Resource Centre
Background
Debenham
Resource Centre was converted from the old
Mid
Suffolk District Council are supporting staffing at Debenham for 3 years from
2006-2009 by contributing £2,300 each year.
Debenham Resource Centre is a library, linked to the
Suffolk County Council Libraries, Archives and Information Service. As such, it
offers the same services to the people of Debenham as every library in
-
It's free to join the library and everyone is
welcome.
- With a library card you can borrow
books, CDs, DVDs, videos, spoken word such as story cassettes and language
courses, and computer games from Debenham Resource Centre or any library
(and return them to Debenham resource Centre or any other
- You can use the internet for free
-
The virtual
reference library on our web site provides
links to a wide range of selected internet resources from travel
information to homework help.
- Staff at the resource centre are trained to help
customers access e-government sites, including parish, council and national
services. Access is free.
-
You can ask a question on AskSuffolk,
our email enquiry service.
-
From Debenham Resource Centre or any library,
you can access services and special collections, such as the Music
and Drama collection; the home
library service and the Suffolk Record Office; you can also access ancestry
websites and research your family history a very popular pursuit, these days!
Facts
about
- Around 500,000 library cards in circulation
- In
- 2500 people are offered libray services in their own homes
-
- We answer over 700,000 queries each year
- Over 117 million internet pages are accessed from libraries each year
Suffolk Record Office holds written, aural and photographic historical
documentation of
All Suffolk Library services mentioned above are
offered at Debenham. We also offer:
Free basic computer tutorials for adults
Free Bookstart activities for babies and toddlers
nursery rhymes and story time.
Bookstart is a national programme that works through
locally based organisations to give a free pack of books to babies, with
guidance materials for parents and carers. It promotes a life-long love of
books and is based on the principle that every child in the
Free craft activity sessions for children at weekends
National Initiatives such as the
The largest national
reading promotion for children aged around 4 to 11, the Summer Reading
Challenge is now run in 94% of
A free local noticeboard for events
and activities
A selection of leaflets and information about local events and services
A small reference section which includes Parish Council minutes, as well as
online reference access to e-government
The newspaper and a cup of coffee
And
always, a welcome to every customer.
Use
of the Centre
The Resource Centre is a popular and
well-used facility in Debenham and some statistics about its use and services
are attached. It is a significant
community resource for learning, leisure, information, culture and ICT, despite
its small size.
Volunteers
We have run a very successful programme
of volunteer placements for young people, helping with ICT, stock work and the
Reading Game. Other volunteers from the
community have also supported the Centre, particularly over the summer months
with the Reading Game. We would welcome
additional volunteers for the Reading Game this summer to talk to the children
about what they have read.
Recent
Changes
The new manager, Melanie Wood, took over
at the Resource Centre in January 2007, and two branch assistants have been
appointed to work some of the weekends. All staff are living in or close to
Debenham, and as such are part of the village community.
New
initiatives at the centre in 2007 will include:
The addition of the Books on Prescription
service which links in with the local GP and offers information resources and
books on specific medical topics.
A consultation within the community.
This will investigate the effectiveness of the service, particularly regarding
opening hours.
A campaign to increase awareness of the
service locally, particularly in outlying parishes of Ashfield,
Framsden,Wetheringsett, the Stonhams and Mickfield.
Melanie
Wood, Debenham Resource Manager
Gill
Jenkins, Mid Suffolk Locality Manager
April 2007
Opening
Hours
16 hours per week : Tuesday
9.30am - 1pm; Wednesday 3pm 7.30pm
Saturday 12 noon 4pm; Sunday 12 noon 4pm
Plus ICT classes and weekly Bookstart activities (eg
Storytime/Baby Bounce/Tot Rock)
Ψ Suffolk County Council Libraries, Archives and
Information service point, part of the Adult and Community Services directorate
Ψ Access
point (C Store) for Customer Service Direct (CSD) the partnership between
Suffolk County Council, Mid Suffolk District Council and British Telecom,
offering supported on-line access to Mid Suffolk and County Council services.
Use of
the Resource Centre
Issues May 2003 March 2004 - 7869; April
2004 March 2005 8426; April 2005 March 2006 -9907; April 2006 March 2007 - 8936
Visits Figures assessed from Library Visits
Surveys
2003/04 8008; 2004/05 7449; 2005/06 7332; 2006/07 6725
Enquiries
2003/04 122; 2004/05 - 173; 2005/06 186; 2006/07 - 310
ICT classes
2003-Nov 2005
200 hours/44 individuals, tutored by the previous manager. Classes are underway
and there is a waiting list for the new round of free classes, tutored by the
new manager who took over in January 2007.
Reading Game
The annual Summer Reading Game for children aged c.
4-12 years. The children read six books
over the summer holidays, discuss their reading with staff or volunteers and
receive certificates and medals when they complete the Game.
2003 Starters: 36. Finishers:
23. Percentage finishing: 63%
2004 Starters: 52. Finishers:
28. Percentage finishing: 53%
2005
Starters: 60. Finishers: 34. Percentage
finishing: 56%
2006 Starters: 24. Finishers: 9. Percentage finishing: 37%