3. Access to culture and knowledge is the central objective of
the Public Library
In the new context of digital society, the library works and
offers its services in the fields of information, education
and culture, in a double dimension: on site and digital

4. Summary
01. About the network
02. The city and the local government
03. Planning and scheduling
04. Spaces and services
05. Networking and cooperation
06. The users of Barcelona Libraries
07. The relationship with the user. Communication and
participation
08. Future prospects and cooperation projects
09. The government and the Barcelona Libraries management
10. New challenges

5. 01
About the network

6. 01 About the network
Mission
Provide all citizens, through the material resources, the
collection and programming of the libraries, free access
to information, knowledge and culture, and perform as
an active agent in the promotion of reading.
Barcelona Libraries want to become, within their fields
of action, a space of connection and networking with
other local cultural, educational and social agents.

7. 01 About the network
Population (citizens)
Barcelona City 1,638,103
Barcelona Metropolitan Area 4,743,615
Barcelona Province 5,416,447 Sarrià-Sant Gervasi
Horta-Guinardó
Nou Barris
Les Corts
Sant Andreu
Gràcia
Population by district
Ciutat Vella 109,897
Eixample 269,188 Sants-Montjuïc Eixample
Sants-Montjuïc 184,606
Les Corts 83,296
Sarrià-Sant Gervasi 145,532
Gràcia 123,973 Sant Martí
Horta-Guinardó 172,018
Nou Barris 170,092 Ciutat Vella
Sant Andreu 147,573
Sant Martí 231,928
Official population figures to June 30th
2009. Barcelona City Council.

8. 01 About the network
What we offer:
• 35 libraries
8 district and 27 local
27 with classrooms
• More than 550 Internet access points
• WiFi service in all libraries
• Over 48,000 m2 of library
1,350 m2 average x library
• Over 1.8 M. documents
51,800 documents average x library
1.2 documents x citizen
Data 2009

9. 01 About the network
• Over 950 ICT training courses
• Over 2,000 cultural activities
57 activities average x library
• Over 300 professionals in libraries
and 20 in central services
• Over 65,500 hours of annual services
4 libraries with more than 60 hours per week
15 libraries with more than 40 hours per week
16 libraries with more than 30 hours per week
Data 2008

10. 01 About the network
The response of the citizens:
• Over 740,000 library user cards
45.8% citizens with library card
• Over 6.1 million visits
23,800 daily visits
• Over 1.6 million web visits (35 libraries=35 webs+ 1 general)
• Over 1.45 million borrowing
• Over 4.39 million documents borrowed
More than 17,000 documents daily borrowed
• Over 810,000 Internet uses
More than 3,100 daily users
• Over 66,000 attending cultural activities
• Over 7,500 attending digital literacy courses
Data 2009

11. 01 About the network
Invested funds:
• 33 million annual euros – investment and maintenance
20.1 € per citizen
• 23.8 million annual euros in maitenance
14.6 € per citizen
Data 2008

12. 01 About the network
Òmnibus Municipal poll results:
The library is the best valued city service punctuated
7.3 over 10
• 82.3% of the citizens know a city library
• 59.4% of the citizens use it “regularly“
Source: Barcelona City Council / Consumer Department. 2009 December

13. 02
The city and the local government

14. 02 The city and the local government
Europe
Spain
Barcelona
Catalonia

15. 02 The city and the local government
Population (citizens)
Barcelona City 1,638,103
Municipal Organization
Territorial: 10 districts, 73 neighborhoods Sarrià-Sant Gervasi
Sectorial: 9 sectors Horta-Guinardó
Nou Barris
Libraries in the Municipal Organization
In the Educational, Cultural and Welfare sector:
Barcelona Cultural Institute
With the Districits:
Management and customer service
Les Corts
Sant Andreu
Gràcia
Sants-Montjuïc Eixample
Sant Martí
Ciutat Vella

16. 03
Planning and scheduling

17. 03 Planning and scheduling
• Network expanding process
• Libraries Plan 1998-2010 (approved April 20, 1998):
Library model: access to knowledge, digital society, education and reading
Background and legal framework
Standards
State of affair
Proposals: spaces, services, collection, HR and schedules
Model management: Consortium
Economic Survey. Prospective investment and maintenance
• Constitution of Consorci de Biblioteques de Barcelona
January 2001

18. 03 Planning and scheduling
Libraries Plan
1998-2010
Current Situation
Without planned intervention
Actions executed
Ongoing actions
Actions pending to iniciate

19. 03 Planning and scheduling
Keys to success:
• Opting for quality facilities: space and services
• Definition of a library model with forward-looking approach
Opting for ICTs (access, training and use)
• Library as a cultural place
Over 2.000 activities
Agreements with over 100 institutions
“Card” value
• Centralized production of services with territorial vision
• Planning taking into account the proximity
80% of users will walk to the library and takes no more than 15 minutes

20. 04
Spaces and services

21. 04A Spaces and services
Spaces
Opting for spaces in the plan organization :
Standards were "ambitious” at that moment
Functional programs
Balance between the value of architecture and functionality of spaces
Close to the user and centralized
Take advantage of the opportunities
The evolution of spaces based on “new" requirements :
Lobby, reception area
Spaces for activities
Multimedia classrooms
More square meters
“New” interventions not made in the initial plan

22. 04A Spaces and services
Spaces
Recovery of new spaces Construction of new terrirotial icons
Clarà Library – gardens Jaume Fuster Library
Sofia Barat Library – Eixample block Ignasi Iglésias Library – Can Fabra
El Carmel Library – Juan Marsé
Heritage Recovery Relationship with other services:
Horta Library – Can Mariner The library in “common spaces”
Francesc Candel Library Sagrada Família Library
Barceloneta Library – La Fraternitat Francesca Bonnemaison Library
Poblenou Library – Manuel Arranz Fort Pienc Library

23. 04B Spaces and services
Spaces / Access to information and knowledge
Access, selection and prescription:
• With library documental resources
(on site and digitals)
• With electronic resources selected by subjects and
accessible through the web
• With digital library services:
Chilias (children’s website)
• With resources guide
• With cultural program

24. 04B Spaces and services
Spaces / Access to information and knowledge
Through:
• Local services and local information
• Consultation Services and library work
• Borrowing service and interlibrary borrowing service
• Advice services, group and individual support / specific
organizations

25. 04B Spaces and services
Spaces / Access to information and knowledge
• With the resources and library services, specially the
borrowing and the selection of the reading and resources
1.8 million documents
4.39 million documents borrowed
• With the cultural program, on site and virtual
Adults and families
66,000 assistants to over 2,000 activities
87 Reading Clubs with over 2,500 registers
• With the cooperation agreements with cultural institutions
and organizations of the city (over 100)
Data 2009

26. 04B Spaces and services
Spaces / Access to information and knowledge
• In the field of learning and permanent education
With activities in the multimedia classrooms
With actions in informational literacy
Local Digital Literacy Plan
• In the field of the formal education: reading and
informational education
With resources of information and services
With learning activities from users
Promoting educational and cultural activities
With evening study areas

27. 04B Spaces and services
Spaces / Access to information and knowledge
As a relationship space: :
• With on site and virtual services
• With spaces to share collective initiatives:
On site spaces and social networks (all libraries in Facebook)
Cultural and participatory activities
(Workshops, reading clubs...)

28. 04B Spaces and services
Spaces / Access to information and knowledge
As a social cohesional space
• With an open, welcoming and inclusive space
• With documental resources in different languages
International newspapers in 5 libraries
• With the opportunity to learn catalan and spanish
• With ICTs courses
• With the borrowing and reading at home services
• With programs such as:
Program ”Benvingut a Barcelona”. Informations of the city and
procedures
Program “A l’estiu, Barcelona t’acull" for the family reunification
• With the annual meetings to exchange experiences for
professionals about cultural diversity and social cohesion

29. 05
Networking and Cooperation

30. 05 Networking and cooperation
In the cultural field
In the educational field
In the cohesion and citizens field
In a city, district or neighborhood level

31. 05 Networking and cooperation
In the cultural field:
• From specialties:
With agreements with “expert” cultural agents from the city
• From the library card:
With agreements with over 100 organizations and cultural
institutions
Newsletter (over 100,000 registers)
• From the cultural program around the book:
With editorial agreements...
…

32. 05 Networking and cooperation
In the cultural field
…
• From projects around the historic memory
With the archives colaboration
• From the organization of the two Points of Biblioplatja:
With the colaboration of Parcs i Jardins City Council
• From the implication of all cultural central events of the
city:
With the cooperation with diferent city agents

33. 05 Networking and cooperation
In the educational field :
• From the cooperation with school libraries :
With agreements and projects with Consorci d’Educació de Barcelona and
IMEB through Disctricts Educational Resources Center
• From the multimedia classrooms:
With cooperation agreements with differents organizations in order to
dinamize classrooms and internet services
• From the opportunity of study rooms service
With agreements with the Regidoria de Joventut de Barcelona and
the districts

34. 05 Networking and cooperation
In the cohesion and citizens field:
• From projects directed to newcomers:
With agreements and services shared with the Comissionat per a la Inmigració
Barcelona City Hall and the collaboration of the Centre de Normalització
Lingüística de Barcelona
• From the Immigration Congress:
Agreements with cultural institutions and Embassies from different countries

35. 06
The users of Barcelona Libraries

36. 06 The users of Barcelona Libraries
The acceptance level
of library service
in the city is high:
45.8% of citizens 740,670
with library user 663,647
cards
376,289
Total evolution 45.8%
41%
cards
192,204
24%
Population
13%
Registered
2001 2004 2008 2009

37. 06 The users of Barcelona Libraries
The opening of new
libraries, redistributes
existing users and +87,802
generates new ones
+76,612
+75,153
Number of new cards –
Evolution
+42,540
2001 2004 2008 2009

38. 06 The users of Barcelona Libraries
• The user goes to the library on foot
• Each user, with user card, goes to the library
an average of 8.2 times per year
• Women exceed in almost 10 points the men registered
54.8% women / 45.2% men
• In adults, the most important age group is the
working people, which has a medium – high
educational level and a good knowledge of the new
technologies.
Source: Satisfaction Users Survey 2008 . Memoria 2009. Biblioteques de Barcelona

39. 06 The users of Barcelona Libraries
…
• 22.6% of registered users are not originally from the EU
• The age group with the possibility of increasing the
penetration is the one of elder people
• It increases the use of library services: consultation,
reading, listening, and viewing
• The borrowing grows in all types of documents, except
the audiovisual
Source: Satisfaction Users Survey 2008 . Memoria 2009. Biblioteques de Barcelona

40. 06 The users of Barcelona Libraries
Once a month
Frequency or more
33.8%
2004 Less frecuency
45.8%
Once a week
or more
20.3%
2008 Once a week
or more
Less frecuency
26.2%
36.6%
Once a month
or more
37%
Source: Satisfaction Users Survey 2008. Biblioteques de Barcelona

41. 06 The users of Barcelona Libraries
Reason for going to the library
Others 0.7%
Related to studies
28.1%
Related to leisure
61.3%
Professionals
10%
Source: Satisfaction Users Survey 2008. Biblioteques de Barcelona

42. 06 The users of Barcelona Libraries
Evaluation of library aspects
10_
9_ 8.4 8.1 8.2 8.0
7.7 7.6 7.5 7.7
8_
6.6
Comfort of tables and chairs
7_
Easiness finding documents
Condition of the facilities
6_
Computer availability
5_
Treatment of staff
4_
People behavior
Space design
3_
Cleanliness
2_
Signs
1_
0_
2008
Source: Satisfaction Users Survey 2008. Biblioteques de Barcelona

43. 07
The relationship with the user. Communication and
participation.

44. 07 The relashionship with the user. Communication and participation
Communication with the user:
• Newsletter “mesbiblioteques.com- llegir surt a
compte” from each of the libraries
Dissemination of activities
For cultural activities
• Barcelona Libraries WEB and of each of the libraries
• Barcelona Libraries pages in Facebook
• Dissemination of the cultural programme (printed)

45. 07 The relashionship with the user. Communication and participation
Participation mechanisms:
• Public reading commission, city and districts
Sector Council of Culture /Cultural technical commission
• Suggestions and complains
Municipal Iris System
• Councils of equipments (being implemented)

46. 07 The relashionship with the user. Communication and participation
Intermunicipal comparison parameters:
• Boosting the improvement of services, using some
established indicators and comparing with results from
other cities
• 4 dimension indicators: Strategic, economic,
organizational values and the user dimension
• Barcelona, by districts (2007-2008)
• Political implication

47. 07 The relashionship with the user. Communciation and participation
Tibidabo:
Comparative report of various indicators between different
european cities
On-line version:
http://tibidabo-project.gesem.net/

48. 08
Future prospects and cooperation projects

49. 08 La proyección y los proyectos de cooperación
• Barcelona Libraries has representatives in the
Public Library Section and the Metropolitan Libraries of
IFLA
• Each year Barcelona Libraries welcomes professionals
visitors: politicians, cultural agents, librarians,
architects…
• Barcelona Libraries participates in the call for
cooperation projects of the Barcelona City Hall, with
support for related projects in the library field.

50. 09
The Government and the Barcelona Libraries management

51. 09 The government and the Barcelona Libraries management
• Barcelona Libraries is an institution managed by a
Consortium, formed by the Barcelona City Hall and
Barcelona Provincial Council.
• The City Hall, through the districts and with the technical
support of Barcelona Libraries , conducts the investment of
the new facilities and manages the maintenance of the
network buildings
…

52. 09 The government and the Barcelona Libraries management
…
• The districts also assume, with the Barcelona Libraries
collaboration, the programming and the cooperation
projects of the libraries in their territory
• Barcelona Libraries is part of the Local Libraries
Network and receives common services in the network
from the Barcelona Provincial Council.

53. 09 The government and the Barcelona Libraries management
Total expense 22,691,668 €
by institutions
2009
9,679,364 €
176,160 €*
The investment in equipment in 2009
has received a contribution from the
Generalitat de Catalunya of 456,005 €.
*Own income CBB

54. 09 The government and the Barcelona Libraries management
23,854,441 €
Current expenditure
21,516,629 €
distribution
by institutions Barcelona Provincial Council
2009 9,626,172 € (40.35%)
13,381,456.23 €
10,081,940.27 €
Barcelona City Hall
14,228,269 € (59.65%)
2002 2004 2008 2009

55. 09 The government and the Barcelona Libraries management
23,854,441 € 1.84%
Current expenditure Dissemination 438,733 €
distribution 21,516,629 € 3.89%
Activities 927,727 €
by concepts
2009 19.22%
Operation 4,585,835 €
16.98%
Documents 4,050,190 €
13,381,456.23 €
10,081,940.27 €
58.07%
Staff 13,851,955 €
2002 2004 2008 2009

56. 10
New challenges

57. 10 New challenges
• Formulate new directions for the Barcelona Libraries
Network for the next 10 years
• Articulate the role of the future BPE as the central
library of the city
• Maintaining the necessary complementarity between
the central formulation of the service and the
presence around the territory

58. 10 New challenges
• Locate the public library in the digital society
environment
• Strengthen the role of the library in the learning
processes in the course of life
• Expand penetration levels of the library in the diverse
group of citizens

59. Access to culture and knowledge is the central objective
of the Public Library
In the new context of digital society, the library works
and offers its services in the fields of information,
education and culture, in a double dimension: on site
and digital

60. www.bcn.cat/bibloteques
biblios@bcn.cat