Hennepin County Library is continually changing and transforming to meet the needs of the public. Transformation requires a high-performance culture that is less about command-and-control, risk-aversion and hierarchy and more about innovation, diversity and inclusion. Having the courage to take action and try something new in the face of uncertainty, ambiguity and fear is what makes change possible. HCL needs all staff across the 41 library system to work toward shared goals and outcomes and develop the ability to lead and manage change. We were looking for intentional opportunities to replace top-down decision-making with conversations, problem solving and solution-making for current projects and the future of libraries and our communities. Discussions between frontline staff and leadership are opportunities to share new ideas, goals and visions of the future and to find common ground.

In 2013 we implemented a change framework led by a newly created change manager position. The change framework has four key components: "Cultivating readiness" is the starting place for change planning and is focused on creating a compelling strategic direction for change and crafting an inspiring vision for what’s possible. To build shared understanding and obtain feedback early in a recent website redesign project, a team of project members and facilitators led 35 group discussions through the library system. "Co-creating the future" means including the people who will be affected by the change in the design of the change. Giving staff a voice in the process increases creativity, deepens diversity of thinking and produces better results. To leverage staff and patron expertise, HCL has incorporated change conversations into the early planning stages of all library renovation projects. This process builds ownership and excitement for project outcomes. "Integrating into systems" ensures organizational systems and processes are aligned with the new direction. In 2013 we migrated 26 of our 41 libraries from the Dewey Decimal to Library of Congress classification system. During implementation, teams of facilitators paired with project managers to lead discussions at each library to build an understanding of local work changes and impact for patrons. "Nourishing momentum" involves modeling, coaching and mentoring to reinforce new skills and behaviors. In 2013 we formed the HCL Change Network, a diverse group of more than 20 staff meeting monthly to focus on the people side of change.

We are measuring success by the number of project managers and leaders asking for change planning strategies. We know this is most successful when employees reach out as they are just beginning to scope the work of system or local change. We are building momentum and trust as employees see colleagues achieve results by using the change framework. Currently all system-wide initiatives and projects have incorporated techniques from the change framework into their project plan. To gain an understanding of the effectiveness of the change framework and related services, a survey was developed and distributed to staff that have requested and received assistance using the change framework. The results indicated that participants were either very satisfied or completely satisfied with the way the change framework facilitated their work. One survey respondent wrote, “When HCL first introduced the change management framework I wasn’t sure what to expect but this has turned into an invaluable and accessible service as we experience change exponentially.”