Nordic Public Libraries

Some Facts and TrendsDecember 2014

Organisation

• Denmark: Population: 5.6m;Public libraries: c. 510 (98 municipalities)

• Finland: Population: 5.4m; Public libraries: over 800 (320 m)

• Norway: Population: 5.1m; Public libraries: c. 807 (430 m)(Sweden: Population: 9.6m; Public libraries: c. 2,000)

Common Factors

• Social democratic countries• Welfare societies• Free access to information• Building networked information societies• Public libraries as ‘national foundation pillar

for education and culture’• High degree of openness and trust

…. But they are all different!

Common Library Factors

• Community based• Strong emphasis on co-operation and

partnership• Experimentation is encouraged• A high degree of research and library statistics• Sustainability• High degree of consultation with

citizens/residents on needs

Current Trends

• Citizen-centric libraries – libraries seeking citizens

• More space for people and less for books• Printed and virtual collections and services side

by side• More emphasis on library specialists, e.g.

reading coach, music coach• Libraries as meeting places and creative spaces• Using open spaces and staff with other players

Current Projects

• Denmark: Open LibrariesReading DenmarkListening Circles

• Norway: Houses of LiteratureHat TrickFrom the Cradle to the Grave

• Finland: Välkky Creative Mobile Library

Current Priorities

• Changing libraries in response to current users’ needs

• Consulting citizens/residents closely in this process

• Preparing citizens for the digital age• Advocacy for libraries• Taking libraries to where people are• Sharing and learning from one another

ICT in Public Libraries

• Cross European Survey to Measure Users’ Perceptions of ICT in Public Libraries, 2013

• Finland, Denmark: highest usage levels and highest level per capita spending on libraries

• Home access (Eurostat data 2011); Finland 84%, Denmark 90%

• Consortium of Finnish Public Libraries and e-acquisitions via Ellibs e-library

Finnish Public Library Policy 2015

• Printed and virtual collections side by side, pleasant facilities and long opening hours

• Core mission is to guide patrons (i.e. users) in use of abundant information in all formats

• Public libraries will be central players in providing knowledge to individual citizens in a networked information society

• Aim: to reduce intellectual and cultural marginalisation and inequality and to improve participation and quality of life

And the future?

Danish librarian: ‘The library is battling for the citizen’s attention and cannot expect the citizen to seek out the library’.

Finnish librarian:‘ The sky is the limit of what people can do together, if only they find suitable partners and ways to do things’.

Thank You!