Enquire helps meet the vision of future outlined in DCMS ‘Modernisation Review’
On 22nd March, UK Culture Minister Margaret Hodge published a blueprint for England’s public library service. The “Modernisation Review”, is a policy statement setting out what needs to happen within the sector to ensure public libraries are fit for purpose in the 21st century.
Two of the key themes coming out of the review concern relevancy and accessibility of library services - making them once again vital to the communities they serve. In the midst of declining use, the paper aims to help public libraries grasp the opportunities that digital technology presents in being more responsive to people’s expectations of immediate access to relevant information.
Of the 154 libraries who responded to the survey, many are already using Enquire for this very reason - to meet the needs of their community, online, 24/7. Enquire is an example of libraries working together to help users at their point of need. One of three People’s Network services originally commissioned by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA), Enquire delivers live assistance to information seekers via internet chat. Run by libraries in partnership with OCLC, the service gives public library users access to a cooperative network of librarians who answer questions at any time of the day or night.
With the publication of the DCMS’ “Modernisation Review”, more than ever national and local government agendas are emphasising community engagement. Through Enquire, libraries are already reaching out to all members of their communities, providing accessible, inclusive local services to both regular library users and individuals that are distant or disengaged from library services.
One of the ways this is happening is through the provision by Enquire subscribers of local services. Sessions where members of the public can pose questions online to a range of local experts such as library staff, politicians, authors, historians, social workers, genealogists, career advisors, have been hugely successful. One of the most popular examples have been ‘Homework Help’ services, where students get access to local resources online to assist them in their education needs. The remote access that Enquire facilitates means the wide range of people bought together as part of these community engagement sessions, would otherwise not be possible.
To find out more about how Enquire can help you offer improved digital local services, join us on Thursday 27th May at 10.30am (BST), for a free online information seminar. As part of the session Barnsley, Bristol and Essex Public Libraries will be sharing their experiences and examples of how they have used Enquire to date.