Development of management and
support services

International evaluation

An extensive self-evaluation was conducted for the international evaluation of the National Library, which was led by the Ministry of Education and Culture. The self-evaluation report was integrated into a compilation of material provided in May to the international evaluation panel, which included Wim Drimmelen, Director General Emeritus of the National Library of the Netherlands, Gunnar Sahlin, Director of the National Library of Sweden, and Eero Vuorio, Director of Biocenter Finland.

 The evaluation process continued in October with a three-day site visit, during which the panel interviewed some 60 representatives of the National Library’s interest groups and partners. The final report of the evaluation will be published in March 2011.

Reform of the management system

In May, the Board of the National Library finished its term of office by discussing a draft proposal for the National Library’s new regulations. The Board of the University of Helsinki approved the new regulations in June.

The National Library’s tools for strategic management and its values in particular were taken under critical scrutiny.  As a result of discussions and group work conducted in the spring and summer, a fifth value, “We promote access to information”, was coined.

In November the new Board of the National Library approved new rules of procedure, which took into consideration the merger of two profit areas as well as changes in the names and internal organisation of profit areas. The Steering Group in its new, extended composition convened for the first time in June.

The reform of the management system continued with a review of the Library’s internal guidelines. The renewed guidelines increasingly highlight the responsibilities and duties of profit areas and supervisors, among other things.

Development of support services

An internal service commitment, which included a comprehensive service index for Administration and Development, was launched in late May and early June. Also, in the summer, the National Library devised instructions for visits and guided tours.

In November the National Library’s external communications services were supplemented by a Facebook profile, and before the end of the year, the Library concluded a tailored agreement on electronic media monitoring.

The new Board of the National Library of Finland, from left to right, bottom row: Hannu Niemi (Chair) and Sinikka Salo; second row: Kai Ekholm (presenting official), Mikko Vainio, Silja Rekomaa and Veera Laine (deputy member); third row: Mirja Iivonen, Markku Suvanen, Dorrit Gustafsson (Secretary) and Sinikka Luokkanen; top row: Anna Mauranen, Eero Puolanne, Mikko Viitasalo and Ere Maijala. Missing from the picture are members Sakari Laiho and Joona Salminen.

Photo: National Library of Finland / Kari Timonen