20-24 septembrie 2009 - Biblioteca Metropolitana Bucuresti

362 Marian Korenstakeholders on a regular basis. Through the structural innovation processat all levels, the ties between libraries and their stakeholders have becomecloser. Working for a common agenda, putting library activities on theagenda, formulating library plans in the local and regional context hashelped mutual understanding. Instead of opposing politicians and civilservants, the general orientation is now towards service: how can we helpand support them to achieve their aims and objectives? And the library hasmany possibilities to do so and to contribute. In the end this will pay off forthe library as well, as a positive connotation and image is associated withthe library.Some of the national stakeholders are listed below, just to give animpression of how many and different actors are involved in the politicalframework of libraries and development of policies.OCW is the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. Althoughpublic libraries are primarily the responsibility of local authorities thecentral government has an overall interest in libraries as an integral part ofsociety, culture and education. The ministry also contributes financially tothe process of library innovation.The VNG is the Association for municipalities. Consultation withthe other two layers of government takes place on a regular basis. Thetwelve provinces in the Netherlands have their own organisation: the InterProvinciaal Overleg (Association of Provincial Authorities; IPO). There isalso regular consultation with nearly all ministries of the central governmentin The Hague.National Innovation Policy: Update for 2010The unique combination of tasks of the Netherlands Public LibraryAssociation will come to an end in 2010. In continuing the process ofinnovation of the public library sector and the future-proof restructuringof libraries, the Minister decided to establish a (public) library instituteseparately in line with a number of cultural sector institutes. The tasksof this library agency will be separated from the current NetherlandsPublic Library Association, which itself will continue as a pure advocacyassociation. Major changes in tasks, activities and projects, funding andstaffing are being prepared and executed throughout 2009.After a long period of decentralization and low (national) governmentinvolvement, a policy of networking and innovation, with a strong focuson IT and new media, has been developed and implemented since 2000.The local, regional and national government representatives have agreed