Corporate report

Progress Indicators for the 7 Outcomes libraries deliver

Updated 6 November 2017

This was published under the 2016 to 2019 May Conservative government

Introduction

In Libraries Deliver: Ambition for Public Libraries in England, 2016 to 2021 the Libraries Taskforce committed to:

establish current baselines and agree progress indicators for all 7 Outcomes and then publish them

The indicators are intended to demonstrate how, as a sector, we are making headway in achieving our aspirations for 2021 against each of the 7 Outcomes defined in Ambition.

How did we get to these proposed indicators?

During the initial consultation on the Ambition document, there was a very strong view that more outcome-focused measures of impact should be established (as opposed to measures that were predominantly input-and activity-based).

The Taskforce then sought views on a proposed set of indicators. These were the result of the Libraries Deliver consultation and work with the Taskforce member organisations including the Society of Chief Librarians. These proposed indicators have now been finalised with the initial baseline added (where this data is currently available). We’re now working on providing a baseline against the remaining measures.

Outcome 1: Cultural and creative enrichment

Status	Ref	Progress Indicator Description	Source	2016/17	2017/18	Comments
Outcome PIs	1.1	Have you used a library in the last 12 months?	Taking Part Survey	33.4%	34%
	1.2	Number and value (£) of applications made to the Arts Council from libraries	Arts Council
	1.3	Percentage of awards made to libraries by the Arts Council compared with the number of applications made (across all applicable funds)	Arts Council
	1.4	How many library services are using Generic Learning Outcomes to test the effectiveness of cultural activities	Survey of Heads of Service
Quantitative measures	1.5	Number of cultural / creative events delivered by libraries and the total number of adults / children attending	Core dataset
Developmental PIs	1.6	Develop a qualitative measure on the effectiveness of signposting to cultural activities outside libraries			Linked to evaluating Information Universal Offer
	1.7	Develop questionnaire for councils to use with cultural partners, and non-partners, to determine their perception of the value of libraries as well regarded partners in cultural activities.	Society of Chief Librarians (SCL) / Survey of partners?		Part of broader survey library services could use with partners

Outcome 2: Increased reading and literacy

Status	Ref	Progress Indicator Description	Source	2016/17	2017/18	Comments
Outcome PIs	2.1	Take up of the Reading Agency’s Reading Outcomes Framework by council’s to evaluate outcomes of reading programmes	Survey of Heads of Service			yes / no question
	2.2	Percentage of reading programmes which are evaluated against a) the Reading Agency’s Outcomes Framework or b) similar framework	Survey of Heads of Service
	2.3	Has the evaluation been used to develop and target resources to maximise impact of the reading offer?	Survey of Heads of Service			Could include supplementary text box to record how, and to what success.
	2.4	Has the evaluation been used to advocate and leverage additional resources?	Survey of Heads of Service			Yes / no question. Could include supplementary text box to record how, and to what success, and value (£) leveraged.
	2.5	Has the library encouraged you to develop reading skills and enjoyment?	Question to the public			Encourage councils to include in local surveys (not suggesting a national survey)
Quantitative measures	2.6	Number of reading events delivered by libraries per year and the total number of adults and children attending
	2.7	Number of reading groups supported per library service	Survey of Heads of Service	643,280		Summer Reading Challenge 2016 figures
	2.8	Number of participants in the Summer Reading Challenge or similar initiatives (in England)	Survey of Heads of Service for those who run an alternative summer reading programme to the Summer Reading Challenge
Developmental PIs	2.9	Do you see public libraries as valued partners in developing reading skills?	Survey of partners			Part of broader survey library services could use with partners

Outcome 3: Increased digital access and literacy

Status	Ref	Progress Indicator Description	Source	2016/17	2017/18	Comments
Outcome PIs	3.1	Percentage of people who went to a library to improve their digital skills (eg. through attending a training session or code club)	Taking Part Survey
	3.2	Has the library service launched a new digital service in the last 12 months? For example tablet loans or installing 3D printers	Survey of Heads of Service
	3.3	Survey of public, or collation of case-studies or anecdotes, relating to how libraries have improved people’s confidence and skills in using digital services and resources	Survey of public		Encourage councils to include in local surveys (not suggesting a national survey)
	3.4	Has the information on impact (in 3.3) been used to advocate and leverage additional resources?	Survey of Heads of Service		Yes / no question. Could include supplementary text box to record how, and to what success, and value (£) leveraged.
Quantitative measures	3.5	Number of events focused on digital support (formal and informal) and the total number of adults / children attending.			This includes events run with partners.
	3.6	Number of virtual visits to the library service (via the web)	Core dataset	12.8% of adults [Taking Part] 85,733,332 [CIPFA]	89,051,134 [CIPFA
	3.7	Number of e-resources borrowed (including e-books, e-audiobooks, e-magazines)	Core dataset	3,831,875	5,465,270	CIPFA
	3.8	Number of digital resources for use or loan (for example maker spaces, 3D printers)	Survey of Heads of Service
	3.10	Wifi and People’s Network usage	Survey of Heads of Service / CIPFA	20, 755,631	24,212,011	recorded hours on People’s Network
	3.11	Number of Learn My Way take up, and completion rates	Good Things Foundation

Outcome 4: Helping everyone achieve their full potential

Status	Ref	Progress Indicator Description	Source	2016/17	2017/18	Comments
Outcome PIs	4.1	Increased use of Generic Learning Outcome Framework to evaluate activities. Is it used by a council and percentage of activities it is applied to.	Survey of Heads of Service
	4.2	External partners who say that libraries support for learners has been maintained / improved.	Survey of partners			Part of broader survey library services could use with partners
	4.3	Percentage of people who visited a library to use the space to study	Taking Part Survey			Included in next Taking Part Survey
Quantitative measures	4.4	Number of events in libraries which support formal and informal learning and the total number of adults/children attending	Core dataset
	4.5	Number of desk spaces (excluding those primarily for digital access) made available within libraries on average each day	Survey of Heads of Service
Developmental PIs	4.6	Accessibility of bookstock and electronic resources	SCL or public survey

Outcome 5: Healthier and happier lives

Status	Ref	Progress Indicator Description	Source	2016/17	2017/18	Comments
Outcome PIs	5.1	Number of library services that are commissioned by CCG’s and STPs to deliver services. For example, chronic diseases, dementia, mental health	Survey of Heads of Service
	5.2	Total value of research per year being spent on investigating health benefits linked to libraries e.g. by NIHR, Wellcome Trust.	Libraries Taskforce research overview
	5.3	Number of library services using Arts Council England’s Generic Social Outcomes to evaluate health-related activities/events	Survey of Heads of Service
Quantitative measures	5.4	Number of Reading Well loans (eg. Books on Prescription and Shelf Help)	The Reading Agency	217,423	331,609
	5.6	Number of accredited autism friendly/dementia friendly libraries	Survey of Heads of Service
	5.7	Number of health-related a) events/activities in libraries and number of people benefitting	Core dataset
	5.8	Percentage of people who sought information related to their / someone else’s health	Taking Part Survey			Included in next Taking Part Survey
Developmental PIs	5.9	People are happier / perceive an increase in their wellbeing as a result of accessing health related materials from libraries (based on robust research) - link to research priorities

Outcome 6: Greater prosperity

Status	Ref	Progress Indicator Description	Source	2015/16	2016/17	Comments
Outcome PIs	6.1	Survey of users of libraries about the impact and value of the service they received in a) finding a job b) setting up or growing a business	Question to the public		Encourage councils to include in local surveys (not suggesting a national survey)
	6.2	Number of partnerships libraries are a part of that support and deliver prosperity (per library service)	Survey of Heads of Service
	6.3	Number of people reported to have gained employment following support sessions at the library/by third-party organisation for example IT skills or job club help	Survey of partners		Part of broader survey library services could use with partners
Quantitative measures	6.4	Take-up of business information resources i.e. database searches, workshops attended	Survey of Heads of Service / British Library’s BIPC
	6.5	Number of events / activities to a) help people find a job or b) help people set up or grow their own business	Core dataset
	6.6	Percentage of people who used a library to a) got help to apply for a job or b) got help to set up or grow their own business	Taking Part Survey		Will be included in next Taking Part Survey
Developmental PIs	6.7	Use BIPC, Enterprising Libraries (Adroit) methodology of evaluation of GVA (Gross Value Added, £) of libraries activities for the local economy at local level	British Library / SCL
	6.8	Develop consistent methodology for evaluation of self-service resources as opposed to ‘face to face’ provision	British Library / SCL

Outcome 7: Stronger more resilient communities

Status	Ref	Progress Indicator Description	Source	2016/17	2017/18	Comments
Outcome PIs	7.1	Reach of ‘Libraries First’: number of central government policy or strategy documents mentioning libraries as important strategic partners track annually	Libraries Taskforce
	7.2	Number of library services which say that new service approaches have stemmed from ‘Libraries First’ thinking of external (non-library) organisations	Survey of Heads of Service
	7.3	Percentage of people who say public libraries are important for a) communities and b) themselves personally	Shining a Light	a) 75% b) 40%
	7.4	Number of co-located libraries (and nature of organisations involved)	Survey of HoS			Will include categories for selection purposes
	7.5	Use of Taskforce strategic planning guidance	Survey of Heads of Service
Quantitative measures	7.6	Numbers of self-organised groups running in libraries (split by Outcome)	Survey of Heads of Service
	7.7	Numbers of a) volunteers and b) volunteer hours in libraries	Core dataset	a) 42,172 b) 1,543,689	a) 45,226 B) 1,648,159	CIPFA 2015/16 and 2016/17
	7.8	Number of friends of groups associated with libraries	Survey of Heads of Service
Developmental PIs	7.9	Public research on the impact of libraries in communities	Research project