In my blog on 23 December 2016, I gave more detail on the workshops we’re running as part of the sector forums later this month. As well as the workshop sessions, we’re also running a Taskforce panel at each event (the makeup of which will vary between events).
Your chance to quiz the Taskforce
We’d like to give everyone the opportunity to ask questions of the Taskforce panels, even if you can’t get to any of the events. Therefore, we’re asking for your questions in advance and we’ll put them to the one of the Taskforce panels on your behalf. To do this, please fill out the form here. If you’re having trouble accessing the form, please email your question directly to librariestaskforce@culture.gov.uk. There will also be an opportunity to ask questions on the day.
If you can’t be there, we’ll be tweeting on the day and will be posting a blog with the responses. If we run out of time to get through the questions, we’ll answer as many as we can in a later blog post.
More workshop sessions
We’ve also got some more workshop sessions planned besides the ones we talked about previously. Please note, not all of the workshops will be available at every sector forum. The new additions are:
Evidence-based, long-term and sustainable planning
Ian Leete (Local Government Association) and Ben Lee (Shared Intelligence) will look at the types of evidence that can inform service design, demonstrate the impact of services, and influence policy and decision makers as they consider the future of the service. They will explore existing mapping work going on in library services across the country, demonstrate the way that tools like LG Inform can help present the information, and seek the views of delegates about what would most effectively help them to make use of this data in local decision-making.
Commissioning
Jessica Harris (Cultural Commissioning Programme Manager for the National Council for Voluntary Organisations) will be talking about her experiences of commissioning. She’ll be covering:
- what commissioning is, including the commissioning cycle
- who does it and the language they use
- how to develop an offer and communicate it to commissioners (particularly around using outcomes rather than activities)
- what sort of evidence is needed to demonstrate either reach or success
Signing up to workshops
If you’ve already booked your place at a sector forum, you’ll be receiving an email shortly asking you to select your 4 preferred workshops to attend on the day. Don’t worry if you can’t get to one of the events. We’ll be capturing the content of all our workshops and sharing it via our blog.
Is there still time to get a ticket?
Tickets are still available for the sector forums. If you haven’t had a chance to book yet, visit our page on eventbrite. Bookings are on a first come, first served basis. We’re running them on:
- 16 January - Newcastle City Library
- 19 January - Whitechapel Idea Store, London
- 23 January - M Shed, Bristol
- 24 January - Victoria House, Birmingham
The events will run from 10.30 to 16.30, with registration and refreshments available from 10.00. Lunch will be provided.
The sector forums are open to everyone with an interest in libraries, but are particularly aimed at all the library workforce and local council members and officials. They are free to attend.
For further updates and to read the outputs of the events, don't forget to subscribe to this blog.