Innovation and good practice

Showing all posts posted in 2012

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Quick Reads in Southend Libraries | 2 November 2012

Brief intro to the work that Southend Libraries have done to promote Quick Reads.

Posted in: Administrations | United Kingdom | Basic Skills/Skills for Life/Literacy/ESOL/Emergent Readers

Round the World in Bedford | 26 October 2012

Updated info on the Library website about African Caribbean Bedford, Asian Bedford and European Bedford, each giving info about art and music; country information; books, films and newspapers; languages; religion and festivals; culture and heritage; connections; facts and figures.

Posted in: Administrations | International | Black, ethnic minority and mixed-race | Migration - new arrivals, including refugees, asylum-seekers, migrant workers

Welcome To Your Library - Essex County Council | 24 September 2012

This welcome guide was a joint project between Essex Libraries, Maldon and Dengie Local Action group (one of 12 groups in Essex which help plan services for young people and adults with a learning disability), and TMHS (Tendring Mental Health Support) Independent Advocacy project. Initially people with a learning disability visited local libraries and shared their experiences. They then worked with a member of library staff and advocacy support to put together this welcome guide. The ICE (Inclusive Communication Essex ) project advised on Easy Read and making the guide accessible. The guide is given to new library members and promoted to local groups.

Posted in: Disability - learning disabilities | United Kingdom | Administrations

Using Southend Library | 14 September 2012

A new guide to Southend Central Library has been designed and produced by members of SHIELDS Parliament in partnership with the Community Team for People with Learning Disabilities and Southend Library staff. It aims to encourage adults with learning disabilities, their families and Carers to visit the library and re-discover the many resources on offer.

The Guide is being promoted via posters and the local media.

“The letters 'SHIELDS' stands for Supporting, Helping, Informing Everyone with Learning Disabilities in Southend. We are a group of people who have learning disabilities. We speak up on behalf of other people with learning disabilities. We are called councillors. People vote for us to represent them”

Posted in: Disability - learning disabilities | United Kingdom | Administrations

"Feel better with a book at Peckham Library" | 12 September 2012

Example of a poster promoting a new reading group, co-organised with The Reader Organisation.

Posted in: Administrations | United Kingdom | Health & wellbeing

Building on Success - Six Book Challenge 2012 | 10 September 2012

Southend Libraries' report of the 2012 Six Book Challenge, in which they worked in partnership with Southend Adult Community College, (SACC) Rethink Recovery Point, Milton Community Partnership, Shared Space and the Supported Volunteering project (SAVS).

Posted in: Administrations | England | Basic Skills/Skills for Life/Literacy/ESOL/Emergent Readers

Developments following the course, "Improving our services for blind and partially sighted people: implementing the Six Steps and more" | 28 August 2012

Lots of activities were carried out across LibrariesWest as a result of and inspired by the seminar, including:

Drop in sessions at Thornbury and Downend libraries (South Gloucestershire) to provide guidance to visually impaired people on zero and low-cost access to computers, with opportunities to try i-readers, access books using magnification, audio, e-readers and e-audio
A talk at Burnham Library (Somerset) about the work of the National Blind Children’s Society which gave an insight into how they produce books in large print on demand for children as well as other work they are involved in

Information sessions at Yeovil (Somerset), Emersons Green and Yate libraries (South Gloucestershire), run by Action for Blind People, to answer questions about services covering all aspects of sight loss including housing, financial and employment advice as well as advice and support on products and software to help visually impaired people

A training programme for library staff in Somerset (delivered by Somerset Sight) on how to help people with a visual impairment, which will be rolled out initially to libraries as they introduce self service.

There is also a write-up of the seminar in LibrariesWest News Summer 2012.

Posted in: Disability - visual impairment | England | Administrations

South Tyneside's work with people with dementia | 14 August 2012

The South Tyneside Local Studies Librarian was invited, several years ago, to speak to a group of people with dementia, and their carers, at a “Dementia Cafe” luncheon club.

She carefully put together a loose “talk”, quite chatty, about the old library in South Shields, and Amy Flagg, wartime photographer – just about 10 minutes; this was to invite participation from the audience. It worked quite well.

On another occasion she invited a group of people with dementia to a display of wartime memorabilia, put together by the library and volunteers as part of the TPYF2 project (Respecting the Past: Remembering South Tyneside’s Wartime Memories). The aim was not to record their memories but to give the individuals within the group an opportunity to see the images and reminisce together.

"Following this, members of our local history group have worked hard with us to create displays which can be loaned out to homes. This they do independently as we struggle with capacity. The displays provide opportunities for all who live in, work in, or visit relatives at, the homes, to reminisce and talk about the images. The displays are also used at Heritage Open Days – to enhance experience of visitors. They are not necessarily top quality – but fulfil an important need – to encourage dialogue and conversation. The group manages any “loss of images”, and stands the cost of copies and laminating. There is no charge to homes etc, but sometimes people offer donations to further this work.

The library also has a website of local images which enables individuals to see images in the collection, and to use these for research, homework, reminiscence ...

Our contribution is small, but a step towards what could be achieved."

Posted in: Health & wellbeing | Older people | United Kingdom | Administrations