Role of the corporate library in meeting the information needs of local authorities in New Zealand

Abstract

The role of the corporate library in local authorities in New Zealand is a previously unexplored subject. Using surveys and email interviews, the opinions and thoughts of corporate librarians are gathered and the current situation and extent of corporate libraries is explored. The factors to have had an impact on the role are discussed alongside the ways in which libraries meet the information needs of the organisation. The study reveals the concerns of corporate librarians and the constraints that are placed on their ability to provide a comprehensive information service to their parent organisation. This is followed by a discussion on the level of management attention they receive and how this affects their role. The study concludes that corporate libraries in local authorities are at a transitory stage and at a stage where their future is being determined by current information management priorities and trends. Currently the focus is on Records Management, especially with the introduction of the Public Records Act 2005 and resources are being directed away from corporate libraries; this is a situation that needs to be addressed. This study concludes that the majority of corporate libraries are under resourced both in terms of funding and staffing; the libraries are often managed by support or administrative personnel; many corporate libraries are not well supported by senior management and corporate librarians have an internal focus with 44% of their time being spent on cataloguing. A more external focus or outward approach to engage in proactive activities to secure the place of the corporate library as vital to a local authority is encouraged. Services need to be pushed out to the organisation and the value demonstrated to senior management in order to gain support. This study reveals that those libraries that do have a good level of senior management support have a good profile and are highly valued within the organisation.