Helping Wirral Council ensure its library service is fit for the future
interviews carried out with Wirral residents on the telephone and face-to-face on street
responses received to the online consultation survey
focus groups held with Wirral residents
Challenge
Wirral Council aimed to modernise its library service through its Library Strategy. Listening to the views of library service stakeholders through a programme of consultation was crucial to help Wirral Council identify the best option for the future of the library service, which would meet local needs and make best possible use of available resources.
Wirral Council commissioned Enventure Research to undertake a programme of consultation with library service stakeholders to seek feedback on the options for the future, including on an option that was recommended by the Council.
Approach
Enventure Research used a mixed-methodology approach including both quantitative and qualitative methods. This comprised an interviewer led telephone and on-street survey, a self-completion survey delivered online and in paper format (including an Easy Read version), and eight focus groups with library service stakeholders. The questionnaire used in the surveys was designed in partnership between Enventure Research and Wirral Council.
In total, 900 interviews were conducted with a sample of Wirral residents, representative of the borough in terms of age group, gender and constituency area. A further 1,123 responses were received to the self-completion survey, which included responses from library users and non-users, organisations, businesses, schools, library staff and volunteers and a Member of Parliament. To provide qualitative feedback on the future of the service, Enventure Research also moderated eight focus groups, with half held online and half held in person at various locations across the Wirral.
Outcome
Enventure Research collated and analysed all of the survey data and feedback, and provided Wirral Council with a full report that included a set of recommendations for the future of the library service. Feedback highlighted that the Council’s recommended option was the most favoured by consultation respondents and there was local interest in a mobile library to ensure communities will continue to have access to the service. These findings have been used by Wirral Council to make changes to the service so it can continue to meet local needs and make best possible use of available resources.
“Enventure Research provided excellent and impartial consultation services to support the delivery of our Libraries Strategy. They were quick to understand the brief and supported the Council in developing the appropriate methodology, structure and messaging required to deliver on our objectives. At one stage of the project the scope was impacted due to committee level decisions a few days before ‘go-live’. Enventure Research were quick to adapt and incorporate these needs with minimal impact on our timescales. The end product was excellent and provided the Strategic Library Team with a sound evidence base.”
Insightful research. Expertly delivered.
