Impact
Redesigning public libraries for the 21st Century
Managed and delivered the procurement and implementation of four major new IT systems and the installation of the complete technology infrastructure
Designed and embedded significant culture change, including a new organisational structure and dress code
Empowered staff to work in a more agile, flexible manner, using streamlined policies and procedures
Put in place a partnership framework to support events and income generation for the Library
Entec Si played a leading role in working with us to shape and ultimately deliver what has become a very successful Transformation & ICT Programme. Their commitment, energy, enthusiasm and willingness to just get on with the job in hand was key to the success of this engagement
The Challenge
Birmingham City Council was keen that this project should reinvent library services for the 21st Century. This meant an organisation that could respond to changes in customer expectations (including digital needs), appeal to a wider demographic and have a more sustainable, commercially focused operating model. With these principles firmly in mind, Entec Si was asked to design and manage the Library of Birmingham’s entire IT and Transformation programme.
Our Approach
In response to this brief we built a Programme Team which was made up of client staff, complemented by our specialist resources. It was important for us to draw together library and archive knowledge alongside project managers and IT professionals. This enabled us to integrate thoroughly with the service and ensure that we could fully capture all requirements and successfully define their solutions.
To underpin the project, the team produced a Future Operating Model for the Library of Birmingham. This described how services would need to be facilitated by culture change, IT and partnership working.
The Library of Birmingham opened on time and under budget on 3rd September 2013, to great public acclaim. Its customers receive a wider range of services, delivered in a more consistent way by dedicated customer experience staff, self-service channels and innovative digital content solutions. Entec Si is enormously proud to have been so thoroughly involved in such a landmark project.