers will also be asked to check
for evidence that authorities are demonstrating realism
and effectiveness in relation to the availability of
resources to meet the public library standards; and that
the action plans are used as working documents. Authorities which demonstrate good
practice in specific areas of the their library services
through the annual library plan will have those areas
highlighted in their plans on the annual library plans
website. A thesaurus of good practice terms will be published.
6. 'Comprehensive, Efficient and Modern Public Libraries'
'Comprehensive, Efficient and Modern Public Libraries' states that the specific objectives inherent in the standards
are to:
ensure that libraries are located so as to provide convenient and suitable access for users; ensure that opening hours of libraries are adequate for users; develop electronic access for users; ensure satisfactory services for the issuing and reserving of books; encourage the use made of the library service; provide choice in books and materials made available to users; provide appropriate levels of qualified staff.
As requested in 'Comprehensive,
Efficient and Modern Public Libraries', library
authorities are asked to state their local targets (i.e.
performance measures to which they aspire) for services to
children, socially excluded people, ethnic minority
communities and people with disabilities in section 7.3.
Authorities are also asked to comment on the impact of
regional and cross border patterns of use. Authorities are asked to comment on
any variations between their performance, their local
targets and the standards in "Comprehensive,
Efficient and Modern Public Libraries". Authorities
should consider how they intend to develop their Plan so
that they meet the standards within a reasonable period.
In the first instance, the Department has asked
authorities to meet the public library standards by March
2004.
7. 'Issues Requiring Particular Attention in 2002'
The report on the Annual Library
Plans for 2001 drew attention, in the relevant sections,
to the need for authorities to show further evidence of
planning and actions relating to:
the sustainability of ICT
services the quality of the library stock the development of local cultural
strategies the evaluation of reader
development programmes the development of new services the utilisation of new sources of
income benchmarking with other library
services, including the benchmarking of processes the development of cost estimates
linked to action plans the development of seamless
access to learning materials with other learning
services
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