Norwegian version (PDF 1,4 MB)

No 6 - A Seamless Library Law for seamless library services?

by Ragnar Audunson
A summary

The report “A seamless Library Law for seamless library services?” has been developed out of a desire to create a co-ordinated library sector. The focus of the report is to establish to what extent an expansion of the jurisdiction of the law would improve its power to meet the needs of library users.
The Report No. 22 to the Storting (1999-2000) “Sources of Knowledge and Experience”, discusses the challenges confronting the library sector and formulates the main aim of seamless library services: “The present structure, with the public libraries serving as libraries for the general public, and the academic, special and research libraries constituting the main resource for the sectors of education and research, will remain the natural one for the future. This, in combination with the use of ICT in a society characterised by life-long learning and continuing and further education, will lead to the need for closer co-operation between all parties and components of a common library network. The ultimate aim is to achieve virtually seamless library services to all users, obviating the need for a user to consider what type of library he or she approaches for a particular service. The current performance of the co-ordinated library services still seems to bear the marks of having been established at the time when the telephone and the post were the only means of communication.”

In the future, library users will be able to visit whichever library is the most accessible in order to fulfil their need for information or knowledge, regardless of which institution or administration the library is affiliated to. It is therefore incumbent upon the different types of libraries to co-operate in network structures regardless of previous sector boundaries.
It has long been the tradition for libraries to find solutions through networks and co-operation, making optimal use of available resources. A law with jurisdiction over the whole sector might call for a greater obligation to co-operate, which in turn would act as a stimulus to achieve truly seamless library services.

A system of seamless library services cannot come into being of its own, for whilst there are influences that work towards co-operation and common practice between the public libraries and the academic, special and research libraries, there are other factors pulling in the opposite direction. It is therefore necessary to discuss available means to help achieve the desired goal, and how this expansion of the jurisdiction of the Library Law would benefit the objective. This is the topic of the report.

The Report No. 48 to the Stortingt (2002-2003) “Cultural Policy up to 2014” gives notice of an overall review of some crucial issues related to the library sector. The question whether a widening of the existing Library Law to include larger parts of the library sector might be beneficial, must be considered in the light of the overall tasks set out in the Report.