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Strategy and planning

The State Library has developed publications and guidelines to assist libraries and councils with planning in a range of scenarios, including future and disaster planning.

Living Learning Libraries

Living Learning Libraries provides local government library services throughout NSW with the tools and guidance to measure their performance against state-wide data. It includes a discussion of the benchmarks and guidelines for library services.
Living  Learning Libraries: standards and guidelines for NSW public libraries

Building on the bookends scenarios

2014 marked the 75th anniversary of the NSW Library Act.  This provided an opportunity to consider the future for public libraries. The framework developed as part of the 2009 Bookends Scenarios project (below)  provided the ideal vehicle for this analysis. The project involved carrying out research, interviews and workshops with over 50 representatives from NSW public libraries,  the State Library and library stakeholders to answer the question: what do we need to do in order for public libraries to be successful in 2030?

The culmination of the project is the Building on the Bookends Scenarios.  The report tracks how we have been travelling along the scenario pathways developed in 2009 and presents a series of strategic options that libraries could implement in order be innovative, sustainable and resilient in the future.

Building on the Bookends Scenarios (PDF 3Mb)
Bookends Scenarios Review 2014 (PDF 673Kb)
Thought Leadership Report 2014 (PDF 457Kb)
The Future of Public Libraries Forum Report (PDF 1Mb)

The bookends scenarios

The bookends scenarios explore how the future of NSW public libraries might unfold over the next twenty year, specifically examining how longer term developments in the external environment may impact on the provision and perceived value of public library services.
The bookends scenarios : alternative futures for the public library network in NSW in 2039 (PDF 5Mb)

Disaster planning, response and recovery

Planning and disaster preparedness

These links are provided to assist libraries in developing local plans for disaster preparedness:

Response and recovery

After a disaster there is a limited time to deal with damaged materials.  These links may be of some assistance:

If you have specific enquiries please contact the Collection Care Branch via the Ask a Librarian service