Without delving into the challenges faced by 21st century libraries too much, I’m sure we can all pinpoint a time when we read something about innovative libraries and thought to ourselves “Wow, how on earth did they manage to pull that together? I rarely get time to finish my coffee before it goes cold!”

Why do we often downplay our own ability to be innovative? Perhaps it is because we have been conditioned to think of all innovation as dismantling the status quo and making drastic, ground-breaking changes. It is completely natural for us to feel cautious about this style of innovation, however by shifting our thinking about how innovation occurs, we can start to see that it isn’t always the mammoth project we imagine.

Innovative libraries need to strike a balance

In his study of innovation in research libraries, Jantz explains the two forms of innovation – radical and incremental.

“Radical innovations involve new knowledge that is used to make fundamental changes in a product or process technology whereas an incremental innovation uses existing knowledge to create minor improvements in a product or process technology. Radical innovations represent a clear departure from existing practice whereas incremental innovations are more routine and support existing practice.”

The good news for librarians feeling intimidated by the prospect of radical innovation is that, according to Jantz, the key to success lies in finding a balance between the two and in integrating a culture of innovation into the different organisational structures of the library.

Developing an innovative library culture

Innovation is simply too complex to be the responsibility of one person in the library. For libraries pondering how to strike the balance between radical and incremental innovation that Jantz refers to, the development of an innovation mindset that is embedded within the library’s workplace culture might be a solid starting point.

In “The Library Innovation Toolkit: Ideas, Strategies, and Programs“, Molaro and White talk about the key qualities to aim for when building your library’s Innovation Team.

• Communication – effective channels of communication, where team members can share stories and participate in active listening, reinforces that all ideas are valued
• Transparency – being able to clearly communicate truthfully and respectfully about how and why decisions have been made creates an environment where employees feel safe to express themselves.
• Listening – effective listening is essential to building an innovation culture. Molaro and White recommend simply trying to absorb the speakers perspective without forming assumptions and forcing your opinion.
• Storytelling – managers need to be storytellers and share their vision of what innovation looks like in regards to their library.
• Perception – embracing the diverse range of perceptions among library staff, and trying new ideas without focussing on their success, can greatly impact on the library’s ability to innovate.

Inspiration for innovative libraries

If you’re looking for some simple ideas to start with, Jantz’s study looked at the different innovations he encountered during his research and classified them according to whether they were incremental, radical or mid-range (ie straddling the borders of both).

Incremental innovations

• Sharing of a major technology platform (e.g. for an OPAC or institutional repository) with another library*
• Use of live chat and instant messaging for reference service
• Installation of a coffee bar/restaurant/café in the library

Mid-range innovations

• Implementation of faceted browsing for the library OPAC*
• Provision of mobile access to the library online catalog*
• Provision of federated searching across the library OPAC*, the institutional repository, and other open repositories
• Use of long-term, stable links to digital resources that should be preserved (dissertations, special collections, journal articles, etc)*

Radical innovations

• A dynamic mapping application for the OPAC* to provide patrons directional information to find a shelved item
• Made the transition to a bookless (i.e. no print books) library for certain disciplines (e.g. engineering)*.
• Replacement of stack book storage and preservation with digital book storage and digital preservation
• Provision of a service to publish e-journals

* These features and more are available through Softlink’s Liberty online library management system. Find out more about how Liberty can support your library’s innovation plans.

References

1) Incremental and radical innovations in research libraries: An exploratory examination regarding the effects of ambidexterity, organizational structure, leadership, and contextual factors, Ronald C. Jantz, 2013

2) The Library Innovation Toolkit: Ideas, Strategies, and Programs, Anthony Molaro Leah L. White, 2015