The elected member and the public library.

This study reflects the perceptions of elected members
responsible for public library services. It presents
their views on the mission, management and
organization of public libraries, and examines the
factors that can influence their attitudes and
behaviour.
Education, recreation and information are perceived to
be important aspects of the public library’s work.
Members inform themselves on library matters by using
the service and by seeking the opinions of constituents
and library officers. Most respondents possessed a
reasonable knowledge of the aims and scope of the
service and were supportive of it, although many doubted if most elected members held the library
service in high regard.
Respondents expected the Chief Librarian to possess
both managerial and professional skills. He or she is
perceived to have specialist knowledge and can be a
major influence on their decisions. Members saw it as
their own role to decide and direct policy in line with
political priorities, and to act as a conduit for
complaints. The committee Chairperson is expected to
be a spokesperson for, and an advocate of, the
service. Few respondents saw an unambiguous dividing
line between the role of elected members and that of
library officers. While most members did not want to
be involved in the day-to-day running of the service
there were exceptions to this general rule particularly
with regard to stock selection and displays.
The library committee is not regarded as the most
Important of members' commitments and is perceived to
be less political than most other council committees.
There is little support for the idea of 'political
appointments' to the library service. Political
allegiances do however produce differences when it
comes to elected members' views on funding, the use of
volunteers, contracting out and the provision of a
'premium service'.