Please note: we have important FAQs and clarifications for any individual or organisation which will help you in your application.

1. Introduction

Libraries Connected are looking for a subject specialist to develop the content for two 30-minute online learning tutorials and liaise with our online learning provider on its production. The following further details are outlined in this document which is also available as an attached PDF: 

• The service to be provided 
• The information to be provided by tenderers 
• The terms of business relating to the award of any contract 
• Anticipated timetable for the programme.

2. Background

2.1 About Us – Libraries Connected

Libraries Connected is a charity partly funded by Arts Council England as the Sector Support Organisation for libraries. We are also proud to remain a membership organisation, made up of every library service in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Crown Dependencies.Our vision is an inclusive, modern, sustainable and high-quality public library service at the heart of every community in the UK. We work to promote the value of libraries, broker national partnerships, share best practice and drive innovation in the sector.

We:

• Represent the public library sector to communicate the value of libraries
• Connect partners to local libraries by brokering national relationships with a wide range of organisations and individuals
• Improve library services by developing and sharing best practice, providing training for library staff, and facilitating a network of library leaders in the UK
• Drive innovation and new thinking on the role of libraries in a modern society.

2.2 The Universal Offers

The Universal Offers were originally launched in 2013 to “demonstrate the power of public libraries to enrich the lives of individuals and their communities”. The Universal Offers represent a commitment to quality provision across core areas of public library services. These core areas are: Culture and Creativity, Information and Digital, Health and Wellbeing and Reading with learning at the heart of all four offers. 

The Universal Offers are central to the aim of Libraries Connected to help its members deliver their core library offer and develop new services. The offers were developed in partnership with stakeholders, such as The Reading Agency and Arts Council England, and informed by customer research and consultation with stakeholders. 

They aim to ensure that all aspects of the library service are accessible to everyone that wishes to make use of them. Each of the offers is underpinned by the Six Steps initiative to ensure access for people with visual impairments developed by Share the Vision and the Children’s Promise developed by ASCEL. The offers have both a strategic and a delivery element.

2.3 Our online learning offer 

Libraries Connected is committed to ensuring that everyone who works or volunteers in libraries have the tools they need to serve their local community. Supporting learning is at the core of the library ethos, and we want to help library staff to be confident and competent in delivering this fundamental offer to their communities. Learning Pool is our e-learning platform, and the courses offered have been developed with funding from Arts Council England.

All the e-learning courses are available free of charge to public library staff in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Crown Dependencies and our Six Steps Promise course is also available to staff in Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland. 

Courses available to library staff include:

• Digital information skills
• Reading well books on prescription
• Children’s library workforce
• Six Steps Promise
• Talking with readers
• Culture and Creativity.

The Information and Digital Offer

The Information and Digital offer aims to inform, inspire and innovate. Libraries deliver this offer by providing access to quality information and digital services, opportunities for people to learn new skills and to feel safe when online. The offer helps children and adults to engage digitally and feel safe online. It ensures resources and opportunities are accessible and it embraces creative and innovative technology.

Libraries perform an important role in enabling individuals and communities to develop skills to find answers and to inform life choices. We want to support all library services to improve the skills of their workforce by giving them practical support to implement and develop the information and digital offer.

3. Deliverables

We are seeking to work with an organisation/s or individual who can create the content for an online learning package comprising of two 30-minute modules covering 

• Media and information literacy*
• Key digital skills to support the activities of a modern future facing public library service.

The modules will be hosted on the Learning Pool platform.

* The Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals definition of information literacy “is the ability to think critically and make balanced judgements about any information we find and use. It empowers us as citizens to develop informed views and to engage fully with society.”

Target Audience: The courses will be undertaken by frontline library staff working in local libraries as well as staff who have a strategic overview of information literacy and digital services. We want the focus primarily to be on the practical skills and competencies needed to be confident delivering this offer.

Assumption: Learners will have good ICT skills and basic internet search awareness with the ability to use blended learning such as video, online tests, texts and shared forum with other learners. 

The Digital and Information Offer group comprising of library representatives from each English region have identified the following areas of need that we would like to see covered by the modules in this package:

Module 1: Media and information literacy

• Introduction – what are the key information literacies and why are they needed

• Practical library related examples of literacies for:

• Everyday life

• Health

• Citizenship

• The workplace, including the public library workplace

• Information literacy and customer enquiry skills for the public library sector including:

  • Online ethics and legality
  • Online safety
  • Individual digital wellbeing and behaviour
  • Collaboration and content creation – with a focus on social media?
  • Finding information and discovery skills 
  • Evaluating information
  • Critical thinking.

Module 2: Key digital skills to support the activities of a modern future facing public library service

• Introduction – what are the key digital skills needed for the public library workforce, including own professional skills and those needed to support the public.
• Background to the Essential Digital Skills Framework and how libraries would support people to learn these skills.
• Customer engagement skills, behaviour and knowledge including using digital technologies as part of a creative blended offer to our communities
• Creative technologies including STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and maths)
• Skills for remote engagement and online delivery including safeguarding, best use of social media and video and podcast production.

The course should include information and practical guidance with interactive elements – quizzes, responding to scenarios and other activities, case studies, video links and links to further reading and resources. Where possible library examples should be used which allow library staff to strongly identify with the scenarios in their daily work.

Learning outcomes:

• A full understanding of equality, diversity and inclusion within the sector should be demonstrated. 
• Demonstrable understanding of how to support members of the public with key online transactions for everyday life, accessing national and local government services,managing their health, money, citizen participation and being able to find and assess good quality, reliable sources of information.
• Improved personal awareness of information literacy, fake news, online safety and efficient digital skills.

The successful supplier will work closely with Learning Pool and Libraries Connected to develop the content.

Learning Pool have been commissioned to provide enhanced support which will include the services of a Learning Designer who will work with the successful supplier to develop the content into an interactive online module.

4. Contract management

The contract will be managed by Sarah Mears, Programme Manager at Libraries Connected, and Dave Lloyd, Universal Information and Digital Offer Lead and Service Development Manager Coventry City Council. This project will report to the Digital and Information Offer Group representatives.

5. Workplan and milestones

We envisage the project will follow this workplan, but proposals can set out an alternative timetable to meet the deliverables.

Project initiation: Oct 2021
Shaping the module and liaison with learning pool: Oct-Nov 2021
Sourcing final resources: Dec 2021
Completion and sign off: Mar 2022

6. Budget 

£12,000 including VAT and travel and expenses. Any required meetings should be virtual but Libraries Connected will provide or pay for venues and catering for meetings integral to the work if required. It will also provide some administrative support for engaging with members as required.

7. Process for submitting proposals

7.1 Procurement timetable

Invitation to tender sent out: 7 September 2021
Any FAQs published on Libraries Connected website: 23 September 2021
Deadline for proposals: 30 September 2021
Selection: 4 October 2021
Appointment and initiation: 11 October 2021

7.2 Proposal content

The proposals should outline:

1. Understanding of the project and deliverables
2. Experience suited to the project subject and proposed methodology
3. Names and experience of individuals assigned to the project, to clarify their involvement with each phase or unit of the work
4. Costs, including breakdown for costs of each phase or unit of work, day rate of each team member and other costs or expenses.

7.3 Proposal submission

Please submit proposals by email to info@librariesconnected.org.uk. Proposals must be submitted by 5pm on 30 September 2021.

7.4 Evaluation of proposals

We will evaluate proposals using these criteria. The weighting is supplied in brackets after each criterion.

Extent to which proposal demonstrates an understanding of the brief (25%)
Knowledge and experience relevant to the project, including understanding of workforce development programmes, policy and strategy (25%)
Quality of methodology and experience in relation to development of strategy and programmes through a process of consultation (20%)
Proposed team composition and management (20%)
Cost (10%)

8. Further information 

For an informal discussion about the work, please contact:

Sarah Mears (Sarah.Mears@librariesconnected.org.uk) or Dave Lloyd (Dave.Lloyd@coventry.gov.uk).