In 2002 Stockton Council's Library Service gained Beacon status for Libraries as a Community Resource one of only eight library services in the country to achieve the award. The Beacon Council scheme was introduced by the Government in 1999 as a means of achieving cultural change and raising service standards throughout local government by the sharing of best practice from identified centres of excellence.
Councils awarded Beacon status lead the way in delivering high quality public services and show:
- Creativity and innovation in responding to local needs
- A clear vision
- Consultation with stakeholders
- Clear plans for achieving targets
- Effective partnerships
- Successful outcomes
- User/community satisfaction with services
Libraries as a Community Resource
Beacon themes are selected by the Government because of their key role in improving the quality of daily life in our local communities. The theme of Libraries as a Community Resource focuses on the important roles that public libraries play in fostering community development, promoting community identity and developing social inclusion.
"Public libraries are at the heart of the communities they serve, with multiple roles that underpin education, promote social inclusion and support modernisation and the electronic delivery of public services."
Tessa Jowell, Secretay of State for Culture, Media and Sport.
Only eight councils won Beacon status for their library services; all have demonstrated good overall performance and their libraries are welcoming, stimulating and innovative resources responsive to the needs and lifestyles of all areas of the community they serve.
Stockton Borough Libraries - A Beacon service.
Our Beacon Application The Report of the Advisory Panel on Beacon Councils awarded Stockton Borough Libraries a maximum score of 6, meaning Outstanding across all aspects of the assessment.
Summary assessment:
Stockton library service has responded with passion and innovation to the challenge of moving to unitary status. Enthusiasm, creativity, a caring approach and commitment to service delivery are evident in a community-based service that recognises that libraries need to be enjoyable as well as accessible. This enthusiasm is underpinned by a strong performance management culture in a local authority which has responded positively to the challenge of modernisation and continuous improvement; and by a proactive approach to library service development. Stockton library service scores highly on all the relevant criteria and is well worth the award of Beacon status.
Vision & Strategy
Strengths: The library service is fully integrated into the Council's corporate planning framework and delivery of the Community Plan. The Annual Library Plan has a high rating and compliance with the Public Library Standards is seen as a corporate priority.
Consultation
Strengths:
Stockton has a progressive approach to consultation with a Consultation Strategy supported by comprehensive guidance and training and an annual Consultation Plan which is regularly monitored and updated. Within this framework Stockton library service uses a rolling programme of consultation including a wide range of consultation methods. There is good use of community profiling and innovative use of ICT to consult with visually impaired people. Consultation also includes other 'hard to reach' groups such as black and minority ethnic groups, the prison community and children and young people.
Partnerships
Strengths:
Multi agency partnerships are the key drivers of the Community Plan and strong partnerships are in place to support work with children and young people and work related to health improvement, e-government and neighbourhood renewal. There are also good partnerships with neighbouring authorities to support work with black and minority ethnic groups.
Strengths:
The library service has a clear framework of community-based activities focusing on social inclusion, work with children and extending access through ICT; and which is clearly responsive to local needs. The services to visually impaired people and to travellers are particularly noteworthy. The drive for continuous improvement in service delivery is seen in current work to support the local business community, to contribute to the neighbourhood renewal strategy, and to build on the People's Network by contributing to the delivery of the LPSA target for e-enabled services.
Outcomes
Strengths:
There are clear examples where service improvements have led to increased use and positive feedback. This is underpinned by external validation of service improvements and there is a clear commitment to social auditing and independent analysis of impact. The library service has a good track record of mainstreaming successful initiatives.
User & Community Satisfaction
Strengths:
There are high levels of user and community satisfaction. The process of evaluation is built in to initiatives and activities at the planning stage.
Inspection visit
The inspection visit to Stockton confirmed our overall maximum score of 6
Summary assessment:
A well organised and relevant visit. The formal presentation fully addressed the additional theme questions that had been put to the authority. In addition, the responses were set out on paper and are attached here for the convenience of the Panel together with the slides and some 'images'.
The visit was centred on the central library, where both general and theme specific presentations took place. The theme presentation concentrated on the Council'' passion and corporate support for its library service, and its desire to share knowledge with others while learning yet more. The service had a range of strong partnerships and high user satisfaction. From the beginning of the new Unitary authority, the library service had set out to make itself heard within the authority and to share in wider developments. This approach was fully set out (see slides) and anecdotal evidence of user satisfaction put forward.
Many aspects of the application were touched upon during a tour of the Central Library. For example, community use and involvement could be seen in children participating in an early stage of the Stockton Children's Book of the Year and a Read and Banter Group taking place in the café. We also heard about teenage involvement in book selection. Childrens Games Workshops demonstrate both innovation and partnership (with the local games shop).
The Open Technology Centre housed an impressive array of ICT for general use, with accompanying software including Open Learning packages, as well as the special facilities for the blind. These are well documented in the application but were very impressive on the ground. Conversation with two blind users confirmed their high regard for the library service and the role it was playing in improving their lives.
The visit confirmed the application as a very strong candidate for Beacon status. If anything, the service on the ground may be even better than suggested by the application.
