Over the coming years, the KB will commission an impact study for the ‘Werk aan Uitvoering’ (WaU/Work on Implementation) programme. This will enable us to assess whether the programme’s objectives are being met. The study will look not only at the end user but also at the library network.
WaU
The KB and the library network are working together through the WaU programme to create a future-proof library. The library of the future is hybrid, meaning it will be physically and digitally accessible and reliable. The impact study will monitor whether this ambitious goal is being achieved, while also allowing for adjustments when and where necessary.
Niek Schroten, CIO at the KB and portfolio holder for the WaU programme: “Through the WaU programme, we are investing heavily in the digital and hybrid library of the future. It's also important to know whether these improvements are actually reaching the people we’re doing this for. Thanks to this study, we won’t have to wait years to find out. We will gain insights as we go along, so that we can make adjustments where necessary and build on what works."
Impact study
Following a European tender, the contract for the study was awarded to Impact House, which is part of Grant Thornton. They will collaborate with the research agency Motivaction and the research and consultancy firm Regioplan. The framework agreement runs alongside the WaU programme and will last for up to six years.
On the one hand, the study will focus on end users. Do they think that the digital and hybrid library is more accessible? Do they find what suits them more quickly? Does what’s on offer seem reliable and secure? On the other hand, the study will examine how the library network itself is evolving. This includes things such as data-driven working, collaboration within the network and working from the basis of shared public values.
Baseline measurement
The study begins with a baseline measurement, followed by regular impact assessments. Questionnaires completed by a national panel of end users and network staff will be combined with in-depth interviews and group discussions. Existing user and system data will also be analysed. There will be regular reviews to ensure that the study process itself also evolves in line with the programme’s development.
The baseline measurement is expected to be completed in the autumn of 2026. The results of the impact study will be shared with the library network and the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, which commissions the WaU programme.
