Knowledge Management Functions of Finnish Public Libraries

01 | 2017
Prof. Dr. Tom Becker
tom.becker@th-koeln.de
BOBCATSSS 2017 TAMPERE
Functions 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 criteria
Northern Europe (Finland, Norway, Denmark & Sweden)
Big cities (more than 100,000 inhabitants)
Institutional criteria
(Metropolitan) public libraries
Central libraries
Functional criteria
Higher 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 on
Presented (narrative) results with focus on statements from the Finnish experts

01 | 2017
The participants
(29 from 36 metropolitan
libraries agreed to take part!)

01 | 2017
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. […]

01 | 2017
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 Heer
Library services director
Turku City Library

01 | 2017
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….

01 | 2017
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 Savinainen
Head of Kuopio Public Library

01 | 2017
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 discussions
activating different ways using our role as a memory organization
area and focus group work and activities
democratize city live
discussion 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 it
help citizens to participate to the society
improve citizenship is a very important focus in our everyday work
information sources, informative and educational lectures for all people

01 | 2017
The Finnish experts I talked to named the following priorities regarding
imparting democratic competence and facilitating participation:
interviews with candidates for parliaments
involving citizens strongly to improve the library services
libraries are open and free – this is our main task!
literacy
long opening hours
providing space non-commercial groups can hire and use
providing space for different age groups to intermediate their knowledge
putting efforts on civil competences and practical skills
quiet reading rooms for studying and working in groups free of charge
safety & freedom of information as core value
school children act as library ministers in the “children’s parliament”
training how to use democracy
We are connecting people and information!

01 | 2017
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 Lindberg Tampere | Head of Metso

01 | 2017
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

01 | 2017
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.

01 | 2017
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 Sivula
District Manag er of Library Services,Espoo

01 | 2017
(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.

01 | 2017
The sharing economy
1.The idea of sharing
Libraries 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.

01 | 2017
The sharing economy
2.The maker movement
The 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.

01 | 2017
The sharing economy
3.The client as co-producer
The 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.

01 | 2017
Sharing, making, co-producing
Intermediate results
High 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.

01 | 2017
Sharing, 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 Rasinkangas
District 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

01 | 2017
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.

01 | 2017
Final conclusion
Summarizing the discussions on the ten theses, there are three outcomes and
best practises, especially concerning the Finnish public libraries:
1.Job rotation & job shadowing
In 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.

01 | 2017
Final conclusion
Summarizing the discussions on the ten theses resulting from my dissertation,
there are three outcomes, especially concerning the Finnish public libraries:
2.Language cafés
The 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.

01 | 2017
Final conclusion
Summarizing 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 building
Participation 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.

01 | 2017
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

01 | 2017
Thanks for your audience.
Feel free to ask….

Knowledge Management Functions of Finnish Public Libraries

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