Education Library Service call out

Inspire: Culture, Learning and Libraries - a charitable community benefit society delivering cultural and learning services across Nottinghamshire. 

Our mission is: To inspire people to read, learn and enjoy culture.  

Our Education Library Service (ELS) supports the teaching of the national curriculum, reading for pleasure, and wellbeing in primary, secondary and special school settings by loaning books to schools and providing a schools advisory service. We serve schools in Nottinghamshire, Nottingham City, Derby City and Derbyshire. We stock over 300,000 high quality up-to-date resources for all ages and abilities. Our team of professional librarians’ review and select all the books purchased.

ELS has operated as a sold service to schools (i.e., fully delegated in 1990’s) for over 30 years. Schools buy into the service annually, with approximately 95% of the income coming from the book loan service. Find out more about our Education Library Services. 

We are looking for an individual to review the Education Library Service looking at its operating model, service offers and customer base. 

Our aim is to:

• Ensure long-term financial viability of the service
• Provide a cost-efficient, dynamic service that is able to adapt quickly to changing customer need

Scope of the work:

• Consider all aspects of the service.
• Look at service offers and pricing structure and consider their viability.
• Review use of mobile library for book exchanges
• Consider new service offer options
• Consider current staffing structure and job roles with comparator services.
• Consider the geography reach of the service, location of current customers and ELS Base.
• Consider costs and benefits of current system of book reviewing and alternative approaches.
• Consider advantages of deployment of technology e.g., RFID
• Work collaboratively with Inspire staff.
• Consider views of selected groups of current and past customers
• Consider opportunities for marketing the service.
• Look at other sources of external funding.
• Consider cost effectiveness of opening patterns.

Methodology
We expect the review will include a combination of desk research and interviews that may be carried out online. There is an expectation that some interviews will be conducted in person in Nottinghamshire. Updates on progress will be required.

Outcomes
A report with short and medium term recommendations to support Inspire's aims for the service.

Timeframe
Deadline for seeking clarifications on brief: 8 May 2024
Deadline for submission: 17 May 2024
Selection date: 22 May
Planning meeting for selected consultant: week commencing 27 May or 3 June 2024
Delivery period: June - September 2024
Feedback meeting: week commencing 30 September 2024

Fee
Maximum £5000 (inclusive of VAT and all costs). There will not be additional budget for travel or accommodation.

What we need from you
A proposal outlining how you will approach this work and deliver the intended outcome within the required timescale.  Please provide details of your experience and relevant competencies to undertake the work and two referees who could provide a relevant reference of your suitability to work on this project. These are some prompts to help you think about what you might do.

• What would be the process?
• How will you deliver it?
• What will you need?
• What support can Inspire provide?

How we'll evaluate the proposals

Criteria                                             Weighting

Fulfils the brief                               30%                           
Relevant past experience            30%
Quality of research methods       30%
Value for money                            10%

Total                                                    100%                          

For further information please contact Carol Newman by email at carol.newman@inspireculture.org.uk or calling on 0115 804 4335.  

How to apply!
Any requests for clarification should be sent by Wednesday 8 May. The deadline for receipt of proposals is Friday 17 May 2024. We will be unable to consider applications received after this deadline. 

Please email your proposal and any accompanying documents to carol.newman@inspireculture.org.uk. We may invite you to present your proposal in person or online.