Earlier this year, many people had their say on the future of the Public Library and Archive Service across North East Lincolnshire. Results from this first phase of the review process and proposals for the future of the service are due to enter the democratic process in December.
The current service:
The current statutory Public Library and Public Archive Service is operated by Lincs Inspire Ltd, from five sites across the borough – Grimsby Central Library, Cleethorpes Library, Immingham Library, Waltham Library and Grimsby Town Hall, where the Public Archive is situated. In addition, a range of services are available across the borough, including the home delivery service and online resources. The public library service supports the national public libraries agenda through the delivery of a range of ‘Universal Library Offers’ covering the following categories; reading, information & digital, culture & creativity and health & wellbeing. The Public Archives service provides access to both local and regional records and historic documents dating back to medieval times and charting the history of our area.
What you told us:
Phase One of public consultation and engagement focused on building a better understanding of what our communities see as important to them, how they use these services and what they view as the opportunities for the services in the future.
In recent years, developments in technology, coupled with the Covid pandemic, have led to changes in the way people live their lives, this includes how they use libraries. Library service usage data shows that overall there has been a 43% decline in total library physical visits from 2018-19 to 2023-24 to access traditional library services; and a 67% decline in total number of computer hours used from 2018-19 to 2023-24. Online library service usage, however, has seen a 391% increase in total e-resource lending per year. In addition, attendance at events, activities and access to community support services has also shown an increase.
Responses from the Phase One public consultation and engagement, where 888 people responded, alongside a number of focus groups, shows that access to traditional library services and book borrowing remains a key priority for service users. While in the future, many local people are open to services working closer together (co-location).
A large percentage of library users who responded said they would welcome gallery and exhibition space within libraries, and would also welcome libraries in shopping centres and leisure centres. Respondents said they would like longer weekday and weekend opening hours, better public toilet facilities and more social spaces, reflecting a change in how people are using the libraries overall.
The Phase One responses, coupled with a full needs assessment, have highlighted where future resources should be focussed to help deliver a “comprehensive and efficient” library service, supporting a continued compliance with statutory requirements.
The proposals:
Proposals have now been identified for the Public Library and Archive Service that focus on modernising and rationalising the library network through the potential co-location of services to support the development of a more efficient service and expand on learning from the hub model seen at Immingham, where the current library service is located within the town’s Civic Centre.
Co-located service: Grimsby town centre hub with public library service, public archives, and adult skills & learning offer: In Grimsby town centre, the opportunity to develop a “library and skills hub” alongside the existing library service is being considered to help respond to the skills gap in the borough, offering targeted and generalised training, alongside signposting services to support access to potential future careers. This includes exploring the option of moving the public archives to sit within a town centre library provision, aligning with the library’s local history resources, and developing more flexible spaces for programming of exhibitions, events and activities to support town centre footfall.
A co-located service for Cleethorpes Library and Cleethorpes Leisure Centre: In Cleethorpes, the Leisure Centre, also operated by Lincs Inspire, presents a potential opportunity for redevelopment that enables the co-location of the library service with the benefit of overlap of users across the different services, with a particular focus on young people and families. This was also highlighted and supported in the Cleethorpes Masterplan, adopted in 2022, which considered views from nearly 3,000 respondents.
Redesignation of Waltham Library as a community library: Exploring the potential to develop a community library model in Waltham, combining access to reading materials with other community-based services.
A co-located service remains at Immingham Library: Immingham Library, which already operates as an example of co-location with other services as part of a hub model at the Civic Centre, is proposed to remain with a focus on developing further partnership working from this service location.
Cllr Hayden Dawkins, NELC Portfolio Holder for Culture and Heritage, said: “We want to thank everyone who took part in Phase One of the library and archives consultations. We want you to know that we have considered your responses in detail and this second phase comes on the back of what you told us and our assessment of local need.”
“In Phase Two, however, the council will not be unnecessarily raising expectations by presenting options that are simply not achievable. In order for us to deliver a service that meets your responses from Phase One, we must only look at the viable options that would enable us to do that.
“These proposals look at the public library service branches that fit with the wider Council strategy to develop further, recognising the importance of encouraging footfall in our town centres and the benefits of bringing services together under one roof. The proposals recognise that these buildings will require significant investment to bring them up to a modern-day standard and to develop vibrant spaces to respond to the changing uses taking place within these services.”
A report on the first phase of consultation, which took place from January to March this year, coupled with proposals for Phase Two, will go before the Council’s Economy, Culture and Tourism Scrutiny Panel on December 5, followed by the Cabinet on December 11.
If approved, the proposals will be subject to Phase Two of public consultation and engagement on the Public Library and Archives Service Review. This second phase is currently planned to take place over a 12-week period in early 2025. Further detail will be available at the start of the consultation period.
Phase Two of the public consultation will follow a similar methodology as Phase One with an online survey and face-to-face opportunities to ensure as many people as possible can share their views, and be a part of designing a public library and archive service that best meets their needs within the resources available.
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