Libraries on the edge of glory?
Jinfo Blog

By Joanna Ptolomey

Abstract

What role do libraries have in helping economies and communities to thrive? One model, the Idea Store started 2002 and has since grown and developed, offering cafes, adult education and computer access on many high streets.

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My local radio station seems to have Lady Gaga’s The Edge of Glory on continuous loop. I know, a year after the release of the Born this Way album, but hey that’s local radio.

Annoyingly it is one of those songs that seems to have got lodged into my brain, and as such I found myself tweaking the title recently whilst talking about my experiences in the changing roles of librarians and libraries.

Are libraries or librarians on the edge of glory? In the last five years or so I have personally been involved in more innovative projects that in my opinion are helping redefine what librarians and library services are capable of.  

Big data, big society, open data and empowering the community and individuals are key messages that we regularly hear from government. We are told that these ideas and initiatives will make a difference to our economies and our ability to thrive and grow as individual and communities. Libraries believe that they have a role – but do they?

In 2002 the Idea Store was born in London – an innovative library service development by London local authority Tower Hamlets. Found on many a high street now, they have cafes, adult education and computer access all under the one roof.  It has become a common theme in many a public library services development. And behind this model is the assets approach.

Public sector delivery with an assets approach needs library and information services. They will support neighbourhood renewal and development. A project that I work on has a local authority library service, a care national cancer organisation, National Health Service providers and the local economic development services working together to share their assets in a community.

Next week I will be reporting from the Edge Conference, investigating whether libraries really are pushing the boundaries of public sector delivery.

I am keen to find out about the US story too and the engaged library model at the city of Chicago; an asset-based community development model also. Furthermore can the assets model be used to generate income from library services to cover the cost of running public services as indicated by UK Sevenoaks and Wokingham Council studies?

Above all I am interested to hear more about the digital by default element of designing public services. Getting people online, always thinking internet first – I must admit I still have issues with. My experiences around information literacy – finding, understanding and using information can be fraught with inequalities.

On the edge of glory in public sector delivery – I’ll report back.

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