IN DEPTH
Come rain or shine – a practical guide to planning for an unknown future
The future is unknown, but that doesn’t mean we can’t prepare for it. There are signs to look out for. Direction of travel can help us to see where we are going and looking back can help us see what might be ahead. A new trend report from CILIP, Come rain or shine, has been produced to help navigate a safe path to the future, and here Rob Green looks at how it can help you plot a course.
IT is fair to say that public services have taken a beating over the last decade or more – reduced finances, a global epidemic and changing priorities have all played a part in shaping how and what services are delivered. Public libraries have not been immune to these pressures, but have had at least some protection thanks to their statu- tory status.
Despite this protection, the public library network has still seen job losses, service reductions and closures. But it has not all been doom and gloom – the pandemic was a reminder of how important library spaces are for local communities, likewise warm spaces initiatives have provided comfort (physical and mental) to those struggling to manage personal finances in a cost-of-living crisis.
And there are countless other ways that public libraries have shown their adapt- ability, agility and ingenuity in creating new services that meet the needs of local communities. Often these services are deliv- ered on a shoestring budget, often they are delivered in collaboration with others – but the thing that marks them out is that they deliver real value and make a difference to people’s lives.
Insight
CILIP’s new report recognises the value that libraries already add to society, but also
32 INFORMATION PROFESSIONAL
Rob Green (
rob.green@
cilip.org.uk) is Editor of Information Professional
looks to the future. Come rain or shine: Preparing public libraries for the future in an age of uncertainty offers insights into how libraries can embrace change and continue to be integral agents in shaping and improving society.
It follows hot on the heels of the Sander- son Report, an independent review of libraries in England commissioned by the Government (see p. 20). Come rain or shine comes with a toolkit to help libraries plan for their futures. The report aims to ensure library services are proactive and able to create a future where they are at the heart of their communities. And neatly tying up the link between Baroness Sanderson’s report she has provided the foreword to Come rain or shine. In it she recognises that libraries have not had a fixed role in society, but
January-February 2024
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