1. SLS Partnerships and new ways of working
ASCEL Conference
6th November 2010
Paul Cunningham
Suffolk SLS
and
Jeremy Saunders
Berkshire ELS

2. Overview Context Case Studies An SLS for Oxfordshire
SLSs working together to support Cambridgeshire schools
Peer Review – pilot project
Future possibilities

3. School Libraries: a Plan for Improvement
“Schools library services could be a cost effective way of ensuring that all schools, but particularly primary schools, have access to the expertise and resources they may not have on site or may not be able to afford in the future. However…”

4. business model focused on buy back because of delegation;
do not have the time to step back and develop new models of delivery;
cuts and/or closures suggest that new delivery and business models needed which have a clear strategic direction and identity
need to be positioned to deliver improved outcomes around reading, literacy and information in a cost effective and efficient way.”

5. Recommendations … local authorities:
Recognise [SLS] as a cost effective way of providing expertise and skills around reading and information literacy to schools;
Use them as local agencies of school improvement with a particular focus on improving literacy standards;
Encourage them to forge strong partnerships;
Support the service in looking at new business models which could enable them to diversify their services; provide better value for money and survive and thrive.

6. An SLS for Oxfordshire

7. Oxfordshire SLS Partnership
Brokered by Oxfordshire Libraries and Peters Booksellers
Involves all SLSs bordering Oxfordshire
Seen as possible model for provision in other authorities where no SLS

8. Benefits Oxfordshire Libraries Increasing demand from schools
Impact on stock
Oxfordshire Schools
Access to resources and advice
‘purchase scheme’

9. Benefits (cont) Peters Income from sales to (1) schools, (2) SLS
For SLS
Joint working/sharing knowledge, experience
Potential additional income

10. ‘Specification’ Core service + common price for all
Single point of contact for each school

11. Learning points
Differences in service offers make it difficult to agree common service
Very time consuming – started 4th Feb.

13. SLSs working together in the Eastern Region to support Cambridgeshire schools

14. Context Cambridgeshire SLS closed suddenly in March 2010
Some awareness of the work going on to support Oxfordshire
Peters as the common link
Contact from Cambridgeshire secondary schools
Informal conversations with Ray Dyer at Peters about their potential involvement.
Co-ordinator of existing group of Cambs high school librarians contacted neighbouring SLSs to ask if services were available.
Good collegiate relationships across the region, little or no cross-border trading or poaching.

15. Towards a common offer
Initial meeting June 2010 – to understand each other’s service and agree some principles
Five authorities involved
Further meetings July and November
Aim to offer service from April 2011, with information to reach schools in Spring Term (separate packages for primary and secondary)
Shared information at the initial meeting. Then produced a spreadsheet to collect information more coherently, including pricing.
Agreed that we: wouldn’t upset any existing arrangements with Cambs schools; would as far as possible have a common offer, with common pricing; would divide support geographically, so Cambs schools were directed to their nearest SLS.
Also attended a meeting of Cambs high school librarians Oct10.

16. Issues in working together
Agreeing a common offer when services vary
Getting information about what schools need
Communicating with schools
Capacity to deliver
Joint offer or joint service?
How common is common – must all services be able to offer everything?
Involvement of LA – in providing information, a channel for communication to schools
Can we go beyond giving access to our own services to offering a joint service in some cases? Perhaps by running joint training courses for Cambridgeshire schools? Or could we have a lead authority for different areas of the offer – e.g. to high schools, or in curriculum support?

17. Peer Review Pilot (Dorset, Plymouth & Berkshire)

18. Genesis SW ASCEL Benchmarking group
MLA Public Library Peer Review project
ASCEL Conference Session (2005?)
Development work (2006)
Proposal to MLA SE & SW for pilot project turned down
‘Mothballed’

19. Common Themes Sustainability Overheads/corporate charges
Departmental cost apportionment
Joint working/ partnership

20. Emergent models Informal joint working between SLS
School support/advisory services (Devon model)
Joint SLS/museums/arts (Calderdale)
SLS federations
national, regional, sub-regional
Formal partnerships (Berkshire)

21. Discussion: how can SLSs work together in future?
Is joint working an income-generating lifesaver or a costly diversion?
Could we maintain some specialist services (such as IT) by sharing joint posts across authorities?
More radically, is there a willingness to look at joint provision, or a joint management with local service delivery?