A presentation to the CILIP Ireland
and LAI Joint Conference and
Exhibition – 19th
April 2018
Jim O’Hagan,
Chief Executive
A Newcomer’s Perspective:
Challenges and
opportunities

What I propose covering:-
• A bit about me - How did I get here?
• About Libraries NI
• Challenges
• Opportunities
• Some of the work Libraries NI has been doing
in recent years
• First impressions

About me, my background (How
did I get here?)

Reading habits –
…. for pleasure
….for personal
development ….for work!

Reading habits –

About Libraries NI
PURPOSE
Libraries NI has
statutory
responsibility for
the provision of
public library
services in
Northern Ireland.
VISION
A visible, accessible
and inclusive library
services at the heart
of communities,
changing lives and
valued by all.
MISSION
Connecting people
with information,
ideas and
experiences to foster
lifelong learning,
inspire curiosity,
provide enjoyment
and strengthen
communities.
VALUES
• Caring
• Accountable
• Responsive

About Libraries NI -
Our Network comprises:
•96 libraries
•2 heritage libraries
•Mobile libraries
•Homecall service
•Online
•Outreach
89% of the population lives within 2
miles of a library service point
29 - rural
31 - most deprived areas

About Libraries NI -
Staff working for Libraries NI
Customers – no. of active members290,000
700
Lending – issues and renewals
Operating costs £38m
5m +
Public access terminal and WiFi use
Participation in core programmes 338,000
1.15m
All figures based on the 2016/17 year

Challenges -
• Political uncertainty – potential impacts and
implications
• Sustainability
• Managing / maintaining a large dispersed
network
• Perception – of what a library is
• Developing staff, structures, skills and
capacity to meet new service demands
• Securing investment in physical infrastructure
• Updating and modernising core systems and
services

Opportunities -
• Libraries NI now well established
• Experienced knowledgeable staff
• Single regional organisation structure and
network
• A network that reaches into the heart of
communities
• A customer base that cares
• Good public and public representative
support
• Trusted staff and trusted space

Opportunities -
• Links with Department for Communities
• Draft Programme for Government, cross-
cutting themes (health, wellbeing, education,
economy
• Community Planning – statutory partner
• Partnerships
• The rise of the digital age

Belfast Central Library –
A huge challenge,
A huge opportunity!

Libraries NI – responding to
challenges and opportunities
Some examples….
•Investment in infrastructure
•Core programmes
•Digital literacy and digital inclusion

Kilkeel
Library
Investing in infrastructure

Dungiven
Library

Draperstown Library

Lisnaskea Library

alls Road Library

Lisburn City
Library

Core programmes -
Children’s programmesAdult’s programmes
•Tea and
Newspapers
•Knit and Knatter
•Job clubs
•Reading Groups
•Computer classes
•Mindfulness,
Nutrition and Health
events
•Rhythm and Rhyme
•Rub-a-Dub Hub
•Storytime
•Children’s Reading
Groups
•Big Summer Read
•Accelerated
Reader

Core programmes -
Rhythm and Rhyme
 Starting Young
 Over 180,000 participants attended
Rhythm and Rhyme sessions during
2016/17
 Parent quote:
“I think it prepares the children for school.
My older boy used to come here and
when he started school you could
really see the difference in him
compared with some of the other
children. He mixed better, was streets
ahead, and I put that down to him”

Digital literacy and digital inclusion
ome key facts and figures
• 23% of N Ireland
population lack basic
digital skills
• Women are less likely to
have basic digital skills
• People aged over 55 are
most likely to lack basic
digital skills
• People from C2DE
households are most
likely to lack basic digital
skills
Percentage of people in N
Ireland who have never used the
Internet

• Access to broadband and Wi-Fi
• Skills – Got IT?, Go ON
• Supported access
• Inclusive approach
• Events and partnering – ‘Google
Garage’
Digital literacy and digital
inclusionA flavour of what’s happening
in Libraries NI…..

• Some big challenges
• Some big opportunities
• Good work being done
• Collegiality
• Public service
• A great team of people
Some concluding remarks /
impressions
Not quite 100 days in…..

Reading habits –

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