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

2. 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.

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

4. 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?

5. 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