Our annual netloan user groups have been a great success this year. A total of 76 library authorities gathered together across two days of online events to discuss all that’s involved with managing PC and printing services in the library. To a large extent, this concerned technology-based discussions, or ideas on configuration and support for easier access and administration of services. But it also extended beyond these topics, as we explored recovery of library services and footfall after nearly two tough years of the pandemic.

Discussion groups on both days of the user groups tackled this theme. It was useful to hear from libraries across the UK as they shared experiences and plans for recovering footfall and getting more users back onto library computers. The ability to get online is increasingly important with more people at ever greater risk of social isolation and economic hardship as the pandemic continues.

We heard how there are multiple challenges to returning users to the library while local restrictions and staff shortages persist. But for those libraries finding ways to stage new initiatives and events, results have been encouraging with a good response amongst targeted demographics of users. An extensive list of these initiatives and programmes as compiled from these discussions is available to read here.

Regular monitoring and reporting on usage statistics is common in order to track the pace of footfall recovery, as one netloan customer commented:

“PC usage is included in the stats that we discuss. It's important and a big part of the council’s interest in libraries”

Overall there is a sense that users need to re-discover the usefulness and enjoyment of visiting their local library. Comprehensive communication plans to inform and promote library services are expected in 2022 to encourage users back more quickly and end perceptions that libraries are not fully operational:

“We need to get the message out and remind people that the library is for them. People will need to discover us again and the kind of things that go on in the library. We’re doing all we can to get the community back in and remind them that it’s their space.”

One library is exploring the idea of library ‘open days’ to promote services and remind communities of all that’s on offer at the library. Others are considering how they can ‘start again’ involving elements of reinvention:

“We need to look at what’s going to attract users back to the library – events, community-based activities and the opportunity to meet up with others…. Libraries are really going to have to reinvent themselves off the back of the pandemic”

Looking at what current needs are, it could include the offer of a warm place to come during the day due to rising fuel poverty, providing a warm place for home workers. However, the success of each new initiative needs to be measured in the context of reduced capacity while restrictions on numbers often remain in place:

“Any library events or groups that we have introduced have reduced numbers due to distancing guidelines so this impacts on the number of people who can attend.”

Meanwhile libraries continue to work and forge partnerships with other council colleagues to coordinate efforts in raising digital literacy levels while raising awareness of library services. With great examples and progress achieved so far in a number of authorities, this way of working is likely to yield good results in increased footfall and uptake of services in the year ahead.

Libraries are also finding common goals with outside organisations and drawing on their staff and resources to help run library-based services. Where nationwide organisations are involved, there’s great scope for authorities to share contacts with others in order to duplicate and extend these successes across regions.

The above are some of the key thoughts and conclusions from our discussion groups. To read more, including the full list of initiatives underway in the library, please go to the minutes for these sessions as available here.

A big thanks to everyone who took part in these discussions and also to those who attended the netloan main sessions or other workshops this time round. It was definitely all time well spent! May we take this opportunity to wish you all a happy Christmas and all the best for the year ahead.