Victorian public libraries Workforce development 2014 -2017

Public Libraries Victoria Network is a collaborative and advocacy organisation comprised of Victorian Local Government Public Library Services.

Statewide Projects

•1995•Collaboration across the state•Special Interest Groups•Collaboration with State Library through the Public Libraries Unit

Past Projects

Research•Libraries building communities•Dollars, sense and public libraries• Internet and PC usage in public libraries•Creative communities•Statewide skills audit•Collections audit 2006•Workforce sustainability and leadership 2008•Library buildings audit 2008

Past Projects

• Statewide training• Statewide marketing• Digitisation projects• Disability awareness• Jolly Jumbuck• Business information project• LOTE• Memory Victoria• Shared leadership

Past Projects

Research•Libraries building communities•Dollars, sense and public libraries• Internet and PC usage in public libraries•Creative communities•Statewide skills audit•Collections audit 2006•Workforce sustainability and leadership 2008•Library buildings audit 2008

Shared Leadership Projects

• Pop-up libraries• Creative spaces• Libraries and CALD communities• Guidelines for joint use or collocated public

libraries• Volunteen• A framework for Victorian library partnerships• Strategic evaluation of programs• Green credentials for new and refurbished Library

buildings• Library services to babyboomers

2010 Sleepover

• Presentation - NSW Bookend Scenarios (a strategic foresight project)

• Identified a lack of strategic long term thinking for Victorian libraries

• Led to the Libraries 2030 project

VICTORIAN PUBLIC LIBRARIES 2030

www.plvn.net.au

VPL 2030

• Launched in June 2013

•Guiding document at the 2013 planning retreat

What is strategic foresight?

Veteran foresighter Richard A. Slaughter gives this definition:

Strategic foresight is the ability to create and sustain a variety of high quality forward views and to apply the emerging insights in organizationally useful ways; for example, to detect adverse conditions, guide policy, shape strategy; to explore new markets, products and services.

What is strategic foresight?

•Gathering intelligence about possible futures•Taking advantage of all possibilities• Identifying social trends•Looking for tipping points

Background

Objectives:• Identify global trends that may impact future public

library services• Explore alternative futures, tipping points & strategic

responses to trends• Develop & extend the capacity of the sector to think

strategically• Create an adaptable framework that can meaningfully

guide strategic planning in any location

Process

Collaborative 5-stage process involving over 80 Victorian public library managers, staff & stakeholders1. Interviews2. Creating future scenarios workshop3. Transitioning to the future workshop – backcasting4. Impact on public libraries workshop – analysis5. Strategic framework workshop

Creative scenario Community scenario

CreativityThe desire to unlock, express, develop & record creative interests

CollaborationThe willingness to partner, cooperate & share with others

Brain healthThe need for lifelong mental engagement, stimulation & care

Dynamic learningThe need to continually learn new knowledge & skills to participate fully in a rapidly changing environment

Community connectionThe desire for stable & trusted relationships with people & places of common interest

Five key social trends and two future scenarios depicting Victorian lifestyles

Five significant social trends (VPL 2030)

• Creativity• The desire to unlock, express, develop and record creative interests

• Collaboration• The willingness to partner, cooperate and share with others

• Brain health• The need for lifelong mental engagement, stimulation and care

• Dynamic learning• The need to continually learn new knowledge and skills to participate fully in a rapidly changing environment

• Community connection• The desire for stable and trusted relationships with people and places of common interest

VPL 2030: Creative libraries

• a fundamental shift in society’s aspirations as the desire to consume declines and a creative culture emerges in its place.

• a decline in individual and organisational competition, and a rising interest in collaboration, both on a personal and professional basis.

In this scenario more and more people are seeking to explore, develop and express their creativity.

VPL 2030: Community libraries

• economic, social and technological change, as industries and social norms are disrupted

• changing social dynamics lead to the desire to reconnect with the local community.

In this scenario there is a need to continually acquire new knowledge and skills

VPL 2030: Recommendations

• Storytelling• Revenue and fundraising• Products services and programs• Facilities and resources• Staff

Storytelling

To generate internal & external belief & buy-in to a shared vision for the future role of Victorian public libraries

• Developing a PLVN communication plan

• All staff have a role in telling the stories

Revenue and Fundraising

To develop a portfolio of revenue & funding streams that ensure the future prosperity of Victorian public libraries

• Workshop held on sponsorship and partnerships

• PLVN working on this project

Products Services and Programs

To offer a suite of products, services & programs that meets the community’s changing expectations & needs of a public library into the futureRead• Development of a Reading and literacy for all strategic

framework and early years literacy program and adult literacy program

Memory• Capacity building in digital collecting, preservation

and local history• Travelling exhibition and training

Facilities and Resources

To incorporate a mix of flexible spaces that facilitate & support the range of public library products & services into the future

Staff

To develop a flexible & inclusive culture that attracts & retains people with the right skills & attitude to deliver public library products & services into the future

The Lead and Learn Workgroup – 2014-2017

• Roll out of Our Future, Our Skills recommendations

• Develop training and programs that respond to the

skill gaps identified in the report

1. 2008: Workforce Sustainability and Leadership reportStates that libraries need clear and practical strategies for long-term sustainability of the workforce

2. 2012: Victorian Public Libraries 2030 strategic frameworkPresents future scenarios for public libraries

3. 2014: Victorian Public Libraries: Our Future, Our Skills research reportReports on a skills audit of the Victorian public library workforce

4. 2015: Workforce Development Action PlanIdentifies a suite of targeted training and development initiatives focused on high priority skill gaps

Background

The 2030 future

Creative scenario Community scenario

CreativityThe desire to unlock, express, develop & record creative interests

CollaborationThe willingness to partner, cooperate & share with others

Brain healthThe need for lifelong mental engagement, stimulation & care

Dynamic learningThe need to continually learn new knowledge & skills to participate fully in a rapidly changing environment

Community connectionThe desire for stable & trusted relationships with people & places of common interest

But how can we better prepare library staff to adapt and innovate to meet changing community needs?

Focus of Victorian Public Libraries in 2030

The skills audit project – Victorian Public Libraries, Our Future, Our Skills

• A framework of core competencies for the public library workforce

• A skills audit to map current and future skills

• A report which analyses findings and recommends strategies to prepare for the future

The skills audit

The skills audit in the Our Future, Our Skills project collected over 1300 responses from Victorian public library staff and enabled analysis of:

The skillsets that library managers (n=78) believed were going to be important

The perceived levels of confidence expressed by individuals

The comparison between these two gave us a gap analysis for future skills development.

VS

Skills framework

Cognitive skills Foundation skills • Most important now and in 5 years’ time: Literacy, Cultural literacy, Digital literacy, Local awareness

Technical skills Professional skills• Most important now: Information seeking, The role of information and libraries in society, Information services, Lending services, Promoting library collections, services and programs• Most important in 5 years’ time:Community development, Programming for diverse audiences, Technologies

Behavioural skills Behavioural skills• Most important now and in 5 years’ time:Customer engagement, Ethics and values, Empathy, Teamwork, Self-management, Flexibility

Skill gaps

Skillset Managers - Very important % Individuals - Very confident %

Foundation skills    Local awareness 79.5% 17.9%Political literacy 47.4% 20.2%Economic literacy 55.1% 10.9%Health literacy 56.4% 15.9%Environmental literacy 46.2% 13.4%Digital literacy 93.6% 18.9%Cultural literacy 87.2% 45.6%

Professional skills    Community needs analysis 92.3% 16.6%Community engagement 87.2% 18.9%Community relationships 87.2% 17.5%Cultural programming 59.0% 11.1%Creative making 39.7% 4.9%

Behavioural skills    Customer engagement 93.6% 68.0%Building partnerships and alliances 82.1% 9.6%Political and business acumen 73.1% 12.8%

Three key skills1. Digital literacy2. Social media and mobile applications3. ICT support

Core competencies• Critically evaluate dynamic content• Use diverse format types and delivery modes• Produce original content in multiple media formats• Share information in participatory environments• Embrace new technologies• Respect privacy, information ethics, cybersafety and

intellectual property issues.

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Digital Literacy skills gap

RE Ross Trust grant

Funding for the Learn component of the Lead and Learn program includes $150,000 from the RE Ross Trust.

These funds are dedicated to:• address priority gaps identified in Victorian Public

Libraries: Our Future, Our Skills• develop a plan of programs for improving access to

training for public library staff in regional Victoria• develop and deliver an online Digital Literacy training

module for public library staff• deliver professional development seminars. 

Key themes

Lead and Learn workgroup identified four themes around which training activities should be planned for 2014-17:

• Partnerships

• Library programming to strengthen the community

• Collection development

• Digital literacy 

Skills that should underpin all training

We should be mindful to develop these concepts that underpin all training:• Creative thinking• Problem solving• Change management• Learning to learn

Professional Development seminar• Renew, Rethink, Revitalise Mini-conference• Took place in March 2015

 

Theme 1: Partnerships

Face-to-face Training• Targeting Bands 5 and above• 250 staff• Metro and regional locations• June to December 2015

Professional Development seminar• Creating Partnerships for Creative Communities(Took place in November 2014) 

Theme 2: Library Programming to Strengthen the Community

Face-to-face Training • Initial planning 2014/15• Develop in 2015/16• Deliver 2015/16 and 2016/17• Targeting Bands 4 to 7• Face-to-face delivery• Metro and regional locations

Theme 3: Collection development

Conference/summit• Seminar March 2016 (1-2 days)• Targeting management and specialist staff• Strategic thinking about collection development:

o the principles of collection developmento freedom of informationo copyright lawso understanding suppliers

• A central location such as SLV

 

Theme 4: Digital Literacy

Critical issues • Building the confidence of staff• Developing staff capacity to learn.

Online Training• Modules delivered online• Targeting Bands 3 to 6• Approx. 1000 staff• Development 2014/15• Delivery 2015/16 and 2016/17• Tailored content aimed at the Victorian public library

environment

 

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Priorities for our training • Monitored• Principles + practice• Champions• Confidence building• Learning to learn

Next steps• Working Party• Design• Development• Testing• Roll out

Digital Literacy online training

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Contact us for more details:

Robyn Ellard – rellard@slv.vic.gov.au

Jayne Cleave – jcleave@slv.vic.gov.au

Karyn Siegmann – ksiegmann@bayside.vic.gov.au