Oldham Public Library again

There are more pictures of Oldham Public Library on the SINTO Wiki.
With the new building Oldham is providing a library service of high quality that is meeting the needs of the local community. The library is well stocked with what appears to be a good selection of new books. I don't know if Tim Coates has run his critical eyes over the library but it appears to provide a good selection of fiction and non-fiction as well as 90 PCs for public use. The building has good access for people with disabilities and appears to be well used by all sections of Oldhams diverse population. No doubt Tim and others would argue that the money spent on the building should have been spent on more books but libraries are more than a storage space for books. Communities deserve high quality public spaces and a building like this draws more people into contact with the books and other resources.

In an article in Managing Information Adrian Olsen and Frances Hendrix (formerly of the Laser Foundation) ask where should public libraries go next? (MI Sept 2007 p32-3). Oldham could well provide part of the answer. Olsen and Hendrix propose four themes that should form the basis of a national strategy for public libraries.

1. A re-organisation of the governance and finance of libraries at a government and possibly also at a local level. Responsibility for libraries is split and public libraries are at the mercy of individual council political priorities and financial pressure. Oldham shows what can be achieved but it also highlights inadequate provision in many other areas. The authors propose taking public libraries out of local authority control into some kind of regional organisation or even a National Public Library Service.
2. A system is needed to ensure that the best in public libraries automatically becomes the norm across the whole service. Again, this requires a National Development Agency.
3. There must be a national, co-ordinated campaign of publicity and awareness raising to inform people about what is available in their libraries and to challenge the traditional view of libraries. Publicising flagship libraries like Oldham could be a part of this. There is nothing like making people jelous of their neigbours to create pressure for change.
4. PR and advocacy must be aimed at the 'movers and shakers'- the power brokers and decision makers.

New and refurbished libraries such as the Information Commons and Oldham Library can shift perceptions of what libraries are all about and as a profession we should study these examples and publicise them to a wider audience.

Oldham Public Library

On Thursday SINTO organised a mini-bus trip to Oldham to see their new public library.

Opened in April 2006 it provides more than double the space of the old library. Oldham Library and Lifelong Learning Centre has been shortlisted for the 2007 Prime Minister's Better Public Buildings Award.

Bringing together children’s, adult and reference libraries, as well as a performance space, IT-intensive teaching rooms, art rooms and a crèche, it is the second phase of the new cultural quarter in Oldham, breathing new life into a previously neglected part of the town.

The building relies predominantly on natural ventilation and light, minimising energy consumption. Rainwater from the green roof is collected, treated, stored in tanks in the basement area and used to flush toilets throughout the building which significantly reduces mains water usage.

The impressive entrance to the building, shared with Gallery Oldham, features a glass exterior wall and attractive modern sculpture. From the lobby ccstomers pass through to the library and lifelong learning area. The latter consists of a number of IT equiped classrooms and work spaces which house a wide range of day or evening classes which can be booked at the reception desk. The library itself is on two floors which are well lit by natural light and the overall impression is modern, light and uncluttered. The architecture features strong lines and large windows which provide spectacular views of the surrounding moors.

The building cost £12m as was built under the Private Finance Initiative. This means that the library service is effectively a tennant in the building and the library staff described the benefits and drawbacks of this arrangement. During the design stage the library had to provide an "output specification" which was then interpreted by the architect.

The library has been a success in terms of customer feedbackand in greatly increased visitor numbers. The staff were open about some problems with the building but on the whole they felt that it worked well.