Susan Carragher – Head of Library Services June 2008 Observations on seaxes, white stilettos and libraries in Essex “You can observe a lot just by watching” – Yogi Berra

2 Governance and Politics My Performance Contract Performance Related Pay Individual and Team Rewards Union Membership Essex County Council Corporate Context

3 passionate - about achieving results leader can do, will do positive ambitious responsive - to customers’ needs get the job done provide quality committed customer focus inspirational - and bold in thinking and solutions enthusiastic welcoming seize opportunities be bold supportive - of others’ input and perspective, working as one be proud working as one value everyone integrity motivating - others and trusting them to deliver trust nurture talent communicate celebrate

4 Library Coverage within Essex

5 73 Community Libraries 12 Mobile Libraries 423 Reading Groups 500 Staff 2,751.9 hours open per week £24.8m Expenditure –44.3% Staffing –12.1% Premises –11.4% Resources book fund etc –22.5% ICT and computing costs –9.7% Transport, Support etc £2.5m Income “I did not have three thousand pairs of shoes. I had one thousand and sixty” – Imelda Marcos

6 “Let your dreams outgrow the shoes of your expectations” – Ryunosuke Satoro Structure and Roles Building Dreams - Statement of Vision for the Built Resources of the Service Making it Happen – Retail Practice RFID – Business Case Libraries as Front Door to Council and other Services Stock Library

7 Library Assistant → Customer Services Assistant Pro-active: floor-walking and book talking, not book- stamping Custodians→ entrepreneurs Training and development to support change Ability to personalise targets and reward staff FISH! “Walk a mile in my shoes is good advice” – Neil Kurshan

8 Building Dreams – Statement of Vision for the Built Resources of the Service Flagship Libraries Large Town Libraries Town Libraries Suburban Libraries Small Town and Village Libraries Chelmsford Library

9 Building Dreams – the Built Resource of our Service Location Regeneration agenda Pilot delivery methods Colchester Library Basildon Library

10 Buildings and Branding Starts from the outside and works in Core branding adapted for each building Harwich Library

11 Saffron Walden - our newest refurbishment

12 Making it Happen – based on best practice from retail sector Witham Library Braintree Library 1.Our Image 2.Our Customers 3.Our Product 4.Our Performance

13 Making it Happen – Floor Walkers Host role… Engage with customers… Offer help, answer enquiries… Maintain Express Zones… Make library visit enjoyable and positive… Witham Library

14 Invest to save model Strategic Drivers RFID -Business Case

15 Implementation began September 2005 – 18 months 36 Libraries Target 50% of transactions self-service Staffing issues / Change Management ICT Issues RFID -Implementation Witham Library

16 Moving from self-service to stock management and book supply chain process. 65% of loans and 85% of returns by self-service Resident satisfaction with service increased from 73% in 2003 to 80% in 2007 Loans increased Self-Service drives Library design RFID -Evaluation

17 The introduction of RFID in isolation, without the accompanying staff development and library build presentation, produces less successful outcomes. The project has demonstrated how partnership working – suppliers, contractors, other councils – can produce excellent results which are not obtainable alone. RFID -Learning Outcomes Chelmsford Library

18 Libraries as Front Door to Services Rationale Working models Future Loughton Library Witham Library

19 Chelmsford Library - 20 th October ,456 people came to meet a Dalek What do the public think?

20 Thank You Questions? Susan Carragher - Head of Library Services Essex County Council Tel: “Is it time to go home yet? I keep clicking these damn shoes, but nothing happens” – Robin Hecht