Meet the candidates: Jakob Guillois Lærkes

Jakob Guillois Lærkes
Director of Gladsaxe Libraries
DENMARK

I am Director of Gladsaxe Libraries, Denmark, and former Director of Orestad Library and Blågården Library. My main interests are design of library spaces and service, change management and, in general, development of future libraries.

My main goal is to raise awareness of the important role and task of the public libraries in making a difference in people’s lives. With the working group and as part of the jury of the IFLA/Systematic Public Library of the Year Award, I have dedicated time and energy in revitalising this important award. A work of advocacy that contributes to creating the political and strategic platform required to make change.

I am vice-chair of the Danish National Library Association and a regular speaker at international conferences, including several IFLA WLIC and pre-conferences. I will also continue working for making WLIC the central most interesting conference for library professionals by implementing IFLAs new global vision.

As Director of Orestad Library, I was in charge of designing a modern library which offers self service and caters for both the nearby school, high school and the local community. As Director of Blågården Library, I took the lead in developing a library targeted at young people and their specific needs. In Gladsaxe, I am now dedicated to the task of converting a main library, four branch libraries and a commercial movietheater into cultural hubs for the local community.

From 2011-2013 I joined the International Network of Emerging Library Innovators (INELI) – a network of library professionals formed by the Bill & Melinda Gates foundation, with focus on public libraries in the 21st century.

International cooperation and the mutual exchange of ideas and knowledge is a key component of the work in IFLA. I firmly believe that the greatest changes are made by professionals working together and having a stronger voice.

For more information about voting for members of the Public Libraries Standing Committee take the time to read our post