Consultation about library service developments
Our overall targets for library "outreach" services are to:
• Provide convenient access to library services to all communities not served by a library building
• Ensure that all local people are aware of their entitlements and what the whole library service offers them
Our main method to deliver those services are the mobile libraries. They still run mainly traditional routes and we need to review those and ensure that we develop a new more effective pattern of service
We need to hear what you think, so please cut and paste the questions below, add your suggestions and email the copy to library.services@merthyr.gov.uk as soon as you can
New standards
We will guarantee a presence in each part of the community, probably each week, but we will need consider a mix of weekly and fortnightly stops to ensure that we meet any new standards about walking distances. That would require that we consolidate some stops to reduce wasteful and unnecessary travelling times.
The figures below are illustrative and you need to suggest the formula to help us to create the local target.
Your suggested formulas may not match current resources, but we need to identify what you believe would be fair in our community.
Vans will certainly no longer run linear “bus stop” routes or be dedicated to particular settlements. The two larger vans would be shared and that will help to offer a more diverse stock without physically moving the stock between those vehicles, but that will require a rota between the vans at their stops. The smaller vehicle will do most of the convenience stops because it is small enough to navigate all areas served and is well suited to smaller numbers
We will also consider seasonal variations. For example, a different summer/winter programme to allow extra activities in the summer connected to the summer reading schemes and play schemes balanced with a winter programme that does more promotional visit to groups or even rests the vehicles
Your contribution?
We need to establish an equal opportunity for everyone to use the vans. That starts with how much time should we offer to each settlement based on population.
How many minutes of time do you suggest per what level of population?
For example, 30 minutes per 500 population?
Note: We will soon be offering longer “Community stops, of at least 45 minutes and they will eventually accommodate an Internet service
How many Internet sessions should we offer per what level of population?
For example, 45 minutes per 500 population?
Note: We will target areas that currently do not have local public Internet access
Note: What is the maximum distance anyone should have to walk to a mobile stop in our communities?
Please suggest a maximum walking time to the van
You can express your suggestion in the time it would take to walk to the van in each area
Note: Bearing in mind the variable mix of stops suggested for the settlements and villages to be served, we will run a range of stops, including:
Community stops. Longer and often including an opportunity to use the Internet. These stops will be for a minimum of 45 minutes.
What is your overall maximum time for a "community stop"?
General stops: A minimum of 20 minutes, but this increase should be based on a formula of use.
How many users would trigger an increase in time and how would we best add the time needed to respond to increased demand. For example, five minutes per average user?
Convenience stops: Never longer than 15 minutes and used within the mix to ensure coverage in the wider community. There is a minimum standard for stops, but these could possibly be reduced to suit the regular users in those streets
Note: We need to consider the local "terrain" because if the vans serve parts of the community that can use their local library we take resources away from those who couldn’t walk to it. You could express this in the form of distance or walking time
Allowing for terrain, how close should the van call to areas that are already served by a static library?
Thank you for your attention