Services will be accessible to all groups in the community and responsive to people's needs.
Working in partnership with a wide range of organisations including the Lifelong

Learning Partnership.

Introduce new and improved arrangements to co-ordinate service delivery with other agencies.

Achieving excellence in educational learning

Ensure that libraries and museums play their part in the achievement of lifelong learning.

Meeting health and care needs

Ensure that users of health and social care services have access to information to meet their needs.

Supporting culture and leisure

Improve access to libraries and the quality of library services as part of an integrated approach to delivering a broad range of services in local communities.

Promoting economic well being

Work with others to promote the benefits of learning to give Leicestershire a competitive edge in the acquisition and implementation of knowledge and skills.

Plans, strategies and practice

Best Value Performance Plan.

C. Leicestershire Libraries and Information Factors

Libraries' Review
Annual Library Plan - replaced by the Public Library Position Statement
District Audit report on stock management
LLIS Standards for the Management of Stock

D. Leicestershire Libraries will:

Manage its stock based on the following key principles:
- The stock of LLIS is regarded as a single collection.
- Each library, including mobile libraries, acts as an access point or gateway to the whole library service.
- The range of stock and services provided from any one library will be determined by the needs of the local community, by that library's role within the network and by the standards set.
- LLIS stock will include material to suit a wide variety of tastes that will reflect a wide variety of religious, cultural and social views, and will support a wide range of users.
- The use of stock will be encouraged through effective use of presentation and promotion.
- Stock will be provided in different formats to meet the needs of all sections of the community.
- Books and other materials will be loaned to individuals and groups, including those in education, commerce, industry, government and the professions throughout the county.
- Information will be provided to individuals and groups throughout the county using the most cost-effective sources.
- Library stocks will meet the special library needs of children, young people, elderly people, people with a physical or learning disability, Leicestershire residents who belong to distinctive cultural or linguistic groups and people who are socially, educationally or geographically disadvantaged, including those in prison or hospital.
Manage the stock cost-effectively to maximise its use and availability:
- What we do now:
  1. Stock circulation
    Stock rotas are used extensively to ensure the circulation of all categories of stock between libraries. Developments are in hand to circulate more stock via library bandings as opposed to geographical groupings. The majority of new stock is automatically circulated at the point of selection. In addition, collections of stock purchased retrospectively are circulated, as a whole, between community libraries. A stock circulation module on TALIS 11 should offer the potential to enhance the management of stock rotas in the future.
  2. Repairs and binding
    Written guidelines have been developed which establish criteria for the repair and binding of appropriate stock to ensure maximum use during the lifetime of an individual item.
  3. Catalogue information
    LLIS's catalogue has been available on The Internet since October 2201. TALIS will be installed in all libraries by the end of 2002 thus ensuring access to the entire holdings of the county from the smallest community library. The public OPACs were also re-built in 2001 to facilitate public searching by type of stock. Details of non-available items have been suppressed thus giving the public clear information on available stock.
  4. Stock taking
    Facilities exist within TALIS to carry out stock taking activities but these have yet to be implemented.
- Areas for service improvement:
  - Continue to develop a circulation policy to ensure optimum circulation of stock.
  - Develop interactive borrower services via The Internet plus enhanced catalogue services.
  - Ensure that the catalogue accurately reflects county holdings at all times.
Make stock available at each library to meet the county standards, which will be reviewed periodically
- What we do now
  1. Stock standards
    County stock standards were introduced in March 2000. The document includes a description of stock by category at different levels of library, guidelines on editing and presentation, stock promotion, training and disposal. The document also incorporates the recommendations of the Service Review Panel in terms of volume of stock by category in libraries of different bandings.
  2. Provision of stock for special client groups
    LLIS provides stock in languages other than English at libraries where there is an identified need. Services also exist to provide stock to housebound readers and those who attend day centres or who live in residential homes. Small collections of stock are maintained in larger libraries to support people with basic literacy and numeracy needs. General provision of stock for people with sight or hearing disabilities is provided through the stocking of large print and talking books in all libraries. LLIS is currently undertaking a social inclusion review which will lead to improved guidelines for the management of stock for special client groups.
  3. Stock audits
    The stock standards document contains guidelines for the monitoring and evaluation of stock through the conduct of a stock audit. These have been carried out across the county in 2001/02 and the results have yet to be analysed.
- Areas for service improvement
  - Review the stock standards to ensure that they remain timely and accurate.
  - Develop and target services to facilitate easier access for socially excluded groups.
  - Continue to develop appropriate monitoring and evaluation mechanisms for stock.
Select stock on the basis of written guidelines and criteria to ensure that there will be a unified approach and that selection methodology will be cost effective
- What we do now
  1. Written guidelines and criteria
  2. Written stock selection criteria exist for both adult and children's stock but these are now dated and in need of review.
  3. Buying teams
  4. In February 2002, LLIS established buying teams to select current stock for children's, adult, Asian language and sound recordings services. The buying teams will adopt a county overview in selection to ensure a consistency in provision. Group librarians will retain an allocation of the bookfund to address local needs, while a central resource will be retained for county priorities and specific projects.
  5. Selection methodology
  6. In order to ensure a more cost-effective approach to selection, more use will be made of standing orders for fiction, non-fiction and reference stocks. In the short term, current selection will be based on a fortnightly approvals collection (monthly for children's selection) although greater emphasis will increasingly be placed on alternative sources of information such as, The Bookseller and CDROM sources. Stock revision will be targeted at "off the shelf" promotional packages plus the more traditional methods of lists and supplier visits. Simultaneous selection of titles across all formats will be developed to enhance the cost-effectiveness of the selection process.
  7. LLIS is currently developing a system of EDI with major suppliers and TALIS to increase the speed of supply of newly ordered stock through the electronic transfer of orders. This will also save time within Bibliographical services in terms of processing orders.
- Areas for service improvement
  - Continue to develop a countywide approach to the selection of stock.
  - Develop written procedures for stock selection as part of an overall manual of stock management.
  - Continue to take advantage of technological developments to improve the cost-effectiveness of stock selection.
Make decisions on stock purchase guided by available resources, public demand, current stock holdings, county council policies and the use of existing stock. Decisions will ensure a balance between local needs and the maintenance of a countywide range of stock
- What we do now
  1. Customer comments
    Provision exists for the collection of customer feedback on all areas of service provision including stock. New publicity is due to be introduced in April 2002. There is also a development programme to automate the procedure for recording customer comments thus making the information more usable for stock management.
  2. Stock audits
    A pilot for auditing library stocks has been completed in March 2002. The information gathered provides a snapshot of all library holdings in terms of coverage against the prescribed standards, performance of stock and presentation. The results of the audits have yet to be analysed.
  3. Management information
    Monthly reports are provided on stock issues, additions, transfers by library and broad category. More in depth and comparative information on performance is provided by statistical information in benchmarking sets, which group libraries within their respective bandings.
  4. Stock development plans
    Stock development plans currently form part of the annual group planning process and reflect local needs. All groups also maintain editing logs which detail work carried out on the stock in individual libraries. Both editing logs and customer comments are used in the stock audit process.
  5. Community profiles
    Community profiles also form part of the annual group planning process and are useful in providing information on the specific stock needs of a library related to the population served.
- Areas for service improvement
  - Provision of more detailed and targeted management information to support the stock management process.
  - Develop public consultation process in line with the principles of Best Value.
Ensure that the basis for stock provision is selection, not censorship. Any materials are eligible for inclusion if they satisfy the appropriate assessment and selection criteria and meet county council policy.
- What we do now
  - Selection criteria
    As stated above, selection criteria do exist for both adult and children's stock but are currently in need of review. Point 7 of LLIS's current stock policy states that
    "Any materials which are published within the law of the land are eligible for inclusion in LLIS collections, subject to their conforming with the stock policy as a whole and satisfying the appropriate stock assessment and selection criteria".

Areas for service improvement

Review and update written procedures.

Use effective promotion and presentation to maximise use of stock

What we do now

Promotions task group
The county's promotion task group has recently been reorganised to ensure direct links with the stock selection process. A costed programme of activities has been drawn up with funding provided from the bookfund.

Reader development
A county reader development strategy is currently being developed to ensure that customer needs become the focus of stock management activities. Under the "expected outcomes" of ECDL training, greater use will be made of ICT in the promotion of stock.

Reader's circles
There are now approximately 35 reader's circles directly supported by LLIS across the county. Bookfund is allocated to provide collections of books to support the activities of the groups.

Staff training
Over the past 2 years the majority of LLIS's librarians have attended a 2 day reader development course under the auspices of EMRALD.
Stock promotion for both children's and adult services forms an integral part of the development training course for library assistants and new starters.

Areas for service development
Provide material in the most appropriate format. Provision of material at specific service points which is not part of the basic library service (as legally defined) maybe dependent on the capacity to generate income.
What we do now
General lending stock
Popular general lending stock is provided in both large print and talking book format. A recent project, piloted at Market Harborough has been assessing the potential of E books as an alternative format. In 2001/02, collections of talking books have been purchased in CD format.
Sound recordings
Sound recordings collections are currently stocked in market town and shopping centre libraries. Decisions are currently awaited regarding the future stocking of sound recordings at any other than market town libraries. It also proposed to phase out the stocking of cassettes. Some rationalisation of collections has resulted in a significant rise in issues.
Videos/DVDs
Collections of feature film video and DVDs are stocked at selected libraries for the sole purpose of generating income for the department. A recent pilot to extend the service to Ashby Library has proved successful and it is proposed to add a further collection to Glenfield Library in 2002/03. In 2001 Cabinet sanctioned the stocking of 18 certificated DVDs and videos as a means of boosting income through the provision of a wider choice.
Reference stock
Increasing use of The Internet and CDROM network in enquiry handling has greatly enhanced the range and depth of information provided from libraries. It has also brought into question the continued stocking of traditional reference sources in a printed format. Work is currently underway to review the provision of business information with a view to making better use of electronic sources.

Areas for service improvement
- Maximise income opportunities.
- Continue to take advantage of technological developments in the provision of reference stock.

Conserve stock as a prime responsibility and will rebind, replace or deposit stock in county or national reserves as appropriate. Where stock is of no longer use, it maybe sold to generate income.
- What we do now
  1. Binding
    Criteria for the re-binding of stock are detailed in the stock standards document.
  2. Reserve stocks
    Criteria for the retention of stock in library reserves are detailed in the stock standards document. Guidelines for the retention of stock in the County Reserve need to be completed. These will incorporate LLIS's responsibilities in respect of regional and national schemes.
  3. Disposal of unwanted stock
    Unwanted stock is sold off on an ongoing basis at larger libraries. LLIS hold periodic booksales at both larger libraries and Rothley headquarters.
- Areas for service improvements
  - Ensure completion of written procedures.

E. Standards

Library Association Guidelines
DCMS Standards
Service Review Report
Best Value Performance Plan
Standards for the management of stock
IPF Benchmarking Club: Stock Management

F. Linkages to other LLIS Strategies

As the core service of LLIS there are linkages to all other strategies but specifically to

Learning
Culture
Recreation
Information Services
Social Inclusion

Appendix

Specific actions arising from the listed areas for service improvement.

Develop stock rotas using library bandings
Investigate the feasibility of centralised delivery and distribution of new stock
Develop the facility for borrowers to reserve and renew stock via The Internet
Develop the facility for borrowers to compile reading lists from stock holdings via The Internet
Implement the take module as an integral tool in stock management
Continue to redress specific reported errors on the catalogue
Improve the child friendliness of the catalogue
Amend library bandings in stock standards document
Review guidelines for library bandings
Review guidelines for proposed category splits and volume of stock by library banding
Integrate stock standards with LLIS internal benchmarking sets
Review continued participation in SPICE consortium for purchase of current Asian Language stock.
Develop county rotas for circulation of Asian language stock
Implement recommendations of Social Inclusion Review
Ensure catalogue access for special client groups
Analyse results of the stock audits
Refine stock auditing process as appropriate
Ensure mechanism to incorporate stock audit information into the planning process
Develop a creditable system of allocation of current stock to maximise use and performance
Develop written criteria for stock selection
Monitor the effectiveness of county buying teams
Implement "quotes" for confirmed orders of new stock
Assess the viability of cataloguing records supplied by Rose Records
Develop a system for the electronic invoicing of stock
Phase out approvals for adult fiction selection
Investigate potential for TALIS to provide enhanced management information
Develop a standard approach to recording results stock editing work
Introduce customer comments module on LIBRA
Develop use of local library web sites to promote stock
Amend building standards to ensure more user centred presentation of stock
Develop use of reader's circles in broader advocacy role
Ensure timely supply of stock and publicity for promotional activities
Phase out stocking of cassettes
Rationalise sound recording collections to market town libraries only
Rationalise range of printed reference sources in light of ICT developments
Roll out video feature film collection to appropriate libraries based on potential to increase income
Finalise written procedures for the retention of stock at the County Reserve