Why can't every year be a National Year of Reading? An evaluation of the NYR in Yorkshire

Abstract

An evaluation of the National Year of Reading in Yorkshire was conducted by Leeds Metropolitan University in response to a brief from Museums, Libraries and Archives, Yorkshire. This paper outlines the development and planning of phase one of this small scale qualitative research project and the analysis of the initial results which looks at the impact of NYR on the organisations that delivered the campaign and their work with target groups. The Generic Social Outcomes and the National Indicators were used to develop a theoretical framework. Data were gathered via in depth interviews and focus groups with NYR steering group partners in Calderdale and North Lincolnshire, selected as the two case study authorities. The use of MAXQDA computer-assisted qualitative data analysis software (CAQDAS) enabled data and coding structures to be stored and will facilitate comparison in this longitudinal study. This evaluation will provide material that local library authorities can use for advocacy with a range of audiences including local and central government.

"The love in the room": Evaluating the National Year of Reading in an Australian public library

“…The Generic Social Outcomes (GSOs) were developed by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (abolished in 2012) as a tool to gather evidence and measure the impact of libraries and other cultural institutions. Rankin, Brock and Matthews (2009) used the GSOs to develop a theoretical framework for analysing the impact of the UK NYR on organisations in Yorkshire based on the three main strands of "Stronger and safer communities", "Health and wellbeing" and "Strengthening public life" (Museums, Libraries and Archives Council, 2008).…”

“…Every time we go out to community consultation, the one thing the community want is a library… it's a wonderful thing because our programs are very much entrenched in that holistic outlook of bringing community together. This statement can be used as an affirmative answer to the question posed by Rankin, Brock and Matthews (2009): "Why can't very year be a National Year of Reading? "…”

The National Year of Reading

“…The generic social outcomes (GSO) framework was used to help show evidence of the public library offering in two contrasting public library authorities, one predominantly rural, and the other urban; there was no intention to undertake a comparison of the two authorities. Calderdale Libraries and North Lincolnshire Libraries were invited to participate, along with the departments and organisations involved in the NYR steering groups of those two authorities (Rankin, 2012a, c; Rankin et al , 2009).…”

“…This study involved the gathering, analysis and interpretation of information from semi‐structured interviews with librarians and group discussions with NYR steering groups (Rankin, 2012c; Rankin et al , 2009). The generic social outcomes (GSO) framework used in this research was originally developed and piloted by the consultancy firm the Burns Owen Partnership (BOP) in 2005.…”

“…The second part of the article discusses findings from a MLA funded research project in Yorkshire which used the generic social outcomes framework to look at the impact of NYR in two public library authorities. Views and observations from interviews with the library staff involved in the NYR in the Yorkshire case study authorities are used to highlight the challenges and successes involved in the 2008 campaign (Rankin, 2012c; Rankin et al , 2009). It is important to hear the voice of the practitioner as this reflects the librarians” view of their experience in planning and delivering the NYR as part of outreach work with the local communities.…”