by Nigel Mehdi
This article is aimed at small professional firms to some of which a library might appear to be a luxury. Today’s professional, however, is faced with an ever-increasing volume of information, and a practice library is the most efficient way of dealing with the problem of access and reference.
A practice library, by definition, is a collection of the most useful reference material for a particular firm, held in one place. No longer is it appropriate to permit each member of staff to maintain an ad hoc collection of reference materials or, even worse, expect people to rely on text books dating from the era of their first qualification.
Concern grows daily about the level of claims made against professionals for alleged negligence. By keeping abreast of changing circumstances, we can minimise the risk of advice based on outdated practices or old law. For the property professionals, Continued Professional Development (CPD) is now an established fact, but these regulations impose no greater burden than the time already taken by serious professionals in updating knowledge and technique.
Scope
When setting up a practice library it is important to decide initially on the size and scope of the library. In a small firm the library is likely to be a collection of basic books, extended to cover any special interests of the firm or its staff in relation to their work. The basic collection should include journals and periodicals with pamphlets, practice notes and the like.
The practice library should be treated from the outset as a cost centre: it will probably be part of the firm’s professional development budget, which will also cover courses, seminars and other forms of training.
Setting up
Collect all existing materials together and consider whether they should be included in the library collection. Discard any out-of-date materials, but do not assume that all old publications are necessarily out of date, particularly in fields such as building construction, where older works can be very useful.
All materials need to be housed in a single accessible location. Try to create a pleasant working area for the library with space for users to refer to materials in comfort. Nobody will use an under-stair cupboard or a dark basement.
Acquisition
It is beyond the scope of this article to produce a list of basic library materials for inclusion, and the diversity of small firms in practice makes the structure of the library a very individual decision.
The materials are in two main areas, the larger being professional or technical materials and the other covering practice management and administration, a sector that has gained significantly in importance during recent years.
Beyond these main areas there will be some pure reference works, such as dictionaries, year books and similar publications.
It is essential to have a strict acquisition policy to assist with the selection of materials for inclusion. The first step is to realise and acknowledge that it is impossible to include all relevant publications. Select one major publication to cover each area of the firm’s work. If the subject area is complex a second work could be included, and this policy of strengthening should also apply to any areas which represent a large proportion of the firm’s workload: in some cases, perhaps, a third work would be warranted.
Concentrate on reference works written for practitioners, and wherever possible choose loose-leaf publications that are regularly updated. This is particularly important in areas which are subject to frequent change. Although loose-leaf works have a much higher initial cost, this will be repaid many times over, for as well as being up to date, they tend to be the more authoritative books.
It is advisable to exclude student text books from the library. Those members of the firm studying for examinations will be tempted to remove text books on a semi-permanent basis for the duration of their studies, and even without such books the firm’s library will be invaluable to trainees for reference work during their studies.
Include some more general reading books, particularly in areas like agency, professional practice and management, which are essentially non-technical. These books will encourage good practice and an awareness (particularly among younger staff) of their professional obligations.
Do not be misled into thinking that the bigger the collection the better the library. Whenever a new edition is published which replaces an existing item, take the opportunity to review the work. See how frequently it has been used. Has it been helpful on these occasions? Does a better alternative exist?
Organisation
One person within the firm should be responsible for the library and must ensure that the books and other material are kept in order. Make sure that this person is given time to deal with the work properly.
The library materials are contained in many forms. There are a number of clear media types, such as bound books, loose-leaf works, pamphlets, papers and abstracts. It is necessary to arrange the items in a way that assists users to find the appropriate materials when needed.
Classification consists of sorting and grouping together books related to a broad subject category. There are several schemes of book classification, the most common being the Dewey Decimal Classification which is widely used in public libraries, colleges and universities. There may be some advantages in adopting a well-known scheme in the office library, but the choice of classification will depend largely on the size of the collection: a simple division of shelving to group subject areas may well be sufficient in many small libraries.
When the library is first set up all staff should be introduced to the facilities and services available, and it is important that the library is included in the firm’s induction programme for new staff. Everyone should understand the need to take care of the materials and realise that if the service is to operate effectively, materials should be returned to the library after use.
Occasions may arise when users will want to borrow material and take it away, and it is at this point that the library may fail.
It would not be a particularly constructive policy if all materials had to be referred to only in the library area, but in a small library there are strong arguments for making most materials “reference only”, meaning that they should not be removed from the firm’s offices. Certainly, loose-leaf reference works should not be allowed to leave the office, and a similar policy can be instituted for pamphlets and back copies of magazines.
Keep the system simple: there should not be a complicated procedure before a book is removed from the shelves. A simple marker block can be used to mark the place from which a book has been removed for use within the office, although, as with classification, each library will operate differently and the best system for one will be inappropriate for another.
Circulation
Implement a positive policy to circulate users with information. It is essential to devise a system which is convenient, and current periodicals should be circulated to all professional staff. Circulate journals for a quick perusal and ensure that a reference copy of the more important periodicals is available in the library to overcome the problem of them being mislaid while being circulated.
Since the office library serves the needs of a known and constant group of users, any material that is of special interest to a particular user should be brought to their attention. A list of all new additions should be circulated to users or posted on a notice board from time to time.
The circulation process deals with the need to keep abreast of changes. For a small firm it is extremely difficult to keep up to date, and the cost of buying and reading all the relevant journals is out of the reach of all but the information departments of the larger practices.
The RICS library offers an information service which is available on subscription to professional firms. The service scans over 300 newspapers, surveying and related journals. Subscribers receive a weekly briefing containing a digest of news, and each month RICS Abstracts & Reviews contains abstracts from current articles and law reports under various headings. Further information, usually in the form of photocopies, can be obtained on any topic reported, simply by completing a request form.
The service represents the only practical way for the small firm to keep informed on a wide range of topics, and it represents excellent value for money. A subscription to this service is as essential as the subscription to Estates Gazette.
The RICS Library Information Service publications should be circulated to the professional staff, with a request form for completion if further information is required on any reported item.
Conclusion
Setting up a library, however small, is a costly exercise, but the benefits which will accrue are substantial and the effort involved is well worthwhile.
Keep the structure simple and do not buy a publication if there is any doubt about its usefulness. A formal library policy will serve to illustrate that the firm is taking CPD seriously and this will result in individuals viewing their own obligations in a new light.
An effective circulation policy will have a marked effect on the general level of awareness among professional staff.
A successful practice is a client-centred practice and it will be judged by the quality of professional advice provided. The office library should not be looked upon as either a luxury or a necessary evil, but instead it should be considered to be an integral part of the firm.
