Report OL153 Open Learning in Highland Region's Libraries

In 1989-90 Highland Region Library Service participated in the nationwide Open Learning in Public Libraries project, part funded by the Training Agency. Open Learning materials were loaned from two libraries and the project was enthusiastically received. This new service was maintained after the end of Training Agency funding, and a new proposal was put forward to enable more members of the public to experience Open Learning. This proposal was for a travelling, or peripatetic, collection to visit other large branch libraries in the Highland Region. Once again, Training Agency funding was agreed and the results of the visits to the first two branches monitored. The results were also compared with the permanent collections.

Although there were some variations between the peripatetic collection and the fixed collections in terms of subject borrowed, there was a high level of interest and use of the collection. A deliberate attempt was made to incorporate the Open Learning service into normal library routines, and it is considered that this was largely achieved. A side effect of this was the use of Open Learning packs by library staff to satisfy requests for information which had formerly been satisfied by books alone.

The general conclusion is that there is an untapped demand for Open Learning materials and that the public will use the library to obtain them. Highland Regional Library Service will maintain and expand the service as resources permit.

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This page last updated 8 February 1999.