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