The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations is the membership organisation for Scotland's charities, voluntary organisations and social enterprises. Charity registered in Scotland SC003558. Registered office Caledonian Exchange, 19A Canning Street, Edinburgh EH3 8EG.
Managing risks
Lending library projects shared some of the risks they were encountering, for example devices being damaged beyond repair, losing contact with borrowers, and late returns. They recognised these issues as known risks and some have improved their communication, or tightened their policies and loan agreements as a result. However, there is an awareness that these issues can jeopardise a lending library in the long term, if device stock cannot be periodically replaced.
There are a number of steps you can take to mitigate the risks associated with device lending, and you may find it helpful to create a risk assessment for your new lending project. This will allow you to think strategically about the risks you may encounter and identify ways to mitigate them.
You do not need to do this by yourself - consider the following internal assets and how they could support you:
- Legal - you will likely need to develop terms and conditions of use, loan agreements and data protection procedures. Do you have someone in your organisation to check these for you, or are you able to seek advice externally?
- Insurance - depending on how many devices you plan to buy, you may consider adding these new assets to your insurance. Speak to your insurance provider about your plans and seek advice on how they might be able to support you.
- IT - do you have internal IT support who can help you review device options, advise on software and security questions (e.g. to wipe devices or access them remotely), and help you troubleshoot when something stops working?
Below is a short overview of some common risks associated with device lending:
- No loan agreement signed: Borrower and device details not recorded, difficulty to enforce terms and conditions, lack of knowledge of expectations from borrower.
- Loss of device: Device is stolen, lost or damaged, resulting in loss of funds and potentially loss of borrower's personal data.
- Access: A locked user account prevents access to the device post-return and the device cannot be loaned again.
- Data protection: Device is not wiped appropriately by borrower/staff member, resulting in borrower's personal data being accidentally shared.
- Security: Insufficient or out-of-date security software leads to device being infected with a virus or malware.
- Lack of written instructions and access to support: Borrower does not know how to set-up or use the device and therefore does not benefit from their loan.
Some organisations have specific eligibility criteria, especially where there isn't a close relationship with borrowers (such as public libraries). This can include things like a minimum membership period before devices can be borrowed, or participation in a particular programme. Other lending schemes require a deposit, however this can pose a barrier for some users and increase administrative requirements.
We continue to prioritise data confidentiality and security, making sure all users are aware of and follow our privacy guidelines to safeguard personal information. These challenges have highlighted the importance of clear communication, well-planned scheduling, routine maintenance, and thorough user training to enhance the overall efficacy and impact of our lending library.
- Lending Library grantee