Management and leadership in Copenhagen Public Libraries

1. Hanaholmen, 14. September 2007 Jens Ingemann Library director Management and leadership in Copenhagen Public Libraries

2. Introduction • Jens Ingemann • Library director City of Copenhagen, since 2004 • Adjunct professor, Royal Danish Library School • Copenhagen - capital of Denmark • 500.000+ inhabitants • Greater Copenhagen Area – 2.500.000/3.000.000 inhabitants (Denmark / Sweden). Finland, 15. September, 2007

3. Management and Leadership • Introduction – Public libraries in Copenhagen • Management and leadership: • Copenhagen Public Libraries – part of the Culture and Leisure Administration • Value based leadership strategy, principles, process and implementation – Management on purpose! • New Library Policy and new organisational structure Finland, 15. September, 2007

4. Denmark Finland, 15. September, 2007

5. Copenhagen Public Libraries • 2006 aprox. 3.9 mill. visitors, aprox. 8. mill. loans • Central library, 19 branch libraries • www.bibliotek.kk.dk – 2.9. mio. visitors a year Finland, 15. September, 2007

6. Culture and Leisure Administration • Municipality of Copenhagen • Culture and Leisure Administration - KFF • Libraries • Cultural Houses, Theatres, Museums • Sport and Recreational Activities • Construction and Facility Management (citywide) Finland, 15. September, 2007

7. Management strategy in KFF • A value based hierachy • Formal hierachic structure combined with decentralised decision making based on values • The ”span of control” for each decision maker is defined by legislation, hierachy and/or general rules and regulations i.e. about handling of money, smoking or equality. • Only few specific instructions. Finland, 15. September, 2007

8. Value based management principles • Administration is not managed primarily by rules and regulations, but by values guiding the decision makers. Decision makers will be on all hierachical levels depending on the actual question • Top management deside on overall principles, but implementation and ”translation of principles into practice” is up to local management and individual employees Finland, 15. September, 2007

9. Why value based principles? • Common sense in service oriented public administrations as tasks, customer demands and externalities all are very complex and change constantly. • Every possible situation and demand cannot be foreseen and regulated by rules. • Service is personalized and delivered in staff - customer conversation – so libraries depend on responsible staff – delegation of responsibility is a necessity. Finland, 15. September, 2007

10. Priciples revised and enhanced • 2006: process involving a total of 165 managers from all parts of the Cultural and Leisure Administration • Workshops • Seminars • Forming new and revised priciples and values for good management • Focus and 6 core leadership management principles were decided Finland, 15. September, 2007

11. Revision process… • Networking opportunity • Learning and teaching opportunity • Creating ownership for new strategies • Demanding process for participants – no hide… • Also a selection process – a few did not want to go on as managers Finland, 15. September, 2007

12. Management on purpose! • Focus is on customer needs and expectations • Leadership and 6 management principles: • Leadership with a vision • Drive and courage • Visible managers • Appreciative management • Delegation • Professionalism Finland, 15. September, 2007

13. Leadership with a vision • We look ahead and try to foresee coming developments • Times and trends are changing. So are our customers, their needs and demands as well. We want to learn from our customers and society • We are curious and use new knowledge • We act proactively on trends and developments • We look ahead and look for possibilities • We have a broad perspective and initiate collaboration Finland, 15. September, 2007

14. Drive and courage • We have the courage to try out new possibilities and take responsibility • We challenge well-known solutions to create best possible solutions for our customers. Failures and mishap are tools to make us more wise, - we learn from our mistakes. • We create new solutions and enhance our practice • We implement our decisions • We accept responsability if we fail Finland, 15. September, 2007

15. Visible managers • We will tell what we intend to do • Staff must know where we are going and realise how each of us helps to meet our goals.   • This means that we as managers will be in front – both in words and in action • We will speak clearly of our intentions- also if they are not so popular among staff • and we will explain why we have made the decisions we did • We will be clear about what has been decided and what may still be discussed Finland, 15. September, 2007

16. Appreciative management • We respect and honour the efforts of every individual. We want every staff member to be seen, heard and appriciated for what they do. • We support our competent staff to be even better. We will give feed-back on actions and solutions • We will listen to all new thoughts, ideas and suggestions • We are open-minded and want to learn from people who are not like ourselves in appearance or attitude Finland, 15. September, 2007

17. Delegation • Decisions should be made where tasks are carried out • Tasks and responsibility must go together • We delegate responsibility as ”far out” as possible • We support staff to accept more responsibility • We ensure that competencies and responsibility go together • We support decisions made by staff Finland, 15. September, 2007

18. Professionalism • We are serious about management and leadership. • It is a decision to become a manager. Management is a profession, which we constantly enhance, develop and sustain. • We expect ourselves to enhance our capabilities and develop further • We create space for development activities • We take part in networking • We use sufficient time on management and leadership issues Finland, 15. September, 2007

19. Implementation of principles • On the agenda in all departments and libraries – how are the principles understood and ”translated” by each and every manager • Discussions define both staff and manager’s expectations • Discussions in management meetings on how to implement principles • Follow-up on implementation in formal hierachy Finland, 15. September, 2007

20. Organizational Changes • Reorganized branch structure – North and South areas. • Branch managers are responsible for up to 3 physical locations • Central library reorganization • Development coordination • Teams (Team Kids, team Youth, team Ethnic Minorities, Team Education etc.) • Copenhagen Digital Library Finland, 15. September, 2007

21. Staff development • Manager development activities • Increase in internal learning activities • New positions are staffed with focus on individual skills, not only formal background (clerks/librarians) • More professional diversity when recruiting new staff • More staff members from minority groups – staff composition should reflect neighbourhoods Finland, 15. September, 2007

22. New Strategic Plan – Library Policy • How to cope with changes and opportunities both externally and internally? • Process involving staff on a broad scale • Stakeholders were invited to comment on draft version before final political decision • New library policy approved by City Council in March • Library strategy must now be implemented Finland, 15. September, 2007

23. Library Strategy • Libraries are essential – for local communities, democracy, knowledge, culture and learning • Backbone: • Danish library act • Libraries should • Offer access to information, knowledge, lifelong learning • Promote reading and cultural activities Finland, 15. September, 2007

24. Library Strategy • Always user perspective – not collections or buildings • Census information and user surveys used in a proactive way • Physical libraries should be represented in all parts of the city and offer citywide and integrated services • Service level should be increased further – focus on efficiency, collaboration and development activities Finland, 15. September, 2007

25. Library Strategy • Focus on: • Literature – books are still core business • Development of digital services – user involvement • Updating and refurbishing of existing physical libraries, establishing of new where needed. • Four priority target groups: kids, young people, students (of all kinds and ages), ethnic minorities • National and international cooperation • Branding and marketing efforts Finland, 15. September, 2007

26. Branding • ”Everything you can imagine/think of” Finland, 15. September, 2007

27. Innovative Branding???… Finland, 15. September, 2007

28. Questions and comments are most welcome! Thank you!!