Libraries, Learning and Culture

Head of Libraries, Learning and Culture

Rosemary Laxton
Adult and Community Services
The Rivergreen Centre
Aykley Heads
Durham
DH1 5TS
Tel: 0191 370 3655
Fax: 0191 370 8897
Email: Rosemary Laxton

Culture and Leisure provide a wide range of services emphasising the value of knowledge, ideas, creativity and our cultural heritage. Our services in the four key activity areas of Lending; Information and Advice; Museums, Archives and Heritage; and Arts and Entertainment widen opportunities for all and enhance the quality of life for individuals, local communities and the whole county.

Equalities and Diversity

The County Council has been making improvements in the way it delivers its responsibilities under Equal Opportunities legislation, and is confident it is now operating at level 3 of the new Equality Standard. Culture and Leisure is committed to making these improvements in all areas of work and in particular the four areas of the Equality Standard. These are:

• Leadership and Corporate Commitment
• Consultation and Community Development and Scrutiny
• Service Delivery and Customer Care
• Employment and Training

The authority has policies and plans covering Equalities and Diversity, Racial Equality, Disability Equality and Gender Equality to ensure it operates in a fair and equitable manner.

Plans, Reviews and Surveys

Our operational plan and a summary, entitled In a nutshell is available on this website.
Library Bye-Laws.
Read our County Durham Cultural Strategy.
You can also read our Best Value Review report on the Audit Commission website.

Lending Services

Public Libraries

Access to books; newspapers; periodicals; records; cassettes; compact discs; videos; CD-ROMs; Internet; photocopying; fax and enquiry services.
Library opening hours and individual library web pages
Mobile library routes in County Durham
Library Online catalogue
Library projects in County Durham, including the Integrated Access via IT project.
Events in libraries
Community Information Online

Durham Learning Resources

Museum exhibits; project collections; book exchanges; videos; advice and information on resources are all provided in support of education in the county.
Durham Learning Resources pages.

Prisons

Libraries provided in co-operation with the Home Office encourage constructive use of leisure time and support the education and rehabilitation programmes in four penal establishments.

Older People and Readers at Home

Bookbus service to residential care establishments and sheltered accommodation for older people. Services to readers at home provide for people who find it difficult to use the local library facility.
Books on Wheels service
Bookbus service

Mobiles

A fleet of five mobile libraries reaches out to those individuals and communities beyond local library catchment areas.

Support Services - Stock

Based at Seven Hills in Spennymoor, Support Services includes centralised library support sections such as requests, new acquisitions, cataloguing and recirculation of stock. The Team Manager: Support Services is also responsible for the Books on Wheels Service and the Prison Library Service.

Information and Advice

Public Information

We co-ordinate and strategically plan public information and advice services. Local libraries are access points for county council information and specialist advice and information agencies. Internet facilities are available in all libraries.
Community Information Online

Lifelong Learning

Provision of multimedia materials and computer terminals in many libraries, including access to facilities at colleges of further education.
Learning Opportunities in Libraries

County Council Contact Points

Situated in eleven strategic libraries across the county, the contact points provide easy access to help and information about any county council service.

Community ICT Projects

There are four inter-related community ICT (Information and Communications Technology) projects currently taking place in the county, including developing community websites, open learning and videoconferencing for careers advice.
Information & Community Development Projects

Museums, Archives and Heritage

County Record Office

Located at County Hall, the County Record Office is responsible for the location and preservation of documentary material, public archives and records relating to County Durham and Darlington, and for making those records available for public inspection.
Durham County Record Office website.

The Durham Light Infantry Museum

Traces the history of the County Regiment from 1758 to 1968 through uniforms, weapons, photographs, scenarios and a major new medal room.
DLI Museum home page

Killhope, the North of England Lead Mining Museum

Situated in Upper Weardale, this attraction presents the history of lead mining through exploration and investigation.
Killhope website

Durham Studies

Heritage, local studies, archaeological and environmental interpretation services are provided for residents, visitors and those engaged in educational research.
Durham Studies
Archaeology
Binchester Roman Fort
Activity Centres

Arts and Entertainment

A programme of exhibitions and events aims to encourage individual involvement and creativity; to support local amateur, voluntary arts and cultural organisations; and also to bring other artists of repute into the county.

Arts Development

Durham County Council’s Arts Development team, is responsible for the co-ordination and strategic development of activities, projects, grant funding and events across the county. The programme is managed in conjunction with a range of partners including Arts Council England, North East and the district councils. The team work across all art forms and support many of the council’s other service areas such as Education, Highways, Museums, Looked After Young Children, Community Development and Design and Planning. Arts Development leads on major projects such as the Durham Sky Bowl and Sculpture in the Park as well as supporting smaller scale community projects. For more information please click on Arts Development.

Bishop Auckland Town Hall

Magnificently refurbished arts and information centre comprising theatre, gallery, library, tourist information centre, cafe/bar and meeting rooms. Regular changing programme of adult and children's theatre, music events (jazz, folk, opera, light classical), literature events (book launches, creative writing courses) and exhibitions. Bishop Auckland Town Hall website

The DLI Museum & Durham Art Gallery

A changing programme of exhibitions, workshops and demonstrations. Landscaped gardens are the setting for brass band concerts and an annual military vehicle rally.
DLI Museum & Durham Art Gallery website

Marketing and Information Team

Responsible for publicity and display materials throughout the department along with administration of 'County Durham books' and the library 'buy-a-book' scheme.
Marketing and Information
County Durham Books