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August 14, 2006
MLA- DCMS - Price Waterhouse Cooper report
Here is the reference to this morning's press release and report. As when examining the quality of stock in a library, it is important to think what you are hoping to see before you start looking
In this case we are looking for the outcome of two years study into the efficiency of the op;eration by its managers our public library service- paid for and conducted on behalf of the public
Posted by Perkins at August 14, 2006 9:49 AM
Comments
"Local libraries will remain responsible for ensuring their customers get the best books and services"
This is mentioned in the report as well but as far as I can see it actually removes any responsibility for managing stock other than weeding off tired and damaged books.
Supplier selection frees up librarains for other work but at least we still have some input into the whole process and we are still responsable for ordering replacement books and managing existing stock.
I suspect that some authorities would use this model as an excuse get rid of librarians altogether which I think would not benefit public libraries as a whole.
Posted by: Miriam Palfrey at August 14, 2006 12:07 PM
Nice work for Pc W if you can get it! Don't they sum it up when they decline to accept responsibility for the adequacy, completeness or accuracy of the model or the assumptions upon which it's based? But perhaps that's pleasures of consultancy - all the fun and none of the responsibility?
Shouldn't there be a comparative intermediate model where libaries sort out their support costs, streamline to NAG etc etc and my friends at Askews carry on doing what they do very well? That way you avoid the risks of all the grandiose IT built into the proposals. But perhaps that's Tim!
In any event £22m shared amongst 149 authorities - about £150k each but not before 2008 if we're lucky. The real question is what sort of a library service will be left when for example Dorset will already have taken £847k away from their £6 million - ish - budget?
Typical MLA - great scheme perhaps, shame it doesn't address the real problem!
Phil
Posted by: Philip Kerridge at August 14, 2006 11:00 PM