Bridging Worlds Conference 2008, Singapore Day Two Track Two Speaker 1

1. The Physical Library in 2.0 Age and Beyond:
A UK Perspective
Linda Foster
Area Manager
London Borough of Southwark
• Environment and Housing Department Bridging Worlds 2008
www.southwark.gov.uk

2. • Environment and Housing Department Bridging Worlds 2008
www.southwark.gov.uk

3. • Environment and Housing Department Bridging Worlds 2008
www.southwark.gov.uk

4. • Environment and Housing Department Bridging Worlds 2008
www.southwark.gov.uk

5. Setting the Context:
The London Borough of Southwark
• Population 257,700 and estimated to increase to 282,500 by 2029
• 17.9% of residents aged under 15
• 72.2% aged under 45
• 47.8% ethnic minority population
• 16.1% Black African
• Extremes of affluence and poverty
• More than 100 languages spoken in schools and 43% of pupils speak
English as an additional language
• Environment and Housing Department Bridging Worlds 2008
www.southwark.gov.uk

6. Peckham:
Area and Community
• Population – 23,928 (2001 census)
• 64% ethnic minority population
• 88% ethnic minority school population
• 41.7% Black African school population
• Attainment below national average - reading 12%, writing 11%, maths
5%
• 16% of people have a limiting long term illness
• 66% of population lives in social housing
• Environment and Housing Department Bridging Worlds 2008
www.southwark.gov.uk

7. Regenerating Peckham
• Major regeneration mid-1990s to address issues of poor housing,
high crime rates and social deprivation
• £265 million identified by Government as part of a Single
Regeneration Budget (SRB) programme to regenerate Peckham
• Improved housing
• Peckham Pulse
• Public realm
• Public safety
• Library
• Environment and Housing Department Bridging Worlds 2008
www.southwark.gov.uk

8. • Environment and Housing Department Bridging Worlds 2008
www.southwark.gov.uk

9. • Environment and Housing Department Bridging Worlds 2008
www.southwark.gov.uk

10. Peckham Library Headlines
• 60,000 stock items (books and audio visual)
• 60 study spaces with 27 PCs and Wi-Fi access throughout
• 366,458 library visits in 2007 / 08
• 223,495 items issued 2007/08
• Literature Development Officer based at Library and a programme of
cultural events
• A weekly programme of events for all ages
• Multi-use building
• Environment and Housing Department Bridging Worlds 2008
www.southwark.gov.uk

11. • Environment and Housing Department Bridging Worlds 2008
www.southwark.gov.uk

12. • Environment and Housing Department Bridging Worlds 2008
www.southwark.gov.uk

13. • Environment and Housing Department Bridging Worlds 2008
www.southwark.gov.uk

14. • Environment and Housing Department Bridging Worlds 2008
www.southwark.gov.uk

15. Peckham Library Membership by Age
2% 8%
12%
0-4
5-10
9%
11-15
16-17
18-59
3%
60+
66%
• Environment and Housing Department Bridging Worlds 2008
www.southwark.gov.uk

16. Peckham Library Membership Compared to Southwark Totals
35.00%
30.00%
Peckham
25.00% Weighted total
20.00%
Percentage
15.00%
10.00%
5.00%
0.00%
14 or under 15 to 19 20 to 24 25 to 34 35 to 44 45 to 54 55 to 64 65 to 74 75 or over
Age
• Environment and Housing Department Bridging Worlds 2008
www.southwark.gov.uk

17. Peckham Library Membership by Ethnicity
Mixed White & Black African
Asian British 1.66%
Chinese/Vietnamese Cypriot Greek Speaking
1.24% Other Mixed Background Mixed White & Black Caribbean
1.87% Cypriot Other
1.64% 2.07%
Other Asian Background
Cypriot Turkish Speaking
White Irish
Mixed White & Asian
0.98% 2.08%
Asian Pakistani
Other Black Background Asian Indian
1.09% Declined To Respond Asian Bangladeshi
Asian Bangladeshi 2.09% White Irish
0.88% Other Ethnic Group Other Black Background
Asian Indian Asian British
2.37%
0.78% Other Mixed Background
Asian Pakistani Mixed White & Black African
Black Caribbean
0.77% Chinese/Vietnamese
5.02%
Mixed White & Black Caribbean
Mixed White & Asian
Other Asian Background
0.61%
Declined To Respond
Cypriot Turkish Speaking Other Ethnic Group
0.27% Black Caribbean
Cypriot Other White Other
0.03% Cypriot Greek Speaking Black British
White British
0.01%
Black African
White Other
11.15%
Black African
27.31% Black British
White British
18.50% 17.57%
• Environment and Housing Department Bridging Worlds 2008
www.southwark.gov.uk

18. Customer Comments
• “I would like to voice my views that Peckham Library is indeed a great place to relax and
unwind away from your busy daily schedule of work. Loads of books catering to each and
every individual need and of course the computers are there for one and all to get onto the
net and go global. Helpful and courteous staff. A big thank you to the management and staff
of Peckham Library.”
• “This is the only library I enjoy coming to. The atmosphere is great due to the way it looks. I
enjoy learning when I am in Peckham Library. When I go to any other library I want to do my
thing then get out; But when I come here I actually want to see what else I can learn so I
don't have to leave. Great stuff. Great staff. LOL.”
• “The facilities are excellent but is it possible to include a small café in the building?”
• “Peckham Library is a great place to relax and unwind away from your busy schedule, with
loads of books and computers catering for all needs.”
• “This is the best library I’ve been to so far. Thank you.”
• “I am a Business Management student that would like to see a lot of Business Management
books available in Peckham Library.”
• “You don't have enough books about sports in my opinion: e.g. no books about scuba
diving…”
• Environment and Housing Department Bridging Worlds 2008
www.southwark.gov.uk

19. More Customer Comments
• “I am a relatively new customer to Peckham Library and I would like to make a couple of
points. Firstly; generally the library is quiet -depends on the time of day. I find the level of
disruptions sometimes with children and mobile phones ringing very distracting. It can be
frustrating not having a very quiet area.”
• “I think there should be rooms or more enclosed areas available for quiet study, so people
who want to do group study or use their mobile phones can conveniently do so in the non-
quiet study areas without distracting other people.”
• “More books and DVDs, magazines, newspapers to reflect the diversity of the area it serves.
There are no African periodicals or newspapers. There are no magazines of African news or
events yet these are available at good newsagents.”
• “As a student studying for professional course like ACCA; I can't make in depth search when
studying at this library. So I am left with the materials I bring from home.”
• Environment and Housing Department Bridging Worlds 2008
www.southwark.gov.uk

20. Canada Water Library
• Environment and Housing Department Bridging Worlds 2008
www.southwark.gov.uk

21. Canada Water Library
• Environment and Housing Department Bridging Worlds 2008
www.southwark.gov.uk

22. From Peckham to Canada Water: Lessons Learned
• Library design needs to enable and encourage synergies between different services in a multi-
service building
• Materials need to be able to be sourced locally and sustainability built in to design
• Comfort issues must be addressed to enable people to stay longer in the building and to support
use by families and small children... toilets, refreshments, buggy park…
• You have to provide quieter zones for study and learning activity as space is valued for this and
attracts a new kind of library user
• A responsive and dynamic programme needs to be developed to maintain and increase the use of
libraries and reflect cultural diversity
• Continued community consultation and engagement is effective in informing future provision
• Make the architects understand what it will feel like to use and work in the building!
• Environment and Housing Department Bridging Worlds 2008
www.southwark.gov.uk

23. Canada Water Regeneration
• Multi £million project
• 3,500 new homes
• 30,000 square metres of office provision
• Improved retail
• High quality public realm
• Ecological habitat protected and enhanced
• New school
• New library
• Environment and Housing Department Bridging Worlds 2008
www.southwark.gov.uk

24. • Environment and Housing Department Bridging Worlds 2008
www.southwark.gov.uk

25. • Environment and Housing Department Bridging Worlds 2008
www.southwark.gov.uk

26. Proposed New Design for John Harvard Library
• Environment and Housing Department Bridging Worlds 2008
www.southwark.gov.uk

27. Revitalising John Harvard Library
• Environment and Housing Department Bridging Worlds 2008
www.southwark.gov.uk

28. John Harvard Library: New Space and New Services
• Environment and Housing Department Bridging Worlds 2008
www.southwark.gov.uk

29. • Environment and Housing Department Bridging Worlds 2008
www.southwark.gov.uk

30. The Physical Library in the 2.0 Age:
A Wish List
• An iconic building – not essential but can be useful in kick starting
regeneration and attracting the 2.0 generation
• The latest IT and Wi-Fi capacity are essential as is the ability to offer
our services 24/7
• The space for a programme of activities to engage all ages and all
sections of the community
• A Library Service that continues to be responsive to its community
• Flexibility – we really don’t know what demands there will be on us in
the future
• Environment and Housing Department Bridging Worlds 2008
www.southwark.gov.uk

31. In Conclusion…
“Public libraries are safe places, where everyone is welcome and
receives equal respect. You can read for pleasure, study, look for jobs,
learn a new skill…They bring people of all ages, genders and political
beliefs together. They provide free access to information and ideas and
are an important bastion of democracy. Planners and developers
recognise this unifying role and many have put a public library at the
centre of new build and regeneration projects.”
The Little Book of Public Libraries, Museums, Libraries and Archives
Council 2005
• Environment and Housing Department Bridging Worlds 2008
www.southwark.gov.uk