Good Practices and Innovations in Public Governance 2003-2011

2008 Category 2: Sweden
• Single library card;
• Joint rules and routines; and
• Training of staff and Joint agreements.
The libraries formed working groups from all the municipalities and types of libraries.
Some of the tasks have been to identify the rules and routines that should be
common for all. The work has included making a survey and compiling the data;
making suggestions and circulating them for comment; making evaluations and new
suggestions; and making decisions in the steering group.
The joint borrowers’ register caused some problems. In Sweden, the municipalities
cannot link and match computer files. Therefore, before the system could become
operational, it was necessary to be determined if the staff in one municipality could
handle information regarding borrowing books in another municipality without
breaking the law. After consulting with lawyers, the decision was made that if the
information on the library card, borrowing rules and regulations, etc., is sufficiently
clear it means that the signer of the library card agrees with the condition that the
information will be used in the joint borrowers’ register. It is important that the staff
members are aware of the confidentiality of data. All staff members must sign a declaration
that they are bound by professional secrecy.
The joint library catalogue is the hub of the cooperation. With few exceptions there
is a free flow of media among all the libraries in the Umeå region. There are regular
biweekly transports with the main library. During the year 2005, 1.5% of the book
collection was borrowed from another municipality than the owning one (in total
20,000 books). The smaller libraries had an even higher percentage, which was up to
10%. The Umeå Public Library, which is the public library with the largest book
stock, had 0.4%.
As a subproject in Library 2007 and in collaboration with the Institute of Design
and Umeå University, a unique and revolutionary aid for the visually impaired
was developed. The Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences (IVA) proposed
that this initiative be presented to Her Majesty, the Queen of Sweden, at a
seminar in 2004. Now the idea has become a commercial product that every library
can purchase.
Lessons Learned
It has taken a great deal of time to make joint rules since the different municipalities
have had different working cultures and customs. The Umeå region believes
that it is important to reach a consensus, understanding and acceptance of the rules
of each library in order to foster broader participation in the process. If there is a
willingness to cooperate, then most of the problems will be resolved. Cooperation
253