❓ Alanna Clohesy questions funding cuts to public libraries, citing low e-item borrowing rates. The Minister defends the cuts based on efficiency reviews and changing usage patterns, proposing alternative delivery arrangements.
AnsweredQoN 537Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
PUBLIC LIBRARIES —
METROPOLITAN VAN DELIVERY SERVICE
537. Hon
ALANNA CLOHESY to the minister representing the Minister for Culture and
the Arts:
I
refer to the cuts to public library services' funding and the minister's
public statements that this is because ''a lot more information is
provided through electronic means these days ''.
(1) Will the minister acknowledge that fewer than
three per cent of items borrowed from public libraries last year were
electronic, and therefore the minister's rationale for these cuts is
based on faulty information?
(2)
In light of this information, will the minister reinstate the funding; and, if not,
why not?
(3) If no to (2), will the minister reinstate the
smaller amount of funding so that the van service for interlibrary loans can be
maintained at current levels; and, if not, why not?
METROPOLITAN VAN DELIVERY SERVICE
537. Hon
ALANNA CLOHESY to the minister representing the Minister for Culture and
the Arts:
I
refer to the cuts to public library services' funding and the minister's
public statements that this is because ''a lot more information is
provided through electronic means these days ''.
(1) Will the minister acknowledge that fewer than
three per cent of items borrowed from public libraries last year were
electronic, and therefore the minister's rationale for these cuts is
based on faulty information?
(2)
In light of this information, will the minister reinstate the funding; and, if not,
why not?
(3) If no to (2), will the minister reinstate the
smaller amount of funding so that the van service for interlibrary loans can be
maintained at current levels; and, if not, why not?
AnswerView source ↗
I
thank the member for some notice of the question. I answer on behalf of the
Minister for Planning representing the Minister for Culture and the Arts.
(1) I am advised that in 2014–15, loans of
e-books and e-audiobooks constituted fewer than three percent of loans from
public libraries; however, this figure does not include the 132 700 e-magazines
and almost 200 000 documents downloaded from electronic databases by public
library members. Usage of electronic resources are growing exponentially, with
loans of electronic resources up 57 percent in 2015–16, and downloads
of e-magazines up 73 percent so far this financial year. These electronic
resources are available to everyone throughout the state.
(2) The State Library of Western Australia, as
part of the Department of Culture and the Arts, was subject to an agency
expenditure review process aimed at ensuring programs or activities are being
delivered as efficiently and effectively as possible. The review found that
managing the metropolitan courier service arrangement, including coordinating the
movement of books between local government libraries and supplying the staff
and delivery vans, was not sustainable or an effective use of taxpayers'
money. The amount of material required to be moved between metropolitan public
libraries has decreased over the last few years, with new stock now delivered
directly to public libraries by suppliers and fewer metropolitan libraries
choosing to use the exchange system for bulk movements of items. This has
significantly reduced the number of items transported between metropolitan
libraries.
(3) Discussions are currently being held between
the State Library of WA, the Western Australian Local Government Association
and Public Libraries Western Australia to determine an alternative arrangement
to the current metropolitan van delivery service. In the interim, the use of
postal or courier services to transfer items has been recommended to local
governments and will be used by the State Library.
thank the member for some notice of the question. I answer on behalf of the
Minister for Planning representing the Minister for Culture and the Arts.
(1) I am advised that in 2014–15, loans of
e-books and e-audiobooks constituted fewer than three percent of loans from
public libraries; however, this figure does not include the 132 700 e-magazines
and almost 200 000 documents downloaded from electronic databases by public
library members. Usage of electronic resources are growing exponentially, with
loans of electronic resources up 57 percent in 2015–16, and downloads
of e-magazines up 73 percent so far this financial year. These electronic
resources are available to everyone throughout the state.
(2) The State Library of Western Australia, as
part of the Department of Culture and the Arts, was subject to an agency
expenditure review process aimed at ensuring programs or activities are being
delivered as efficiently and effectively as possible. The review found that
managing the metropolitan courier service arrangement, including coordinating the
movement of books between local government libraries and supplying the staff
and delivery vans, was not sustainable or an effective use of taxpayers'
money. The amount of material required to be moved between metropolitan public
libraries has decreased over the last few years, with new stock now delivered
directly to public libraries by suppliers and fewer metropolitan libraries
choosing to use the exchange system for bulk movements of items. This has
significantly reduced the number of items transported between metropolitan
libraries.
(3) Discussions are currently being held between
the State Library of WA, the Western Australian Local Government Association
and Public Libraries Western Australia to determine an alternative arrangement
to the current metropolitan van delivery service. In the interim, the use of
postal or courier services to transfer items has been recommended to local
governments and will be used by the State Library.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.