More and more children and youth across Kenya are going online as internet infrastructure improves and connectivity and digital devices become more affordable. This is good news for digital inclusion, but the lack of digital literacy and online safety skills leaves young internet users vulnerable to threats like grooming, cyberbullying and fraud, says Eliphas Nyamogo, founder and director of Fahari Community Initiative, which runs the Fahari Community Library in Migori, Kenya.

More and more children and youth across Kenya are going online as internet infrastructure improves and connectivity and digital devices become more affordable. This is good news for digital inclusion, but the lack of digital literacy and online safety skills leaves young internet users vulnerable to threats like grooming, cyberbullying and fraud, says Eliphas Nyamogo, founder and director of Fahari Community Initiative, which runs the Fahari Community Library in Migori, Kenya.

Teresa Hackett, EIFL Copyright and Libraries Programme Manager will participate in this webinar to discuss exciting new legislative developments in support of open science in Bulgaria and Slovenia. 

Teresa Hackett, EIFL Copyright and Libraries Programme Manager will participate in this webinar to discuss exciting new legislative developments in support of open science in Bulgaria and Slovenia. 

Teresa Hackett, EIFL Copyright and Libraries Programme Manager will participate in this webinar to discuss exciting new legislative developments in support of open science in Bulgaria and Slovenia. 

EIFL has renewed an agreement with Oxford University Press (OUP), for a further year until 31 December 2024. The agreement includes free and discounted access to journals and online products and waived article processing charges (APCs).

Libraries from the following countries can subscribe to a full collection of 375 journals and a range of online products:

Free access

18 countries can access Oxford Journals and Online Products free of charge - 

EIFL has renewed an agreement with Oxford University Press (OUP), for a further year until 31 December 2024. The agreement includes free and discounted access to journals and online products and waived article processing charges (APCs).

Libraries from the following countries can subscribe to a full collection of 375 journals and a range of online products:

Free access

18 countries can access Oxford Journals and Online Products free of charge - 

EIFL has renewed an agreement with Oxford University Press (OUP), for a further year until 31 December 2024. The agreement includes free and discounted access to journals and online products and waived article processing charges (APCs).

Libraries from the following countries can subscribe to a full collection of 375 journals and a range of online products:

Free access

18 countries can access Oxford Journals and Online Products free of charge - 

EIFL has renewed an agreement with Oxford University Press (OUP), for a further year until 31 December 2024. The agreement includes free and discounted access to journals and online products and waived article processing charges (APCs).

Libraries from the following countries can subscribe to a full collection of 375 journals and a range of online products:

Free access

18 countries can access Oxford Journals and Online Products free of charge - 

In December 2023 a group of librarians and open science enthusiasts organized a workshop on Research Data Management (RDM) for Serbian researchers and librarians. They drew on the training methods and materials tested during EIFL and OpenAIRE open science train-the-trainer bootcamps held during 2023. Participants’ feedback was overwhelmingly positive, writes Milica Ševkušić, EIFL Open Access Programme Project Coordinator, who was one of the workshop trainers. 

In December 2023 a group of librarians and open science enthusiasts organized a workshop on Research Data Management (RDM) for Serbian researchers and librarians. They drew on the training methods and materials tested during EIFL and OpenAIRE open science train-the-trainer bootcamps held during 2023. Participants’ feedback was overwhelmingly positive, writes Milica Ševkušić, EIFL Open Access Programme Project Coordinator, who was one of the workshop trainers. 

In December 2023 a group of librarians and open science enthusiasts organized a workshop on Research Data Management (RDM) for Serbian researchers and librarians. They drew on the training methods and materials tested during EIFL and OpenAIRE open science train-the-trainer bootcamps held during 2023. Participants’ feedback was overwhelmingly positive, writes Milica Ševkušić, EIFL Open Access Programme Project Coordinator, who was one of the workshop trainers. 

How do you envision a project and design library buildings and facilities that will not be delivered for several years? The past 18 months has shone a new light on the need for resilient and responsive buildings. What library services and programmes will be provided in the future? How are innovative approaches to the delivery of library services imagined, implemented and accommodated in new facilities? What are the facilities that will fit future services not yet in existence? What are the challenges and debates within the design team and stakeholders as the planning and preparation are undertaken? What works best and what processes should be used? What differences, if any, are there in building a new facility or re-using and adapting an old site? On October 5th join Traci Lesneski, Philip Kent and thought leaders from Australia, Canada and The Netherlands to consider these important issues.

Register today!

The following statement was issued by Secretary General Gerald Leitner, on behalf of IFLA on 25 August 2021.

IFLA has followed closely recent legislative developments in Hungary, and in particular the provisions passed in June which prohibit the portrayal of homosexuality or gender reassignment in children’s books.

As has been noted by commentators, the breadth of the law creates the possibility that libraries, in providing access to books for young users, are covered by these provisions. As such, this raises significant questions about the ability and responsibility of libraries to fulfil their mission to provide access to information for all.

IFLA stands by its Statement on Intellectual Freedom (1999), which underlines that library collections shall reflect the plurality and diversity of society, and that selection and availability of materials should be governed by professional considerations and not by political, moral and religious views. 

In parallel, IFLA also underlines the message of the IFLA-UNESCO Public Library Manifesto (1994), which stresses the need to provide information to all, reflecting their needs, and evolutions in society. It also emphasises that ‘collections and services should not be subject to any form of ideological, political or religious censorship, nor commercial pressures’.

The IFLA-UNESCO School Library Manifesto underlines these same points, in connection with the development of children.

In the light of this, IFLA stresses that libraries should not face rules that prevent or hinder them from giving access to works which reflect the experience of any part of the communities they serve – including LGBTQ+ users and their families – or pressure to do so. This includes measures that make it harder for readers – in particular young readers – to find works, or the use of marks or other signs that stigmatise their use of such works.

Such steps limit the ability of library and information professionals to make their own judgements, based on professionalism and an understanding of the needs of users, in order to support the development of all members of their communities.

In parallel, IFLA also voices its support for publishers, authors and booksellers who have fallen foul of these new provisions, and calls for an end to similar restrictions elsewhere.

Gerald Leitner
​IFLA Secretary General 25 August 2021

Download the statement from our publications page.

Dear Friends,    

We are pleased to share with you the August 2021 issue of the IFLA Asia & Oceania Regional Newsletter.  

On behalf of my team, I would like to express our deepest appreciation to all our article contributors and supporters.  

Click on the PDF below to access the amazing articles we have curated for you this time!  

Happy reading and stay safe!  

Best regards,

Ms Lin Li SOH

Manager | IFLA Regional Office 
Asia & Oceania
c/o National Library Board, Singapore

For the next edition of the international Library Publishing Directory, please go to https://librarypublishing.org/lpdq-2022/ before 13 September 2021.  Your contribution will be accessible through the global library publishing map found at https://lib-pub.org/

The economic impact of COVID-19 pandemic has led to a sharp decrease in jobs worldwide – Sri Lanka is no exception.

A Collaborative Effort

In mid-2020, the National Library of Sri Lanka (NLSL) formed a partnership with Commonwealth of Learning (COL) - Coursera Workforce Recovery Initiative with the aim of helping job-seekers in Sri Lanka to upskill and reskill to enter the job market as well as reinforce job-related skills to regain employment. COL-Coursera Workforce Recovery Initiative offered learners unlimited and free access to 5,000 courses designed to skill and reskill them. In June 2020, the NLSL implemented the programme under the topical theme ‘Skills Online Sri Lanka – Employed for the Unemployed’.

The Skills Online Sri Lanka (SOSL) also collaborated jointly with diverse local organizations such as Vocational Training Institute, public libraries, private training centers, educational institutions and employers. The purpose is to bridge the skill gaps for in-demand jobs responding to employer and industry needs through directly supporting youths and adults to participate and complete skill and professional development courses offered free by the COL-Coursera learning platform.

NLSL with its partners extensively promoted the initiative and attracted unemployed people, especially youths, women and the differently abled people across the country.

Free scholarships produced 4,300 learners, earned 21,343 certificates

NLSL successfully completed the programme in March 2021, producing more than 4,300 learners who earned 21,343 certificates from world renowned universities and institutes. Remarkably, the adoption rate of the programme has been as high as 89.8% and is therefore successful. This was made possible as a result of awareness sessions conducted at various locations across the country along with virtual sessions and helpdesk activities including close coaching and mentorship. NLSL and the Colombo Public Library provided their ICT facilities including Wi-Fi to the needy learners to access learning platform and complete the courses.

Overall, it has uplifted lives and livelihoods

The SOSLP initiative resulted in positive outcomes. It has helped unemployed to find jobs, secure jobs and improve livelihood. A wide range of courses that can tap requirements as well as the potential of learners have enabled the employed people to hone their skills – for career advancement through promotions. Some of the skilled learners have set up small business, created avenues for self-employment to sustain their livelihood. Some have even become entrepreneurs.

Nearly half of the learners enrolled into the programme were females!

This means the programme has also immensely contributed towards gender equality, thereby strengthening the female participation in the workforce.

Most importantly, with this wholehearted initiative, communities have already started noticing the value of national and public libraries as skill development centers.

As a result, COL extended its support to NLSL for another 3 years from April 2021 to March 2024 through its ‘Skills for Work’ initiative.

Contributes to SDGs

This initiative supports enhancement of Education and Training, Skills Development, Digital Literacy, Life-long Learning and contributes to several SDGs especially 4, 5, 8, 10, and 1, 3.