Libraries as a dynamic cooperation power

Practical cases of cooperation

By

Henk Middelveld

The Netherlands in Europe

The Dutch Public Libraries

1 national library organisation NBLC10 Provincial Library Centres13 Libraries with a scientific Support function491 public libraries.

Cooperation is fashion

HOED – Doctors, Pharmacies etc. share one building

Brede school – Primary schools and all kinds of services

Buurtbalie – banks, postoffice, commercial services share a building

Kulturhus – libraries, social services, tourist information, you name it!

Different models

One building, different rooms One building, sharing roomOne building, one programOne building,one organisation, one

directorMore buildings, one programKulturhus

Different forms – increasing importance

Oral agreementProjects (ad hoc)ContractsJoint venturesConcernMerger

Almere

New library, theater and archive building

Status: plans are approved

Almelo

Library, local radio, meeting and event rooms, cultural and education programs, cooperation with museum (original art in the library.

Status: in use from 199?One beautiful building, one organisation, one

very creative directorSpecial: library branch in football stadium

Apeldoorn

2 Museum, 1 library, 1 archiveStatus: plans approved, building proces is

started.Slogan: CODA = Culture under roof in

Apeldoorn.

Deventer

Library of the Saxion High SchoolLibrary and archive of the cityLibrary with Scientific Support function for the

province of Overijssel

Status: the City and Athenaeum Library started in 1485

Two locations, one organisation, one director.

Doorn

Library,Tourist office, Police station, Welfare foundation, Town hall.

Status: plans approved by the city council, residents can choose between plan A and B

Enchede

Library and adult education centre, 2nd largest collection of music CD’s

Status: preparation plans for mergerTwo buildings, one program, two directors.

Slogan: working togather to a centre for knowledge, literature, culture and music

                                                    

Gouda

Projectoffice BAM = Library, Archive, Museum – cooperation with other local cultural institutions

Start 11-9-2003 with full-time project leader

Groningen

Library, Scientific Support function, Centre for Different Reading, cafe

Branches connected to schools incl. all kind of cultural and educational activities

Status: more than 10 years operational

Remarkable: the library is fully woven in the Provincial library Network!

Leeuwarden

Frisian Literary Museum and Documentation Centre, Provincial Library and Buma Library, National archive in Friesian

Started in 2002

One building, one organisation, one director

Lelystad

NLP = New Land Poldermuseum,Social Historic Centre Flevoland, National Archive Flevoland,Archaeological depot, Community Archives,Flevolands Library Bureau

Status: merger end 2003, new building end 2004.

Middelburg

Public Library, Provincial Library, Provincial library Centre, Technical library Vlissingen, Music Library, Zeeuws Documentation Centre.

One building, one program, one director.Slogan: Enterprise in knowledge, culture

and meeting place

Ommen

Library, Child care, Theatre, Sports facilities, Youth Centre

One building, different organisations, different directors.

Remark: Only buildings knotted together,

no cooperation. Missed chance!!

Oss

Library, Music School, Creative Centre,Cultural Centre (theatre- 600 places, film, music) pop music centre) and Cultural services for education

Status: in use from 1997One building, one organisation, one

dynamic director

Soest

Library, Cultural centre, theatre, Art Gallery, Bowling, Sports, Church

One building, one organisation for the building, one director

Slogan: towards a broad library.

Tilburg

Library, Adult education Centre, IB Group

Different buildings, different organisations, one program

Zwartewaterland

Library, Child care, local Radio Station, Welfare desk, housing elderly people, housing handicapped people, expo room, cafe corner, cultural program

Status: in use 2003One building, one board for the building, different

director

Remarkable: the first Overijssel Kulturhus

Zwolle

Archive of the cityProvincial ArchiveAudiovisual Documentation Centre of the

Province of OverijsselDocumentation Centre World War 2 of

Overijssel

Status: in use from 2001One building, one organisation, one director

… the Swedish Kulturhus

We discover:

Kulturhus

1 organisation1 management

1 building

1 high value package of services1 dynamic program

Customizing is essential

KulturhusBig is

powerful

small is beautiful

Only the combination is successful

Slogan

Kulturhusconcept of 1990

In 2000

Local community

Broadband Digital highway

Backoffice / Bigger scale

kulturhus

Education plaza

Cultureplaza

LIBRARY PLAZA

Sportplaza

Care plaza

Selfservice

Reception and clientservice

Pop. collecttons/ databases

Information

Read and workspace

Advice

Cafe (Reading)

Cultural and educational activities.

theater, gallery, postoffice, Tourist office, police

Runshoppen

Fun shoppen

Physical

acces

Digital

acces

Run and fun

More information

My book about

Kulturhus,

In Dutch.

                          

    

Conclusions

Big libraries > 500.000 inhabitants will survive as stand-alone

Smaller libraries will have to establish all kinds of cooperation

The Kulturhusconcept is suitable for libraries in villages, smaller cities and suburbs of the big cities.

Use your imagination

imagination