2012 was an interesting year in Citizens’ Services and Libraries. We have worked on the realisation of the City Council’s policy for Citizens’ Services and Libraries regarding Citizens’ Centres, developing citizens’ services, open libraries, NemBS (citizens’ services in the libraries), new forms of media, partnerships and construction of the new main library, Dokk1. At the head of the agenda was the eGOVERNMENT strategy and it was our responsibility to follow up on and further develop the Channel Strategy for the City of Aarhus.

It has been a pleasure to watch citizens’ reception of the long awaited City Archives, which was officially opened in September.  Many volunteers, good partnerships and great media attention made sure that the City Archives were off to a good start. Citizens’ Services and Libraries have found new ways and created collaboration with a number of other municipalities in Business Region Aarhus regarding support functions for foreign labourers. Also, in collaboration with the DaneAge Association and other players, we have developed teaching programs for self-service online and we have been a driving force in the national development of the Danish Digital Library.

Altogether, we solve a comprehensive number of tasks which are also very varied. We do this in continuously closer relation with the civil society and we intend to continue this development. I believe that we have reason to be both proud of and satisfied with the results in 2012 and we look forward to development in the coming years.

Marc Perera Christensen
Alderman, The Department of Culture and Citizens' Services