GaLW Gateway to Libraries In Wrexham: a Gradual Evolution

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GaLW Gateway to Libraries In Wrexham a Gradual
Evolution

• Paul Jeorrett User Services Manager
• North East Wales Institute of Higher Education

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Why Collaborate?
no library is now able to meet the existing and
potential information needs of all its
users. Ronald Milne Joining up funding
promoting and facilitating collaborative work in
Pilling, Stella and Kenna, Stephanie
Co-operation in action (London Facet,
2002) Another aspect of achieving a Learning
Country highlighted by the Assembly is a need to
work in partnership with others. Libraries and
lifelong learning a strategy 2002-4 (CILIP,
2002)
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Why Collaborate?

• People Flows (1999)-
• 30 of public library users are learners
• public libraries are used heavily to support
  learning as well as leisure
• main reasons for using a library are location,
  opening hours, books and journals and study space
• barriers to library use also include restricted
  access and borrowing

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Why GaLW?

• DOB - November 26th 1999
• Formation of a Steering Group representing
• NEWI
• Yale College in Wrexham
• UWB Health Studies Library at the Archimedes
  Centre
• Wrexham Library and Information Service

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Llay
Flintshire
Cheshire
Gresford
Brymbo
Brynteg
Wrexham
Coedpoeth
Rhos
Denbighshire
Ruabon
Overton
Cefn Mawr
Chirk
Shropshire
Powys
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Why GaLW?

• The name - Gateway to Libraries in
  Wrexham/Gwybodaeth a Llyfrgelloed Wrecsam
• Four key objectives
• to give the partnership a name and an identity
• to produce a leaflet for the public
• to produce an audit of the services available to
  the public for the use of all members of staff
• and to consider other ways of working together.

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What Has GaLW Achieved?

• Official launch 24 November 2000
• GaLW leaflet
• Audit of provision/staff manual
• Website www.newi.ac.uk/galw
• Staff development activities
• Communication between partners/new partners
• Informal borrowing scheme

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GaLW the Way Forward

• Memorandum of understanding
• Publicity/roadshow
• Survey exisiting users
• Extend staff development activities
• Journals lists
• CyMAL Projects Linc y Gogledd and Resource
  Discovery

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The Barriers

• Funding
• Joined up libraries require joined up funding
• Ronald Milne, 2002
• Time and commitment
• Communication and involvement
• Not eating elephants!
• Lack of creativity
• Resistance to change- silo mentality

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The Positives

• Support from above!
• Working across the library domain
• Benefits the whole community
• Empowering staff
• Working together informally can provide solutions
  to long standing issues
• Resource discovery

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Thank You! and Any Qustions?