Notes of the joint meeting of Patchway and Filton Library Committees held on Monday 7 January 2008 |
Present: Cllr Ken Dando, Cllr David Bell (Filton Chair), Tim Bowly (Patchway Chair), Chris Etheridge, Marjorie Graupner, Marilyn Goodman, Christine Harris, Kathy Hemmings, Barbara Jones, Sue Lonsdale, Alan Martin, Robert Sharp, Jane Tozer (Filton Vice-chair), Stephen Wightman, Martin Burton (Library, Arts and Information Manager), John Abraham (Library Team Manager, North Area), Clare Irvin (Filton and Patchway Librarian) |
Apologies: Cllr Stan Sims, Elaine Tayler (Patchway Vice-chair), Peter Eddon, Eileen Abbott |
Contributions from the public None
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Filton - Minutes of previous meeting
Accepted as a true record
No matters arising
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Filton - Correspondence
Rebecca Furness has stepped down from Filton Library committee because she now has a job at Bradley Stoke Library and so cannot remain on the committee because of a potential clash of interest.
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Filton and Patchway- Librarian’s Report
From a previously circulated report Clare highlighted the success of Make a Noise Day in both libraries and how much busier we were and talked about the importance of Treasure Box visits.
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Filton - Performance News
Visits are down by 5% and book issue figures are down by 1.5% but audio visual issues are up 13% which is very encouraging because this generates income.
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Performance news for the wider library service
Overall the issue of books in South Gloucestershire libraries is increasing, although figures for individual branches is dropping. Martin explained that because more people are renewing and reserving books through the library website and Contact Centre these are being recorded here rather than the issuing site. The committees said that they would be interested to see a report showing the impact of on-line renewals and reservations.
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Report on standards
The library service measures the amount of time it takes for a customer to be served once they have started queuing at the counter as a measure of performance. The current target is three minutes; Martin suggested that this is reduced to one minute. The committees questioned what impact this would have on staff. Martin reassured them that this would be an achievable target.
Alan asked if a self-issue machine will be introduced at Filton. Martin said that self-issue machines were only used in the larger libraries like Bradley Stoke and Yate.
David suggested that when new stock arrives in the library it is advertised so that customers are aware of what is available.
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Library strategy
This document sets out the library strategy for the next few years and it will be available for the library committees in April.
There was a discussion about the work that libraries do with teenagers and it was suggested that work done in one library should be shared with other libraries. Perhaps libraries could put up posters done by children in the libraries. Martin said that there will be a screen in the new Yate library which could highlight the work libraries do with young people.
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Services to children
Clare talked about the different Book Start packs that the library gives out to children. As well as giving them out in the library, staff also visit pre-school settings to hand out the packs and read stories.
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Fees and charges
These are reviewed annually and Martin explained the proposed changes for 2008/2009.
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National Year of Reading
John gave an overview of the National Year of Reading and talked about how libraries will be involved.
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Review of Library Committees
It was agreed that Filton and Patchway Library Committees will make a decision at the separate meetings in April on the proposed merger of the library committees. Please contact the chair of your library committee if you are unable to attend this meeting.
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Any other business
David thanked everyone who had made representations to the Community Strategy Document to ensure that libraries were mentioned in the Culture and Heritage section.
Jane thanked Filton Library for selling and advertising local history books and suggested that Patchway Library does a promotion of local publications that are for sale.
Martin thanked all the members of the library committees for their comments and support.
Tim asked about the level of anti-social behaviour at Patchway Library. Clare explained that while anti-social behaviour is an on going problem, numbers of serious incidents have decreased because of policies the library has implemented and staff skill at dealing with problems.
Jane asked how external groups who use the library out of opening hours would deal with incidents of anti-social behaviour. Martin explained that they are briefed to call the police.
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Date of next meetingFilton – Tuesday 8 April 6.30pm at Filton Library |