Public Library Skills Strategy Agenda Item 18 15 September 2016 Public Library Skills Strategy

Background Libraries Deliver commits CILIP and SCL to create a Public Library Skills Strategy Create an approach to the development of the Public Library workforce which will inform the learning and development offer that Local Authorities provide to their councillors and senior officers, library workforce and volunteers. Scope is England – but value in engaging Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland through a wider reference group.

Structure of the project Lead by CILIP and SCL Steering Group Wider reference group Feedback to Libraries Taskforce

Draft strategy structure (To be refined by Steering Group) Current workforce Issues likely to impact on the future workforce What does success look like? Priority 1: Attract the best new talent, from diverse backgrounds, to work in library services Priority 2: Retain talented and well-trained staff in the library sector Priority 3: Develop the knowledge and skills of the public library workforce to ensure their skill set will enable the delivery of modern, relevant library services Key areas identified by Libraries Deliver Delivering outstanding customer service Developing relevant standards, qualifications and training programmes Importance of Change Management Mentoring and transferrable skills Learning and development opportunities for volunteers Priority 4: Promote leadership at every level of the workforce Priority 5: Address the library and information training needs of wider stakeholders How will we measure success?

Outline workplan July Pull together steering group August Research / preparation Agree meeting dates with steering group Communications to wider reference group Tues 27th September Meeting 1: Agree strategy overview / Workforce profile and likely impacts – what do we know? What don’t we know? / Discussion of key themes from the strategy / Success and Measuring success Challenge the profession: P1 and P2* Tues 25th October Meeting 2: Priority 1: Recruitment and Priority 2: Retention Challenge the profession: P3* Tues 22nd November Meeting 3: Priority 3: Developing the Library Workforce Poss involve wider reference group (sectors) for session on transferrable skills Challenge the profession: P4 and P5* Tues 13th December Meeting 4: Priority 4: Leadership and Priority 5: Developing the knowledge and skills of wider stakeholders and Measuring Success Tues 17th January Meeting 5: Discuss and sign off Strategy Launch strategy * Series of blog posts posing a challenge to the profession to solicit ideas/feedback