Library review
The Hampshire County Council Culture and Communities Select Committee has initiated a review of the Library and Information Service. The review is being undertaken by the Library Review Panel, a working group comprising members of the committee.
The purpose of the review is to evaluate progress of the Hampshire Library and Information Service against a background of, typically, national decline in the use of libraries and borrowing.
The Library Review has now been completed. The Review Panel has produced a report of its findings and recommendations which was agreed by the Culture & Communities Select Committee on 24 January 2008.
The final report is available to download here:
Library Review Report (this is a 714kb PDF file)
The report was presented to the Executive Member for Recreation & Heritage and an initial response provided at the Decision Day held on 11 March 2008. Please see the link below for the agenda papers for this meeting:
Executive Member Recreation and Heritage Decision Day 11 March 2008
The Culture & Communities Select Committee has indicated its intention to monitor progress against the recommendations made.
Select committee' sessions for witnesses to provide evidence and answer questions posed by the Library Review Panel took place on the following dates:
8 June 2007 (Chute Room, Elizabeth II Court, AM)
19 June 2007 (Chute Room, Elizabeth II Court, PM)
6 July 2007 (Chute Room, Elizabeth II Court, AM)
17 July 2007 (The Former Grand Jury Room, Castle Avenue, PM)
Agenda Papers for these meetings can be found in the Key Documents section of this site.
Website addresses may be provided on this webpage for sites from which relevant documents can be viewed or downloaded.
Tell us what you think
If you have experience of using the Library Service and/or thoughts about what might encourage you and others to use it more often, the County Council would be pleased to consider your comments in the Committee's discussions and consideration of evidence. Please contact the Chairman:
By writing to: The Chairman
Library Review Panel
Hampshire County Council
The Castle
Winchester
Hampshire SO23 8UJ
Or click on this link to send your comments on an Online form. The online form contains 15 questions that the committee would find helpful if you answer, however you are also welcome to answer any you choose, or go straight to the last question and give the comments that are of most concern to you.
Key documents produced during the course of the review, and written evidence submitted by witnesses are provided below.
May 2007-Draft Library Review Project Timeline 
15kb
May 2007-Terms of reference 
33kb
May 2007- Overview of Issues 113kb
May 2007- Questions set for Overview of Issues 48kb
May 2007 - Agenda and documents for Library Review Select Committee
June 2007 - gosport_discovery_centre_post5.pdf 
4mb
June 2007 - gosport_discovery_centre_2.pdf 240kb
June 2007 - Agenda and documents for Library Review Select Committee on 19 June 646kb
July 2007 - Agenda and documents for Library Review Select Committee on 6th July 2mb
July 2007 - Agenda and documents for Library Review Select Committee on 17th July 2007 538kb
January 2008 - Additional written evidence associated with 6 July witness session
Library Review Panel
The panel will seek evidence to:
Assess progress of the service in meeting the challenges
Gain current perspectives of national professional organisations
Discover how other library authorities are meeting challenges and/or reversing trends
Assess progress with the 'Discovery Centre' approach
Inform future thinking