Collaborate, Evaluate, Evolve CILIP Ireland/ LAI Annual Joint Conference, 8-10 April 2015, Titanic Belfast

1. Making the connection:
effective strategic partnerships
Irene Knox
Chief Executive, Libraries NI

2. • How do we demonstrate the intrinsic value and
worth of libraries at a time when government is
questioning every £1 spent on public services?
• How do we convince our politicians that libraries
have an important role to play in delivering their
priorities?
• How do we get (and keep) libraries on the
agenda of key decision-makers?
Questions

3. Opportunities for All (Ireland)
‘… recognise the role of public libraries in promoting
economic growth, stability and community cohesion’
Expert Review of Public Libraries (Wales)
‘Libraries will play a vital role in the ongoing delivery
of local and national priorities…’
The Case for a National Strategy (Scotland)
‘…an opportunity to deliver a range of services to
support local and national government priorities’
Sieghart Review (England)
‘… future of libraries should be seen as
all of Government’s responsibility’

4. ‘Libraries make an important contribution to realising
DCAL’s vision of a “confident, creative, informed and
vibrant community”, as well as a wide range of other
Government objectives.’
Delivering Tomorrow’s Libraries (N Ireland)
Our Key Principle:
‘We will develop strategic partnerships to widen
access and optimise the use of scarce resources’

5. Priorities
 Sustainable economy
 Tackling disadvantage
 Improving health and
well being
 Strong and shared
community
 High quality and
efficient public services

7. “To improve children
and young people’s
health, well-being and
life opportunities
thereby breaking the
long term cycle of multi-
generational problems.”
Tackling
Disadvantage
Delivering Social Change

8. Sustainable Economy
 Building a CV
 Job Search skills
 Interview techniques
 Employability skills
 Essential skills
‘We want to see more people in work and this public
service innovation, delivered jointly through DEL and
Libraries NI will help to achieve that goal’
Simon Hamilton, Minister of Finance

9. ‘It is important that all government Departments
acknowledge their responsibilities in rural areas.’
Michelle O’Neill, Minister for Agriculture
and Rural Development
Improving
Health and
Wellbeing
 28 rural libraries
 16 mobile libraries

10. Partnerships Policy
Strategic partnerships are an important way of
realising Libraries NI’s objectives:
•increasing participation
•improving and extending existing services
•developing new services
•delivering services more efficiently
•raising profile of libraries

11. • Part of a long-term strategy
• Mutually beneficial goals
• Commitment and leadership
• Clearly defined roles and responsibilities
• Proactivity
• Tenacity
• Building and sustaining
relationships
To be successful…