Public Libraries in The Netherlands: A powerful network

October 11 2017 - 11th Croatian Conference on Public Libraries

Jeroen de Boer, innovation advisor Bibliotheekservice Fryslân

CC BY by Adeline van den Berg Research & Development at the National Library of the Netherlands and Secretary of FOBID, the Netherlands Library

Forum

1. A short introduction to the Dutch (public) library sector

2. Impact

3. Innovation in Dutch Public Libraries

KBKB - National Library of The Netherlands

!Founded in 1798 !Budget € 91 million !Staff 349,76 full time equivalents = 412 employees (31-12-2016) !Holdings 7 million printed items = 115 km of library materials (books, newspapers, journals, microforms) 10,800 current periodicals, 500 licensed databases and e-journals

Example of one of the services: Delpher.nl

a trustworthy source for research using extensive digital resources, full-text searchable, datasets downloadable

Public Libraries

17 million people in NL

154 public library organizations

working for 390 municipalities

9 provincial support organizations

>1100 service points

Public Libraries - Trends and Statistics

Stabilization of members: more youth members, fewer members.

All shapes and sizes

Public Libraries - Trends and Statistics

Loans of printed books the same, audiovisual materials decrease, E-books more popular.

Public Libraries - Trends and Statistics

Stabilization of staff, increase volunteers

Public Libraries - Trends and Statistics

Public Libraries - Transformation [the library of the future will] ‘become a modern agora – a modern sociocultural marketplace – a central, dynamic meeting place where people can relax and meet other people, and where they are encouraged to take an active part in society.’

Cohen, Library of the Future, 2014..

The new Dutch Library Law (2015)

• Integrating the public library system with the services of the Dutch National Library (KB)

• Improving coherence within the decentralized sector • Tailoring the current legal framework for public libraries to the

digital age • Defining the core functions of public libraries.

Core tasks & values

1. Making knowledge and information available

2. Facilitating personal development and learning

3. Promoting reading and introducing people to literature

4. Organizing social encounters and debate

5. Promoting art and culture

Accessibility Independence Pluralism Authenticity Credibility

The Public Library Network & a new role for the National Library

• Coordination of the network

• Synergy and coordination

• Education, information and reflection

• Representation and promotion

• Developing and maintaining the national digital library

• Maintaining library service for people with print disabilities

The law put into practice

Merger of library organizations

Collection plan

Innovation Agenda

Innovation Agenda

• Youth and education

• Participation and

empowerment

• Personal development

• Transformation of the traditional library

Innovation Agenda

The Dutch Provincial Library Support Organizations formed a number of Communities of Practice (CoP’s)

Innovation Agenda

The Dutch Provincial Library Support Organizations have the legal task to innovate for public libraries..

… especially for innovation in the physical library domain, interlibrary loan, coordination, and general support of the network.

Innovation Agenda

The Dutch Provincial Library Support Organizations formed

14 Communities of

Practice (CoP’s)

1. Youth and education

2. Participation & empowerment

3. Personal development

4. Transformation of the traditional library

+ a number of general topics)

Communities of Practice (CoP’s)1. Reading Development 0-18

2.Media Literacy

3.Participation and Empowerment

4.Lifelong Learning

5.Community Librarian Network

6.Makerspaces (Technology and Digital Literacy)

7.Digital Library

8.(Physical) Library 3.0

9.Optimalisation and Transformation

10. Measuring Impact

11. Concepting and Open Innovation

12. Marketing

13.Knowledge Sharing

14. Professional Skills

Youth and education

Participation & empowerment

Personal development

Transformation of the traditional library

(General Topics)

Developments

• Professional development courses: media coach, reading coach, basic skills consultant

• ‘Community Librarian’ course

• Young Librarians Network

• Volunteers

• Organized innovation

Thank you!j.deboer@bfrl.nl

@jtdeboer

References! Berg, A.M. van den and Loes van Eijk, ‘Knowledge sharing and Innovation: a marriage made in heaven’, paper presented at IFLA WLIC Knowledge

Management Section Satellite Conference, 14-08-2015. ! Debeij, Jos, ‘New legislation for public libraries in the Netherlands & the new role for the Koninklijke Bibliotheek’, Paper presented at IFLA WLIC

14-08-2015. ! Digital Heritage Network, National digital heritage strategy, 2015 (http://www.den.nl/art/uploads/files/Publicaties/

20150608_Nationale_strategie_digitaal_erfgoed_Engels.pdf) image on p12. ! Cohen et al, Library of the future, 2014 (https://www.kb.nl/sites/default/files/library_of_the_future_12082014_def.pdf) ! FOBID statistics working group, The Netherlands Library Statistics 2015 (http://www.fobid.nl/sites/fobid/files/

FOBID%2058.16%20NL%20Library%20Statistics%202015%20def.pdf) ! Huysmans, Frank, ‘Over de behoefte aan informatieprofessionals in het internetflixtijdperk’, Warekennis.nl, 08-02-2017 (https://warekennis.nl/

over-de-behoefte-aan-informatieprofessionals-in-het-internetflixtijdperk/) ! KB, Gezamenlijk collectieplan. Beleidskader collectiebeleid voor het netwerk van openbare bibliotheekvoorzieningen, 2016 (https://www.kb.nl/

sites/default/files/docs/191216_gez._collectieplan_definitief.pdf) ! KB, Gezamenlijke innovatieagenda netwerk openbare bibliotheekvoorzieningen. Leidraad voor gezamenlijke innovatie in de periode 2016-2018,

2016 (https://www.kb.nl/sites/default/files/docs/gezamenlijke_innovatieagenda_2016-2018_def.pdf) ! KB, The power of our network. Strategic plan 2015-2018, https://www.kb.nl/sites/default/files/docs/strategicplan-2015-2018.pdf ! KB, Bibliotheekstatistiek 2015, https://www.kb.nl/sites/default/files/docs/bibliotheekstatistiek_2015.pdf ! Koren, Marian, Libraries in the Netherlands, 2016 (http://www.fobid.nl/sites/fobid/files/

Libraries%20in%20the%20Netherlands%2C%20Koren%202016.pdf) ! Pertti Vakkari, Svanhild Aabø, Ragnar Audunson, Frank Huysmans, Nahyun Kwon, Marjolein Oomes, Sei-Ching Joanna Sin, "Patterns of Perceived

Public Library Outcomes in Five Countries", Journal of Documentation, Vol. 72 Iss 2, 2016, (http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JD-08-2015-0103)