Strategic Review of LibrariesTask Force workshop
28 January 2014
Approach - Triangulation
Quantitative(Community
Survey)
Quantitative(Community
Survey)
Qualitative
(Stakeholder interviews)
Qualitative
(Stakeholder interviews)
Desk top researchDesk top research
Options AnalysisOptions Analysis
Recommendations and reporting
Recommendations and reporting
Stakeholder interviews
Interview findings
• Currently a place of books• Well liked by users for what they are; but little
thought as to what they might be• Systems, processes, controls have been
inconsistent; leadership had to improve• Issues to consider: technology, population
growth, partnering e.g. schools• What would draw in more non-users?
Community survey
What the survey tells us• The ‘average’ library visitor:
– Is a female, working full-time, 51 years old– Visits a library once a fortnight (drives there)– Borrowed and returned books– Has no reason to visit more often (no barriers)
• (OR: lives out of the region)
– Was there in the last month, during a weekday afternoon, for 30 minutes
• The ‘average’ user (continued)
• Is satisfied with the service• Happy with the days• But wants different hours (24% want evening hours)
– Is prepared to pay $29 for the services offered• $61 for those willing to pay something• $68 is the recent per capita cost
Performance gaps?• Not fully surveyed, and missing non-user
perspective• Performance versus importance
– very positive results
Significant over performance
Under performance(negligible)
friendly staff book range info opening hours comfort0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
performance gap
importance satisfaction
Desk Top research
• Research and analysis of QLDC existing data, plus nationally available comparison data
• Benchmarking• Research and analysis of environmental trends,
best practices
Kaikoura D
istric
t
Mack
enzie D
istric
t
Central O
tago (A
lexandra
only)
Kawerau D
istric
t
Waim
ate D
istric
t
Wairo
a Dist
rict
Westl
and Dist
rict
Opotiki Dist
rict
Waito
mo Dist
rict
Stratford
Dist
rict
Otoro
hanga Dist
rict
South W
airara
pa
Buller D
istric
t
Hurunui D
istric
t
Ruapehu Dist
rict
Gore D
istric
t
Central H
awkes Bay D
istric
t
Grey D
istric
t
Rangitikei Dist
rict
Tararu
a Dist
rict
Clutha D
istric
t
Hauraki D
istric
t
Kaipara D
istric
t
Waita
ki Dist
rict
South W
aikato D
istric
t
Maste
rton D
istric
t
Thames-Coro
mandel Dist
rict
South Tara
naki Dist
rict
Feilding (M
anawatu D
istric
t)
Queenstown-La
kes Dist
rict
Horowhenua D
istric
t
Ashburto
n Dist
rict
Mata
mata-Piako
Whakata
ne Dist
rict
Taupo Dist
rict
Upper Hutt City
Wanganui D
istric
t
Marlb
orough D
istric
t
Gisborn
e Dist
rict
Weste
rn Bay of P
lenty D
istric
t
Timaru
Dist
rict
Selwyn D
istric
t
Nelson City
Waipa D
istric
t
Tasman D
istric
t
Kapiti Coast Dist
rict
Waim
akariri D
istric
t
Invercarg
ill City
Porirua City
Napier City
Waikato
Dist
rict
Rotoru
a Dist
rict
Hastings D
istric
t
New Plymouth D
istric
t
Whangare
i Dist
rict
Lower H
utt City
Tauranga City
Dunedin City
Hamilton City
Wellin
gton City
Christch
urch City
Auckland Council
Average
0.00
20.00
40.00
60.00
80.00
100.00
120.00
Libraries: expenditure per capita
Reasons – cost drivers
• More branches = higher cost
• Longer hours = multiplier effect (on branches)
• Staffed versus self-service
• Direct holding costs plus turnover related costs
Branches Opening hours
Staff levelsStock levels
Opening hours
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
wel
lingt
onro
llest
onqu
eens
tow
n
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14
65 hours
48 hours
42 hours
Ashburto
n Distric
t
Central O
tago (Alexa
ndra only)
Far North
Distric
t
Gisborne Dist
rict
Grey Dist
rict
Horowhenua Distric
t
Inverca
rgill City
Kaipara Distric
t
Kawerau Distric
t
Masterto
n Distric
t
Opotiki Dist
rict
Porirua City
Rangitikei D
istric
t
Ruapehu Distric
t
South Taranaki Dist
rict
South Waira
rapa
Stratford Dist
rict
Tasman Dist
rict
Thames-Coromandel D
istric
t
Upper Hutt City
Waim
akarir
i Dist
rict
Waipa Dist
rict
Waita
ki Dist
rict
Wanganui D
istric
t
Westl
and Distric
t
Whangarei D
istric
t0
50,000
100,000
150,000
200,000
250,000
Holdings
Stock turn: between 0.2 and 6.4 per annum; avg 3.3
QLDC: 4 (issued three times a year)
Identifying benchmark councils
• Benchmarking • South Taranaki• Selwyn• Taupo• Thames-Coromandel• Southland• Waitaki
Profile of benchmark libraries QLDC
South Taranaki Selwyn Taupo
Thames-Coromandel Southland Waitaki
Population (2013
census) 28,224 26,577 44,595 32,907 26,178 29,613 20,826Land area
(km2) 8,467 3,576 6,420 6,350 2,297 30,401 7,152Total
libraries 7 7 4 3 3 7 4
FTE's 17.9 19 14.43 12.975 7.6 14 9.5
Holdings 107,377 82,911 99,500 91,923 60,350 231,461 87,601Registered
members 14,071 12,226 22,120 28,431 12,774 21,813 14,539Total
operating expenditure $1.9m $2.5m $1.8m $1.9m $1.2m $1.5m $1.0mTotal sundry
income $135,640 $72,723 $75,724 $75,561 $94,189 $38,525 $46,864
Findings
Queensto
wn Lake
s
South Ta
ranak
i
Selw
ynTa
upo
Tham
es-Coro
mandel
Southlan
d
Wait
aki
0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%
100%
49.9% 46.0% 49.6%
86.4%
48.8%
73.7% 69.8%
Members % of population
Queensto
wn Lake
s
South Ta
ranak
i
Selw
ynTa
upo
Tham
es-Coro
mandel
Southlan
d
Wait
aki
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16 14.9
8.2 8.1
11.8
8.5
10.711.8
Issues per capita
• QLDC membership at the lower end of this group
• However it has the highest issues per capita.
Findings
Queens tow
n La ke s
S outh T
a rana ki
S e lwyn
Ta upo
Thames - C
orom
ande l
S outhl a
nd
Wa i t a
ki
$67.
89
$93.
18
$40.
86 $5
7.81
$44.
92
$50.
30
$46.
89
Ope rati ng e xpe nditure pe r capita
Queens tow
n La ke s
S outh T
a rana ki
S e lwyn
Ta upo
Thames - C
orom
ande l
S outhl a
nd
Wa i t a
ki
$4.5
7
$11.
43
$5.0
3
$4.9
1
$5.2
9
$4.7
1
$3.9
8
Ope rati ng e xpe nditure pe r i s s ue
QLDC has the second highest operating expenditure per capita behind South Taranaki – in part reflecting the cost of having many branches. However, QLDC has comparable operating expenditure per issue due to the high number of issues per capita.
Findings – Satisfaction
Overall QLDC residents satisfaction survey is on the low side of this group
Queensto
wn Lake
s
South Ta
ranak
i
Selw
ynTa
upo
Tham
es-Coro
mandel
Southlan
d
Wait
aki
0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%
100%86%
97%86%
68%
94% 92% 95%
Residents overall satisfaction %
Findings - Community Survey
Ratings of what’s most important 90% range 80% range 70% range 60% range Range of books Face to face
assistance Staff helpful &
friendly Books – non-
fiction, reference
Books - fiction
Availability of books that I want
Location accessibility
Comprehensive catalogue that is easy to search
Opening hours Information that
tells where to find things (signage, labels)
Range of reference services, information
Quality of building
Online resources, database, information
Library website
Findings -Stock• Good satisfaction with the range of stock in Wanaka• Stock management – Require good systems, streamline
workflow, review acquisition, cataloguing, processing
• Relationship with CODC is valued - opportunity
Findings – staff
• Lack of leadership and direction in the past
• Staff are positive about the future
Findings - Opening hours
Stakeholder interviews, community survey, and other library practices point towards extended hours
Findings - Buildings
• Satisfactory in terms of current needs• Not well positioned for the future• Require review to address demographic growth,
layout for future developments and identity of each community
Findings –internet, WIFI
• Most benchmark libraries have greater number of public computers
• All benchmark libraries provide free WIFI to all members of the public in some form
• Seen to be a core facility for community and visitors
Findings – Awareness/opportunities
• Opportunities for more promotion and marketing of services
• From Community survey - low awareness (55%) of E books borrowing, access Council information (58%) and access to CODC collection (67%)
Findings -Opportunities
From community survey, % interested new opportunities
• 89% - priority access to new books• 83% - community learning (also supported by
stakeholders interviews)• 75% - research support• 69% - craft activities• 58% - 3 D printing
Findings -Systems and processes
• Need to review the appropriateness of current systems and processes to ensure quality, reliability and timely information is efficiently produced
• Fundamental to enable a stable infrastructure for decision making and for the future
Drawing it together
• Review libraries for future developments and growth• Opportunities to increase usage of libraries• Overall QLDC provides a good service to the
community• A number of operational improvements required -
management is aware and is addressing these
Conclusions
• The current library service is a 20th century model– Books take centre-stage; people are perched
around the fringes– The new digital world is just starting to make
headway• What works for QLDC will be a unique solution
– given its demographic profile– and what level of service it chooses