Changing perceptions and attitudes among Danish library managers and directors: The influence of environmental factors

The purpose of the paper is to explore changes in Danish public library managers’ perception of the environment, their own knowledge about management methodologies and tools and their perceived need for further education.

The exploration of the changing attitudes and perceptions is based on two comprehensive and comparable surveys conducted in 2001 and 2004. The frame of reference is the very distinctive changes in the public library system due to a very innovative employment of the technology and the turbulent political and economic environment resulting from plans of merging the municipalities and counties into fewer units. Another important element in the context is the comprehensive effort to develop leadership capabilities in the library sector.

The paper finds some very distinctive changes in managers’ outlook and attitudes. The most important is probably the discovery of a more conscious and professional position in relation to the leadership role. The turbulent environment with the coming merging of municipalities creates some job insecurity but it does not tend to decrease the job satisfaction. The managers have undergone a process of professionalisation in relation to their job. A higher degree of professionalisation correlates with mental attitudes to the job, self‐esteem in relation to managerial tools and approaches and confidence in relation to the stakeholders. This process of professionalisation is tied to the comprehensive educational programmes run for managers in the library sector.

Of use to public library managers everywhere who have an interest in management methodologies and tools.