Libraries and museums

Home > Services > Council and government > Council information, performance and statistics > Council performance

What is measured?

Indicator (A) shows the extent to which people use library facilities. It indicates how successful our library services are at reaching their potential services users.

Indicator (B) details the number of visits to/usages of council funded or part funded museums per 1,000 population.

Indicator (C) details the number of visitors to museums in person per 1,000 population.

How are we doing?

Our overall performance for libraries and museums in 2010/2011 was the same as in 2009/2010.

Statutory Performance Indicator (A): The number of visits to council libraries per 1,000 population

Number of visits to libraries per 1,000 population

2010/2011	4,622
2009/2010	4,191
2008/2009	4,468
Council target for 2011/2012	4,341
Trend

The number of visits to libraries per 1,000 population in 2010/2011 was higher than in 2009/2010 and 2008/2009.

The figure for 2010/2011 includes the number of virtual visitors (as defined by CIPFA in agreement with Audit Scotland) for the first time.

Visits to Library pages of the Council website include visits for general information, for example, opening times, visits to use specific information resources, for example, Know UK and visits to search the catalogue, place reservations, renew loans and look at individual's library accounts.

Number of borrowers as a percentage of population

2010/2011	25.1%
2009/2010	21.1%
2008/2009	19.9%
Council target for 2011/2012	23%
Trend

The number of borrowers as a percentage of Renfrewshire's population was higher in 2010/2011 than in 2009/2010 and 2008/2009.

Customers whose library membership has expired are automatically deleted from the library management system. In previous years, borrowers whose membership had expired before the end of the year, were excluded from the figure for the total number of library borrowers for the year, even if these customers had used the library within the period. The library management system reports have now been altered to ensure that no expired borrowers are deleted until the total number of borrowers report for the year has been produced.

Statutory Performance Indicator (B): The number of visits to/usages of council funded or part funded museums per 1,000 population

2010/2011	236
2009/2010	299
2008/2009	356
Council target for 2011/2012	375
Trend

The number of visits to/usage of council funded or part funded museums per 1,000 population were lower in 2010/2011 than in 2009/2010 and 2008/2009.

Increasing usage by both personal visitors and through other enquiries are important indicators of the value of museum services.

Statutory Performance Indicator (C): Number of visits in the above indicator that were in person and expressed per 1,000 population.

2010/2011	213
2009/2010	276
2008/2009	280
Council target for 2011/2012	280
Trend

The number of visitors to museums that were in person and expressed per 1,000 population in Renfrewshire in 2010/2011 was lower than in 2009/2010 and 2008/2009.

What factors influenced our performance?

Factors affecting the number of borrowers included the purchase of additional copies of best selling titles. This was done in response to user demand and these new titles were displayed more attractively.

The increasing availability of books for leisure reading through supermarkets and other retail outlets has continued the national trend of fewer book loans which contributes to fewer library visits.

What are we doing to improve our performance?

Statutory Performance Indicator (A):

The library service will continue to enhance the web content and promote the web services to users to encourage greater use.

In addition, the library service will continue to work with partners to offer a wider range of services to the public and will continue to develop a range of events and activities for adults and children to encourage more library visits.

Within the new library service structure the Children, young people and families officer will specifically develop a range of activities which all libraries will participate in to encourage library use by young people. Reader development activities will continue to be offered across all libraries to engage adults with the library service.

The library service will continue to pursue the development of wireless connectivity to allow users to bring their own laptops to the library and connect to the Internet.

To encourage more loans the service will continue to buy and display best selling titles. In particular, the junior stock will be reviewed in 2011/12, to encourage greater use by children and young people.

Statutory Performance Indicator (B and C): The Museum Service will use the information gathered through customer consultation, to develop, with partners, a more varied exhibition and events programme which will appeal to a wider audience. The service will also work closely with colleagues in property maintenance to implement a programme of repair and refurbishment as practicable within existing budgets.