1. Changing culture The experience of TU Delft Library
Ellen van der Sar/ Maria Heijne
IATUL Annual Conference 2004, Krakow, Poland
April 5, 2019
Library

2. Library Delft University of Technology
April 5, 2019

4. Delft Library: Facts and figures
Personnel 160 fte
Locations Central Building faculty library locations
Budget M Euro
Collection 1M monographs
8000 journals /
4000 electronic
April 5, 2019

6. Purpose of the change
Information mediation: Front office activities in 14 locations staffed by fte
What?
more collaboration between front offices
a well-structured and accepted customer service
more ‘team’
Why?
Replacement pool
Involvement and commitment
To overcome mutual preconceptions
April 5, 2019

7. Change: how not to ‘structure’ solutions
Transfer central staff to decentral locations
Central front office is staffed by all decental staff members on a rota basis
One job desription and one job rating for all
for ‘culture’ problems
cause resistance directed at:
Mutual images
Strong connection with the ‘home’ location
Working in shifts 
April 5, 2019

8. Change: theory on ‘how to’ -1
Organisational Culture
Schein :
a pattern of basic assumptions about how the group copes with the outside world and about how members should act within the group
These assumptions:
define how members should perceive, think and feel about problems.
have been invented, discovered or developed by the group out of their experience.
"work" – so they are valid
are important to teach to new members.
April 5, 2019

9. Change: theory on ‘how to’ -2
Van Nistelrooij:
‘cultural core’ : difficult to influence and invisible –
implicit assumptions, rules and values that people perceive.
‘cultural practice’: visible characteristics of culture –
tradition and customs,
the way people cooperate and communicate,
leadership
the system of reward and appreciation.
April 5, 2019

10. Van Nistelrooij Cultural practice Cultural core cooperation leadership
assumptions
underlying values
unwritten rules
reward and
appreciation
tradition and
customs
communication

11. Change: from theory to (cultural) practice
Leadership:
Management change
Assignment of coordinating tasks
Strategic aims set by departments
Personal development plans

12. Change: from theory to (cultural) practice
Communication : higher contact
frequency with all individual staff
Cooperation: shared jobs in front office and customer service

13. Change: from theory to (cultural) practice
Tradition and customs:
Competencies (knowledge and behaviour)
Customer expectations
Procedures

14. Change: from theory to (cultural) practice
Reward and appreciation:
more staff
job descriptions/ratings

15. Cultural practice OK, but cultural core?
What about:
values
assumptions
unwritten rules

16. Cultural practice OK, but cultural core?
Cultural glue?
Shared jobs
Mutual
interests

17. Conclusions Top down change >> resistance
Solutions as a package not accepted, split up in smaller parts it seemed to work
Introduction of new elements of cultural practice
Shared jobs >> cooperation, knowledge sharing
Personal and organisational interests consistent >>
cultural glue?
Be patient!
April 5, 2019