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July 28, 2006
The Dumchurch letters July 28
My dear Chrysanthemum
On July 24 I explained that by analysing the rota of each of the branch libraries I had prepared a "Ritoa" (Ready if the opportunity arises) for the cost of opening each one of them for longer and regular hours.
Now I am going to do the same thing for the central library. We have taken each of the main areas of the library : the reference rooms, the local history room, the childrens area, the newspaper room, the computer terminal section and the main lending library.
For each there is a pattern of hourly and daily use so we can see when we need people to be there and how many are needed. I have drawn these needs on a graph as hourly blocks so we can plan the staff presence during the day to match the needs of each room. I am determined that we should try to get the central library open from early morning until at least 10pm each evening, but only with the staff that are needed in each section.
I have also observed that each room tends to overprovide staff coverage "so that the staff are safe and well protected", but I think that will be more effectively done if we have a presence of uniformed security guards who can patrol the whole library and are much more reassuring.
In this way I have now prepared my "Ritoa" for the central library
Posted by Tim Coates at July 28, 2006 9:48 AM
Comments
Hi Tim I've been following your blog for some time now and I think it's great.
As someone who has direct experience of the Library Service and particularly it's budget it is very apparent to me that by following the simple 'instructions' you are posting (particularly the experiences and practices of Grimsdyke) EVERY Library Service in the country can flourish but most importantly with the same budget they have now.
Libraries do have the correct funding in their budgets NOW but they spend it in the wrong areas.
Rotas are historic and back office staff costs are embarrasing and extortionatley high.
The Library Service is fundamentally about offering books and information to users at the front line. Back room costs need to be an absolute minimum, preferably zero and when you have book suppliers who are able to do for free what costs each Library Service hundreds of thousands of pounds the answer is simple - let them do it and move the savings to the front line! - open longer and buy more books. How can any Librarian disagree with that?
I see you offer your advice openly and if I can help I would happily talk to anyone who wanted to discuss their budgets in more detail.
Sorry to rant but it's frustrating when the answer is staring you in the face.
Posted by: Anon at July 28, 2006 9:21 PM