Exploring spatiotemporal variations in public library provision following a prolonged period of economic austerity: A GIS approach

Abstract

This paper demonstrates the applicability of GIS tools for investigating the implications of changes in public service provision following a prolonged period of economic austerity in the UK. Using the example of geographical accessibility to public library service points in Wales, levels of provision are estimated for two cross-sections in time to gain an understanding of the potential implications of changes in service delivery models. Accessibility scores for small areas, generated using sophisticated floating catchment area (FCA) methods, enable complex spatial interactions between library service capacity and potential demand to be evaluated within realistic geographical service areas. Extending these models, we demonstrate how indicators of library service "quality" can be incorporated into access measures using the example of library operating hours for sites in three bordering Welsh local authorities, each of which have experienced differing policy responses to library service reconfiguration. Overall, the level of geographical accessibility to public library provision in Wales was found to have declined, on average, between 2011 and 2018, coinciding with a notable reduction in public library funding over the same period. While this finding is not unexpected, given an overall decrease in public library service points, this study reveals spatial inequalities in provision with areas of declining provision coinciding with pockets of greater economic deprivation. From a policy perspective, this paper demonstrates how network-based GIS tools can aid scenario/sensitivity modelling to inform public service decision-making processes. Our future research will extend these techniques to examine the implications of service reconfiguration strategies on potentially disadvantaged groups such as the elderly and the unemployed who rely on public libraries for access to e-government and broader IT services.

A Trial Study to Examine the Relatioship between Attributes and Access from Residents of Citizens and Digitalizing Urban Service

“…情報通信技術の進展に伴い、もっぱら公共施設などの場 所で対面で提供されてきた各種の都市サービスを遠隔で行 うことが、 国土計画の課題として総合的に検討されてきた。 古くは、1969 年の新全総において (1) 、本格的にはインター ネットが普及した 1997 年の五全総 (2) 以降、具体的な記述が みられた。近年では次期国土形成計画の検討において、人 口 10 万人程度の 「地域生活圏」 においてデジタルとリアル の融合を想定した検討が進められ (3) (9) によって 2020 年以降急増 している(図１) (10) 。 2.4. 図書館サービスへのアクセスについての既存研究 公共施設としての図書館へのアクセスについて、海外の 研究では、 主に英米の事例で散見される 8)9) 。 Pageet al…”

Spatial-Temporal Analysis of Point Distribution Pattern of Schools Using Spatial Autocorrelation Indices in Bojnourd City

“…Page et al [30] investigated the spatio-temporal differences in the accessibility of the public libraries. They indicated that between 2011 and 2018, the degree of spatial accessibility to public libraries in Wales decreased on average.…”