Content

10.1

The Head of Libraries, Archives and Information
Services introduced the report which sought the
Committee’s approval for proposals to support libraries in
the city for the period 1st April 2024 to 31st March
2026.
 
The
report sought approval to:
 

·      
Establish a fund of £135,700 in 2024/2025,
from which grant awards will be distributed to Associate Libraries
and do the same again in 2025/2026; and

·      
Provide a package of support for both Associate and
Co-delivered libraries as set out in this report on the basis that
Together, the grant and support package will be £209,000 for
each of the two years

10.2

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That the Communities, Parks
and Leisure Policy Committee:-
 

1.    
Approves the council distributing a grant fund of
£135,700 per year to Associate Libraries to assist with their
continued sustainability for the period 1st April 2024 until 31st
March 2026, subject to relevant agreements and criteria being
satisfied.

2.    
Approves support for Associate and Co-delivered
libraries from the Libraries, Archives and Information Service and
other Council services continuing until 31 March 2026, as set out
in this report.

10.3

Reasons for Decision

10.3.1

·      
The current arrangements for Associate and
Co-delivered libraries expires on 31st March
2024.

·      
 Continued support will
increase the likelihood of all volunteer
run libraries remaining open and vibrant for the period 01 April
2024 to 31 March 2026.

·      
 Continued support for
Associate libraries will give added confidence to trustees and
volunteers, at a point they are taking on longer-term and new lease
responsibilities.

·      
Supporting the volunteer run libraries to remain on
the Library Management System means that all Sheffield library
members can access any library in Sheffield using a single,
city-wide library card.

·      
Continued support will provide a period of financial
stability and growth that will attract more volunteers and trustees
and give them additional time to build capacity and develop
external funding opportunities.

·      
The proposal will ensure the standards and controls
relating to the operation of the Council’s Library Management
System by volunteer libraries are maintained.

10.4

Alternatives Considered and
Rejected

10.4.1

Option
2 – Removal of all grant and funded support This option
provides no funding for the Associate libraries and removes all
support packages beyond which can be provided at no cost to the
Council. Strength of this option.

10.4.2

Strength of this
option:

·      
This option would save £209k per
year.

10.4.3

Weaknesses of this
options:
 

·      
Consultation with the volunteer run libraries shows
a slip in their financial sustainability due to the Pandemic, and
therefore sole reliance on fundraising and reserves is unlikely to
be a sustainable option.

·      
A high probability that a number
of libraries would close.

·      
Volunteer-run libraries may lose volunteers and
struggle to recruit more due to a loss of stability and confidence
of Council support.

·      
Any library closures would have a negative impact on
the health, wellbeing, and prosperity of the communities where
libraries closed

10.4.4

Option 3 –
Maintenance of grant, but removal of other funded support
In this option the Associate libraries
would still receive a grant, but the support package would be
reduced or cut altogether. This means they would not have access to
any Council library book stock and resources, the Library
Management System/I.T, and the
Peoples’ Network (computer access) or any Council staff
support.

10.4.5

Strengths of this
options:
 

·      
This option would save the Council £62k per
year.

·       
The financial sustainability of the volunteer
libraries would be maintained

10.4.6

Weaknesses of this
option:
 

·      
The quality of the service would significantly
reduce as they would not have access to the city-wide book stock
and resources and would need to buy significant amounts of new
books to retain a viable library service.

·      
This option would impact on all communities in
Sheffield as currently books can be collected and returned to any
of the 28 libraries in Sheffield which would no longer be possible
as Associate Libraries would no longer have access to the city-wide
catalogue.

·       
Without guidance and support from Council staff, the
quality of the library offer is likely to reduce – i.e.
reduced access to training, governance support, ensuring compliance
with data protection, equalities.

10.4.7

Option 4 – 10%
reduction in grant and support This option would be to continue
with the grant and the support package, but with a ten percent
reduction on the grant.

10.4.8

Strengths of this
option:
 

·      
This option would save the Council £13,570 per
year

10.4.9

Weaknesses of this
option:
 

·      
A ten percent reduction in grant, plus the weak
financial position of the libraries due to the Pandemic, plus
rising energy costs, could mean some libraries can no longer cover
their basic running costs.