Gibson Library Society Challenges During the Reporting Period and Essex County Council Support
The transition between the Library Management System (LMS) Vsmart to the LMS Symphony Sirsi-Dynix in late 2020 (necessitated by the joining of The Library Consortium by Essex Libraries) had the unintentional and unexpected consequence that Gibson Library items were categorized erroneously as Reference Only.
This system error necessitated manual overrides to be enacted by Essex Libraries staff, with a change of category to Lending (Essex Only). All of the affected items were eventually recategorized as ESTGIB and all relevant stock is now loanable and searchable using the new platforms.
There have been occasional instances of wider Consortium members attempting to reserve certain items of Gibson Library stock where a systems glitch erroneously allows this. This glitch affects only an estimated 2% of Gibson Library stock records and Essex Libraries staff are vigilant in preventing these reservations progressing to loan. To date there have been no reported instances of progress to loan.
A further early-stage system idiosyncrasy resulted in the Gibson Library stacks being erroneously merged with the Essex and Thurrock stacks. This would have resulted in the potential loaning of these materials, had Essex Libraries staff relaxed their habitual vigilance. This error was identified and flagged using Essex Libraries' in-house Missing Reports post-stocktake; manual correction of the error was immediately begun and is at the time of the report almost complete. The correction of the stacks and other generalised drift is expected to be complete by the end of April 2023.
Essex Libraries currently offer a weekly allowance of seven hours of Essex Libraries staff working time to the Gibson Library. Over the reporting period, these hours have largely been expended in resolving the above cataloguing errors, successfully preventing loss or attrition to the Gibson Library holdings and neutralizing potential consequence. In the wake of completion of this work, Essex Libraries staff look forward to engaging with the Gibson Library around more exciting and expansive projects.
Current Status of Trustee's Accounts
I am pleased to report that the draft accounts for the financial year 2022-2023 have been completed by the Essex County Council Financial Officer and are available for review by the Chair. Subsequent to this review and the reception of any commentary by the Chair, these draft accounts will be finalized by the Essex County Council Financial Officer and then submitted to an external independent verifier. Once verified, they may be published to the Charity Commission. Said external independent verifier is at present being appointed.
I am aware that there are accounts pending publication from prior reporting periods and the Committee is asked to be assured that I and my colleagues are at present engaged in efforts to resolve the issue. I or another representative of the Trusteeship will continue to report our progress to the Committee or the Chair at regular scheduled meetings going forward. The Committee is asked respectfully to allow me time to assess, plan and execute appropriate actions to resolve this historical challenge.
Sarah Turpin
Sarah Turpin has been undertaking an apprenticeship, basing her work on the theme of Levelling Up the Gibson Library. This reflects Essex County Council's commitments to Levelling Up throughout our services.
Sarah has taken the Everyone's Library Plan as her guide to bring the Gibson Library into the wider life of Saffron Walden Library, focussing on floor presence, marketing, events and many other streams of Essex Libraries activity. Sarah has identified connectivity as her primary motivator, encouraging access, awareness, and the co-piloting of the Collection by the Gibson Library, Essex Libraries and the Essex Records Office.
Sarah is undertaking the reorientation of the Saffron Walden Library team to uphold Essex County Council's agreements with the Gibson Library and Gibson Library standards as regards stock management and policies - she has developed bespoke training packages and information resources for Essex Libraries staff. These will be of especial value to new starters who will be unfamiliar with the unique relationship between Essex County Council, Essex Libraries, and the Gibson Library.
Sarah hopes that the Gibson Library will continue to embrace an outward-looking position going forward, maximizing uptake of their offers. It is hoped that the Gibson Library continue to find benefit in the many opportunities for synergies between themselves and Essex Libraries.
Future Opportunities and Essex Libraries Offers
It has been highlighted by the Committee that there has been a deficit of regular contact from Essex County Council over recent reporting periods. I am pleased to inform the Committee that a small team of Essex County Council individuals are to be designated as formal representatives of the Trusteeship. Communications from these individuals will constitute official communications from the Trustee, and the Committee will have a designated pool of contacts to resolve any issues that may arise, all of whom have committed to enact this role. This is intended to resolve the challenges faced by Essex County Council in operating a Corporate Trusteeship that is not vested in any given individual by law, and which have contributed to the feelings of neglect reported by the Committee. Members of this Trusteeship Team will attend regular operational meetings as requested by the Committee.
The identity of these individuals is currently under discussion and I will inform the Committee when a finalized list is produced.
A training package for Essex Libraries staff on local history access (discrete from the Gibson Library specific packages detailed above) has been developed by Sarah Turpin. Thus far, this bespoke package consists of five stacking modules with further modules in development. Sarah would be very pleased to present them to the Committee of the Gibson Library and their volunteers should the Gibson Library wish to take advantage of this Essex Libraries resource.
Committee members may, in the near future, expect the installation of a touchscreen podium from the ERO focussed on local history. This is a touring installation and will be in situ for four months.
Literacy Corners have been established throughout Essex Libraries venues, including in Saffron Walden, in fulfilment of our Literacy strategy. These areas, which include comfortable seating and beanbags, and their associated specialist materials such as dyslexia-friendly texts and QuickReads have proved popular with a range of families, adults and groups. There are potential marketing synergies here.
It is desired by Essex County Council that the Gibson Library provide an updated inventory and valuation of their fixtures and fittings, special holdings (e.g. paintings) and other such materials for disaster recovery purposes and I ask that the Committee resolve to supply such an updated document at their earliest opportunity.
Jonothon Weston-Cole - Customer Service Team Leader
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