Information Scotland The Journal of the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals in Scotland ISSN 1743-5471 Issue contents | Journal contents | About the online edition of the journal February 2005 Volume 3 (1)

Cultural Commission

Libraries as a cultural right

Elaine Fulton looks at the progress of the Cultural Commission and outlines some key points which CILIPS felt it was important to contribute to the consultation.

A consultation on the future of Scotland’s cultural services was first mentioned in a speech by the First Minister on St Andrew’s Day 2003. It took until April 2004, some five months from the Jack McConnell’s speech, for the Scottish Executive to announce the establishment of the Cultural Commission headed by James Boyle, former Chair of the Scottish Arts Council. Details were announced in a Cultural Policy Statement (www.culturalcommission.org). The Commission has been established as an independent body and is consulting widely with national organisations, cultural service providers and users.

The Commission is looking at developing a series of cultural rights and entitlements. The Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC) has had a number of informal meetings with James Boyle and a SLIC event hosted at the CILIPS Conference last June explored a number of library-related issues as a first step in contributing to the work of the Commission. Discussion took place over libraries’ role in reading, information, learning and access and explored potential national initiatives that could improve services.

As a result of the June meeting, SLIC was asked to co-ordinate and facilitate the establishment of one of the Commission’s sectoral thinking groups. The then CILIPS President Moira Methven, Vice President Alistair Johnston, Honorary Treasurer Alastair Campbell and CILIPS Officers represent CILIPS on the Library Thinking Group. (These groups are bound by Chatham House [1] rules.) SLIC is represented by Alan Hasson, Ken McKinlay and Stuart James. Martyn Wade (National Library of Scotland); Helen Hayes (University of Edinburgh); Karen Cunningham (Glasgow City Council); and Christopher Phillips (Highland Council) are also on the group.

The first meeting was held in September and the library thinking group met on 21 September and discussed the wide-ranging views and issues raised, which were forwarded to the Commission. The Cultural Commission’s Interim Report was published at the end of October. It is very positive about libraries and the contribution so far from the sector, identifying six strands: education; access; delivery; creativity; support; and rights. The Commission has now established another set of groups to look at these specific areas. Interestingly, they have placed libraries in access rather than recognising their wider and cross-cutting role. Robert Craig, former Director of SLIC, is a member of the access group.

Both SLIC and CILIPS welcome the Commission’s view of the role that library and information services can play in improving the quality of life in communities and to individuals. However it was clear that both organisations would wish to make a formal response to the Commission. We have not been slow in pointing out that the improvement of library services will require resources both at local and national level. Outlined here are some key points which CILIPS felt it was important to make to the Commission. The full version is available at www.slainte.org.uk/files/pdf/cilips/cultcompr1.pdf.

Multi-faceted organisations

It was key to ephasise to the commission that libraries, all too often viewed as simplistic structures principally concerned with the lending of books, are complex, multi-faceted organisations, which:

• Stimulate and support lifelong learning.
• Provide access to information.
• Help to minimise exclusion be it social, rural or digital.
• Provide access to government and other on-line services.
• Improve information handling skills to ensure that people get the quality information they require.
• Improve and maintain literacy by supporting and encouraging reading for all.
• Encourage community based activity by supporting local history and culture.

Not all of these activities are related to culture. In a library, at any one time, multi-stranded activities take place: school class visits; family history research; use of reference sources by local businesses; internet; reading of newspapers; and more formal learning and skills development happen as well as serendipitous book browsing. Public library services deliver across the corporate agenda and wider policy contexts. Equally, library services in other sectors may have different objectives, for example to support education, but have a role to play in delivering and supporting culture. Library services in all sectors are also well placed to contribute to seamless access to services through the ICT infrastructure and their place in the hearts of the communities - schools, universities, colleges and towns - actively engaging people in their communities.

Library location and accountability

There is a delicate balance between the provision of a safe, neutral public space and co-location in a more formal environment with a different ethos. The quality of the built environment and shared social spaces shapes citizens’ self esteem and individual aspirations. We want to urge the Commission to widen their thinking on co-location with other local authority services. Co-location with formal education, whilst cost-effective as part of capital and revenue programmes, may create barriers for some users. Libraries and other cultural services need to be sited where the public visit; co-location with commercial partners such as supermarkets or transport hubs may be usefully explored. There is a difference between private companies who wish to be benefactors and those who are simply marketing products. The tension for libraries lies in the potential loss of the ‘trusted’ brand and the provision of services which cease to be of acceptable quality and neutrality.

CILIPS believes that local influence is essential to the successful delivery of culture to citizens. "Experience has shown in this country and abroad that the placing of direct control of library services under committees primarily responsibly for other functions has led to the distortion and underdevelopment of library services” [2]. Any governance structure has to ensure local accountability and have a sharp focus on service delivery.

Cultural entitlements

Within the global context much work has been carried out by Unesco, the British Council, and the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) on human rights, cultural diversity, cultural development, freedom of access to information and freedom of expression. We want to stress that it is important that any development of cultural entitlements of the citizens of Scotland is aligned with this thinking. The existing ‘cultural right’ could be viewed as being enshrined in the current library legislation, which places a duty on local authorities to deliver free public library services. However the legislation does not clearly define the term ‘adequate’. Although Cosla has developed two sets of public library standards, these have not resulted in equitable core provision across Scotland. The development of a range of cultural entitlements, would enable a more robust definition of ‘adequate’ for clarity and transparency of service performance. It is CILIPS’ hope that this would lead to more equitable provision across Scotland, which would be strengthened by an underpinning compliance framework.

For 150 years Scottish libraries have served the public in four key areas:

• Information;
• Reading, language and literacy;
• Learning; and
• Access and community service

CILIPS advocates that cultural entitlements are drawn from these four service functions.

CILIPS believes that services should be made available through the public library and its extended network to support citizens regardless of their age, ability, economic or ethnic background.

CILIPS believes that cultural heritage should be reflected in library collections and should be made widely accessible to the general public. Embryonic services are already under development to support this, such as CAIRNS [3], SCONE [4] and the Scottish Cultural Portal [5].

Successful library service provision requires a delicate balance of national service equity against local needs. CILIPS supports SLIC in its development of third generation public library standards which will set a benchmark for library services for all users linking public demand with appropriate provision. This third set of standards, in conjunction with the cultural entitlements, has the potential to improve provision, if mechanisms of compliance and reward for meeting cultural delivery are developed and implemented in tandem. There are a number of areas of provision which might usefully be explored in a collaborative approach, either nationally or regionally.

Supporting the user

The People’s Network initiative ensured that all public library staff are trained in the use of ICT. SLIC is leading in the development of a UK diploma in the application of ICT in the public library context. In addition, many have also received additional training in reader development skills through a Scottish Arts Council lottery-funded project. This complements some internal training within local authorities and contextual training provided by SLIC and CILIPS. Whilst trained staff are a valuable asset, modern technology offers the opportunity to free up staff time to spend in user support. CILIP, the UK body, has revised and is about to implement a new professional qualifications framework. CILIP in Scotland will initiate work to link this to the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework to ensure relevance in the Scottish employment market.

Institutional infrastructure

SLIC is the advisory body for library and information services to the Scottish Executive. CILIPS has worked closely with SLIC over a number of years and believes that, with its cross-sectoral management structure, independence, governance and accountability, it provides appropriate leadership and representation for libraries in Scotland. SLIC is well placed to co-ordinate funding for the sector and has experience in managing funding programmes linked to funding criteria and compliance.

Unique selling point

For over 150 years public libraries have adapted to user requirements and sought to achieve the underpinning principles in the original Act “for the Instruction and Recreation of the People”. In recent years libraries have come full circle with the successful implementation of the technology. This has enabled libraries to play a pivotal role in providing access and encouraging use of digital technologies, information and learning.

The unique selling point of libraries is easy and free access for all to information, learning and cultural material in multiple formats, irrespective of the date of publication. The professional skilled workforce is for many people, the ‘acceptable’ face of local authorities. It is important that this legacy of successful public service provision is gifted to future generations; not as it stands but as a fully evolved service with users being able to access services in different ways.

In coming months it will become clearer how the work of the Commission will impact on us all. Some worry that libraries will suffer as a result of the Commission’s deliberations, because they are something that can easily be dabbled with. Let us work to ensure that whatever the outcome our library services in all sectors can develop and align to the needs of the 21st century.

Elaine Fulton is Director of CILIPS/SLIC.

References
1 The Chatham House Rule reads: “When a meeting, or part thereof, is held under the Chatham House rule, participants are free to use the information received, but neither the identity nor the affiliation of the speaker(s), nor that of any other participant, may be revealed”.
2 Management Structures for the public library service, 1973
3 http://cairns.lib.strath.ac.uk/
4 http://scone.strath.ac.uk
5 www.scotlandsculture.org.uk

Information Scotland Vol. 3 (1) February 2005

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