IN DEPTH
UK Public Library Services: Lockdown and looking ahead
Carnegie UK Trust’s latest research, Making a difference, looks at how public library services continued working through the spring/ summer lockdown. Senior Policy Development Officer Dr Jenny Peachey highlights some of the innovative ways they engaged with the public, despite the widespread restrictions in place.
OUR new research reveals that three in 10 adults (an estimated 15 million peo- ple) engaged with public library services across the UK during the first lockdown. Of this number, 64 per cent said this engagement had a positive impact on their wellbeing; 63 per cent said it helped them feel more connected to their com- munity; and 60 per cent said it helped them feel less alone.
These figures, derived from a public poll of 2,196 adults across the UK, speak volumes about how public library staff worked hard to deliver services in extremely restricted circumstances and the role services and staff can play in supporting individuals and communities navigating the impact of Covid-19. But what did library services offer, what exactly did staff do and what barriers did they face – and perhaps most important of all, what next for services?
Library Offers: digital, physical and buildings-based services
During lockdown, the majority of library staff across the UK worked hard to increase the availability of e-resources, convert activities into digital formats, reach out through wellbeing phone calls, support people over the phone with questions about tech, expand home delivery services to reach more people (such as those who were shielding) and provide more forms of sup- port (such as activity packs for children). Some interesting examples of library offers developed in lockdown include:
22 INFORMATION PROFESSIONAL DIGITAL
Dr Jenny Peachey (
jenny.peachey@
carnegieuk.org, @jenny_peachey), is Senior Policy and Development Officer at Carnegie UK Trust (
www.carnegieuktrust.org.uk).
l Make Fest: Halton Library Service Staff extended their existing partnership with Mako Create, a local digital media educa- tion company, to provide educational digital making activities and a Make Fest during lockdown. The focus of the activities was computer game design. The Festival was co-anchored, so the children’s librarian was the face of the library service and Mako Create provided the specialist expertise in regard to digital making skills. 7,000 people engaged with Make Fest.
l Welfare calls: Kirklees Library Service Staff conducted over 8,000 welfare calls during lockdown. The idea for welfare calls came from two front line staff and calls were made with repurposed equipment, with no new equipment being purchased. Staff used information from the library database to register 16-17,000 people over 70 and set up a system for calling them.
December 2020
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