tom becker - functions of knowledge management in finnish public libraries - a research project in...

01 | 2017

Prof. Dr. Tom [email protected]

BOBCATSSS 2017 TAMPEREFunctions of Knowledge Management in Finnish Public Libraries

A research project based on the results of my doctoral thesis via face-to-face interviews in cooperation with 29 selected metropolitan city libraries in Northern Europe

Geographical criteriaNorthern Europe (Finland, Norway, Denmark & Sweden)Big cities (more than 100,000 inhabitants)Institutional criteria(Metropolitan) public librariesCentral libraries

Functional criteriaHigher management, e.g. head of the public library or member of the steering committee

The research topic 5 topics with about 10 theses the experts were asked to rate and comment onPresented (narrative) results with focus on statements from the Finnish experts

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The participants(29 from 36 metropolitan libraries agreed to take part!)

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Thesis 1 | Knowledge management in general

Nearly all experts state that public libraries are dealing with knowledge management in different areas – without using the term and mostly without having a written concept in which “knowledge management” is mentioned or specified:

I do think that our role is to manage the knowledge of our community and to help people find that experience or use their knowledge.And that doesn’t have to be necessarily the academic knowledge but all kinds of knowledge, like some maker, handicrafts or when it comes to culture. […]

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Thesis 1 | Knowledge management in general

However, most of the (Finnish) experts stated that being a bit more aware of the different facets of knowledge management might be helpful in dealing with current and future challenges:

Finnish society is in a transition from national to international with a lot of legal changes, which stimulates our day-to-day in making things simpler, more efficient and better.

Aart de HeerLibrary services director

Turku City Library

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Thesis 2 | Individual knowledge management

The objective of the library and information services provided by public libraries shall be to promote equal opportunities for citizens to pursue personal cultivation, literary and cultural interests, continuous development of knowledge, personal skills and civic skills, internationalization, and lifelong learning.

http://www.libraries.fi/en-gb/libraryact/

And that’s not only a theoretical phrase written in a law, it’s kind of a mission statement, which each library is trying to fulfill and implement in practice.

In Finland, public libraries are responsible for school libraries as well, so one of the most important target groups are pupils, and one of the most important tasks is teaching:We teach information searching skills and information literacy individually as well as in groups - for children of all ages, refugees, teenagers, adult groups etc….

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Thesis 2 | Individual knowledge management

Our duty is to offer know-how to every citizen, to give them individual guidance.That’s the highest step in our Knowledge Management!

Päivi SavinainenHead of Kuopio Public Library

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Thesis 3 | Systemic Knowledge Management Providing democratic competence & Facilitating participation

The Finnish experts I talked to named the following priorities regarding imparting democratic competence and facilitating participation:

a library must be a basement for political discussions access to the Internet and we teach how to influence and take part in public discussionsactivating different ways using our role as a memory organization area and focus group work and activitiesdemocratize city livediscussion sessions exhibitions free of charge free collections, which includes neutral information for everybody free Wi-Fi, wireless local area networks freedom of speech give users access to knowledge, but also how to translate this knowledge in terms that the users can understand ithelp citizens to participate to the society improve citizenship is a very important focus in our everyday workinformation sources, informative and educational lectures for all people

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The Finnish experts I talked to named the following priorities regarding imparting democratic competence and facilitating participation:

interviews with candidates for parliamentsinvolving citizens strongly to improve the library serviceslibraries are open and free – this is our main task!literacylong opening hours providing space non-commercial groups can hire and useproviding space for different age groups to intermediate their knowledgeputting efforts on civil competences and practical skillsquiet reading rooms for studying and working in groups free of charge safety & freedom of information as core valueschool children act as library ministers in the “children’s parliament”training how to use democracy

We are connecting people and information!

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A core element of that value-based acting is that libraries are open and free to everybody, and free of charge:

Libraries are open and free, that is our main task. And improving citizenship is a very important focus in our everyday work.

Pirkko LindbergTampere | Head of Metso

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Thesis 4 | Systemic Knowledge Management Changing roles within the (current) refugee topic

A very popular initiative in that context is the “language café”, which is existing and increasing in all Finnish cities, taking place at several public libraries in all parts of the municipalities:One example of our citizen involvement are our successful language cafés: these are low-threshold events that are easy to organize through volunteers, are inclusive and of increasing importance.

Tuula Haavisto, Library Director, Helsinki

Marja-Liisa Komulainen, Head of Development Unit, Helsinki

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Thesis 4 | Systemic Knowledge Management Changing roles within the (current) refugee topic

There is a broad consensus in nearly all Nordic public libraries that the topic isn’t a really new one – just a (temporarily) increasing one.The role of Finnish public libraries as a local interface has changed, mainly in assisting the immigrants and creating – together with a lot of civic volunteers – a broad welcoming culture.

However, within the discussion there is also some skepticism noticeable;We have these populistic movements and the better we cooperate with refugees, the more we are hated. […] Behind the scene it is an issue. […] Whatever you do, you will lose in this atmosphere. If you help refugees, the other people hate you and if you serve them, then you leave a large portion of society out. No win situation.

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Thesis 5 | External Knowledge Management Importance of partnerships

In the municipal and non-profit surroundings Finnish public libraries can be seen as partners in the individual knowledge management of their clients, providing more a physical than a virtual environment to facilitate the acquisition, generation and exchange of knowledge. Networking within the particular community is as important as the strong relationship between the Finnish libraries’ and its structure.

We always have to say YES!

Oili SivulaDistrict Manager of Library Services,Espoo

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Thesis 6 | External Knowledge Management (New) technology

If you want to digitize the whole nation, you need public libraries to do that. Finnish public libraries see themselves as “places for technology”. Besides offering a nation-wide e-library, they organize a broad range of competence-building activities for all kinds of user groups, like basic user trainings on ICT skills, the use and integration of social media, interactive services and remote services, as well as handling the tools and imparting the handling of software.There are also specialized courses being implemented in the context of web language skills, programming, and dealing with open and big data. Another example is the private digital archiving program in Jyväskylä:It’s about old photos from your home albums, you can digitize them and describe them, it’s a local history project.

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Thesis 7 | External Knowledge Management The sharing economy 1.The idea of sharingLibraries can be seen as pioneers of the sharing economy – esp. the lending process is seen as a centuries-old sharing element. Some libraries are building co-working places, some arrange space for food circles, others are promoting sustainability in the context of their community, linked to the idea of the “green library”. Most of the libraries are willingly sharing their space – and some are even planning to install a resource management database, which provides an easy possibility for users to reserve library space.

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Thesis 7 | External Knowledge ManagementThe sharing economy

2.The maker movementThe creation of different kinds of maker spaces or maker areas is very common in Norway, Denmark and Sweden, but there are also first initiatives in Finland: At the moment we are planning maker spaces. We have a maker space project but this is quite new in our country.

In Finnish public libraries, discussing the idea of maker spaces means not only dealing with 3D printers, robots, and other “new” technology, it also means dealing with traditional technology such as sewing machines or pianos or something comparable. It is not so common to share classical tools or kitchen or leisure articles; only one library offers weights and other physical or sports equipment.A bit more often the experts were mentioning repair cafés and up-cycling projects. Urban gardening as a possible activity is mentioned only once.

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Thesis 7 | External Knowledge ManagementThe sharing economy

3.The client as co-producerThe concept that clients can be co-producers of library services is seldom enriched with practical examples from the interviewed Finnish public libraries. In general, every library aims at enabling users to co-produce something:Some library clients add material to the web library, in some institutions citizens are participating in budgeting, and of course everyone can take part in the “ask a librarian” service on the web.Only one library describes clients as designers of their services in a kind of “open space innovation circle” or in “focus group meetings”:We meet our clients, there are open happenings and then we walk there as a group and our clients give us ideas what to do better or what kind of things they would like to have here in the library.

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Thesis 7 | External Knowledge ManagementSharing, making, co-producing

Intermediate resultsHigh flexibility and deep compassion are necessary in working successfully in that field.

Well, well, well, it’s not that easy ...… is one of the quotes given to me in that context.

Mainly it’s not a problem with space or with the willingness of the team members in the different (branch) libraries – it’s more about clear responsibilities concerning certain settings and the decision-making process:We have to consider how much we can involve citizens. Who is responsible in certain settings? With active citizens it’s sometimes who is shouting louder gets the decision. And that’s not correct.

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Thesis 7 | External Knowledge ManagementSharing, making, co-producing

The core idea of the library as an idea of sharing experiences and services.So we must think about the people’s democratic needs first!

Päivi RasinkangasDistrict Manager of Library Services, Oulu

We are moving from system centered towards human centered service, with new features, new content and with new partners to create experiences and adventures for customers to share.

Jouni PääkköläDirector of Library Services, Oulu

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Thesis 8 | Internal Knowledge Management

There are plenty of initiatives and measures taken in the different libraries:Activities well known and widely spread as job descriptions, development discussions, choosing focus themes, visits to other libraries, in-house training programs, making staff members attend courses or colleagues share their knowledge inhouse or through articles and conference presentations, etc.Job rotation or job shadowing, Peer-to-peer coaching (one library is enlarging this with a web-based expert-hiring program)Although quality management is mentioned only once, it can be assumed that inhouse or municipal-steered educational programs are implemented on an highly skilled and continuous level. Micro-learning units are established very seldom. Only in one library brown-bag-meetings named “afternoon teas” have been realized.That’s the same with innovation circles, which are carried out in an organized and professionalized way only once.

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Final conclusionSummarizing the discussions on the ten theses, there are three outcomes and best practises, especially concerning the Finnish public libraries:

1.Job rotation & job shadowingIn many libraries it is mandatory for employees (and for the management) to switch jobs after a certain period of time and to change to another library or branch. Furthermore, some libraries demand a regular mandatory internal or external phase of job shadowing during which the employee must work in a different branch, institution or city. It doesn’t require much organization or financial resources and prevents blind spots, protection of vested rights and inflexibility.

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Final conclusionSummarizing the discussions on the ten theses resulting from my dissertation, there are three outcomes, especially concerning the Finnish public libraries:

2.Language cafésThe increasing demand of activities in the context of the refugee movement has not come as a surprise for the Finnish public libraries. There have always been a lot of activities which have now been enlarged, e.g. language cafés. With the help of volunteers, language cafés have proven to be very successful, not only in Finland.

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Final conclusionSummarizing the discussions on the ten theses resulting from my dissertation, there are three outcomes, especially concerning the Finnish public libraries:

3.Participation and collaboration | community buildingParticipation of the citizens and collaboration with an amount of different partners, often at a low level and chosen by the teams themselves, are one success factor for the strong position of Finnish public libraries in their municipalities and in society. The high flexibility and the innovative actions position the libraries in the centre of political discourses as well as in the everyday lives of citizens.

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Final conclusion

We as a library are always trying to be fun!

Mikko VianioDirector of Library Services, City of Vantaa

Successful knowledge management depends on atmosphere and discussion culture.Incorporating the staff’s skills, continued monitoring and quick reaction times are therefore essential. And we still have lessons to learn.

Tuula HaavistoLibrary Director, Helsinki

Marja-Liisa KomulainenHead of Development Unit, Helsinki

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tom becker - functions of knowledge management in finnish public libraries - a research project in...

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