Bridging the gap between developing new services and maintaining collections Challenge: preparing the organisation for the future role of the research library Essential question: for how long will the printed book or journal survive in an academic environment? Resources moved from handling the tangible collection to other areas of library activities. Obvious need for moving more resources to developing new services How to bridge the gap between the different levels of library activities?

Bridging the gap between developing new services and maintaining collections Vast amounts of new content are being created solely in a virtual form ”born digital” The library is a digital portal of information and a sense of a place with printed collections Printed collections are already diminishing: we buy fewer books and figures for lending out books are decreasing

Bridging the gap between developing new services and maintaining collections Many working hours are still dedicated to processes handling the printed book or journal Back office routines will be part of the library work for some years ahead depending on the survival of the printed book How to bridge the gap between resources spent on maintaining collections on one hand and developing services on the other? Questions of personal competencies is an essential issue

Bridging the gap between developing new services and maintaining collections Discussion of elements of a change management process: Optimazing processes. Organizationally as well as technologically? Outsourcing of back office tasks to other libraries or commercial companies? More self service? Thinking creatively – critical view at all daily routines? Do they add value to academic users of 21st century?