Media Releases

The Library Association has welcomed Public Library Standards introduced today by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).

“We are delighted that we (at last) have Public Library Standards with statutory backing”, said Bob McKee, Chief Executive of The Library Association, “We have been arguing the need for such official standards since we issued our own Model Statement of Standards for Public Library Services in 1995. We believe that these standards safeguard the basic infrastructure of the public library service in England on which all service development is dependent. We also believe they cover the areas of most concern to the many users of the service.”

The standards cover key areas such as:

• opening hours
• quality of bookstock
• the introduction of Information & Communications Technology
• user satisfaction
• skills and qualifications of staff

The Library Association was approached by DCMS just over a year ago to work with them and others in developing standards for public libraries.  The Association has shown its commitment to the production of the standards by funding half the cost of their development. It continues to work hard in promoting their implementation and further development.

12 February 2001

Notes

1.    The Library Association is the Chartered professional body for Librarians and Information Managers and has 25,000 Members in the UK and worldwide.

2.    The Public Library Standards have been issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.  Copies can be obtained from or viewed on the DCMS website at: www.culture.gov.uk

3.    Separate standards for public libraries are being developed in Wales.  A consultation document was issued by the Welsh Assembly on 28 January.  In Scotland and Northern Ireland the legislation is different.

For further information contact:

Guy Daines, Principal Policy Adviser, The Library Association
Tel: 020 7255 0500    Fax: 020 7255 0501
E-mail: guy.daines@la-hq.org.uk

Louisa Myatt, Library Association Marketing
Tel: 020 7255 0650    Fax: 020 7255 0501
E-mail: louisa.myatt@la-hq.org.uk