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Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
Kategorie: Geisteswissenschaft
Sprache: Englisch

Beschreibung

Libraries continually focus on adaptation and adopt different transformation strategies to achieve this goal. These strategies demonstrate a clear desire to stay in tune with the times, while retaining the basic principles that underpin their day-to-day work and ensure they continue to exist. This book is a complete synthesis, a helpful resource for librarians and information professionals that develops four major strategies. The first focuses on understanding the environment and society, with organizational changes affecting cultural institutions (public or private), and the emergence of the library space. The second shows how management methods evolve within them (participatory approach, benevolence, empathy) with an emphasis on project management. The third strategy focuses on the integration of new library tools to better reach audiences. Finally, the fourth develops an essential and indispensable aspect of library marketing.

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Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2022

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Leseprobe

Cover

Title Page

Foreword

Introduction

I.1. Transformation at the heart of library projects

I.2. How to use this book

PART 1: The Environment and Society

1 Societal Changes and Libraries

1.1. In terms of innovation

1.2. In the working world

1.3. In the world of professional associations

2 Economic Changes

2.1. An evolving documentary and information activity

2.2. The information economy

2.3. Information as a public asset

2.4. The Internet and digital technology

2.5. Towards new economic models

2.6. The theory of knowledge commons

3 The Evolution of the Library Space

3.1. From the perspective of creation and innovation

3.2. From the third place to DIY

3.3. Learning spaces or learning centers

3.4. The Smart Libraries concept

3.5. Wellness spaces

3.6. Reception areas: a user-oriented approach

3.7. The use of the library space

3.8. Green libraries

4 Legal Changes

4.1. GDPR: European data protection regulations, as applied to libraries

4.2. Protection of personal data

PART 2: Human Resources and Management

5 New Management Theories Applicable to Libraries

5.1. Participatory management

5.2. Management by benevolence or well-treatment

5.3. Empathy, a management method?

5.4. Change management (CM)

5.5. Project management: theory and applications

6 Some Theory on Management and Leadership

6.1. New management methods: Design Thinking, user experience and agile methods

6.2. User power

6.3. Setting up and managing an agile project

6.4. Library management and leadership, constantly redefined concepts

PART 3: Library Tools and Technology

7 The Digital Transformation of Libraries

7.1. The library as a service: from catalogues to digital platforms

7.2. Digital archiving of documents

8 Other Technologies for Library Transformation

8.1. Blockchain

8.2. Augmented/virtual reality in libraries

8.3. Artificial intelligence and robotics

PART 4: Marketing

9 Marketing Dimensions in Libraries

9.1. Digital marketing

9.2. The user at the heart of transformation

9.3. Adopting a five-step marketing approach

9.4. Everyday marketing

10 The User at the Heart: Mediation

10.1. Keeping in touch with the user: mediation

10.2. Mediation(s)

11 The Library’s Digital Identity

11.1. Defining identity

11.2. From the individual to the group and the library institution

11.3. Profiles, behavior and traces on the Internet

12 Adopting a Library Branding Strategy

12.1. Defining the brand concept

12.2. Brands and libraries

12.3. The brand world

Conclusion

References

Index

Other titles from iSTE in Information Systems, Web and Pervasive Computing

End User License Agreement

List of Illustrations

Chapter 3

Figure 3.1.

The fourth dimension of Smart Libraries by Joachim Schöpfel

Figure 3.2.

The six dimensions of wellness

Guide

Cover Page

Title Page

Foreword

Introduction

Table of Contents

Begin Reading

Conclusion

References

Index

Other titles from iSTE in Information Systems, Web and Pervasive Computing

WILEY END USER LICENSE AGREEMENT

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Series EditorFabrice Papy

Library Transformation Strategies

Jean-Philippe Accart

First published 2022 in Great Britain and the United States by ISTE Ltd and John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of research or private study, or criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, this publication may only be reproduced, stored or transmitted, in any form or by any means, with the prior permission in writing of the publishers, or in the case of reprographic reproduction in accordance with the terms and licenses issued by the CLA. Enquiries concerning reproduction outside these terms should be sent to the publishers at the undermentioned address:

ISTE Ltd

John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

27-37 St George’s Road

111 River Street

London SW19 4EU

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www.iste.co.uk

www.wiley.com

Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s), contributor(s) or editor(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of ISTE Group.

Library of Congress Control Number: 2022941222

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication DataA CIP record for this book is available from the British LibraryISBN 978-1-78630-887-0

Foreword

Libraries need to be kitchens, active social places where you mix a rich set of ingredients (information, resources, talents) into an exciting new concoction that can then be shared1.

R.D. Lankes

Throughout his book/advocacy, R.D. Lankes encourages audiences to demand excellent libraries, which they deserve, because:

The library is part of the community. It is not a set of comfy chairs and an excellent collection. It is a symbol, and a friend, and a teacher2.

However, a simple wave of a magic wand is not enough to convert them into (gastronomic) kitchens, to make them our (precious) allies and (inspiring) trainers! It is necessary to set up and develop real strategies in order to achieve a general transformation, without which information services of all kinds will not survive.

In fact, in a 2016 interview, the director of Switzerland’s largest scientific library, the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Zurich, said:

Until now, libraries have only collected information for people. That concept doesn’t work nowadays. There is the internet. Whoever is looking for content doesn’t need libraries anymore3.

He caused an uproar, (ab)used a cliché and expressed himself very clumsily, but he nevertheless raised the very real question of the future of libraries, the challenges and issues they face, the changes they must make and the resulting adaptations to the role of the librarian. Unfortunately, this was without any constructive spirit, without really proposing any avenues of reflection or with a view to putting transformation at the heart of existing projects in progress.

Fortunately, Jean-Philippe Accart is here to encourage us to pursue the transformation of our libraries, no matter how big or small the transformation. In this 18th book, the renowned author shows us how information services have been trying to reform themselves for several years in order to adapt to their rapidly changing environment. Society is changing, access to information and research habits are evolving and the public is using libraries differently. Consequently, their survival depends on their adaptation to new uses, through the implementation of what he calls “steering and transformation strategies”.

The concepts of the “third place library” and its natural extension, the “four spaces model”4, devised in 2012 by three Danish information sciences professors, have been discussed and applied, here and there, for several years. While these are fundamental models that contribute to the profound evolution of our libraries, they must be part of a more general strategy to develop their full impact.

Jean-Philippe Accart’s proposal is to present a number of strategies and interesting real-life experiences, paths to be followed by librarians who have understood the issues and are determined to evolve: from the renewal of the library space to the library as a service and the archiving of data in the Cloud, as well as numerous notions on management and marketing, as they apply to our libraries.

It is possible to ensure a promising future for librarians, by making them “excellent”, in accordance with what their audiences have the right to demand, following the vision of R.D. Lankes, whose ambition I share. However, the future depends entirely on the willingness and ability of staff to take charge of their institutions, as he states just as clearly:

… Without excellent librarians, it is impossible to have excellent libraries5.

Consequently, librarians must urgently develop or acquire interpersonal and teaching skills in communication, marketing and cultural and digital mediation, as well as in management and administration. This is the only way that transformation strategies will really bear fruit.

Good training (basic and continuous) of staff is therefore the driving force behind current and future changes. Fear of change is always lurking in the wings and can slow down the evolution towards information services that are adapted to the needs of their audiences and resolutely forward-looking.

Jean-Philippe Accart eloquently contributes to our training and accompanies us in these necessary changes, by being both convincing and reassuring. For my part, I am trying to help train critical librarians, capable of transforming our libraries. Together, we have the will to contribute to the success of the library model of tomorrow.

Michel GORIN

Senior lecturer HES

Documentary Information Department

Geneva School of Business Administration

Switzerland

Notes

Lankes, R.D. (2018). Demanding better libraries for today’s complex world: Advocacy for a new library economy, 97 [Online]. Available at:

http://ateliers.sens-public.org/exigeons-de-meilleures-bibliotheques/index.html

[Accessed November 10, 2019].

Ibid.

, p. 228.

Ball, R. (2016).

Neue Zürcher Zeitung am Sonntag

. Translation from German.

Beudon, N. (2019). Les quatre dimensions des bibliothèques. Le recueil factice : un blog qui parle de […] [Online]. Available at:

http://lrf-blog.com/2019/07/03/les-quatre-dimensions-des-bibliotheques/

[Accessed November 10, 2019].

Lankes, R.D. (2018). Demanding better libraries for today’s complex world: Advocacy for a new library economy, 97, 216 [Online]. Available at:

http://ateliers.sens-public.org/demand-better-libraries/index.html

[Accessed November 10, 2019].

Introduction

I.1. Transformation at the heart of library projects

The aim of this book is to present the different ways in which libraries and information services are transforming – or are in the process of transforming – in order to adapt to the current world, to move forward and to anticipate various trends or movements. It should be noted that this transformation movement is not recent, but dates back several years, is gathering pace and forcibly affecting traditional knowledge structures, namely libraries and information services in general.

These structures are adopting, implementing and developing management and transformation strategies that are having major repercussions on the lives of institutions or services, employees and collaborators and on the public. The traditional rules of management, even if they still apply, are gradually changing. These changes are manifold and can be seen as lacking unity or meaning in relation to the roles attributed to libraries: running video or photo workshops, lending tools or costumes or setting up a “Fab Lab”1 seem far removed from their original missions. Why do libraries embark on such experiments, which may seem risky, but are successful in many cases? Should the new library be seen as a platform for multiple and diverse services, whether digital or on site?

It goes without saying that the strategies described here cannot all be undertaken simultaneously: the aim is to bring them together in a coherent manner, with a view to drawing up a picture of the current situation, as well as to provide guidelines for professionals who wish to develop their structures. A very positive point for libraries is the new projects (architectural, service, managerial and so on) that abound and are only waiting to be taken up and adapted.

Although numerous transformation strategies are described here, this book does not claim to list them all or to be exhaustive. The most recent experiences, those that appear to be representative or innovative, are included here and developed. There are certainly others that are just as interesting and exemplary.

After the theme of change, which has been well used, the theme of library “transformation” is representative and appropriate for our time; it appears to be the current leitmotif for the professional world and was chosen as the generic theme of the 2018 World Library and Information Conference (WLIC-IFLA)2. We might even be tempted to say, without straying too far from reality, that without transformation no salvation will be possible. It would indeed be very risky to ignore major movements that feed our society, including certain categories of the population (such as young people and seniors), and that are leading to a transformation of society in general: for example, digital technology is generating many changes in behavior with regard to information, information transfer and understanding of information, a subject to which we will return. However, the societal transformations discussed in Part 1 affect the entire population, not just young people or seniors. One of the missions – and strengths – of libraries is specifically transversality, in other words, their applicability to all publics, whatever they are, without distinction. This is one of the aspects that this book focuses on.

I.2. How to use this book

This book is divided into four parts, illustrating how library management and transformation strategies interact with each other and create momentum.

Part 1, “The Environment and Society”, demonstrates that the many organizational changes affecting the world of work (private and public sectors) are clearly also influencing knowledge institutions, with significant consequences for library work. Furthermore, the library environment is changing, with a reconfiguration of space that allows for innovation and creation to become a space of well-being.

Part 2, “Human Resources and Management”, introduces several management concepts that are, or will be, applied in knowledge institutions:

– participatory management;

– management by benevolence or good treatment;

– management by empathy;

– management by projects;

– change management.

Hierarchical, top-down forms of management still exist, especially in larger institutions, but small- and medium-sized teams can apply more flexible and participative methods. Using project management and agile methods in the library, it is possible to introduce change to teams, involving them more in ongoing projects. New project approaches, such as Design Thinking or User Experience, are linked to Chapter 5. Part 2 closes with the implementation and management of an agile project.

Part 3, “Library Tools and Technology”, is essential for understanding current issues in libraries and documentation services: adaptations have been constant for several decades, but are even more so today. Digital (documentary, monitoring or social) platforms have become essential and integrate many services. Other technological aspects have an influence, such as virtual reality, artificial intelligence, blockchain and robotics.

Part 4, “Marketing”, puts the user at the heart of the action and of the documentary activity. To do this, information mediation, detailed in all its implications, is necessary. Marketing theories applied to libraries make them more visible to the public, decision-makers and funders. This visibility is also achieved through a brand strategy.

Notes

A Fab Lab (a short form of the term Fabrication Laboratory) is a place open to the public where all kinds of tools, including computer-controlled machine tools, are made available for designing and producing objects. Definition: Carrefour de l’innovation, May 2019.

Available at:

https://2018.ifla.org/

: the theme of the conference was “Transform libraries, Transform societies”.

PART 1The Environment and Society

1Societal Changes and Libraries

1.1. In terms of innovation

Whatever the field of activity – public reading, university library, scientific library, documentation, information or even archive service – innovation is everywhere and is inseparable from the evolution that has always taken place within libraries. It should be pointed out here that innovation is not only technological, but also refers to ways of working or managing relationships and human resources. Some examples:

– the purchase of a new library management system;

– the adoption of different rules, norms and working standards (cataloging, indexing, referencing, classification and so on);

– subscribing to suppliers who offer better benefits for access to, for example, information resources.

There are also many examples of changes and developments:

– in terms of documentary services, the introduction of new services entails changes in various areas: procedures, regulations and techniques all have to be modified;

– on the administrative level, an alternative hierarchy, with new missions and including a different organization chart from that of the establishment or service, can constitute important innovation factors, as well as presenting the composition of a team modified following departures, resignations and illnesses: the recruitment of an innovative profile – or one oriented towards innovative practices – changes the dynamics within a team;

– beyond the institution itself, the cultural, political and economic context has a definite impact;

– the same applies to changes in regulations and legal provisions, such as copyrights and patents and the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

This does not even take into account public behaviors with regard to their varied use of information services, which will have to be adapted.

Whether these innovations are structural or functional, they are having a significant impact on work and its organization, on the identification of staff with their establishment or work structure, on their general involvement and on the service provided to the public.

No innovation is without risk, but it is necessary to the life of the organization and should even become an inherent part of it. It is not that the organization has to innovate all the time, but innovation should be a state of mind. Some organizations have innovation cells or departments that depend on R&D to develop new concepts and products that are then adopted by their customers: it is not so different in the information science fields, although the methods are more informal and may rely on a few innovative professionals. The rules for design and marketing need to be clear and easily understood, an example being the rules around the introduction of new document services.

1.2. In the working world

Although the activity of libraries and information services is directly linked to the economy, as are other cultural sectors, in France it is mostly dependent on public funds and taxes levied on the population. This activity is difficult to justify to private decision-makers, financiers or elected representatives in terms of returns, profits or benefits, at least on a purely material level. It always remains somewhat hidden or in the background. It is, however, valuable in other ways, since, in the eyes of information professionals, the benefits are clear:

– that an economy of scale in terms of documentary resources is possible: when these are centralized from multiple sites, they are better managed;

– this avoids their dispersion for a more efficient result;

– this leads to a better knowledge and use of these resources;

– it allows for significant gains to be accrued from the management – especially financial – of information;

– it plays a part in the continuous training of personnel within a company or institution.

However, in the current economic climate, some private companies and public institutions are cutting back on budgets, services and human resources. Libraries and information services are the first to suffer from these budgetary restrictions, which are disappearing or being drastically reduced. A number of French cities and departments are even closing their public libraries. Others are reducing their opening hours, while the public demand is for hours to be extended. We will see that there are solutions to counter movements such as these that do not meet the needs of the public.

In organizations, the changes are political and managerial, but they are linked to socioeconomic reasons. Increasingly, corporate governance views the information–documentation function differently and uses a number of reductive arguments, such as:

– this can easily be replaced by a fully digital solution;

– the function is integrated into infrastructure services, IT departments or marketing communications;

– the function can also be diluted among a group of people (employees, managers, secretaries). The question of information mediation – and digital mediation in particular – is then posed with acuity, as it is not or no longer fulfilled1.

There is a risk that companies or institutions will find themselves in the same situation as before (1970–1980s), where the information– documentation function was very poorly developed and where each employee was left to their own devices in relation to the information they had to find, select, analyze and synthesize, etc. There is a real risk of losing information or of taking for granted erroneous, false or fraudulent information that has not been evaluated and validated by professionals. According to the Association Information et Management (AIM)2, an employee spends an average of 7.5 hours a week looking for information, whether on paper or in digital form, without finding it3.

These changes in organizations lead to the use of alternative solutions to manage and retrieve useful information. The independent activity can then find its place, because the information professionals are able to propose:

– individualized services, à la carte, allowing a certain versatility and flexibility, which can be internalized or outsourced;

– one-off services that can be budgeted for in advance by companies.

This encourages part-time work or telecommuting.

Policy makers, financiers and business managers do not, on the whole, have an accurate perception of the information–documentation profession – they often limit their thinking to the “books” aspect (or to print in general), which is a small part of the overall documentary activity. Some European countries have seen public library budgets drastically reduced, as in Great Britain, where several hundred libraries have been closed in recent years (441 in 2016, out of a network of 4,500 libraries4). Others are putting people with no particular skills in this function at the head of public institutions, notably in certain international organizations or municipalities that recruit administrators5.

The reason often given (apart from political reasons), which is also based on a false idea of the profession, is that it is difficult to recruit experienced professionals, whereas more than 1,500 students graduate from the 100 existing training courses run in France every year and have been doing so for many years6… This truly raises the issue of the public perception of the profession and its visibility in general.

It is clear that information professionals have a role to play in addressing the information deficit within organizations and even among the general public. The search for accurate and relevant information is the responsibility of trained and competent professionals.

1.3. In the world of professional associations

The world of professional associations, while innovative in the 1980s through the 2000s, is now suffering the full force of the budgetary and staffing restrictions described above: documentalists and librarians no longer join or participate in training courses or organized activities because of a lack of budget or time, or because they are not authorized to participate by their superiors. Professionals also lack the time to volunteer and there is a significant decline in the role of associations representing the information professions.

The situation is, of course, different in each country7:

– at present, in France, the Association des Bibliothécaires de France (ABF) is doing well compared to the Association des Professionnels de l’Information et de la Documentation (known by the initials ADBS), which is relatively weak. It is a pity that national or local professional associations do not come together in an umbrella organization that can represent and defend them. There is, of course, a plethora of other associations besides the ABF, for music, for university library directors and for archivists;

– at the European level, LIBER (Ligue des Bibliothèques Européennes de Recherche – Association of European Research Libraries), which brings together professionals from study and research libraries, is as dynamic as the European Association for Health Information and Libraries, EAHIL.

The International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) has succeeded in having libraries included in the United Nations 2030 Agenda and is engaged in numerous lobbying activities with governments and decision-makers. The Federation now has 1,500 institutional members (national associations and institutions) in over 150 countries8. Lobbying is also an individual matter that every professional must integrate into their daily activities.