Miriam Nauri appointed new Library Director at KI

Tell us shortly about your background, what have you been working with previously?

- Today I work as the Library Director at Stockholm School of Economics. Previously, I worked for 17 years at the National Library of Sweden (KB), most recently as department director and part of the management team. I am interested in international cooperation and have, among other things, held positions of trust for the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA).

Why were you interested in applying to KI and what do you look forward to the most in the role of Library Director at KIB?

- I hope to be able to contribute to a creative and humanistic workplace that makes the most of people's skills and driving forces. It feels meaningful to be able to contribute to the creation of new groundbreaking knowledge and make it available to everyone who needs it.

- Through my professional life, I have in various ways come in contact with colleagues at KIB and the work that is done here. The lasting impression is of a workplace that promotes continuous competence development, high ambitions and high well-being. I want to keep building on this strong foundation and create conditions for the library to develop even further.

- Mostly, I am looking forward to meeting all my future colleagues at KIB and getting to know KI. I expect an intensive learning period and hope to get as much guidance as possible from everyone I meet!

How do you see the role and challenges of the university library today?

- It can be challenging to explain the library's role today when scientific information is not communicated in print and everything is supposed to be found "on Google". The fact that research results are preserved, identifiable, accessible and findable is largely due to the infrastructure of systems, standards and agreements that librarians develop and are experts in. This infrastructure is today digital and more global than ever. The core mission remains and has become even more complex. The increasing complexity includes not only the technology, but at least as much the political, legal, communicative and economic elements that are all required for the exchange of information. At the same time, it is the library's mission to make it all simple.

- The University Library's role is to support scientific communication so it can be run as openly, simply, sustainably and consistently as possible. University librarians also have an important pedagogical role as experts in information searching, information management and information evaluation.

- Finally, the university library is also a place for free exploration. It is the place for independent learning, where you should be able to deepen your knowledge and always be able to find new exciting angles on your questions.

Miriam Nauri succeeds Annikki Roos, who retired on 1 February.