Hertfordshire Libraries, Heritage and the Arts - Hertfordshire County ...

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Section 5 - Equalities and Social Inclusion in Service Deliveryscheme is in operation in other areas in thecountry and has proven to be very effective.The Library Service also undertakesconsultation work with community groups,users and non users on specific aspects ofthe service such as stock provision oraccess. This year this has included:• Urdu stock survey• Library RefurbishmentsMobile ServicesThe Mobile Services Review wasimplemented in March 2006 with theintroduction of completely revisedschedules for the entire county network.• 11 new sites have been introduced,widening access to new communities.• Average weekly travelling time acrossthe network has been reduced by 8.3%.• All stops are now at least 20 minuteslong - previously 43.5% of stops wereopen for less than this.• The service is open to the public for anaverage of 275 hours each week.In 2006/07 a two-year programme toreplace the fleet of mobile libraries withstate of the art modern vehicles wascompleted. All now have access to theLibrary computer system. A striking newlivery was designed for the mobile librarieswhich has become strongly associated witha marketing brand across the Service.Partnership workingThe Library Service works with a range ofpartners to deliver services, for examplecommunity groups, disability groups andhealth agencies. Notable examples are thecommunity volunteers who support the useof Urdu software in Dacorum, and in thelatter part of 2006-07 working with a rangeof mental health partners to deliver Bookson Prescription. GPs or other Health CareProfessionals can prescribe a self-helpbook from the local library, which will giveinformation about a patient’s condition andsuggest ways to help them manage it. TheMarketingMarketing and promotion are an integralpart of service delivery. Promotions takeaccount of the needs and interests ofparticular groups and have included BlackHistory Month, Carers’ Week, Make aNoise in Libraries Week, Cultural eventswith partner organisations, eg RavidassiaCentre in Hitchin.Equalities monitoringTo ensure that services remain relevant theLibrary Service regularly monitors the takeup of services by specific groups withcensus and other data. Use of targetedstock is measured and new service areashave clearly defined expected outcomes.Challenges for 2007• Carrying out an ambitious programme ofImpact Assessments.• Implementing the recommendations ofthe Urdu stock survey.• Producing new leaflets for targetgroups, eg bilingual communitylanguage leaflets.• Meeting the requirements of newequalities legislation including theGender Duty, in force from April 2007.• Setting local recruitment targets anddeveloping an action plan to meet thePeople Strategy to help the service builda more diverse workforce which reflectsthe profile of the local population.• Continuing the implementation of theSkills for Life strategy.• Consulting with and taking into accountthe needs of target groups as part of theL421C refurbishment process.• Marketing Books on Prescription.19
Heritage and ArtsHeritage and Arts comprises:• Hertfordshire Archives & Local Studies• County Museums Development• County Arts DevelopmentThe work of Heritage and Arts is driven bythe national and regional agendas set bythe DCMS, MLA, and the Arts Council, aswell as the County Council and localHertfordshire communities.Hertfordshire Archives and LocalStudies (HALS)“An archival heritage unlocked and madeopen to all citizens in a way which engagesthem and empowers them to use archivesfor personal, community and economicbenefit”HALS, based at County Hall in Hertford, isboth a reference library, offering access toa whole range of published materialsrelating to Hertfordshire and a record officewhose prime legal function is to act as the‘corporate memory’ of the County Counciland preserve its archives. The keygovernment strategy for archives is MLA’s‘Listening to the past, speaking to thefuture’ which sets out the vision forarchives.HCC provides an archive service as part ofHALS who are responsible for preservingthe documentary history of the county aswell as keeping County Council records.The archives also contain records frompublic bodies, the Diocese and parishes,schools, local businesses, estates,organisations and individuals. HALS is thespecialist centre for local and family historyfor the whole of Hertfordshire, coveringmany aspects of life in the County includingpeople, environment and geography.“The archive staff was the most helpful ofany I have encountered in England and Iwant to thank you again and again for yourhelp”(Visitor to HALS)Anyone can use the services at HALS forhelp with researching a family tree, thehistory of a house, the history of a town orvillage or for help with a school project. Inaddition, HALS also offers an enquiryservice for those who are unable or do notwish to carry out their own research. Basicenquiries which can be answered quicklyare dealt with free of charge.“I would like to thank you for yourinvaluable help and kindness….I am verypleased to let you know that my sister and Ihave received the ex-gratia payment fromMOD to Ex-far East prisoners of War”“The initiative and speed of response issomething I have not experiencedelsewhere in my family research”(Written enquiries)HALS Key Facts and Figures 2006-07• Over 3,000,000 documents dating from1060 to the present day• 30,000 books• 30,000 images• 10,000 maps• 200 newspaper and periodical titles• 36,531 enquiries• 13,199 documents produced• 185 learning events held• 3,621 participants in courses and events• 27,247 visits to online resourcesPreservation and ConservationHALS has three Archive Stores on differentsites, providing five miles of shelving. TheNew Archive Store (opened in 2005) canhold 291 cubic metres of records on anindividually designed mobile racking system
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