administrations and provides the operation and development of systems, services, and products. This is also offered to municipal companies. In case of problems, questions, or need for help, the IT department supports the administrations and the municipal companies. - The communication department. Responsible for the municipality's overall internal and external communication. The municipality's overall communication channels, graphic profile, and press issues are also within the department's area of responsibility. The Communications Department works in close cooperation with the municipal administrations and supports them in their communication work. The department also includes the municipality's Contact Center. The contact center is the public's first contact with the municipality for general questions and information. - The business department. The department works to create conditions for the development and expansion of the existing business community and to stimulate and facilitate new establishments. - The Procurement Department Responsible for the municipality's procurement activities and coordination of procurements. The department also conducts procurements in collaboration with Habo and Mullsjö municipalities as well as Rådhus AB and its subsidiaries. History Jönköping is an old trading centre (Köping) situated at a natural crossroads for routes following the rivers Nissan and Lagan, and the road connecting the provinces of Östergötland and Västergötland, a result of the town's geographical position at the southern end of lake Vättern, which divides the two provinces. On 18 May 1284 Jönköping became the first City in Sweden to be granted its rights by king Magnus Ladulås, who ruled mostly from Vättern's largest island Visingsö. The first part of the city's name, "Jön", is derived from a creek, "Junebäcken", in Talavid, in what is now the western part of the city. The second part of the name "köping", is, as mentioned above, an old word for a trading centre or market place. The geographical position of the city also left it vulnerable to attack via the river routes that led south, mainly from Danes. At that time the provinces of what is today southern Sweden — Scania, Halland and Blekinge — belonged to Denmark. The city was plundered and burned several times until it was fortified during the 16th and 17th centuries. Jönköping was known for its matchstick industry between 1845 and 1970. The phosphorus match was invented in 1831, and these matches became very popular because one could strike it against any surface to ignite it. However, the problem was that they ignited too