Public Library Policy and Social Exclusion

Project team contact details
Project Conference - Monday 10th of July

Public Library Policy and Social Exclusion

Public Library Policy and Social Exclusion is a major policy research project based at the School of Information Management, Leeds Metropolitan University and funded by the Library and Information Commission (now part of Re:source, the Council for Museums, Libraries and Archives)http://www.lic.gov.uk/. The project is part of the Commission’s "Value and Impact" programme of research. Sheffield City Libraries and the London Borough of Merton are collaborating partners in the project.

Aims

The project aims to identify ways in which public libraries might contribute to a socially "inclusive" information society. It has investigated the value and impact of libraries in overcoming contemporary social exclusion, and seeks to develop a coherent policy framework within which practitioners might develop specific service initiatives.

Elements of the project

• Working papers exploring the various theoretical and policy issues relating to public library activity in this area. A list of working papers can be found below.

• A broad survey of local authorities, designed to gauge the extent of current library activity in this area.

• Eight detailed case studies of public library provision to develop a typology of "excluded" groups and communities in inner cities, deprived suburban areas and isolated rural areas. These will seek to highlight both good practice and identify key problems in the assessment of needs, community involvement, service provision and policy development.

The case studies and survey have both been completed, and 14 of the project’s 16 working papers are now available (details below).

Public Libraries & Social Exclusion Action Planning Network

The Library and Information Commission have also funded a Public Libraries and Social Exclusion Action Planning Network which produces a newsletter and which public library authorities can join. More details are available from John Vincent (see contacts list), who is co-ordinating the Network.

Project outputs

The final project output will comprise a report to Re:source, later in the summer. The findings of the research are due to be disseminated through a major conference to be held at the Library Association on 10 July 2000. Details are available on a further page. [Link to conference details]

Copies of working papers will be made available as these appear, with the first eight of these now being available. Contact Rebecca Linley (see contacts list) for copies of working papers and further details of publications.

Completed working papers, with authors

1. Theories of poverty and social exclusion (Dave Muddiman)

2. Public libraries and social exclusion - the historical legacy (Dave Muddiman)

3. Public libraries and social class (John Pateman)

4. Literacy, social exclusion and the public library (John Vincent)

5. Lesbians, bisexuals, gay men and transgendered people (John Vincent)

6. Social exclusion; an international perspective, Part 1: Returning a stare; people’s struggles for political and social inclusion (Shiraz Durrani)

7. Social exclusion; an international perspective, Part 2: The state, communities and public libraries: their role in tackling social exclusion (John Pateman)

8. Public libraries, children and young people and social exclusion (John Vincent)

9. Images of exclusion: User and community perspectives of the public library (Dave Muddiman)

10. Local and central government policy initiatives and social exclusion (Martin Dutch)

11. Public libraries, disability and social exclusion (Rebecca Linley)

12. Women, social exclusion and the public library (John Vincent and Rebecca Linley)

13. Struggle against racial exclusion in public libraries; A fight for the rights of the people (Shiraz Durrani)

14. Political Correctness (John Vincent)

Future working papers (titles are provisional), with authors

15.Information and communication technologies, social exclusion and the public library (Martin Dutch and Dave Muddiman)

16. Public libraries, the elderly and social exclusion (Rebecca Linley)

Please contact Rebecca Linley (see contacts list on the final page) for further details about the project.

Project team contact details

Links

School of Information Management Research Pagehttp://www.lmu.ac.uk/ies/im/research/mainresearch.htm

Library and Information Commissionhttp://www.lic.gov.uk/

Project Conference 10 July 2000

Last updated: May 2000

Last updated: May 2000