Today we have visitors from a Turkey. Therefore, we have made a presentation of the Danish Library Association and our special organization's structure. We will also present the Danish think tank Future Libraries and their study Economic Value of Public Libraries Danish Library Association Danish Library Association has a special association structure of library professionals as well as local politicians on the Council. The President is always politicians and local politicians always constitute the majority. I think this mix of politicians and library professionals Works in a constructive way. Because the professionals inspire the politicians and the politicians give a good insight into how we need to prioritize. And other times it functions inversely. So I hope we also in the future will be able to get this symbiosis to function and that local politicians want to put as much thought into the matter and will work in our Board, like they do today. See the presentation Libraries of the Future – Knowledge, debate and Network The Danish Think Tank has the ambition to: • Produce knowledge, analysis and cross-disciplinary activities about the future role of the libraries • Generate professional, public and political debate and awareness of the role of libraries now and in the future A bottom-up initiative The Danish libraries face many challenges such as digitalization and changes in expectations and demands on both physical and digital services; lack of public awareness of library services, changes in library user behavior, lack of political awareness and changes in the role of the librarian. The Think Tank was initiated by the Danish Library Association (DB). The Think Tank is a two-year project, started October 2012, and co-financed by the participating libraries, library organizations and central library players The Economic Value of Public Libraries The Danish Think Tank Libraries of the Future & Copenhagen Economics has conducted the first study on the economic impact of the Danish public library. The Danish public libraries provide multiple services to the Danish public today, which overall seems to be well received by the public. However, the contributions are often measured in terms of library use (e.g. how many books were borrowed) and user satisfaction surveys, which are far from adequate when we want to discuss the role libraries play in modern society. This study digs deeper and provide the first assessment of the economic value of the public libraries in Denmark. Read more UK version See the presentation www.biblioteksdebat.dk

1. My experience is that it is way
easier to convince the politicians of
the need for books, than it is to
convince them of the need for
internetservices, development
projects and contracting of
database licenses.
That’s why we need a strong
lobbbyorganization
Michel Steen-Hansen
CEO The Danish Library Association
msh@db.dk
www.db.dk
@saintmichels

2. Short introduction
• DLA (Danish Library Association) has a special
association structure of library professionals as
well as local politicians on the Council. The
President is always politicians and local
politicians always constitute the majority
President Vagn Ytte Larsen
President of the Danish Library Association Steen B. Andersen
Chairman of th Culture Committee. Municipality Aarhus

3. The modern library
 more than just books
 is an house of identity
 developed together with users
 contributes to the knowledge society
 create community benefits and social capital

4. Who are the DLA members?
 Danish municipalities, represented by their
politicians
 Library decision makers and professionals as
well as library associations and – institutions
 Other cultural associations
 Students of the Royal School of Library and
Information Science

5. Members
2015
75 of 98 Municipalities
(Representing 85% of a population 5,5 mil.)
Personal members 350
Institution members 44

6. Library Association structure
• The Danish Library Association is organized on the basis of a
number of local elect representatives to our Council.
• 35 members are politicians, members of their municipalities and
17 members are library Professionals
• The Council elects from within its members, an Executive
Committee with ten members including a:
President, who is always a politician, and
Two vice presidents
(one of them is a library professional)

7. DLA Organisation
General Assembly
Elect the President and Vice
President
Politicians
35 members
(active politicians,
members of their
municipalities)
Library Professionals
17 members
Council
52 members
Executive
Board
10 members
Digitizing committee Cultural committee Learning committee

8. How does DLA work

9.  Lobbying towards all relevant
decision makers
 Raising awareness and debate
on relevant matters
 DB Annual Meeting – is the meeting place for
politicians and the public library sector
 National and regional library conferences on hot
topics
 Carrying out, initiating and participating in
library projects and surveys
 Participating in official hearings/central
committees nationally and internationally
How does DLA work Annual Meeting
IFLA president

10. Challenges
• Support transformation of Yesterday’s Library to
The 21st Century LIBRARY (physical and digital)
• We have to explain who we are, if we want the
politicians to remember and understand the
modern library

11. fremtidensbiblioteker.dk
In the Danish libraries we have created a Thinktank "Future Libraries"

12. http://fremtidensbiblioteker.dk/

13. Denmark
98 municipalities and approximately 450 public libraries,
to a population of 5,5 mil. people

14. 483 Libraries in 2015
(half closed since 1980, but 106 new ”pick up places” in
stores and 270 “open libraries”* See the next slide )
Public libraries 1996-2014
Central Libraries
Branch Libraries
Busses
Pick up places

15. 36 million visitors
• Kilde: Danmarks Statistik

16. Loans
Books

17. e-book

18. E-books and physical book loans
e-book
book

19. Number of events

20. 270 “open Libraries” in Denmark
We have 98 main-libraries and 350 smaller Libraries, some of them we call
“open Libraries” it is term for a concept that allows users to access the library
space in principle 24/7 and serve them- selves with loans and return materials.
And use the computers, read or maybe even set up a meeting or an event, if
the space allows it. In the first instance the term ‘open library’ was chosen as
the concept was implemented in libraries that had typically been branches with
short – and often inconvenient – opening hours. And ‘open library’ is also a
term preferable to ‘self service library’, as this concept requires another kind of
professional support enabling the users to complete the necessary transactions
themselves and to find their way in the library.
In a few years this concept has spread to 270 libraries in Denmark and more
are planned.

21. Opening hours
Central Libraries Branch Libraries
Busses

22. material costs
Public libraries economy by revenue / expenditure and time
operating accounts

23. Let's Link?: linkedin.com/in/saintmichels
twitter.com/saintmichels
facebook.com/saintmichels
Se PowerPoint
Biblioteksdebat.dk
@saintmichels
Michel Steen-Hansen
CEO The Danish Library Association
msh@db.dk
www.db.dk