dun

ca

nmc

kea

no

cto

be

r 200

8IN

DIV

IDU

AL

PRO

JEC

Tre

sea

rch

brie

f “Overdue: The 21st Century Library”

“Public libraries offer the only public space that is free, safe, warm and stimulating… to find things out, to dream, to be someone else for a while or simply to stare into space or fall asleep.”

(Riel, Public Library Journal, 2008)

Over the last 10 years, book borrowing has fallen by 34% and 40 libraries were closed throughout 2007 . In contrast, the number of annual library visits has remained at a constant 288m over the last three years , 30% of self-learners contact libraries for guidance and 87% of respondents to a public consultation felt that a library closure would affect them greatly.

Have we lost sight of everything Riel claims a library can be? What are the modern public perceptions of a library? What, if any, is the role of a library within the community in the 21st century?

This research will be particularly interested in finding out what will make the modern public library be ‘the living room of the city’ and the ‘club for everyone’ well into this century.

12

3

5

4

1. (Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountability, 2008)2. (The Independent, 2008)3. (The Independent, 2008)4. (National Adult Learning Survey, 2005)5. (Buckinghamshire City Council Government report, 2006)

dun

ca

nmc

kea

no

cto

be

r 200

8IN

DIV

IDU

AL

PRO

JEC

Tre

sea

rch

brie

fd

unc

anm

cke

an

oc

tob

er 2

008

IND

IVID

UA

L PR

OJE

CT

rese

arc

h b

rief

dun

ca

nmc

kea

no

cto

be

r 200

8IN

DIV

IDU

AL

PRO

JEC

Tre

sea

rch

brie

fd

unc

anm

cke

an

oc

tob

er 2

008

IND

IVID

UA

L PR

OJE

CT

rese

arc

h b

rief

dun

ca

nmc

kea

no

cto

be

r 200

8IN

DIV

IDU

AL

PRO

JEC

Tre

sea

rch

brie

f Primary Research

People to make initial contact with

Joe Couzens, librarian at St. Paul’s libraryBarbara Vine’s husband, Stuart Taylor, who works as a ‘supply librarian’Andy Gray’s mother worked as a librarian for 20 yearsUWE faculty librarianWill contact Bristol City Council councillor as well as a librarian at the central branch.

Each person will be interviewed with qualitative and quantitative measures to gain insights.

Direct Observation

Video footage: What is the Consumer Experience?What do libraries represent on an emotional level?Spotting blatant and latent needs through thoughtless acts and unconscious gestures

Emotional Interviews

Focus groups: the public and their library experience, why and how they use it.Focus groups: librarians and their thoughts about libraries.

dun

ca

nmc

kea

no

cto

be

r 200

8IN

DIV

IDU

AL

PRO

JEC

Tre

sea

rch

brie

f Secondary Research

Quantitative Data such as statistics, surveys and facts:

Office National Statistics.

CILIP (The Chartered Institute of Library and Informational Professionals).

REPORT: Grindlay, DJC., Morris, A. (2004) The decline in adult book lending in UK public libraries and its possible causes, II statistical analysis, Department of Information Science, Loughborough University.

Qualitative Data including articles, reports and journals:

Public Library Journal, available from the UWE library from Autumn 2008 back to Spring 1986.

REPORT: Grindlay, DJC., Morris, A. (2004) The decline in adult book lending in UK public libraries and its possible causes. I literature review, Department of Information Science, Loughborough University.

ARTICLE: Goulding, A. (2006) Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, Public Libraries in England: A valuable public service or a service in distress?

ARTICLE: Page, B. (2008) There’s more to libraries than lending, The Bookseller 2/8/08 issue 5318 p30-31.

REPORT: MORI, (2002) Perceptions of Libraries, for the Audit Commission.

ARTICLE: Savage, M. (2008) The Big Question: Does the decline in book lending spell the end for the public library, The Independent, 16/01/08.

REPORT: Audit Commission. (2002) Building Better Library Services.

REPORT: Leadbetter, C. (2003) How to create a modern public library system, on behalf of DEMOS.

There are a lot of newspaper opinion around libraries and education all of which can be found through Lexis Nexis, Mintel and the local library.

dun

ca

nmc

kea

no

cto

be

r 200

8IN

DIV

IDU

AL

PRO

JEC

Tre

sea

rch

brie

f

Individual Project

Concept Recording 2.25 months

Design Brief POTENTIAL hand-in

Research Brief: Hand In

Research Phase I

Explore BCC library services ONLINE 2 days ?

Get RESEARCH KIT 1d?

Primary

Organise a contact within BCC library Services 1d?

Organise initial contact with Barbara V's husband 1d?

Organise Initial Contact with faculty Librarian 1d?

Personal Library Experience 1d

Secondary

Deconstruct sample research briefs 1d?

Explore eResources vial ATHENS 3 days ?

Explore UWE library services ONLINE 1 week ?

Read all available Public Library Journals on UWE shelves 3 days

Read all the Audit Commission reports 2.2 weeks ?

Set up and start documenting WAR ROOM 1d?

Research Phase II

Primary II

Define Simple Questionaire for library Users 1d?

Interview Barbara V's Husband 1d?

Interview Librarian 1d?

Secondary II

Ask Nikki to help w/ Emotional and Qualitative Questionairin… 1d?

Research Phase III (future)

Primary III 1 week ?

Primary IV 1 week ?

Primary V 1 week ?

Secondary III 4 days ?

Secondary IV 1 week ?

Secondary V 1 week ?

Write Design Brief 1.4 weeks ?

27 28 29 30 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

WK 39, S WK 40, October 2008 WK 41, October 2008 WK 42, October 2008 WK 43, October 2008 WK 44, October 2008 WK 45, November 2008 WK 46, November 2008 WK 47, November 2008 WK 48, November 2008 WK 49, December 2008 WK 50, December 2008 WK 51, December 2008

0 Individual Project 4%

33 Concept Recording 0%

1 Design Brief POTENTIAL hand-in 0%

25 Research Brief: Hand In 0%

10 Research Phase I 23%

17 Explore BCC library services ONLINE 50%

24 Get RESEARCH KIT 0%

18 Primary 0%

22 Organise a contact within BCC library … 0%

21 Organise initial contact with Barbara V… 0%

20 Organise Initial Contact with faculty Li… 0%

19 Personal Library Experience 0%

11 Secondary 21%

14 Deconstruct sample research briefs 0%

16 Explore eResources vial ATHENS 10%

13 Explore UWE library services ONLINE 100%

12 Read all available Public Library Journa… 10%

15 Read all the Audit Commission reports 30%

23 Set up and start documenting WAR ROOM 100%

26 Research Phase II 0%

29 Primary II 0%

30 Define Simple Questionaire for library … 0%

32 Interview Barbara V's Husband 0%

31 Interview Librarian 0%

27 Secondary II 0%

28 Ask Nikki to help w/ Emotional and Q… 0%

2 Research Phase III (future) 0%

3 Primary III 0%

5 Primary IV 0%

7 Primary V 0%

4 Secondary III 0%

6 Secondary IV 0%

8 Secondary V 0%

9 Write Design Brief 0%

% Compl

ete

Title#