Mobile Library Report - Additional information regarding the proposed criteria

In reviewing our current service and establishing criteria new mobile library stops we consulted with colleagues from the Consultation and Engagement team in Communications and with colleagues in and Strategy and Performance.

Essential Qualifying Criteria: In selecting locations to visit, it is proposed to have four main qualifying criteria.

•           Population size: not less than 300

•           Distance from a static library: not less than four miles

•           Distance from another mobile stop: not less than 1.5 miles

•           Suitable, safe parking

Population Density and Distribution:By its nature, the mobile is ideally suited for dispersed populations. However, locations need to be viable and we have used our knowledge of current service delivery to determine our minimum population.

Distance from Existing Library Provision:We need to prioritise communities that are far from existing library branches to bridge the gap in library access. We know that most people do not travel far to access their mobile library, so we have reduced the qualifying distance in the new criteria. This will enable communities that have significant populations to be included where previously they would have been disqualified due to proximity to another mobile stop. (e.g. The recently introduced stop at Fairburn was previously excluded as within six miles of both a mobile stop and a static library.)

Infrastructure: Assessing the infrastructure of potential stops is important to ensure that the mobile library can be safely and effectively deployed. This includes evaluating road conditions, space availability and safe access.

Additional Criteria:

Community Needs and Demographics:In arriving at our criteria, we have considered the specific needs of different communities, including the presence of children, elderly, and other groups who might benefit from mobile library services. Emphasis needs to be given to those people, highlighted in our successful bid for funding, who may find it most difficult to travel to access services. This includes the elderly, those with young children at home and those without vehicles or where public transport is poor. As the mobile will be visiting during the day, our focus is on the daytime population.

Local Partnerships: We will collaborate with other organisations such as Public Health and Early Years teams to identify areas where a mobile library could have the most impact. N.B. Interventions will not be limited to communities on our fixed routes and additional time will be ringfenced for targeted work outside of regular stops.

Exceptions: There are some locations that do not easily fit into our qualifying criteria but due to the under-representation of certain residents, we have made allowances for those. These are military barracks and venues hosting sanctuary seekers.

Frequency and Duration of stops:The number of stops per day will depend on distances to be travelled, and designated stop length. A very generalised guide to operations would be a monthly itinerary with a maximum of 5 stops per day.

Scoring (detail):