When Jen Vander Heide moved to Germany two years ago, she saw it as a unique chance to explore the world of public libraries from a fresh perspective. She toured iconic libraries across Europe, volunteered with the Next Library Festival in Denmark, and immersed herself in diverse approaches to library services. Now, she’s bringing those global insights back to Grand Rapids as the newly appointed deputy director of the Grand Rapids Public Library (GRPL).
In her new role, Vander Heide will oversee the library’s daily operations, guiding strategic initiatives and projects to deepen GRPL’s impact on the community.
Previously, she worked at GRPL for nearly a decade, during which she held various leadership positions, including circulation and collection services coordinator. She describes her return as a homecoming, but with new perspectives.
“I’m continually curious about the future of public libraries, and my time in Germany allowed me to see things differently,” Vander Heide says. “I’m excited to apply what I’ve learned abroad to enhance how we activate our spaces and design our processes here.”
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Courtesy GRPL
Studied in Berlin
In Germany, Vander Heide was at Bard College Berlin, where she worked to meet the needs of a student body that spanned 68 nationalities.
“Jen’s dedication to collaboration and innovation make her the ideal fit to help lead our library into the future,” says GRPL Library Director John McNaughton. “We’re thrilled to have her back.”
Vander Heide says her role as deputy director will revolve around communication, teamwork and sustainability.
“There’s exceptional work happening at every level of our library system, and my job is to align it in ways that serve our community most effectively,” she says.
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Courtesy GRPLMusic in the Stacks is one of many innovative programs at Grand Rapids Public Library.
Rapid Growth connected with Vander Heide for a Q&A about her experience in Europe and her vision for her work with Grand Rapids Public Library.
Rapid Growth: How do you envision your experience in Germany, particularly at Bard College Berlin, shaping your approach to enhancing library services and community engagement at GRPL?
Jen Vander Heide: While at Bard College Berlin, I had the opportunity to work with students and staff representing over 68 different nationalities. On any given day I was thinking through challenges with individuals from all over the world – Pakistan, Egypt, Tunisia, Ukraine, Germany, Mexico, etc. — who often approached a given situation in vastly different ways.
This time in Berlin reminded me that there is so much to be gained by stepping outside our own routine way of seeing and thinking. And that there is much to be gained by engaging with a perspective distinct from our own.
When it comes to enhancing GRPL’s library services and community engagement, I want to explore how we can learn from those who are approaching similar challenges but may be seeing them a bit differently than us. What can we learn from library systems in other countries/contexts? From other industries? I look forward to exploring a wider range of perspectives as we think through our services and experiences for our community.
RG: What innovative projects or initiatives are you most excited to implement at GRPL, and how will these benefit the Grand Rapids community?
JVH: This year GRPL is working with the consultant ReThinking Libraries to carry out an in-depth assessment of our library system in order to identify opportunities for enhancing our patron experience. I am very excited about this initiative as I believe we can find creative and responsive ways to serve our community, especially in this post-COVID landscape. The world has changed, and, as a library, it’s imperative that we adapt and anticipate our community’s needs.
RG: You mentioned the importance of designing processes and activating spaces in libraries. Can you share any specific ideas or plans for redesigning or optimizing GRPL’s spaces?
JVH: Our facilities assessments this year are an important step in helping us develop plans for optimizing GRPL’s spaces. Based on these findings, we look forward to developing strategies for how we will update and more effectively activate our spaces in the community. One of our strengths is being present in many different parts of Grand Rapids, and we want to ensure that everyone continues to enjoy utilizing our spaces.
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Courtesy GRPLCommunity Game Night brings together people at Grand Rapids Public Library.
RG: How do you plan to foster a collaborative environment at GRPL, and what strategies will you use to build strong teams across different levels of the library system?
JVH: Over my years as a manager, I’ve observed that effective collaboration occurs by empowering staff. In a multilevel, multilocation library institution like ours, though, it can be challenging for staff to navigate the different systems and come together in meaningful ways.
I see my role as bridging these gaps by constantly clarifying lines of work, establishing shared expectations, and engaging in frequent systemwide communication. If staff know what is happening, how they can engage, and what is expected of them, then they — wherever they are situated in the organization — can find those meaningful points of collaboration and lean into the skills and knowledge they bring to the table. We have a highly skilled, creative, and passionate staff, and I look forward to working alongside them.
RG: In your opinion, how can public libraries continue to evolve to meet the changing needs of communities in the digital age while preserving their traditional roles?
JVH: This is a great question and one that I think about daily! At the heart of it all, libraries are about two things: connecting community members to meaningful ideas and to each other.
In our digital age, the library is continuing to thrive in connecting users to ideas. With your GRPL library card you can read e-books, listen to digital audiobooks, stream movies, learn languages, access market and consumer data, and even read the Grand Rapids Press online. We are proud of all the ways in which we continue to provide access to ideas in this evolving world.
Even with this shift into the digital world, though, library spaces still have an important role to play. As we recalibrate our spaces, we will be prioritizing and reimagining the ways in which we provide opportunities for our community members to connect to each other in meaningful ways within our buildings.
I was just living in Germany, where town squares are the public spaces that play a vital role in connecting inhabitants to each other. We don’t have many town squares here, but we do have wonderful library systems that provide shared public spaces for our community. It is our job to make sure these spaces are welcoming, inviting, and open to all.