Workshop on Community Library Models to be held by WCC - first ticket free, all the rest £33 is that the way to help a Community?

A WCC Library Ticket

It's been announced by email, that Warwickshire County Council Libraries will hold a one day Workshop on Community Library Models on 2 June 2011 at Rugby College. 

Full details are yet to be finalised, however one item is clear, 'The County Council will cover the costs of one delegate from each organisation/community.  Each additional representative will have to cover the costs of ￡33 per person.'

The last time, I posted about the library issue was on 13 April calling the Business Case Application A Franchise Opportunity and A Dragon's Den Pitch. Facing the Challenge, Roadshows and Public Meetings slowed down over the Easaster holiday period. They are back to normal now until the consultation period ends on 9 June.

In my view, if WCC want to make £100,000 available to help communities run a library - do not charge each additional member £33 for a sandwich and a glass of orange juice. A community group may have six or seven people with different skill sets wishing to attend. That's £155, each community will have to cover. Do the right thing - and make it free and truly help these communities.

At time of writing, the Workshop on Community Library Models was not available at the WCC Libraries website. Extract of email reads:

As you are probably already aware Warwickshire County Council is conducting a 12-week public consultation on the proposals to reshape library provision and save ￡2 million over the next three years. The consultation began on March 18 and will run until June 9, giving local people a chance to find out more and share their views before any final decisions are made.  

We are aware of the hard work that community groups are undertaking in order to maintain a library service in their locality and we aim to provide assistance with this in whatever way we can.

We have been investigating existing Community Libraries around the country and have established that there are a number of different approaches that have been successful.  We felt it may be beneficial if we got representatives from some of these libraries together to talk to you about the approach they have taken and why it was right for them.

To that end we are organising an all day workshop at the Rugby College Campus on 2nd June 9.30am - 4pm (refreshments and buffet lunch will be provided).

The final details of the day are being finalised and a formal agenda for the day and location map will be sent out nearer to the event but in the meantime we wanted you to have early notification of this event.

We are aiming to have representatives to talk about five very different methods of providing community libraries which may help you in deciding which approach is best for your community.

In addition to library representatives we hope to have people available from Warwickshire Community and Voluntary Action (WCAVA) to give information about working with and recruiting volunteers.

The format of the day is that there will be a brief presentation from each of the library models and on working with volunteers. This will be followed by lunch.  In the afternoon the representatives will be available for “one to one” discussions with the local community representatives. 

We trust this event is of interest to you and that you will be able to attend and will find this an interesting and constructive day.

In order that we can confirm final numbers please complete the slip below and return it by 26 May 2011. 

We hope you will find this an interesting and constructive day.

Community Libraries Workshop Rugby College

 2nd June 9.30am - 4.00pm 

I / we wish to attend        Yes                   No        

Name of library you are concerned about  

Name of your organisation (if applicable)  

Name (s) of Representatives   

The County Council will cover the costs of one delegate from each organisation/community.  Each additional representative will have to cover the costs of ￡33 per person 

Please indicate the number of buffet places you wish to book and any dietary requirements No of Places Dietary Requirements