is a shared entrance. A further library, Battle in west Reading, has recently been extended and remodelled to facilitate the community using the building outside of library hours.
But the notion of sharing resources is not just about a shared building. Simon says that there is a real commitment to deliver joined-up services. “We are moving on from the building work, and now we are talking about how we develop services. So there has been a strategic shift in what we are looking at. For the library service, that means talking to others in the council about how we get messages out to people. We are making sure that tenants know about the libraries moving by including information in their newsletters.”
Both of the new hubs are just a few hun- dred metres from the old libraries, but Simon says it was still important to make sure people were aware of the changes.
Not stepping on toes
In practical terms, the libraries moved into existing buildings that had been refurbished to create community hubs. Simon says he and his team were aware of the fact that they were new tenants who would be joining existing services in their home. “We were very sensitive to that,” he says. “But once we got into the partnership it was clear that we could work together to make it success- ful. There was always a political priority to see this work, and once we were in place there was no issue.”
That internal commitment to make things work has meant that the user experience is the best it can be. “People have been very positive about it. There are a lot of people who come in who like the fact that there are other things going on. Many have been quite attached to the old buildings, but the hubs are in better places, they are brighter and
46 INFORMATION PROFESSIONAL New extension.
more appealing so people do have the feeling that this is a community space.” Both of the libraries in the new hubs are showing increased attendance – a clear sign that things are working. Simon is clear that libraries are part of the commu- nity, and that goes beyond being housed in the community hub. It is about working with local community groups, identifying partnerships that benefit Reading and the people who live there, and providing services that are tailored to local needs. One of those partnerships is a scheme with the local FE college, which runs an award-winning project to help students with Special Educational Needs (SEN) to gain real-world work experience. “We have a good relationship with
Reading College. They run a model where they get students with additional needs into businesses for experience. After conversations with the college they agreed that the library could be one of those businesses. We provide the library space and one of our members of staff is joined by students and a college tutor, who is trained as a library assistant.
“There are between two and four students there working and learning, and as they become more confident they join in more with the activities that we are running, like Rhyme Time. It’s a brilliant thing for us, because it actually helps us to keep the library open. And the public are seeing more people who can help them, rather than fewer.”
October-November 2019
Refurbished entrance.
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