Corporate slide master With guidelines for corporate presentations Applying SROI in the evaluation of Libraries for Life CyMAL: Amgueddfeydd Archifau a Llyfrgelloedd Cymru CyMAL: Museums Archives and Libraries Wales Dr Alyson Tyler Libraries Development Adviser CyMAL, Welsh Alison Kennedy ASK Consulting

Outline of talk Wales context Libraries for Life strategy and evaluation Social Return on Investment Issues to consider Questions Grandad Bibli – part of marketing campaign

Wales context 3 million people, 20% speak Welsh 1 National Library of Wales 22 local authority library services c. 12 HE libraries (mergers ongoing) c. 23 FE libraries (mergers ongoing) 50+ health libraries 5 Prison libraries School libraries Workplace libraries Image from CC Flickr - giveawayboy

What is CyMAL? Policy division of Welsh Government (Cymru Museums Archives and Libraries) Cross-domain approach Policy development, grant programmes, advice and support Library strategies: your library – Libraries for Life Government building in Aberystwyth

Libraries for life Funding £10.5 m – £1m + £1.5m capital – £1m + £3m capital – £1m + £3m capital Work strands –Community Learning Libraries Programme –Online content and resources –Regional Library Partnerships framework –National marketing strategy –Developing workforce skills –Welsh Public Libraries Standards Framework Three

Evaluation framework Independent research company Scotinform, with Associates 16 month evaluation process – interim reports Qualitative research: –Literature review – country comparator –Interviews with CyMAL staff –Interviews with strand leaders and key stakeholders –Survey of heads of library services –Staff: survey (online), focus groups (online and face to face) –Users: survey (online and paper), focus groups (online and face to face) –Non-users: interviews (face to face) and focus groups (online and face to face) SROI analysis on two programme strands

What is SROI? Framework for measuring and accounting for value Developed by Cabinet Office of the Third Sector It measures relevant change Value rather than money

2 work strands assessed Workforce Development CLLIP – 2 case study libraries Pontarddulais (near Swansea, south Wales) Wrexham (north Wales) SROI - Process

1.Establishing scope and identifying key stakeholders 2.Mapping outcomes 3.Evidencing outcomes and giving them a value 4.Establishing impact 5.Calculating the SROI 6.Reporting, using and embedding SROI – 6 Stage Process

SROI – Information Gathering Focus groups held with library staff and users SROI relevant questions included in evaluation surveys CyMAL reports and management information analyzed

Outcomes Identified Outcomes Workforce Development: £3.12* of SROI Pontarddulais: £3.42* of SROI Wrexham: £2.16* of SROI “SROI is not just a number but a story about change which includes narrative, qualitative, quantitative and financial aspects” * = unverified

Findings from the SROI Process Staff and users benefited; increased usage and users and improved staff working environments Staff benefitted from increased levels of skills and confidence and higher earning potential Provided valuable insight into wider impacts and benefits of the investment in the library sector in Wales

SROI and Measuring Impact of Libraries for Life Challenging process Many stakeholders and indicators identified Not always possible to find a financial proxy to show the benefit (materiality) Consulting with large number of stakeholders biggest challenge Not an appropriate measurement tool for a programme of this size Tool would be more appropriate for smaller, discreet projects

Other findings and conclusions “… excellent value for money…” Wide reach impact of an holistic approach to investment in libraries Value of partnerships across the library sector Intrinsic ‘value’ of libraries, even from non-users

Future issues Data gathering framework vital SROI suitability for large programmes? Other economic impact tools e.g. joint ROI project Other options for measuring performance in libraries (cf our Public Library Standards)

Contact details Alyson Evaluation report available here Alison Kennedy Scotinform