Upload
cory-morton
View
221
Download
0
Tags:
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
London Library Change Programme
David Ruse
LLCP Board member andDirector of Libraries and Culture for Westminster City Council
North West libraries conference 28 June 2010
London Library Change Programme: overview
Began in 2007 with recognition of value for money issues, followed by a feasibility study
Is part of the London Cultural Improvement Programme (www.londoncouncils.gov.uk/networks/lcip/programme)
Funded by Capital Ambition (the London RIEP)Aims to bring all 33 services up to the levels of the bestAims to reduce overheads and improve services through
shared services and improved processesAims for a systematic approach to having the right staff and
skills in place to engage better with communitiesAims to make a substantial change in the structure of
London Libraries
London’s library services: need for change
London’s libraries cost over 40% higher per head than UK average
Best practice not in place across LondonPlans in place to re-design, work collaboratively, share
back office arrangements – but not yet systematicSome authorities have invested in technology that
makes joint working harderLarge variations in deployment and costs of staff Library service unusual as more open to global and web-
based competition and other forms of governance
4
Where are we now?
Public libraries in London cost £203 million paHuge variation in cost/outputsNo correlation between cost/qualityOver half the cost is staffingBut staff productivity varies hugely (London
average transactions per fte is 11,400, but range from 7,000 to 17,000 in inner London alone)
Where are we now?
Management layers range between 2 and 9, with an average of 5
Half the boroughs have not got full EDIOne third don’t adhere to NAG minimum
standardsOne third don’t do any supplier selectionAnd as for opening hours, stock quality…
London Library Change Programme: emerging vision
The public library service will continue to meet the book, informationand learning needs of the people and communities of London.
Improved processes and technology and a revitalised workforce will beharnessed to provide resources which are tailored to the needs ofLondoners and delivered in ways that best meet their needs, whether atthe library, in partnership with other local services, delivered to thehome or workplace, or made available digitally.
While remaining locally accountable, London’s library services shouldbe able to work more closely together, taking advantage of moreefficient and effective governance and delivery models to deliverconsistent high value services – that contribute to wider local outcomes- at significantly lower cost.
7
Overview of LLCP
Phase 1 - 2007/9Marketing, staffing and stock to be focus
Phase 2 - 2008/9Efficiency, common procurement and ILL
Phase 3 - 2010/11 Best practice and new models of delivery
8
Good practice in individual services and pilots
Resource discoveryStock use analysis
Third party selection
Improved logistics
Buy, borrow or ILL?Reciprocal borrowing
Stock management
Stock purchasingShared catalogues
LLC
London Requests
Online resources
What’s radical and effective?
What’s justbusiness as usual?
Shared reserves
What does good practice look like?Stock and requests Scientific selection and analysis, good
use of third parties; Good breadth and depth of stock; Full EDI and financial integration; Consortium contract; Below NAG minimum standards and BIC
classification; Standard cataloguing; Buy or reciprocal borrow across several
authorities, not ILL; Browseable, comment-able catalogue
which generates collective intelligence; Shared logistics, management, delivery; Beginning to share all of these.
Workforce• Few tiers of staff;• Few management/policy vs customer-
facing staff;• Strong skills in strategic
commissioning, publicity, partnership working;
• Sharing in areas like bibliographic services, mobile libraries, home visiting, casual staff;
• Shared training and development;• Working in depth across consortia;• Enthused and effective staff following
processes that maximise outcomes;• Considering shared management,
back office, front office.
Best Practice
But is it clear what best practice is?
Does everyone have the same view of the service?
Which service are we talking about – the current one or the “modernised” one?
Three thoughts:
Whispers and conversations
Happy to assist for a fee
It’s not a priority at the moment
I need help – but I’m not sure where
Our finance people are the problem
We’re already doing that!
Why do we need another programme
Tinkering at the edges
They’re just playing at it!
That model doesn’t work
Overview of the early programme
Phase 1 Marketing, staffing and stock to be focus
Phase 2 Efficiency, common procurement and ILL
BUT survey measures not robust enough best practice not clearly articulatedFinancial benefits not sufficient (£20m / 5 years)
16
The future
Savings of nearly £20 million over 5 years!We must do these changesBut overall it is too little, delivered too lateRecognise that we need to look at regional and
sub-regional scale change – the prize will be much larger
Need to take account of changing marketplace – trusts, private sector, partnerships, shared services, and emergence of ‘commissioning’ structures, not to mention Community ownership.
Time for Transformation
Libraries have always shared /collaboratedIt works for our customersWe need to raise the game to new levels given
the financial situationMany challenges to overcomeBut it’s a win-win if we pull it off!The LLCP Board is recommending a
substantial change in structure of London’s libraries
Head of ServiceBack Office, specialists, procurement, etc.
Front line
At the moment library services look very similar throughout most of London…
They all vary a bit in size and shape
As the workforce report shows, there are lots of different management structures, but they all have a head, specialist and back office staff and front line staff
They all vary a bit in size and shape
For simplicity, let’s represent each service like this model.
This model is repeated 33 times throughout London
As the workforce report shows, there are lots of different management structures, but they all have a head, specialist and back office staff and front line staff
A simple and swift approach to serious cost savings would be to get those boroughs most interested in working together to share ‘back office’ functions in a new pan-London body
Over time more boroughs could join when they felt ready
Over time more boroughs could join when they felt ready
Groups of boroughs could then make further savings by combining their front line services
Groups of boroughs could then make further savings by combining their front line services
Individual borough control continues having a ‘commissioner’ rather than a head of service
Some boroughs might want to send the delivery out to externalised trusts
Some boroughs might want to send the delivery out to externalised trusts
Others may wish to consider commercial operators
Others may wish to consider commercial operators
The benefits of this model are that no Borough is forced to change but those most keen to work together can do so quickly.
Others can always start working collectively later, bring benefits to themselves and added savings to those already working together.
London shared back office, optional frontline
Some libraries are already working together around joint procurement, saving cash and improving the offer for residents
Some libraries are already working together around joint procurement, saving cash and improving the offer for residents
Another option would be for some Boroughs to decide to take this further and merge their services
Over time others could join them if they think the efficiencies justify participation
Another option would be for some Boroughs to decide to take this further and merge their services
The benefits of this model are that no Borough is forced to change but those most keen to work together can do so quickly.
London Shared Service
Over time others could join them if they think the efficiencies justify participation
Another option would be for some Boroughs to decide to take this further and merge their services
London Library Change Programme: the current plan
Shared back office staff and processes
Shared back and shared or contracted out front offices, retaining local accountability
and branding
How might we decide what to take forward?Potential evaluation criteria Issues related to projects themselves
Savings Improved customer services Feasibility
Impact on overall programme Take the programme forward strategically Needs programme support (can’t easily be done by an individual
authority) Meets the requirements of a technical design authority (doesn’t
create obstacles to future progress)
Most has been done already – only a few ‘technical’ pilots needed
Timescale: Phases 1 - 3
Benchmarking and options
appraisal July – Oct 09
13th November 2009 Libraryservices seminar
Local Authority action plans
1 Dec Members’ briefing
Capital Ambition Efficiency Board,12th January 2010: strategy for change andbid for set up and development
January 2010: Recruit project team Test delivery models Establish design authority Agreement on delivery vehicle
April 2010: Project team in place Set up and roll out best practice
peer support Develop technical architecture
plan Set up early adopter trials
May – Oct 2010: Opt-in to Wave 1 by Members Business modelling for shared
technical services
Who will deliver?
Various models need to be tested, including: One Authority becomes accountable body London Councils becomes accountable body Appropriate currently constituted organisation takes on
the responsibility Current partnership is developed to be constituted as
the accountable body A new company/social enterprise is established, owned
by the participating authorities A new independent not-for-profit company (‘Trust’) is
established that could apply for charitable status
Who will deliver?
Various models need to be tested, including: One Authority becomes accountable body London Councils becomes accountable body Appropriate currently constituted organisation takes on
the responsibility Current partnership is developed to be constituted as
the accountable body A new company/social enterprise is established, owned
by the participating authorities A new independent not-for-profit company (‘Trust’) is
established that could apply for charitable status
Who will take part?
Only those who want toNeed some idea who will become part of
the First Wave, but Boroughs won’t have to sign up until there is complete clarity over costs, accountability, etc.
Need to agree whether ‘pioneering’ Boroughs will be rewarded as others join
Aligning parallel work streams
Establish high level customer service operating model and design the architecture for the delivery including principles for working together
Engage all key stakeholders to ensure strategic buy-in, facilitating development of locally owned and driven development plans
Develop a common view of the best practice operating model and ensure consistency of processes through Shared performance, targets and process design Shared best practice Adoption of the common operating model
39
Re-modelling the programme – World Class Services/peer engagementBaselining and benchmarking with the International “best
in class”Create a vision of the “modernised” serviceDevelop a new performance structure within which the
new service can be evaluatedDevelop a consistent, quantifiable understanding of “best
practice”Stage the London libraries World series – lectures, case
studies, demonstrations, workshops, learning sets & mentoring
40
Re-modelling the programme – London’s architecture for librariesCreation of an architecture for London’s public services within
which the core library offer can be delivered effectively, efficiently and economically and where the local offer can thrive
Recognition of the significance and value of local schemes within the bigger picture
Identification of common systems and solutionsCreation of a platform for multiple sharingDevelopment of governance and management models that
will lead to an effective and efficient mixed economy approachMacro or micro buy-in when ready
41
Set up tasks for Phase 3:
Strengthen programme Board Recruit Programme Director –advert shortly package c. £80k (consultant,
secondment or employee)Establish best practice peer support programme - new survey just gone outForm small group of advisers to consider design architecture with Board –
not just IT, but people, processes, systemsBehind original timescale, due to change in personnel, local elections, and
HR issues over who would employ programme Director, all now sorted….
An opportunity for the London Library Change Programme
New ways of working and innovation
• Shared services
• Use of technology
• Strategic commissioning
London Library Change Programme is building a platform for change
Key Message 1: outcomes If 15 boroughs opt in, nearly half of London will
have centralised back office services around requests and a unified approach to stock management and procurement
This will enable customers to get books more quickly and drive costs down
There will be single systems for renewals and requests
Best practice in deployment of staff will improve productivity, value for money and front line services.
This will also help councils to meet financial challenges during a period when library income is set to decline
This programme will:Raise the standard of all public library services to
the level of the bestCreate more effective, cost efficient processes that
take full advantage of new technologiesRelease staff from time consuming back office
processes to allow more time for customer focussed activities and community engagement
Release the capacity for London’s library services to meet wider local priorities such as reducing worklessness
Allow London’s Libraries to reach their full potential
Key Message 2: the benefits of working collaboratively to improve services
Key Message 3: it’s happening across the globe
New South Wales has
Commissioned
Bookends Scenarios,
a project exploring the
possible futures for
NSW public libraries
in the year 2030
Auckland is currently
amalgamating 7 public
library authorities into one
and amalgamating 57
libraries. It is establishing a
single acquisitions process
and a single technical
services unit. It consulted
LLCP about London’s
transformation programme.
A USA based library commentator
has recently published an article that: Examines trends Predicts that there will be a
pressure on public libraries to go down the shared service route
Predicts an increase in e book readers and e subscriptions
Predicts use of text indices and digital resources
Predicts this will lead to smaller book stacks smaller shop front libraries more home deliveries