'Open+' denying access to U16/18's & Bibliotheca grants for National Libraries Day.

One of the emerging trends in cuts ravaged library land is 'open+' (also called 'staff-less/unstaffed' or the 'Danish model'). 'Open+' has been developed by Bibliotheca

"open+ is a complete solution that works with your existing library infrastructure, providing the ability to automatically maintain and control self-service kiosks, public access computers, lighting, security; in fact most library equipment. Providing the flexibility to open and close the library, without the need for any staff to be on site, open+ allows you to maintain or extend your library opening hours as you choose."

 

http://www.bibliotheca.com/1/images/products/open+/banner1.jpg          

Recently on the Libraries Taskforce blog a 'Strategic Client Manager: Culture and leisure' wrote about the way that the model had been introduced and used in her authority, Peterborough.

"Open+ is free to join and existing library members are invited to opt-in. Customers that are Open+ members are able to borrow books and other library materials, use library computers, and take part in existing activities such as reading groups, knit and natter, story time and rhyme time and set up new groups to meet within the libraries."

What isn't mentioned in any of this is that unaccompanied U16's (and in some instances U18's) can't access this service.

"Please note: Under 16s are unable to register for open+, but they are welcome to come in to the library during open+ hours if accompanied by a parent or guardian."

http://www.vivacity-peterborough.com/libraries-and-archives/open/

"Children and young people under the age of 18 will be able to enter the library during Libraries Extra if accompanied by an adult member of Libraries Extra."

http://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/content/leisure-and-libraries/libraries/libraries-extra

“Extensive use of CCTV helps deter and detect any unacceptable behaviour when staff are not available, and for safeguarding reasons, children under 16 are not allowed to enter an unstaffed library unless accompanied by an adult."

http://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/half-Derby-library-opening-hours-unstaffed/story-28267902-detail/story.html#ixzz3v90CJgZE

Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Communities and City Centre Regeneration  - Councillor Martin Rawson verified this in a twitter exchange I had with him recently;

	Martin Rawson (@MartinRawson)
02/12/2015 22:37 @wylie_alan No the risk assessments haven't been done yet but under 16s will not be admitted.

My favourite blogger, Mrs Angry, has raised her (and Barnet Unison's/Save Barnet Libraries) concerns about the model being piloted in the London Borough of Barnet;

"Children under 16 will not be allowed in these unstaffed libraries, and anyone who might need the help of any member of staff, let alone a professional librarian, will find simply that there is no one there.No professional librarians, no trained staff, no one to offer support, or guide you to the right information, or even to supervise the building."

http://wwwbrokenbarnet.blogspot.co.uk/2015/11/at-risk-or-welcome-to-open-library.html?m=1

The International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) in their 'Guidelines for Children's Libraries Services' highlight the United Nations 'Convention on the Rights of the Child' and specifically in relation to denying access to U16/18's;

"Meeting children’s needs

 

The United Nation’s Convention on The

Rights of the Child stresses the right

of every child to the development of

his or her full potential, the right to free and

open access to information, materials and

programs, under equal conditions for all,

irrespective of:

• age"

The IFLA guidelines also state;

"Space 

Children of all ages should find the library an open, inviting, attractive, challenging and non-threatening place to visit. Ideally, a children’s service needs its own library area, which must be easily recognisable (e.g. special furnishings, decorations and colours) and distinct from other parts of the library. Libraries offer a public space where children can meet each other or can meet others in cyber-space."

Public libraries are supposed to be inclusive spaces not ones that restrict access to a crucially important user group and denies that user group the right to be independent and empowered. This is an incredibly worrying and retrograde development and one that library workers, users, campaigners, unions et al should be resisting and speaking up about.

I've also noted recently with dismay that Bibliotheca are offering grants for National Libraries Day. As well as denying access to U16/18's many councils are using 'open+' (and self-serve technology developed by the same company) to cull library workers so Bibliotheca offering up funds for NLD is a bit like Capita offering Barnet Unison money towards it's strike fund!

A library 'solution' without the staff!

Last night, Mick Fortune, an expert on library technologies especially RFID, reviewed a new product from Bibliotecha, a fully serviced staff-less library. It's called Open + and is described by the company itself as;

“a complete solution which extends library opening hours and improves service to the community” which “can automatically control and monitor building access, self-service kiosks, public access computers, lighting, alarms, public announcements and patron safety.”

Apparently the model has been piloted in Leeds and 60 users signed up for the service in the first 3 weeks of operation, which to me seems an incredibly low figure.

Now there are many who would argue that volunteer-led libraries are basically staff-less and that the whole concept is not a new one with Denmark, Taipei, US and Ireland leading the way but one thing that worries me is that this 'new' model will be used by councils purely as a cost cutting exercise.
You've got to remember that the public library sector especially in England is incredibly fragmented with no real leadership, standards or strategy, with each local authority cutting, closing and divesting until a legal challenge lands on the desk of the borough solicitor.

Mick has pointed out to me that the Danish model didn't result in job losses and says in his review that;

"Bibliotheca make it very clear in all the marketing literature that their intention is NOT to accelerate the demise of the public librarian"

But, and its a big but, this is not how most local authorities will see it.

Mick also goes on to mention 'My Community', another Bibliotecha product, which although is not RFID or library related is being marketed by the company as an add-on for self-serve, it basically allows library users to access other council services, which could be seen as library budgets being used to hasten the downfall of other public services. Basically if you can pay for your council tax through a library kiosk then councils could use this to cut dedicated & trained council tax staff. Lambeth Libraries have recently invested in this product.


Bibliotecha also claim that Open+ will;


"increase community value

Increasing library access and new service delivery to meet the needs
of the whole community. Increase membership, footfall, value and secure
a resilient and relevant service for present and future generations."

 

 

 

now some might say that this is a highly contentious and inflammatory statement, especially in the current climate. Do communities want staff-less libraries? Have they got a choice? Is there a mandate for this? Is a library a library without library staff?

In Ireland recently a union representing library staff, Impact, called on it's members not to cooperate in plans to pilot staffless libraries there so it will be interesting to see what response, if any, there is here to all this.

"So, for the cost of some computer cameras and a card-based door entry system, your library can also get rid of all of its staff apparently. While I am not opposed to a holds-pickup station somewhere in your community, I do think it’s a bit of a stretch to call it a “library.”
http://librarianinblack.net/librarianinblack/2009/12/stafflesslibrary.html


for more on unstaffed or staff-less libraries see:

http://dontprivatiselibraries.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/unstaffed-libraries-contradiction-in.html
http://slq.nu/?article=volume-46-no-3-2013-5



 

Lambeth Libraries and RFID (or is it?)

Recently I tweeted Mick Fortune about what initially appeared to be an official notification of a 'Framework Agreement' relating to Lambeth Libraries, Bibliotheca and the installation of RFID. What had really caught my attention was the mention of 'My Community', a software product developed by Bibliotheca to allow access to other council services through libraries, basically a way of electronically sharing and co-locating services.

Mick very quickly blogged about this and raised three main concerns;

1. Are Councils such as Lambeth using 'Framework Agreements' properly and are the agreements themselves fit for purpose?
2. Are Lambeth, and any other Councils involved in procuring similar services, correctly adhering to the relevant guidelines and is using a 'waiver' anti-competitive?
3. 'My Community' is a propriety software developed to deliver access to other services and not an advanced version of library RFID. So, should councils be using library budgets to install it?

"but the way in which RFID is used to deliver library services has absolutely nothing to do with how “My Community” delivers other services."

Mick has made it very clear that he is not calling into question the legality of this agreement but is only suggesting that it may be stretching the guidelines, he also questions the use of library budgets to fund this type of application and why the 'profession' seems so intent on its own destruction?

"A more cynical person might suggest that using the library budget and an inappropriate library framework agreement to buy services that many believe will eventually bring about the destruction of the library service is the ultimate irony."

My take on all this is briefly summed up in the comment I left on Mick's site;

Alan Wylie

December 18, 2013 at 4:45 pm

My knowledge of the technology mentioned is very limited but i do know from talking to library staff/union members up and down the country that the vast majority of them primarily see self-serve as a way of cutting jobs. Obviously the other way to cut jobs is to create ‘hubs’ which co-locate depts/services with libraries and to either re-train library staff to take on other functions or to buy in software like ‘My Community’, or both. From the hundreds of public library consultations I’ve looked at the majority of users didn’t ask for these ‘innovations’ either, which raises some very serious professional and ethical issues.
Bibliotecha are even suggesting that councils, such as Lincolnshire CC, adopt staff-less libraries with swipe card lobbies containing only self-serve kiosks!!!
As you yourself allude to Mick the ‘profession’ seems to have a death wish.

It's also worth reading the other comments posted on his site, some of which raise similar concerns to those initially flagged up by Mick himself.

 

 

GLL, Bibliotheca and Lincolnshire Libraries.

A little birdie tipped me the wink a few weeks ago that GLL, the 'worker-led' Social Enterprise that runs Greenwich and Wandsworth Libraries, might be interested in expanding into Lincolnshire?
And lo and behold a story appears saying that a "A private branch of Greenwhich Borough Council has offered to take over running the library service in Lincolnshire", this can only mean GLL.
The story also says that Bibliotheca Technical Library Services have shown an interest too, if this is true then it's a relatively new name to add to the usual list of interested parties. Bibliotheca is a major player in the field of library self-service technology and the article states;

"Biblioteca’s proposals could see some libraries become fully automated, with users given a keycard to access the building 24/7 and machines to check books in and out. This would cut costs by reducing staff."

All we really know at the moment is that Lincolnshire CC is proposing to withdraw funding from the majority of their libraries and are considering options ranging from volunteer-led 'book exchanges', cutting opening hours and staff, to divesting the service. Opposition to these proposals has been fierce, Save Lincolnshire Libraries has led the campaign and held a very well attended march and have had an incredible 23,000 people sign their petition, a national record if I'm not mistaken? They have also raised concerns about the public consultation stating;

"One of the big questions the campaigners now have is how the council’s consultation activities (covering a questionnaire and several events) only managed to engage 8,000 people, despite their massive budget of at least £50,000, with final costs not yet published.
Campaigners have felt for a long time that the council consultation made it very hard for people to express their views, and now the clear difference between the ability of the campaign group and the council to engage the public raises worrying questions about how fit for purpose this consultation really was."

Oh and in case you're doubting GLL's interest in all this, may I just draw your attention to the following message of 'support' left on Save Lincolnshire Libraries website;

Diana edmond

June 25, 2013 at 8:46 pm

Happy to help if I can

Diana Edmonds (maybe she left of the 's' as a disguise?) just happens to be the Head of Libraries for GLL, touching isn't it?

For more on GLL see;
http://dontprivatiselibraries.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/GLL