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Lookup NU author(s): Deborah Forbes
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0).
This paper explores the transfer of six libraries from local government control to management and delivery by volunteers; termed ‘asset transfer’. The catalyst for transfer was cuts to local government budgets. Campaigning groups opposing closure had to quickly change to ones capable of adopting a new legal entity, preparing a business plan, running a facility and delivering a library service. This could be considered as pressurised associative democracy. A positive outcome has been the greater responsiveness to local needs. A concern is the sustainability of these transfers, in terms of volunteer commitment and long-term economic viability. Transfer of these facilities represents a transformation of the library service, but this may only be possible in areas where volunteers have high levels of social capital.
Author(s): Forbes D, Nichols G, Findlay-King L, Macfadyen G
Publication type: Conference Proceedings (inc. Abstract)
Publication status: Published
Conference Name: 2015 Voluntary Sector and Volunteering Research Conference
Year of Conference: 2015
Print publication date: 09/09/2015
Online publication date: 07/09/2015
Acceptance date: 01/06/2015
Date deposited: 15/12/2015
Publisher: NCVO/VSSN
Notes: The paper was awarded the Campbell Adamson prize, for the best paper submitted to the conference