Scrutiny Topic Group

1. Scrutiny Topic Group Mobile Library Services 27 February 2009 New Barnfield

2. Mobile Library Service

3. Programme for day • Morning session: current issues • Q&A session with expert witnesses • Visit to an Urban and Rural Mobile • Afternoon session: future issues • Q&A session • Recommendations

4. Issues and challenges • Extensive county wide service • Popular with local residents • Reviewed and reorganised in last five years • Different from static libraries • Facing new challenges and change is inevitable • Long lead in time for effective change

5. Mobile library services: An Introduction Neil Baxter Mobile Services Manager

6. A single staffed service Mobile Services Manager Mobile Services Supervisor 18 Library Assistant/Drivers 1 Centres Delivery Driver 2 Mobile Services Assistants

7. Our services • Universal • Stock and information • Library catalogue • Reservations • Gateway to all HCC services

8. Our services Five Urban Mobile Libraries • Serve customers in urban neighbourhoods • Weekly stops • 53 stops in nine settlements • Access for those who cannot get to static libraries

9. Our services Five Rural Mobile Libraries • Serve customers in more rural locations • Serve customers on shorter stops in urban locations • Fortnightly stops • 306 stops in 173 locations • Support both individuals and communities

10. Our services Complexities of routes and stops: • Accessibility: • Stopping places • Limited mobility of some customers • Public transport • Distance from static libraries

11. Our services Rural and Urban: What’s in a name? Hitchin Mobile: • Route 2 – fortnightly stops in rural locations • Route 8 – fortnightly stops in urban locations

12. Our customers • Customers in majority of settlements across the county • Targeted services • Community focus • Individual service

13. Our targeted services Three Community Service Mobiles • Support for residential homes, sheltered housing and day centres • 218 stops on a three weekly route plan • More personal service • Home Library Service Centres Deposits • 227 stops on a bi-monthly route plan

14. Information Technology Best Value Report 2003 • Introduce ICT onto vehicles using mobile telephone technology • Longer stops for communities to increase access to ICT in line with corporate priorities, e-government principles and Framework for the Future • Provision of management data to measure take up of services in rural communities to help with HCC’s social inclusion agenda

15. Information Technology • 2003/04 pilot on one vehicle • 2004/05 extend pilot to all vehicles • Route re-organisation • Internet access • Single staffing

16. Information Technology • Portable laptops • Catalogue • Information • Referral point • Reservations • Renewals

17. Our IT challenges • Reliability • Connectivity • Staff and Customer feedback • Reconfiguration of stops

18. What our customers think of the service “ The mobile library is an essential part of village life and has been a wonderful service for me for more years than I care to remember ” Public Library User Survey 2006

19. What our customers think of the service “ As my husband is disabled we rely on the library which stops opposite our house. We use this facility every week…and the staff are very helpful and cheerful ” Public Library User Survey 2006

20. What our customers think of the service “ The man who looks after the mobile is a credit to you. He is helpful, polite and always cheerful. This is an excellent service that I have not been using for long – my kids love it too! ” Public Library User Survey 2006

21. Flexible service? • Domino effect of any route changes • Customers are sensitive to change • Currently operating at full capacity

22. Key messages We know: • We are a valued service • We are a complex service • We need to change to meet future demands

23. Key issues affecting current service delivery Michele Murphy Property Project Manager

24. Key issues: • Staff recruitment and retention • Vehicle replacement programme

25. Recruitment & retention • Single staffing • Changes to legislation

26. Single staffing • Unique combination of skill sets required for Library Assistant/Drivers • Long term appeal of lone working • Limited flexibility of staffing resources

27. Changes to legislation • “Acquired rights” to drive C1 category vehicles prior to 1997 • Introduction of driver’s Certificate of Professional Competence

28. Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) • Legal requirement which will affect our Library Assistant/Drivers • 35 hours training over five year period • Must have completed training by September 2014 • Means starting training in September 2009 • Continuous training

29. Five CPC modules • Fuel economy training • Drivers’ hours and tachographs • Maintenance and Regulations • Health and Safety • Customer service

30. Impact on our service • Cost of additional training • Affect on staff recruitment AND staff retention

31. Vehicle replacement programme • Our vehicles are custom built • Our vehicles are all leased • Leases expire between 2010–2017 • Lead-in period required for substantial changes to the existing fleet

32. Questions that we need to ask now: • What service do we want to deliver? • What vehicles do we need to build?

33. Summary of current service provision Complexity of service delivery to target groups Technical witnesses • Alan Smith – Head of Contract Management Services • Peter Shaw – IT Network Design Visits to two Mobiles • Hertford Heath and Panshanger

34. Mobile Library Service 1.00 - 2.00 Lunch

35. Issues for the future • How does the service perform? • Demographic changes • Strategic priorities for the future • Recommendations

36. How well does the service perform? • Does the service reach target groups identified in the Best Value Review? • Is the service used and valued by local communities it serves? • How efficient is the current service delivery model? • How does the service compare to Mobile Libraries in other local authorities?

37. Does the service reach its target groups ? BVR concluded that • Longer stops for communities to increase access to IT in line with corporate priorities. • Increase use by the under fives in disadvantaged areas. This would be dependent on the capacity of the vehicle fleet after the route review. • Ensuring equality of provision to the communities served

38. Equality of provision Mobile Service route review changes: • Maintained service to most settlements in county • Maximised opening hours to public by reducing travelling time by 8% • Resources (vehicles and staff) used more effectively

39. Membership of target groups – Mobile libraries Total Collection Management/ Flexible membership: • Membership is difficult to extract from usage figures but in January 2009 • 3,406 members registered at Mobiles • 328 were under five • 2006 Public Library User Survey • Large proportion of elderly users on Mobiles

40. Public Library User Survey 2006 Age profile of people surveyed in 5 Mobile Libraries Community service vehicles aimed largely at 65+ population

41. Is the service used and valued by local communities it serves? Customer satisfaction: • 2006 PLUS survey – 84% satisfaction compared with 90% satisfaction for static libraries – but balanced with positive comments: • 'Our Mobile Library service is fantastic. This is largely due to the librarian who makes us feel so welcome, is always cheerful and helpful' • 'The Mobile library is an essential part of village life and has been a wonderful service for me for more years than I care to remember'

42. Route re-organisation complaints • xx says he is the only customer who uses the mobile in Wallington. The change of day from Wednesday to Friday is not convenient for him and he will no longer be able to use it. • Annoyed that we have changed the day that the mobile visits from Monday to Wednesday. She works on Wednesday. • Unhappy that the mobile is no longer stopping in Davis Crescent. Is able to walk to High Street but would not be able to carry the books as well. • Very concerned that the mobile would cause congestion outside the school now that the times of the visit have been changed to coincide with the children leaving the school at the end of the day. • Used to use the stop in Ryder Avenue which is no longer on the new schedule. She is unable to walk very far and is now unable to access other stops in Ickleford.

43. How well used are the Mobile Libraries?

44. How efficient is the service? • Unplanned closures • Cost

45. Unplanned closures – hours lost

46. Cost

47. Comparative cost and use As a proportion of total library service

48. Comparisons with other local authorities? Compared with 33 County authorities, HCC has: • 6th largest population • 3rd smallest area • 2nd highest population density • 3rd highest number of mobiles • 8th highest average weekly opening hours

49. Key messages for Performance Indicators • Reliability is a concern • Low footfall but a valued community asset • Further research is needed on: • Who uses the Mobile Library Service in Hertfordshire • Cost benefit analysis of the present service • The effectiveness of Mobile library services in other local authorities

50. Impact of social and demographic change Michele Murphy Property Project Manager