FOI Request - Library Services and Equality

Request 101003154497

the context of the Freedom of Information [Scotland] Act 2002, I am writing to ask for access to data gathered by your Council in relation to the provision of library services.  I am particularly interested in such data gathering systems as are in place on service users and being routinely used to establish that the Council’s library services are equally accessible to all and free from discrimination.  To this end I would ask you to provide me with the following data sets from each of three financial years 2007-08, 2011-12 and 2018-19 :

1. The total number of books the Council holds and which are available to borrow [in physical form]
2. The total number of books in alternative formats [such as large print, audio and braille] the Council holds and which are available to borrow [in physical form]

3. The total number of books borrowed in physical form
4. The total number of books borrowed in physical form and which are in alternative format

5. The total number of active readers/borrowers of physical books
6. The total number of active readers/borrowers of physical books in alternative formats

7. The total number of new books added to the existing stock [physical]
8. The total number of new books added to existing stock [physical alternative formats

9. The cost of all new books added to existing stock [physical]
10. The cost of all new books added to existing stock [physical alternative formats]

11. Aggregated data gathered from each of the years in question on registered active readers/borrowers and broken down by the protected characteristics set out in the Equality Act 2010:
a) Sex
b) Ethnicity
c) Disability
d)Sexual orientation
e) Religion
f) Age

12. For each of the three years in question, aggregated data which shows a breakdown of the total book borrowing data by each of the protected characteristics

13. For each of the three years in question, a comparative analysis of active readers/borrowers by protected characteristic against a profile of the population, by protected characteristics, and served by the Council

Response 10-10-2022

Please find the information you requested here.