ISSUE 39| SPRING 2016
Designed for life Shaping libraries around customer needs Looking to the future Library design and development in the digital age
Taking discovery to the next level Full Library Discovery allows libraries to widen the net and narrow the search
Join your library – join the fun! The Reading Agency and MLS encourage young readers to sign up
WELCOME TO PANLIBUS MAGAZINE, ISSUE 38
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The spring issue 2016
The Reading Cloud
Hello and welcome to Panlibus Magazine, issue 39, spring 2016. Today’s fast-paced world offers many opportunities as well as challenges for libraries if they want not just to survive but also to thrive. The stories, news and features in this issue highlight how the way forward is to shape libraries and services around user experiences so that libraries can take centre stage in the digital age.
12-13 Full Library Discovery
5 North Yorkshire County Council selects Capita to deliver its library management system How Capita’s cloud-based LMS reduces costs as well as improving customer services.
12-13 Full Library Discovery Karen Reece, Head of Libraries at Capita, explains how the revolutionary tool that is Full Library Discovery will maximise the value of libraries.
University of Lincoln chooses Capita to deliver a leading library experience Capita helps students find library resources faster using a single search box.
16-17 The future of libraries in the digital age Alex Solk, partner at Sheppard Robson, on visionary academic library design.
6-8 Helping children reap the benefits of their public library service Reading clubs create a buzz! Lynne Taylor at The Reading Agency describes how an exciting initiative in schools is encouraging children to join their local library. 9 “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times” Reflecting on challenges and exciting possibilities – and how Reading Cloud’s success in school libraries can help public libraries gain young members. 11 A Learning Zone experience From library to Learning Zone – how 2CQR helped Preston’s College create a space for learners to develop business ideas and skills.
18-19 Supporting National Libraries Day Let’s celebrate! How bibliotheca helped three libraries increase community engagement with interactive events and activities. 21 Events, training and webinars Make a date! All you and your team need to keep abreast of the latest happenings with Capita.
But as well as digital resources, books are still part of the identity of any library, and thoughtful use of space is the answer to appealing to a wide customer base. In the case study on page 16, Alex Solk looks at how modern library design is about asking what people are using their library for, and on page 11, you can check out the In-Zone in Preston’s College, based around enterprise and geared totally towards learner needs. Of course, one sure way to attract and retain users is to provide quick and easy access to all the resources a library has to offer. On page 12, Karen Reece explains how Full Library Discovery makes this possible, while on page 5 you can see other ways in which Capita is improving services for users. Going to the library should be as much a part of everyday life as shopping, which is why it’s best to catch them young! Turn to page 6 and find out about how Chatterbooks reading groups, outreach activities and library cards for Year 3 pupils can provide opportunities for families to engage with their local library. MLS are also doing their bit to encourage children to become regular long-term members of library communities through Reading Cloud – find out more on page 9. Families were also the focus when local libraries, funded by bibliotheca, celebrated National Libraries Day with marauding Vikings, ‘out of this world’ experiences with the ‘wow’ factor and a Twitter campaign with a difference. Read all about it on page 18. Don’t forget to let us know if you have any stories, ideas or experiences you could share. We’re waiting to hear from you!
Victoria Wilson Editor, Panlibus Magazine panlibus-editor@capita.co.uk
22 Nielsen LibScan data Includes breakdown of the data for Food and Drink. Panlibus Magazine is a Capita production
ISSN 1749-1002 6190 Knights Court Solihull Parkway Birmingham Business Park B37 7YB United Kingdom 0870 400 5000 www.capita.co.uk/libraries
The views expressed in this magazine are those of the contributors for which Capita accepts no responsibility. Readers should take appropriate advice before acting on any issue raised. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is strictly prohibited. ©Capita. All rights reserved. Capita and the Capita logo are trademarks of Capita or its licensors in the United Kingdom and/or other countries. Other companies and products mentioned may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
www.capita.co.uk/libraries | Issue 39 Spring 2016 | Panlibus Magazine
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The Diplomat™ LMS
Intelligent lockers make a smart addition to your Capita LMS! More and more libraries are offering the opportunity to borrow a laptop or similar device for short periods of time. Offering this type of service is a great way to enhance the users experience and present a value-added extra to your library service. Manually loaning out the devices is time consuming and often restricts when the device are available. So how can this service be automated? The LapSafe® Diplomat™ LMS self-service device loan lockers makes device loans easy to manage. It allows users to borrow devices at any time of the day or night offering 24 x 7 x 365 access whether staff are present or not. The Diplomat™ LMS integrates with most library management systems including the popular Capita LMS. It always deploys the best-charged device and loans laptops or similar devices just like a library book.
Deploys best charged device
Various ID options
Only issues the device with the most charge.
Biometric, MiFare™, magstripe and barcode.
SmartLine™ with PowaSave™
19” touch screen interface
LapSafe®’s unique integrated charging.
Easy to use and fully customisable.
Manchester Metropolitan University, Oxford Brookes University and Dublin City University are just a few customers using the Diplomat with Capita LMS
lapsafe.com/news/case-studies
Call the experts today to book a free demonstration on 0800 130 3456
Sector news
North Yorkshire County Council selects Capita to deliver its library management system Capita’s software services business has been selected by North Yorkshire County Council to deliver its library management system (LMS) following a competitive tender process. The new contract with Capita will help the local authority to reduce costs while protecting the service that it delivers to its customers. The council will upgrade to Capita’s fully hosted cloud-based Chorus LMS. Chorus will reduce on-site hardware and maintenance overheads, and free library staff from routine administrative responsibilities, enabling them to be re-deployed to customer-facing tasks. The council will also utilise Capita’s webbased staff interface Soprano, an easy-to-use cloud-based service that provides staff with real-time access to the LMS on any internetenabled device. Designed specifically for
mobile devices, Soprano will improve stock checking, circulation and picking efficiency, as well as giving staff the ability to issue and return items, make reservations and answer enquiries, without having to be stuck behind the service desk. Soprano’s intuitive user interface will also support the council’s plans to increase the number of volunteer library staff by providing a method of accessing the library system that requires minimal training. Further efficiencies will be delivered through integration with the council’s finance systems as well as providing customers with the ability to pay library fines and fees online. This will provide the library users of North Yorkshire with the online services they expect from the council.
Councillor Chris Metcalfe, Executive Member for Libraries, said: “Since 2003, Capita has helped us deliver a library service that really benefits residents. It was clear from the competitive tender that Capita was best placed to further improve the council’s libraries and help deliver the savings that are required over the next five years.” Karen Reece, Head of Libraries at Capita, said:
“We are very proud to have been re-appointed by North Yorkshire County Council. It is testament to the service we have provided over the last 12 years and the confidence the council has in our ability to generate savings and further improve the region’s library services going forward.”
University of Lincoln chooses Capita to deliver a leading library experience Capita’s libraries business has been selected by the University of Lincoln to deliver its LMS, following a competitive procurement process.
they are. Soprano assists staff in stock management, reservation picking and general library tasks such as responding to student enquiries.
and ensure that we are well equipped to respond to student needs now and in the future.”
The university has purchased Capita’s fully hosted cloud-based Chorus LMS to modernise processes and improve their students’ experience. Students will be able to search physical and electronic resources, including information from the university’s institutional repository and archive databases, from a single search box, therefore ensuring that they find items that the library owns quicker and without the need to search across a number of systems.
Capita will help the university to re-vamp its processes and improve efficiency by integrating the library management system with the university’s finance and student records systems as well as their virtual learning environment. Capita will also enable students to pay fines and fees online.
“We are delighted that the University of Lincoln has chosen Capita to help transform the student experience. Our Soprano interface will enable staff to deliver a great service wherever they are. Students will benefit from a vastly improved discovery experience as they will be able to search electronic resources, the institutional repository and the university’s archives, alongside traditional resources and from a single search platform.”
The university will also use Capita’s webbased staff interface Soprano, which will enable library staff to assist students, in the library and also off campus, providing a mobile and responsive service. Designed specifically for devices such as tablets, Soprano will give staff the tools they need do their jobs wherever
Ian Snowley, University Librarian at the University of Lincoln, said: “Student satisfaction is key to the university, and providing the best possible student experience is how we attract and retain the best. Capita’s LMS will enable the library to deliver a great experience for our students by making it easier for them to search for and find the resources they need. It will also equip staff with the tools to deliver excellent customer service. Using Capita’s LMS will modernise our processes
Karen Reece, Head of Libraries at Capita, said:
www.capita.co.uk/libraries | Issue 39 Spring 2016 | Panlibus Magazine
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The Reading Agency
Primary school library membership: helping children reap the benefits of their public Lynne Taylor Chatterbooks Programme Manager The Reading Agency Libraries have a vital role to play in getting and keeping children involved in reading, ensuring they have access to books and introducing them to the pleasure and excitement they can bring – all with the skilled and expert support of professional public and school librarians. Research has shown that young people who don’t use their public library are more than three times more likely only to read when in class, and almost three times as likely to rate themselves as not very good readers compared to library users. And in terms of educational achievement, young people reading above the expected level for their age are twice as likely to be public library users.1 In their March 2015 report, Reading: the next steps, the Department for Education recognised the importance of library membership and announced their intention to support work with primary schools to give automatic library membership to all pupils:
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“The government would like all children to be active members of a public library, and we are asking all schools to arrange library membership for all their Year 3 pupils. Our new book club programme will increase the number of primary schools working in partnership with their local library to promote library use, for instance by arranging class visits to the library.” 2
At The Reading Agency we believe that everything changes when we read, and we have a strategic partnership with public libraries, because they provide free access to books, information, experiences and ideas – to everyone. Since August 2015, we have been
Panlibus Magazine | Issue 39 Spring 2016 | www.capita.co.uk/libraries
working with the Department for Education on their reading club programme, building on the huge success of our Chatterbooks children’s reading groups, which have been running in public libraries since 2001. We are working with the Department for Education, Schools Library Services (SLSs) and public libraries to create 200 new reading clubs in selected primary schools and to encourage other primary schools to download resources. As part of this work, we are also supporting those schools to arrange library membership for all their Year 3 pupils. The importance of outreach activities and library events We are working closely with SLSs on this initiative, in partnership with public libraries. We have selected 20 SLSs, representing a good geographical spread from all English regions, who are each working with 10 target schools in their areas. The schools have received
The Reading Agency
library service materials and training, and are delivering a 10-week programme of reading club sessions, including a visit to the local library. The SLSs also support the reading clubs with collections of books to borrow, linked to themed activities, which has helped schools to run their Chatterbooks clubs. To support schools in enrolling Year 3 children with their local library, we have drawn on the findings of the automatic library membership pilot commissioned by the Arts Council in 2013. A major finding of the automatic library membership pilot was that giving children a library card is the first step, but that this in itself does not create active library members:
“The accompanying outreach activities and library events were important factors in making membership real. And the initial library visit was an important catalyst to this.” 3
For example, in Worcester, 994 cards were issued to pupils, and after pupils were taken on a visit to the new Hive library, 781 cards were used. Following the automatic library membership pilot, the Association of Senior Children’s and Education Librarians was commissioned on behalf of Arts Council England and the Society of Chief Librarians to undertake research and create the Children’s Library Journeys report. Completed in April 2015, the report emphasises the importance of interventions such as Bookstart and the Summer Reading Challenge, which support children and their parents or carers at key points in a child’s development and encourage long-term use of libraries. It also recognises that it is essential that automatic library membership is supplemented with year-round opportunities for families and children to engage with their local library and take advantage of all that it offers.4
How the selected schools are managing automatic library membership We are asking each school running a Chatterbooks group to sign up all their Year 3 pupils to their local library, supported by their SLS and the public library service. All the schools have been invited to send their Year 3s on a library visit, and the aim is for all these children to have a library membership card either in advance or given to them on the day. The library visits include fun activities for the children and in some cases a chance to meet an author. Each library service has different parameters to work within and different challenges to overcome. Some library services need parents to act as guarantors requiring them to sign a joining form in advance in order for their children to get a membership card. For example, here is the approach being taken in Knowsley: “Two weeks prior to the planned library visit, schools will be sent an electronic copy of the library joining form. This is then sent out to parents/carers with a covering letter from the school. The day before the visit, any joining forms received from parents/carers are collected from the school and taken to the relevant library. Library staff create the memberships on SIRSI and the library cards are given out the next day during the school talk.” Gerry Williams, Knowsley SLS.
www.capita.co.uk/libraries | Issue 39 Spring 2016 | Panlibus Magazine
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The Reading Agency
Trialling temporary membership Other library services are taking the approach of offering ‘temporary’ membership to let children have a taster of using the library on their class visit. Parents then have to sign the children up to full membership on their next visit to the library. Here is the approach being taken in Tower Hamlets: “Year 3 children in participating schools will visit the library for a tour, activity or story and opportunity to browse. Each child will be given a dummy library card and information to take home to parents about converting it to full membership by signing the Idea Store Pledge. They will then receive an Idea Store bag and a certificate as well as a library card.” Gill Harris, Tower Hamlets SLS The Reading Agency has supported the SLSs and library services with a toolkit consisting of information, template letters for schools and a template sign-up form for parents/carers. We also designed a simple library advocacy postcard and flyer, which can be handed out to children via the school, to encourage parents to find out more about the library and how to join. Any library can download this flyer, which is available at www.chatterbooks.org.uk A major strength of our approach has been that The Reading Agency, SLSs and public library services have been working together to coordinate with the schools on the creation of membership cards and the arranging of library visits from Year 3 pupils.
The combined expertise on library systems, and managing visits, together with the SLS communication links with schools has helped to set up a workable programme in a very short space of time. Opportunities for other library services At the moment, we’re working only with the 20 SLSs selected on the programme. At the end of the project we will create a report on the various different approaches being taken on offering library membership for Year 3 pupils. This will help inform further work on automatic library membership. In this programme, the first step for the library services has been to identify children who haven’t already got a library card and create cards for them. Most library services require parents to sign a letter confirming that they accept the child’s membership and the terms and conditions. The library service therefore needs the school to send home letters to parents and encourage them to sign and return. The greatest barrier we’ve found so far can be getting parental permission – many don’t want to sign up because of fears of having to pay fines for late or lost items. And, of course, it all takes time and perseverance to collect all the responses.
There is further work currently being done to investigate all the costs, methodologies and data protection issues for different approaches, especially around whole-school sign-up, but this is not being explored through our book clubs in schools programme. The Department for Education is considering extra support for automatic library membership, which will build on the experience gained so far by all the library services trialling different methods of engaging with schools. We will be glad to lend our support – it has always been the aim of our programmes to encourage library membership and library usage. Libraries provide universal access to books and reading, underpinning our mission to inspire more people to read more, encourage them to share their enjoyment of reading and celebrate the difference that reading makes to all our lives. Find out more Chatterbooks is run by national charity The Reading Agency (www.readingagency.org.uk). Any school or public librarians interested in setting up a Chatterbooks reading club can download free resources, including a guide to setting up a group, at www.chatterbooks.org.uk. 1
Clark, C. and Hawkins, L. (2011) Public Libraries and Literacy for National Literacy Trust
2
Department for Education (2015) Reading: the next steps
3
Siddall, Anna for the Arts Council (2014) Automatic Library Membership Pilots: final report
4
Crossley, L. for ASCEL, the Arts Council and SCL, Children’s Library Journeys report
FIND OUT MORE lynne.taylor@readingagency.org.uk Read ASCEL’s Children’s Library Journeys report http://www.ascel.org.uk/news/childrens-libraryjourneys
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Panlibus Magazine | Issue 39 Spring 2016 | www.capita.co.uk/libraries
The Reading Cloud
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times” The famous opener to Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities feels somehow applicable to the state of public library provision in the UK at the moment. On the one hand, stepping into a library has never been more exciting. Spaces once caricaturised as cold, solitary and silent have evolved into vibrant multimedia information hubs. In today’s libraries, internet access is the norm, and physical book stock is complemented by a vast range of ebook content, online journals and interactive media. Library catalogues can be interrogated from home or on the move – and much of their content can be consumed on the go too. The look and feel of the modern library is fresh – architects spend their efforts not only on creating storage space but also ensuring that the areas available to the public are correctly lit, aesthetically pleasing and user friendly. They also contain modern hardware such as self-service kiosks, device chargers and audio-visual stations. My favourites have café areas! And let’s not forget the librarians. The library and information specialists, having trained as professionals and perhaps even gone on to achieve chartered status, now find themselves the go-to people to unlock the potential of all of this technology – to unravel it all and put it back together again, to guide library users towards the resources they desire and uncover a gem from not only behind a bookshelf but also some obscure corner of the world wide web. The benefits that reading has on development, performance and attainment are so well documented that to reiterate any statistics would seem elementary. With this calibre of service available to the public, you would be forgiven for thinking
libraries have never had it so good. However, in some of the least affluent areas, those who are the most in need of such services have felt the brunt of cuts to library provision. But there is hope…
strategy to expand the community, we are now working closely with various agencies and key stakeholders to offer increased integration between the Reading Cloud and local public libraries.
As you will have read on the previous pages, The Reading Agency is working closely with library functions across the spectrum on an initiative aimed at enrolling Year 3 children with their local library. Along with the support of Schools Library Services (SLSs), schools are encouraged to take their pupils to reading clubs, in an effort to help engage them in utilising their public library for the long term.
This development will allow pupils to search resources both in the school and local libraries while also ensuring they are automatically enrolled in their local library when they create their Reading Cloud profile.
Public library funding is intrinsically linked to participation and uptake, so such a project is crucial for sealing the longterm viability of these fantastic repositories of information. In our own way at MLS, we’ve considered how we can contribute to the overall cause. A year ago, we launched our Reading Cloud platform, which is essentially a community hub expansion of the school library software, in an attempt to better engage children in school library usage. This expansion gave children far more buy-in to the library than they’d ever known. As part of our long-term
Dedicated areas for staff and parents are in development and will allow the whole school community to contribute to the goal of promoting reading for pleasure and all the benefits that we know this brings to children. Initiatives such as this and many others give us confidence in the long-term viability of these hallowed buildings we call libraries.
FIND OUT MORE www.microlib.co.uk info@microlib.co.uk 0161 449 9357
www.capita.co.uk/libraries | Issue 39 Spring 2016 | Panlibus Magazine
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SOLUTIONS SUPPORT CONSULTANCY RFID & EM SELF-SERVICE SECURITY STOCK CONTROL UK & IRELAND VENDING INTELLIGENT TROLLEYS CONSULTANCY RFID & EM SELF-SERVICE SOLUTIONS SUPPORT CONSULTANCY RFID & EM SELF-SERVICE SECURITY STOCK CONTROL UK & IRELAND VENDING INTELLIGENT TROLLEYS CONSULTANCY RFID & EM SELF-SERVICE SOLUTIONS SUPPORT CONSULTANCY RFID & EM SELFSERVICE SECURITY STOCK CONTROL UK & IRELAND VENDING INTELLIGENT TROLLEYS CONSULTANCY RFID & EM SELF-SERVICE SOLUTIONS SUPPORT CONSULTANCY & EM SELF-SERVICE SECURITY STOCK CONTROL UK WhereverRFID you are, & IRELAND VENDING INTELLIGENT TROLLEYS CONSULTANCY RFID & EM whatever you’re doing, SELF-SERVICE SOLUTIONS SUPPORT CONSULTANCY RFID & EM SELFwe’llSECURITY be closer you UK & IRELAND VENDING INTELLIGENT SERVICE STOCKto CONTROL TROLLEYS CONSULTANCY RFID & EM SELF-SERVICE SOLUTIONS SUPPORT CONSULTANCY RFID & EM SELF-SERVICE SECURITY STOCK CONTROL UK & IRELAND VENDING INTELLIGENT TROLLEYS CONSULTANCY RFID & EM SELF-SERVICE SOLUTIONS SUPPORT CONSULTANCY RFID & EM SELFSERVICE SECURITY STOCK CONTROL UK & IRELAND VENDING INTELLIGENT TROLLEYS CONSULTANCY RFID & EM SELF-SERVICE SOLUTIONS SUPPORT CONSULTANCY RFID & EM SELF-SERVICE SECURITY STOCK CONTROL UK & IRELAND VENDING INTELLIGENT TROLLEYS CONSULTANCY RFID “One year CONSULTANCY in and all is good, RFID & EM & EM SELF-SERVICE SOLUTIONS SUPPORT we’re very UK pleased!” SELF-SERVICE SECURITY STOCK CONTROL & IRELAND VENDING Karen Acham, LRC Manager. INTELLIGENT TROLLEYS CONSULTANCY RFID & EM SELF-SERVICE SOLUTIONS SUPPORT CONSULTANCY RFID & EM SELF-SERVICE SECURITY STOCK CONTROL SOLUTIONS SUPPORT CONSULTANCY RFID & EM SELFSERVICE SECURITY STOCK CONTROL UK & IRELAND VENDING INTELLIGENT TROLLEYS CONSULTANCY RFID & EM SELF-SERVICE SOLUTIONS SUPPORT CONSULTANCY RFID & EM SELF-SERVICE SECURITY STOCK CONTROL UK Thinking Libraries & IRELAND VENDING INTELLIGENT TROLLEYS CONSULTANCY RFID & EM SELF-SERVICE CONSULTANCY RFID NG23 & EM 2CQR House,SOLUTIONS Long Bennington SUPPORT Business Park, Long Bennington, Lincolnshire 5JR SELFTel: 01400 283850 e.mail: info@2cqr.com web: 2cqr.com estore: 2cqr.com/shop/
Partner news
A Learning Zone experience Preston’s College has really made the most of their recent £3m update creating the In-Zone flexible learning environment, based around enterprise and geared to encouraging learners to develop business ideas and skills. As one part of an even greater development which also includes a £13m science, technology, engineering and maths facility, the In-Zone consists of four areas: Enterprise Zone, Chill Zone, Learning Zone and Careers Zone. Each zone is designed specifically with learner needs in mind, whether they want to practise pitching a business idea in one of the presentation rooms, grab a coffee and hang out, do some private studying or get help working out where they want to go next in life. When the initial funding was made available for the new development, the Library team saw an opportunity to add the very best in library technology to the wish list for the Learning Zone. Karen Acham, Learning Resources Coordinator, prepared a case for self-service, with the freeing of library staff from the mundane managing of stock an important aspect. Once free, staff would be better enabled to spend time with students, particularly as 10% of a student’s learning needs to be outside the classroom. The tender process proved challenging for 2CQR as four of the leading suppliers were in close contention. However, the experience and ability to personalise the software along with and the ability to upgrade when required gave 2CQR the edge.
delighted with the customised purple selfservice totems that emitted a green glow to match the PC vending units. While the totems made a strong visual presence, the security gates were clear and unobtrusive, enhancing the larger-than-life wall illustrations created by the art students. Tagging and training, managed by 2CQR, was problem free. “It was frighteningly efficient” to quote Karen. “And with over 100 PCs, 20 tablets and 10 laptops available on a self-service basis, plus 2CQR adding a personalised module to talk to our MiFare cards, it seemed a pretty comprehensive solution.” So with three totems, five security systems, two drop boxes and the Learning Zone team all trained, everything was ready to go for the new term in September 2014.
Karen was keen to point out, “I had worked with 2CQR during my career at other colleges and was aware of their strengths, particularly in managing installation, training and ongoing service delivery. I was not disappointed as the project was pretty painless and despite some of our construction issues, 2CQR were happy to accommodate the revised timescales.” Ensuring the Learning Zone was both a desirable and relaxing environment was very important. The architect had specific colour combinations she wished to use and was
Catching up with Karen and her team, a year or so on from the launch, we asked, with one year’s experience how have the systems, the students and the team coped?
“One year in and all is good, very pleased!” Karen was happy to announce. “This year’s intake has had no problems and, as we hoped, the librarians, now Learning Zone Assistants, have not only been freed to help students but now all have teaching qualifications and offer teaching support.” With the large library management desks replaced with compact ‘concierge’ desks, the Learning Zone Assistants are more available and accessible. Adding to the uptake of their skills, they also manage students sent by tutors to the Learning Zone for ‘Back on Track’ learning. The library, now the Learning Zone, has proved a great success providing a relaxed, well-managed and educationally successful environment.
FIND OUT MORE www.2cqr.com/libraries/uni-fe/ www.preston.ac.uk/about-us/zone-development/
www.capita.co.uk/libraries | Issue 39 Spring 2016 | Panlibus Magazine
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Full Library Discovery
Discover more Karen Reece Head of Libraries Capita Karen Reece, Head of Libraries at Capita, explains how Full Library Discovery will help libraries and their users to get more from their library. If trends in the States are indicative of what will happen in the UK, Full Library Discovery (FLD) is one innovation that looks set to become the next technology wave in libraries. It has been hailed as a solution to help libraries maximise the value of their library offering by transforming the search and discovery experience for users, making resources more accessible than ever and increasing the usage of less used but important resources. As libraries strive to deliver an everimproving customer experience, often at lower cost, the need to help users get the full value from their public or academic library service becomes more important than ever before. FLD helps library users’ experience by transforming the search and discovery interface and increasing the usage of less used but still valuable resources such as archives, e-resources or even social media channels. We are aware that libraries work hard to build their resources and collections, and are eager to maximise exposure of all the services they have to offer. With better access to resources, customers will gain
a deeper understanding of the wealth of material available to them, which will boost the perceived value of the library overall and enhance the standing of the library with users of the service. As libraries strive to ensure that they have the resources required for all their users, the relevance of the search experience comes to the fore – how many databases are buried somewhere on the library website? They are either not visible through the library search mechanism or they are hidden in the lower-ranked search results that the customer is presented with.
Google has shaped user demand and expectations. An FLD solution is able to respond to these without restricting the search or compromising the breadth and quality of the information being searched. Indeed, FLD has the potential to enhance the search and discovery experience considerably, thereby raising the value of the library service in the following ways:
Full Library Discovery in a nutshell
2. Equipping users to find the best resources for their task
Today, library users can easily search for content which is available through their library’s catalogue or discovery tool; this is typically books, journals and electronic resources. However, these tools do not search all the information and resources that a library owns or has access to. FLD means that archive contents, databases, historical records, research repositories, image databases, YouTube content and details of experts within the library or wider organisation can all be included in a user’s search. Sources of data external to the library can also be included, allowing a library to deliver an extremely comprehensive and crucially relevant discovery tool.
FLD takes discovery to the next level by providing one single search box that enables the user to discover everything the library has to offer. “It is important to give the public wider access to library resources. Anything that makes them more easily discoverable is valuable.” Alison Stoddart, Library Development Officer, Edinburgh Libraries
The benefits: exactly why should an organisation consider using FLD? “We might have a lot of archival material in a customer’s area of interest, yet they might not even be aware of it because it is listed in a different catalogue. Full Library Discovery is a much more logical step for people who want to look at the totality of what we have across collections.” Diana Edmonds, Head of Libraries at GLL
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Panlibus Magazine | Issue 39 Spring 2016 | www.capita.co.uk/libraries
1. Making library resources more widely available
3. Demonstrating and maximising the value of the library 4. Enabling libraries to differentiate themselves 5. Providing optimal exposure to a library’s services.
“The library is still very much an integral part of the university experience. You walk into the library and it is full; there is a definite link with a student’s overall satisfaction.” Sarah Lowe, E-Resources and Subscriptions Librarian, University of Brighton
Widen the net, narrow the search The risk of widening searchable resources, however, is that the user is overwhelmed by the volume of the information. To overcome this, some academic libraries in the US have opted to display the results in the style of a ‘bento box’. Its name is taken from the Japanese bento lunchbox in which each item is contained in a separate box. The bento box search results returned are therefore divided up and displayed within separate panels, each containing a different type of source/category.
“The way we present information to the user is very important. Users need a discovery tool that not only finds resources, but can guide them through the results and help them get what they actually need.” Alison Stoddart, Library Development Officer, Edinburgh Libraries
Full Library Discovery
One panel might display relevant books, and another would display specific journal articles; documents from the university’s archives might appear in another panel, while a further section would focus on relevant multimedia resources. By grouping together information in an intelligent way, users will find it easier to select the material they need but still retain the ability to see all the sources available to them.
“Having search results sectioned in the bento box format would increase findability, and people would be able to see the wood for the trees.” Claire Eskriett, System Librarian, University of Brighton
When will FLD appear in the UK? Initial prototypes from Capita’s research and development team for FLD have included indexing information already held in archive management systems, repository software and indexing across vast volumes of electronic journal articles and ebooks subscribed to by the library, harnessing the power of software which is already in use by libraries worldwide. This is allowing trial systems to be developed cost-effectively and more quickly than first anticipated. The first fully operational FLD sites from Capita’s team are expected to appear in libraries in the first half of 2016, meaning that the future of library discovery is very much upon us. Also the Capita development team have structured the interface of FLD in such a way that it doesn’t require the Capita LMS to sit behind it.
“There has always been a view with resource discovery that more is better, but really a student does not want more search results; they just want the one item they need. With FLD, you have the ability to present more information about the search results to help users make quick decisions about sources.” Nicola Perry, Library Systems Manager, University of Roehampton
Following our successful launch events in Manchester and London, our FLD briefing reports are both now available to download online. Please visit www.capita-software.co.uk/fldbriefing to receive your own copy. There are two to choose from, featuring either an academic or public library focus.
Find out more www.capita-software.co.uk/fldbriefing libraries@capita.co.uk 0870 400 5000
Implementing Full Library Discovery in your library Capita is working with a number of public and academic libraries to deliver the first Full Library Discovery solution in the UK, which will be available in 2016. If you are interested in learning more about Full Library Discovery, please contact libraries@capita.co.uk or call 0870 400 5000 to arrange a webinar which will outline how FLD can work for your organisation.
www.capita.co.uk/libraries | Issue 39 Spring 2016 | Panlibus Magazine
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Download your free copy of Capita’s full library discovery briefing report Dedicated to the precise needs of both academic and public libraries, there’s two to choose from.
Simply visit: www.capita-software.co.uk/fldbriefing
Brynmor Jones Library, University of Hull
The future of libraries in the digital age Alex Solk Partner Sheppard Robson
A case study on Brynmor Jones Library, University of Hull The role of the library has changed dramatically over recent years, with libraries becoming less about books and more about accessing information from a variety of sources and across multitudes of media. Can the traditional library retain its significance within a community building of the 21st century? Alex Solk, partner at Sheppard Robson, discusses the evolution of the library building and how it is adapting to the times.
Access to information My understanding of the main role of the library is that it provides access to information and services while encouraging the sharing of knowledge. It doesn’t matter what that information is, whether it is book collections, digital material or interactive media.
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Designing a modern library is about understanding exactly which information and services need to be accessed and how that will be achieved. What are people using their library for? You might go into a library to get help using a computer, take part in a community initiative, research your family history, access electronic journals or borrow a book. Motivations will vary greatly between public and academic libraries, from institution to institution and be influenced by the availability of other local resources. In recent builds and refurbishments, libraries have positioned themselves to become more of a ‘hub’. Public campus services such as IT helpdesks, traditional books, training, software resources and multimedia resources are typical features of a modern library. All of this shifts the balance away from printed material being the primary function for a visitor.
Providing fit-for-purpose space Aligning with the move from providing primarily printed books to a multitude of other services, the design of space needs to move on from simply providing space for silent, individual reading and study to areas that support the wide range of interactive activities now on offer.
Panlibus Magazine | Issue 39 Spring 2016 | www.capita.co.uk/libraries
Our work looking at developments in library design has categorised space requirements into four types: individual and group spaces, formal and informal settings. Beyond this, you have to design space, whether that be a desk, a sofa or group study room, suited to the resources being provided, the demographic of ‘customers’ and the nature of the institution.
The word ‘library’ I mentioned, above, the term ‘hub’, perhaps as something that more accurately describes the co-located nature of services provided in libraries. Through our experience, however, we’ve found resistance to such a term, with a romantic attachment to the word ‘library’ being as strong as the affection for the printed material contained within it. To respect this, the design of the modern library has to reflect the nature of the institution. In an academic library, is that a traditional research-focused university whose brand is about scholarly achievement? Or perhaps an innovative younger institution operating without traditional constraints? Looking at public libraries, Birmingham City Council has recently constructed an award-winning new facility offering a range of services, including access to print collections. The council unashamedly
Brynmor Jones Library, University of Hull
called it a library (despite its contemporary appearance), yet at Worcester, a recently completed project provides broadly the same services as Birmingham but is called ‘The Hive’.
Brynmor Jones Library – case study The University of Hull was a visionary client to work with. Their project brief was to understand recent developments in the library sector, learn lessons from those projects and deliver a library building that wrote the next chapter in academic library design. The brief recognised a demographic wider than just students, designating the library’s space for the use of academics and the community during the day, not just at evenings and weekends.
users and new audiences we hoped to engage) to map their typical day and how the new library would play a part in it. This identified the range of activities undertaken and how the library would need to respond by providing a range of spaces to suit these activities. Another new use for the building was to provide access to a wider community of users,
and interactive working environment, with technology available for student collaboration. The students can move and arrange the available resources to best meet learning needs. The observatory also holds the university’s special collection of rare reading materials housed in glass temperature and humidity controlled boxes with displays, and a dedicated reading space.
This project and others have shown that books aren’t going anywhere. They may be space-hungry but everyone loves them and they are part of the identity of any library. not just those studying. The project brief expanded to incorporate the University Gallery as well as the new concept of an exhibition hall. The idea of both of these spaces, along with unrestricted access to the building, was to encourage as many people as possible to visit, as often as possible, to make the building a true heart for the campus and the community.
Designing the provision
The £28m transformation is now complete. The 16,0000m2 project involved the complete refurbishment of the library’s two buildings, the 1956 original Art Deco building and the eight-storey Brutalist building that was added in the 1960s, alongside a newly formed central atrium space improving the connectivity between the two.
Understanding the requirement To begin the design process, we really needed to understand how the existing library operated and get feedback from users on their experience. This audit demonstrated how the space impeded users’ ability to work, interactions between staff and users, the ability of staff to work effectively and efficiently, and how the space fostered inconsiderate behaviour. It also highlighted interesting information relating to access, with a large number of humanities students attending the library as their reference material was generally printed literature. Fewer science students attended the building, however, as science literature tends to be faster paced and accordingly digital. One of the important challenges we had to address was how to make the space appeal to a wider audience, including science students. Moving forward we worked with a range of pre-identified potential user groups (existing
To achieve the ‘heart’ status that we were aiming for, the ground floor has been designed to be a publicly accessible, permeable space. The security barriers (usually positioned by the entrance of libraries) have been moved to the core, creating a 2,500m2 welcome space for students, staff and the public. The ground floor space, like most other areas of the building, has been stripped back to its concrete frame and totally remodelled. This gave the opportunity to restructure the floor plate and introduce a new four-storey atrium at the heart of the project which allows for better connectivity between the two buildings. The design for the tower of the building provides a replicated floor plate where all amenities are available to all users on all floors, encouraging them to use the right setting for their task and move from space to space throughout the day. In total we have provided a range of 36 different types of settings in which to carry out research, access information and collaborate. Repeated across the building this provides 2,000 spaces in total.
We don’t dictate how people should access information in the library; 36 different types of work spaces are provided to cater for how each ‘individual’ wants to work. The uppermost floor is one of the highest in the city and houses the observatory which frames views across Hull. All the while it also goes about providing an informal, flexible
Looking to the future… We had many conversations while developing the design about how the library could be adapted to meet future needs. Digital protagonists stated: “books are dead; why do you need a physical space when you can access digital information from your bedroom?” This project and others have shown that books aren’t going anywhere. They may be space-hungry but everyone loves them and they are part of the identity of any library. Our design for Brynmor Jones has a 30-year lifespan. It is designed to accommodate today’s books and digital resources, with the heating, cooling, power and data infrastructure capacity to support further internal adaptations without undermining the core features of the building of accessibility, multiple modes of study and its appeal to a wider user base. The reality is that we can’t future gaze. My view is that it is important to bring people together; learning is a social activity. The modern library has adapted healthily to today’s modes of learning and accessing information. It will react again to future needs and remain at the heart of communities for many years to come.
FIND OUT MORE www.sheppardrobson.com @SheppardRobson 0161 233 8900
www.capita.co.uk/libraries | Issue 39 Spring 2016 | Panlibus Magazine
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Partner news: National Libraries Day
Supporting National Libraries Day At the end of 2015, bibliotheca launched its first National Libraries Day Grant Application Scheme, giving UK libraries a chance to be awarded one of three £1,000 grants. The aim of the scheme was to encourage libraries to think outside the box and create exciting plans to celebrate National Libraries Day on Saturday 6 February 2016. bibliotheca wanted to help libraries to reach out beyond the four walls of the library building and attract more community members to use their service. With the support of the National Libraries Day organisation, we invited all UK libraries to apply by telling us how they would use £1,000 to put their plans into action.
‘Out of this World’ Science and Technology Fair at Perton Library.
panel selected a shortlist of six libraries and put them to public vote on Facebook.
In Barnet, staff members scoured the streets, shopping centres, cyberspace and public spaces asking community members to “Show Us Your Library Card”, encouraging them to share a photo on social media and state why they love libraries with the Twitter handle #ShowUsYourLibraryCard. The event was used to kick off Barnet’s two-week library festival to publicise their programme of events. The funding was used to purchase tablets to demonstrate the library’s digital services and allow people without library cards to sign up instantly. The success of the social media campaign (see @BarnetLibraries on Twitter) reached an international scale, highlighting the importance of libraries worldwide.
We received more than 60 applications, The three libraries that received the most and the imagination and creativity they Facebook ‘likes’ for their National Libraries demonstrated made selecting a shortlist Day ideas were Barnet Libraries with their a challenging task for our panel of judges. In Norwich, community members met with campaign ‘Show Us Your Library Card’; From land trains to 3D printing, city-wide a team of Vikings at Norwich Castle’s Keep Norfolk and Norwich Millennium Library’s book hunts to digital experience sessions before Snap the Dragon and the Whifflers ‘Viking Invasion’; and Staffordshire Libraries and much more, all of chased them outside, our applicants thought of “This has been a fantastic experience for us. The funding from where they waved their new ways to engage with next to the their communities and bibliotheca has enabled us to put on an event on a scale which placards mobile library to promote demonstrate that there is would not have otherwise been possible and to increase our the library service. The so much more to libraries entire event was themed than just books. After community engagement on National Libraries Day.” around the launch of much deliberation, the
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Panlibus Magazine | Issue 39 Spring 2016 | www.capita.co.uk/libraries
Partner news: National Libraries Day
the castle’s exhibition ‘The Viking’s Guide to Deadly Dragons’, focused on Cressida Cowell’s How to Train Your Dragon series of books. Cressida posed for a photograph with Snap and the Vikings before reading a chapter from one of her books in the castle as libraries across Norfolk all read the very same chapter at the same time. Meanwhile, the Vikings marauded through the city, gathering crowds to join them in the Millennium Library at their settlement for Norse storytelling and crafts. Library manager Kath Griffiths said: “This has been a fantastic experience for us. The funding from bibliotheca has enabled us to put on an event on a scale which would not have otherwise been possible and to increase our community engagement on National Libraries Day.” Perton Library held a Science and Technology Fair with a wide range of educational and fun events aimed at promoting the STEM agenda and encouraging families to participate in ‘out of this world’ activities to broaden horizons and enable new experiences. The action-packed agenda included workshops with the Mad Scientists Team; ‘Meet the Astronaut’ to learn about life in space, try an astronaut meal and see a real piece of the Arizona meteorite; astronomy workshops with the Perton Library Astronomy Group and Wolverhampton Astronomical Society, including sessions on how to use a telescope; a volunteer-led wildlife garden talk and nature walk; a K’NEX Buildathon challenge; and a ‘Get into Minecraft’ Hunger Games workshop.
Perton has a history of engagement with science events. In the 19th century an Astronomer Royal, Sir John Wrottesley, lived nearby and has a crater on the moon named in his honour. Visitors were able to learn all about Sir John Wrottesley and how to find the crater.
local residents to attract more members. bibliotheca are proud to have supported UK libraries on this nationally important day, and the response from participants has highlighted how much the British public love their local libraries.”
Library Development Officer Scott Whitehouse comments: “The bibliotheca funding allowed us to add a ‘wow’ factor to our events. As Perton Library has hosted science-related events in the past, we were able to build on the interest and engage the support of voluntary organisations. We were also able to generate a lot of interest on social media, as well as increasing our Saturday visitor numbers from 150 to approximately 750.” Perton Library user Sue Roberts told us: “This year, my son has taken his involvement as a Reading Hack young volunteer to a new level, taking full ownership of the K’NEX workshop and building models to inspire visitor participation, including one of the International Space Station. “It is an understatement to say that the event was a tremendous success. The library has wonderful, hard-working staff and while they are fortunate to have very good voluntary groups and organisations who support the library, with the best will in the world not everything can be done for free!” Darren Ratcliffe, bibliotheca UK’s Managing Director, comments: “National Libraries Day is the ideal opportunity for libraries to highlight their community relevance and engage with
FIND OUT MORE info-uk@bibliotheca.com www.bibliotheca.com www.nationallibrariesday.org.uk
www.capita.co.uk/libraries | Issue 39 Spring 2016 | Panlibus Magazine
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Events We’re excited to be involved in the following events over the next few months. Come along and make sure you don’t miss us by booking ahead to secure your time with Capita. Simply email libraries@capita.co.uk to book your appointment directly. We hope to see you soon…
The Edge Conference ‘Changing Challenge to Opportunity’ Thursday 3–Friday 4 March 2016 – The Roxburghe Hotel, Edinburgh CILIP LMS Suppliers Showcase Friday 4 March 2016 – CILIP, 7 Ridgmount Street, London LAI/CILIP Ireland Joint Annual Conference 2016 Wednesday 13–Friday 15 April 2016 – The Malton, Killarney, County Kerry Forum for Scottish public libraries collectionHQ and partners are hosting a forum for Scottish public libraries on Tuesday 19 April in Glasgow. To find out more about the event and to book your place, please visit: https://chqglasgowforum2016.eventbrite.com
Talis Insight Wednesday 20–Thursday 21 April 2016 – The REP, Birmingham CILIP in Scotland Annual Conference Monday 6–Tuesday 7 June 2016 – Apex Hotel, Dundee Society of Chief Librarians – Seminar 2016 Thursday 9–Friday 10 June 2016 – University of Warwick CILIP Conference 2016 Tuesday 12–Wednesday 13 July 2016 – Brighton Dome, Brighton To see all Capita’s upcoming events, please visit www.capita-software.co.uk/librariesevents
Training Whether it’s a refresh of your existing knowledge around your LMS or a session for new staff members, we have just the thing for you. However, if you can’t find a course that fits your needs, we’ll arrange something dedicated to just you and your team.
Exploring the Decisions Universes R4.1 Wednesday 2 March 2016, webinar
System Manager: Beginner Tuesday 12 April 2016, Capita offices, Solihull
Scheduling in Decisions R4.1 Tuesday 15 March 2016, webinar Visit www.capita-software.co.uk/training to find out more about each webinar and register to attend.
Webinars How could your library software solutions improve the service your library offers to users while delivering efficiency gains? Find out with one of our informative and free webinars. Taking Stock of Soprano 13 April 2016, 14:00–14:30
Prism Pro – Online Borrower Joining Form 18 May 2016, 14:00–14:30
Chorus – Your LMS in a hosted environment 27 April 2016, 14:00–14:30
Prism Pro – ILL Request Form 25 May 2016, 14:00–14:30
Prism Pro – Stock Purchase Request 11 May 2016, 14:00–14:30
Prism – Refreshing your knowledge 8 June 2016, 14:00–14:30
For further details and to book your training course(s), register for a webinar or find out what event Capita will be at next, please visit www.capita-software.co.uk/librariesevents
www.capita.co.uk/libraries | Issue 39 Spring 2016 | Panlibus Magazine
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Nielsen
Nielsen LibScan Public Library Borrowing data periods 10-13 The period from the start of September 2015 until the end January 2016 saw a year-on-year drop beyond the usual seasonal dip in library loans. Loans fell by an average of 5.9% from P10 to P12* (6 September to 28 November) compared to the same period in 2014. This was consistent with the yearly decline in volume from 2014 to 2015 of 6.43%.
Overall top titles for periods 10-13 (6 September 2015 to 2 January 2016): Position
Title
Author
Volume
Pub Date
1
Make Me: Jack Reacher
Lee Child
9,219
10 Sep 15
2
The Girl on the Train
Paula Hawkins
8,956
15 Jan 15
3
Personal: Jack Reacher
Lee Child
8,390
28 Aug 15
4
Go Set a Watchman
Harper Lee
6,705
14 Jul 15
5
You Are Dead: Roy Grace
Peter James
6,414
21 May 15
6
Alert: Michael Bennett
James Patterson
6,279
16 Jul 15
7
Private Sydney: Private
James Patterson
5,856
13 Aug 15
8
The Taming of the Queen
Philippa Gregory
5,844
13 Aug 15
9
Truth or Die
James Patterson
5,799
26 Feb 15
10
The Burning Room
Michael Connelly
5,689
23 Apr 15
Lee Child’s Make Me is top of the charts with 9,219 loans. This succeeds the previous Jack Reacher title Personal, which had incredibly been number 1 for seven consecutive months, a Nielsen LibScan borrowing record. The other new entries to the chart are Private Sydney by James Patterson and The Taming of the Queen by Philippa Gregory, both published in August. The dominance of Crime, Thriller and Adventure continues unabated, with six of the top 10 from this category. There were decreases in all top-level categories, with the exceptions of Politics and Government, Children’s Cartographic Product and Children’s Annuals, which have been performing relatively strongly all year. Another Nielsen Product Class experiencing great internal change, if not overall growth in library loans, is Food & Drink. Food and Drink: General saw a Q4 year-on-year decline of 10.7%; Health, Dieting and Wholefood Cookery increased 20.8% and Vegetarian Cookery by 14.2%.
When the yearly data is broken down into quarters, a key seasonal pattern emerges. Food & Drink: General loans increase through Q4 (start of September until the end of November*), before sharply declining in Q1 (start of January until the end of March 2015). For Health, Dieting and Wholefood Cookery, the trend is reversed, with major growth coming across Q1 and Q2. The increases in Health, Dieting and Wholefood Cookery over the last year, taken with the phenomenal success of Joe Wick’s Lean in 15 in the UK Total Consumer Market, point towards another big increase for the category in the coming months.
*Period 13, running from 30 November to 2 January, cannot be compared year-on-year, as the accounting calendar for 2015 has 53 weeks, making it a five-week period.
FIND OUT MORE [© 2016 Nielsen Book Services Limited [trading as Nielsen BookScan and Nielsen LibScan]). For further information about Nielsen BookScan TCM Panel or LibScan panel, email: info.bookscan@nielsen.com
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Panlibus Magazine | Issue 39 Spring 2016 | www.capita.co.uk/libraries
www.nielsenbookscan.co.uk info.bookscan@nielsen.co.uk
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