ABSTRACT
The Staffordshire library is the Leek Library housed in the Nicholson Institute. Opened in 1884 this provided a lending library, reference library, reading room, newsroom, and museum and art gallery. Since 1888, the Nicholson Institute has been held in trust by a number of public bodies. The overriding responsibility has fallen to the county council, a situation which makes for an interesting working relationship with the two other main stakeholders. The need for a bright, modern and attractive environment does not sit easily with Victorian grandeur and austerity. The driver for change was the Best Value (BV) review of libraries in 2000, which showed that the library service in Staffordshire was only 'fair'. The integration of services between Staffordshire County Council and Staffordshire Moorlands District Council was a key aim of the project, and the first stage was the development of a one-stop shop in the district council offices.
