Knowledge sharing and innovation: a marriage made in heavenAdeline van den Berg and Loes van Eijk14 August 2015

IFLA WLIC Knowledge Management Section Satellite MeetingKnowledge management and innovation: the transformation of 21st century library services

Knowledge sharing and innovation: a marriage made in heaven

• The Dutch public library sector

• Mutual interdependence

• In practice

• Conclusion

“From an organisation primarily concerned with lending books, the library is being transformed into a cultural centre which is active in five domains: knowledge and information, development and education, arts and culture, reading and literature, and meeting and debate.”Frank Huysmans en Carlien Hillebrink, The future of the Dutch public library: ten years on. Translation of De openbare bibliotheek tien jaar van nu, de hoofdlijnen, (2008).

Pressure and transformation

The playing field

The new library act (1)

The new library law, 1 January 2015: merger national and public libraries

The main new addition to the law is the new important role for the KB in the field of public libraries, in addition to its traditional role to collect and preserve all Dutch publications.

The new library act (2)

• It states that the purpose of the public library is to provide public access to information and culture. • It also reinforces the public values of public libraries: reliability, independence, authenticity, diversity and accessibility.• It defines the five functions of the public library as follows:

o provide knowledge and information;o provide opportunities for development and education;o promote reading and introduction to literature;o organize meetings and debates;o introduction to art and culture.

‘Progression from information to knowledge, to understanding and to wisdom is what occurs in any process of development or maturation. The effective innovation process must therefore be guided by wisdom, and it also must be rich in information, as well as in the knowledge and understanding that lie between them.’

‘The pursuit of innovation is a great learning experiment shaped around whatever we need to know for our ideas to become successful in the marketplace.’Langdon Morris, Permanent innovation, (2006).

Mutual Dependence

Three-track policy

•Reinforcement

•Growth

•Inspiration

Innovation agenda

Biebtobieb (librarytolibrary)

Biebtobieb is an online knowledge sharing platform (developed by the KB with nine PSOs) where librarians can share knowledge, collaborate in online groups (closed or open) and connect to colleagues.

www.biebtobieb.nl

In Practice

National Knowledge Groups

•Several thematic knowledge groups of librarians/specialist in the Netherlands

•Focusing on innovation and sharing experiences

•Share there knowledge with collegues

•Stimulate a more broader view on national library developments

Innovation-do-days

‘Informal disruptive innovation’ in ‘unconference’ style

Both Innovation and Knowledge sharing are about people. People who learn and grow by working together and being connected to each other. The knowledge and experience of people can help libraries innovate. Their ideas and commitment are essential to the development of products and services, as well as translating visions into concrete plans.

“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.”

Benjamin Franklin

Conclusion

Questions?Adeline.vandenberg@kb.nlLoes.vaneijk@kb.nl