Topic: Horowhenua Libraries 2030 : PEST Analysis

Topic type: General

PEST analysis of the situation we are working within in designing library services for the next 20 years.

What is a PEST analysis?

Originally designed as a business environmental scan, the PEST or PESTLE analysis is an analysis of the external macro environment (big picture) in which a business operates. These are often factors which are beyond the control or influence of a business, however are important to be aware of when doing product development, business or strategy planning. Learn more>>

How does it work?

Below is a table with the 6 areas we will consider. Just click edit at the top of this page and add your contribution to this table in the right hand column of the area you are interested in. This is a Wiki or collaborative exercise so will be the work of many. You can view previous versions by clicking the history tab above, and the whole point is that we are 'allowed' to edit or extend the work of others who have written before you.

	Discussion
Political Factors	Further local body amalgamation could have an impact here. If the Auckland super city takes off who knows what will be in store for Horowhenua. Could we become part of a greater Palmerston North or even be absorbed into a Nature Coast consortium... ? or conversely we could become a hub for many smaller local library centres in our surrounding district - Ohau, Manakau, the beach communities all deserve good library services. HDC spends 1m a year - currently - on libraries. Should be maximising the ROI - so maximising issues and usage per capita. Our libraries should be absolutely hammmered through use.. major barrier to usage currently is fines and charges. More and more local body information is becoming available online. - People will use the library to keep up to date with local issues.
Environmental Factors	Warmer summers (Global warming) mean we would definately need good airconditioning if we want customers to use the library in summer. The library buildings will become destinations: places to linger and browse. Quick info will be found online or through virtual reference desks (already available now). Good meeting spaces in the library should make us a destination for people who come to town rather than just a place to change library books. Meeting people face to face instead of on social networking sites - the library will become a point of contact in an increasingly fragmented society. International trend to "Think globallly, act nationally, live locally" ...ecologically sound. peopl will be wanting to 'live' locally. We could deliver library items to community 'depots'. Make it dead easy for patrons to order book selections online, or alternatively load a 'borrowing profile' and the librarians select for them. The library would arrange a book drop once a week or fortnight or month out into the communities, to a central place to drop off selections in named bags, and collect the returns. Could visit all the ares we don't do now or which don't generate a good ROI : Tokomaru, Shannon, Opiki, Foxton Beach Waitarere, Ohau, Manakau, Waikawa, Hokio. So a shift from 'just in case' bricks and mortar to 'just in time' to the door (so to speak). Alternative would be to contract to local dairies or 4 square to handle the book bag swaps. In smaller communities local community centres could function as de facto libraries - stocked by bulk weekly turn arounds of stock.Or do we think about a mobile library to the outlying regions...
Social Factors	Our aging population will need better accessibility to our collections than we have at present. Even if the library collections are all on the ground floor we will need computer workstations that folks in wheelchairs or on mobility scooters can easily access and shelf spaces wide enough to allow mobility scooters through without impeding other peoples access. Many of our current internet users will be getting old by 2030. The library will always be a safe place to meet and socialise with friends. We need much bigger collections of material for senior citizens. They will be last to let go of old technologies and as they phase out so too will videos, talking books on cassettes (within 2 years I would think), then DVDs, TBs on CDs,. The transition to largely ebooks will be much much slower for this group... 45 yr olds now will be retiring in 2030 ... and widespread digital literacy is not as prevalent as rumour has it. (Pew research). The Horowhenua population is becoming more ethnically and culturally mixed. Our resources need to reflect this. Spaces designated for eating? Food friendly spaces for folk who want to read a magazine or the paper over lunch? Child friendly spaces for the babies and children of our IT savvy young parents. Will they be looking for iner-active IT toys to stimulate their children. Will they expect more hands-on guidance and help in their space and meeting places for young parents where children are safe and occupied?
Technological Factors	Huge amounts of information will be digital rather than in print - official documents etc already are accessible this way. Books are now and will continue to be downloadable to personal readers. Printed books may become more expensive as digital print takes over for everyday things. People will still want to read 'paper' books but may not be able to afford to purchase them so libraries may be the only way foar them to access this material. Use of AV materials will increase. Could we have "kindle"s or other such book reading technology for hire - perhaps they will become so inexpensive that every home will have one.
Treaty Obligations	We need to design in 'spaces' that work for Maori and for how Maori want to use them ie lots of sharing, collaborative working, talking, comfortable seating, worktables rather than individual study carosels etc The library is a 'Place to Stand' for tangata whenua, a public place or venue for showcasing Muaupoko heritage and culture. I would like exhibition space or cabinets for rotating collections from Te Papa and other national institutions so that we can bring our cultural heritage back home for our people. Huge rich history; Muaupoko used to own all the land down to and including Wellington. I want this long history to be celebrated and help build and support pride of l.ocal Maori. I want this area to be 'claimed' by local Maori; I can imagine nothing nicer than to have the place filled with laughter and korero and mokapunas and people weaving etc.