Bradley Stoke Library User Group Minutes

AGM and Chairs Report
No matters arising from last AGM.
John reported that the main point to note was the introduction of self service facilities in May, which had gone very smoothly, as noted in a user survey held over the summer. Event highlights included the BBC’s 80s celebration in May looking back to the Domesday Project of 1986 and survey of life in Bradley Stoke at that time. BBC Radio Bristol reported live from the library and weatherman Ian Fergusson made a guest appearance. In March staff celebrated World Book night by dressing up as book characters, whilst Trevor took part in the Human Library event; where members of the public could interview individuals from a variety of religious and cultural backgrounds. Children’s activities as ever were very popular, with even larger numbers attending story and rhyme times;whilst older children joined in our Chatterbooks and Teen group sessions.
Following the library service review, the main piece of news here is that Catherine is leaving to take up a post elsewhere and that Gabrielle Suddell starts next week as the new librarian responsible for both Bradley Stoke and Winterbourne libraries. Thus a proposal made by John for the two library users groups to also merge with alternate meetings in either library was agreed.
No one at Bradley Stoke was interested in standing for Chair or Vice Chair again this year and a further proposal made that Winterbourne’s officers assume the role for both libraries.

Ordinary meeting

Matters arising

Following suggestions from the last meeting and taking into account feedback from other user groups, the questionnaire for the Public Library User Survey, taking place in the first two weeks of November has been revised. Help from user group members here would be most appreciated. The survey will also be undertaken online.

The new Patchway Library has now opened and 50 new members are signing up each week.

Librarian’s Report

Just to reiterate from the report, the enormous success of this year’s Summer Reading Challenge ‘Circus Stars’, with the final number of children completing the reading game and reading six books increasing.

2010 2011

Joining 1058 1059

Completing 637 (60%) 673 (63.5%)

At the same time 217 joined in the circus skills events, compared to 193 at last years activities.

Sixteen children also joined in via our deposit collection of books at the post office in Severn beach.

Felicity again was one of our volunteers who helped run the programme, without whom we couldn’t have coped, so once again many thanks.

Active Mind month, our October events and activities programme encouraging people to try something different has just started with a reminder that Bradley Stoke radio will be encouraging budding presenters and jingle composers to come along to our recording session on Saturday October 15^th, 10-4. Further, on Tuesday October 25, 4-5; international students from UWE will be leading an activity session sampling exotic food, trying a new language, taking part in a craft activity and learning about a different culture.

Use of E books was discussed with the news that LibrariesWest will launch a service in late Autumn, no details as yet, except that only one person at a time would be able to download any particular title.

Library Staffing review

This year has seen a restructure of the Council, which has also involved library staff. Library services sit within a new section called Community Cultural Services, alongside Community Learning, Skills, Heritage and Arts; all headed up by Martin Burton. This sits within the Safe and Strong Communities Division headed by Robert Walsh along with Trading standards, Building control and Environmental Health as well as the work around Priority Neighbourhoods. The Department heading all of this is Environment and Community Services under the acting Director Steve Evans.

The library service has seen the merger of Hanham and Kingswood, along with the joining of Bradley Stoke and Winterbourne. Staff have also taken the opportunity for early retirement and voluntary redundancy and John’s role as one of two Library Team Managers changes to that of Operation’s Manager, responsible for all service points. This may result in us needing to look at the frequency of Library User group meetings, which we’ll review in April.

A further review of front line staff will take now place but there are no plans to alter library opening hours or close any buildings.

Results from self service survey

This took place in July to gauge the uptake and use of the new and existing service at five libraries including Bradley Stoke. The results were very positive. Out of 607 surveys returned, 88% had used the service and of the remaining 12% who did not, only a very small proportion were unlikely to do so in the future. 94% found the service very or quite easy to use. People noted that that the self service kiosks helped them avoid queues but that staff were valued and needed to be present with practical suggestions on use of receipts, wording of screen commands and preference as regards use of foreign languages in instructions.

Around 75 – 84% of stock is being issued through the kiosks.

Performance News

Due to the recent upgrade of the IT management system’s software, statistics were unavailable for discussion at the meeting. These will be accessible later in the month if user group members are interested.

AOB None

Date of next meetings

Tuesday January 10th 2012, 6.30pm at Winterbourne Library. Thursday April 12^th 2012: 7.00pm at Bradley Stoke Library.