Opening celebrations.
Christmas performance.
Community Hub.
South Reading Library Toddler Group.
An odd mix? Another project, this time funded by Arts Council England, sees the library service working with Reading Rep theatre group. ”They approached us, and I think they realised that we have great reach across Reading – not just in terms of the number of children we see, but also in terms of diversity. We have always been quite open to organisa- tions coming in to our activities if they have got messages they need to get out. That could be health visitors joining our Rhyme Time groups or just being around at the end. “It seems odd initially that we would be working with Reading Rep, because the bid is for them to put on a production. When you look at what else was going on in the library
47 INFORMATION PROFESSIONAL
service that does seem strange, but it works really well. So, they are not just doing this play, but they have come in and taken some of our Rhyme Time sessions, they have put on songs and brought aspects of the show into the library. We are really keen to have these theatrical experiences in the library.” Simon adds that the partnerships have not just been beneficial to users, saying: “It has been good to have positive experiences hap- pening in the libraries. For staff it shows them that we can still deliver things that make a dif- ference. It also helps to show that the library service is a place where things happen.” The next steps for the library service will be reliant on how public funding changes over the next couple of years. The fact that
Rhyme Time.
Reading has kept its network of libraries open – albeit with reduced staff and open- ing hours, means it has kept a foothold in the local communities. That, according to Simon, will make it easier to build up services should funding come available. He said: “My job is to make the case, so that if funding changes, we can show we are ready. We have kept the network because we hope that one day things will pick up, and it means we don’t have to get a library back into a neighbourhood. If and when things do pick up, I want libraries to be at the front of the queue. The more we can tell people about the work we are doing, the partnerships we have and the outcomes we are bringing to Reading the better.” IP
October-November 2019
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