Prison Library service is a neglected area in Sri Lanka which needs more attention, resources and planned development. Though there are thousands of inmates from all strata of society in prisons in Sri Lanka, providing them with quality library and information service remains a distant dream. The main purpose of these institutions is to rehabilitate these people and send them back to society as quality citizen.

Through a Prison Library Development Project (i.e. Development of a ‘model’ prison library at the Welikada Prison), the Special Committee on Prison Libraries of Sri Lanka Library Association and the Friends of the National Library of Sri Lanka, laid the foundation for a quality library and information services for the prisons in Sri Lanka.

We believe that having a proper library service in place would be ‘the need of the hour’ to reduce the high level of recidivism which is currently at 57%.

What are Our Goals?

The goals for a quality library and information services for the prisons in Sri Lanka are to:

• prepare inmates for re-entry into society as law abiding quality citizens - i.e. for a Re-entry as a Better Person
• reduce recidivism - by improving prisoners’ knowledge, skills and attitudes
• increase inmates’ use of time in an effective manner

How do we do this?

• Initiation of a ‘Prison Library Development Project’ with Friends of Sri Lanka National Library:
  • collection and other resources development
  • conduct of programmes and workshops to improve literacy and artistic and literary skills
  • provide a network of volunteer librarians to serve in Prison libraries
  • translation of relevant literature such as IFLA Prison Library Guidelines and ALA’s Library Standards for Correctional Institutes
• Appointment of a ‘Special Committee on Prison Library Services’ – Sri Lanka Library Association to:
  • formulate guidelines for prison libraries
  • set up a model prison library at the main prison
  • formulate of Standards for prison Libraries

What have we done?

• Collected more than 5,000 books through two ‘book drives’
• Translated IFLA Prison Library Guidelines into Sinhala
• Arranged author visits to discuss on books
• Conducted workshops to enhance creative writing skills of inmates
• Allowed inmates to showcase their musical/dancing talents at programmes and workshops

 What’s next

• Introduce mobile library services and inter library loans through partnerships
• Market the guidelines through all possible means and seek endorsement by an appropriate prison authority
• Develop a model library at the Welikada prison for female inmates
• Translate ALA Library Standards for Correctional Institutes
• Formulate standards for prison libraries and obtain the endorsement

What are our challenges?

• Approach tackling the rigid/regimental attitude of prison officers and higher authorities towards making changes
• Lack of funds
• Dependence on volunteers
• Unstable political situation and unhealthy economic situation in the country

Dr Premila Gamage and Padma Bandaranayake made a poster presentation on the project during the Global Solutions Poster Session at the 2019 ALA Annual Conference in Washington, DC. The poster displayed the work carried out and services offered so far, how it has impacted on inmates, challenges faced and future plans.

We appreciate any assistance towards the development of prison libraries in Sri Lanka. If you would like to become a part of this valuable project, please contact - Premila Gamage - premilagamage@gmail.com.

The Serbian government has passed a new law on science and research that recognizes open science as a fundamental principle of science and research.

The new Law on Science and Research, passed on 8 July 2019, confirms Serbia’s commitment to open science. It comes just a year after the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development (MESTD), the main national funder of research in Serbia, adopted a national open science policy, the Platform for Open Science, mandating open science to all publicly funded research.

The Serbian government has passed a new law on science and research that recognizes open science as a fundamental principle of science and research.

The new Law on Science and Research, passed on 8 July 2019, confirms Serbia’s commitment to open science. It comes just a year after the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development (MESTD), the main national funder of research in Serbia, adopted a national open science policy, the Platform for Open Science, mandating open science to all publicly funded research.

The Serbian government has passed a new law on science and research that recognizes open science as a fundamental principle of science and research.

The new Law on Science and Research, passed on 8 July 2019, confirms Serbia’s commitment to open science. It comes just a year after the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development (MESTD), the main national funder of research in Serbia, adopted a national open science policy, the Platform for Open Science, mandating open science to all publicly funded research.

How can the latest digital trends affect the everyday work of libraries?

The 2019 Mozilla Internet Health Report highlights the biggest challenges and opportunities to create a healthier internet. The report is an invitation to reflect and make choices which could contribute to a better digital society.

As librarians go through the text, they have a chance to reflect on different aspects of their work in light of the issues highlighted in this report:

• Artificial Intelligence will have more and more impact on their patrons’ lives. Can libraries contribute to initiatives aiming to improve public understanding of AI and help their communities make informed choices?
• Do services your library uses feature digital advertisements? Given the flaws of the digital advertisement economy today, there are many ethical ramifications to consider.
• Public procurement can be a powerful way to shape the role of technology in public spaces. Public libraries may have the chance to make critical design choices and opt for technology which promotes inclusivity, civil rights, fairness and diversity. Are they doing this?
• Online privacy and security are the focus of many ongoing debates. These issues call for critical reflection about the data libraries hold about their patrons. Anonymity is another important consideration - how can and should libraries protect the privacy and anonymity of their patrons’ online behaviour – for instance, by routinely erasing their browsing history?
• The digital exclusion statistics highlight how crucial it is for libraries to offer internet access in areas with little penetration or affordability. It is important to extend efforts to offer connectivity to the most vulnerable and marginalised members of their communities. How can this be done?
• Taxes on specific types of internet uses can become a barrier to libraries offering public internet access. Are libraries being active enough in advocating against such charges?
• What kind of web literacy do people need today? The report mentions the skills necessary to know what data is collected about them, understand and deal with bias and harassment online, awareness of the harms of oversharing information about children, and much more. What are libraries doing to help their patrons develop those skills, and can they be more proactive?
• Alongside other anchor institutions, libraries can support the development of local networks, rather than just relying on major telecommunications companies. They can find different ways to share their Internet connection with communities near them. This would help build a more resilient connectivity fit for local circumstances. How can libraries do more in this regard?

See the full summary of the report and highlighted points of interest for libraries:

[English - PDF]

The second Open Science Fair, under the banner ‘Synergies for Sustainable, Open & Responsible Research’, is to take place at the University of Minho in Porto, Portugal.

The fair is a joint initiative of the European Union projects OpenAIRE, FIT4RRI, the EOSC Secretariat and FAIRsFAIR. It will showcase the elements required for the transition to open science: e-infrastructures and services, policies as guidance for good practices, research flows and new types of activities (disseminate, mine, review, assess, etc.). 

The second Open Science Fair, under the banner ‘Synergies for Sustainable, Open & Responsible Research’, is to take place at the University of Minho in Porto, Portugal.

The fair is a joint initiative of the European Union projects OpenAIRE, FIT4RRI, the EOSC Secretariat and FAIRsFAIR. It will showcase the elements required for the transition to open science: e-infrastructures and services, policies as guidance for good practices, research flows and new types of activities (disseminate, mine, review, assess, etc.). 

The second Open Science Fair, under the banner ‘Synergies for Sustainable, Open & Responsible Research’, is to take place at the University of Minho in Porto, Portugal.

The fair is a joint initiative of the European Union projects OpenAIRE, FIT4RRI, the EOSC Secretariat and FAIRsFAIR. It will showcase the elements required for the transition to open science: e-infrastructures and services, policies as guidance for good practices, research flows and new types of activities (disseminate, mine, review, assess, etc.). 

At the 2019 High Level Political Forum, governments, UN officials and civil society representatives heard about the ways in which libraries can deliver the Sustainable Development Goals. Through two side-events, participation in a Voluntary National Review, and interventions in other sessions, IFLA’s team, including the President and Secretary-General, spoke up for our institutions.  

The United Nations High-Level Political Forum is the key annual event around the Sustainable Development Goals. It is a time for reviewing progress – both at the global and the national levels – and hearing about great ideas to accelerate change.

The need for such ideas is clear. As was underlined by the United Nations Secretary-General as well as many other speakers, nearly a quarter of the way into the 2030 Agenda, the world risks falling behind its goals.

As in previous years, there was a particular focus on a sub-set of SDGs – 4 (education), 8 (employment), 10 (inequality), 13 (climate action), 16 (peace, justice and strong institutions) and 17 (partnerships for development). Discussions on each of these highlighted the need for more action from government and other actors in order to ensure that all benefit from the best possible policies.

IFLA’s engagement strongly emphasised how libraries could support progress towards all of these goals, based on the 2019 Development and Access to Information report.

From providing a complement to schools and government services at the local level to providing the information necessary for better decision-making at the national and global levels, libraries are key partners.

In each session, there was welcome recognition from officials and experts of the importance of access to information in the success of policies.

Taking the Stage

In order to focus attention on the role of libraries, IFLA organised two side events. A first, held at the UN Library, looked at the role of information partnerships, and how through these, libraries could be motors of change.

Following an opening by Glòria Pérez-Salmerón, Shantanu Mukherjee from the UN Secretariat presented the UN’s Global Sustainable Development Report – the result of such a partnership – which will be published in time for discussions on sustainable development at the General Assembly in September.

Similarly, the UN Library itself was working with other libraries in the UN system to share knowledge, and so better support the work of the Secretariat in delivering reforms.

The following part of the session, launched by IFLA Secretary-General Gerald Leitner, looked at the work of libraries at the local level, with examples from Tunisia provided by IFLA representative Zoubeida Bouallagui.

A second event at the Argentine Mission to the United Nations looked more at the success of the Buenos Aires Declaration in May, and reflected on how to follow up on this in New York and around the world.

Participants agreed strongly on the vital role of libraries, from core functions of supporting reading, culture and research to newer services to the community. IFLA is grateful to the Permanent Mission of Argentina for hosting us, and to the Library of Congress of the Argentine Nation for its help in setting this event up.

Finally, in a first for libraries, IFLA’s representative Zoubeida Bouallagui joined the Tunisian delegation on stage during the country’s Voluntary National Review. This process allows countries to report on their progress – including their engagement with civil society – and take questions from other governments and NGOs.

The presentation highlighted a number of issues where libraries are active, and questions from the floor raised a specific point about how libraries are helping to boost literacy in rural areas. We hope this will provide a model for other countries, alongside others, such as Chile, which included libraries in their national reports.

Looking Ahead

Discussions will take place in September around the format of the High Level Political Forum, and how it can best support the goals of the 2030 Agenda. IFLA will follow these debates closely, and continue to engage with contacts across the UN system, Member States and civil society in order to ensure libraries are fully able to contribute.

Read more about IFLA's work on libraries and development.

We are inviting librarians and researchers to take part in a webinar about digital humanities - a new way of doing scholarship that involves collaborative, transdisciplinary, and computationally engaged research, teaching, and publishing. The webinar is jointly organized by EIFL, Global Outlook::Digital Humanities and Programming Historian.

We are inviting librarians and researchers to take part in a webinar about digital humanities - a new way of doing scholarship that involves collaborative, transdisciplinary, and computationally engaged research, teaching, and publishing. The webinar is jointly organized by EIFL, Global Outlook::Digital Humanities and Programming Historian.

We are inviting librarians and researchers to take part in a webinar about digital humanities - a new way of doing scholarship that involves collaborative, transdisciplinary, and computationally engaged research, teaching, and publishing. The webinar is jointly organized by EIFL, Global Outlook::Digital Humanities and Programming Historian.

Please save the date for the next Preservation and Archiving Special Interest Group (PASIG) meeting in Madrid, May 19-21, 2020. The Biblioteca Digital Memoria de Madrid, Centro Cultural Conde Duque is the event host. The PASIG Steering Committee is pleased to connect with colleagues in Conde Duque, which is the most important cultural center in Madrid and home to some of the city’s main libraries and archives. Like last year, this PASIG will offer bi-lingual translation services in English and Spanish.

The Preservation and Archiving Special Interest Group (PASIG) is dedicated to advancing the practice of digital preservation and archiving. It brings together practitioners, industry experts and researchers to share experience on how to put preservation and archiving into practice.

The website is at http://www.pasig2020memoriademadrid.es. Agenda drafts, sponsorship information, registration, and travel and hotel options in the coming months. The Program Committee is in its initial planning phase, but if you have a topic you want to be considered or would like to inquire about sponsorship email Courtney Mumma (c.mumma@austin.utexas.edu<mailto:c.mumma@austin.utexas.edu>) and the Program Committee Chairs, Gilberto Pedreira Campillo (pedreiracg@madrid.es<mailto:pedreiracg@madrid.es>) and Carlos Villarrubia Rodríguez (villarrubiarc@madrid.es<mailto:villarrubiarc@madrid.es>).

The Program Committee for Madrid and the PASIG Steering Committee are working closely together on this event. We would like to thank the members of both for all their effort and commitment! If you have an interest in digital preservation and want to be a part of a great community, make sure you save this date!

PROGRAM COMMITTEE CHAIRS / PRESIDENTES DEL COMITE DE PROGRAMA:
Co-chairs: Gilberto Pedreira Campillo (pedreiracg@madrid.es<mailto:pedreiracg@madrid.es>), Director of Digital Library Memoria de Madrid and Carlos Villarrubia Rodríguez (villarrubiarc@madrid.es<mailto:villarrubiarc@madrid.es>), Head of IT Technicians and Assistant in Digitalizing Area

STEERING COMMITTEE / COMITE DIRECTIVO:
Natalie Baur, El Colegio de México
Tom Cramer, Stanford University
Ben Fino-Radin, Small Data Industries
Neil Jefferies, University of Oxford
Thomas Ledoux, Bibliotheque Nationale de France
Sarah Mason, Artefactual Systems
Becky McGuinness, Open Preservation Foundation
David Minor, UC San Diego Library
Courtney Mumma, Texas Digital Library
Matthias Razum, FIZ Karlsruhe

Translated to Spanish:

Guarde la fecha de la próxima reunión del Preservation and Archives Special Interest Group (PASIG) en Madrid, del 19 al 21 de mayo de 2020. La Biblioteca Digital de Memoria de Madrid, Centro Cultural Conde Duque es el anfitrión del evento. El Comité Directivo de PASIG esta encantado en conectarse con sus colegas en Conde Duque, que es el centro cultural más importante de Madrid y alberga algunas de las principales bibliotecas y archivos de la ciudad. Como el año pasado, este PASIG ofrecerá servicios de traducción bilingüe en inglés y español.

Preservation and Archives Special Interest Group (PASIG) trabaja para avanzar la práctica de la preservación digital. Reúne a profesionales, expertos de la industria e investigadores para compartir experiencias sobre cómo poner en práctica la preservación digital.

El sitio web está en http://www.pasig2020memoriademadrid.es. Programas preliminares, información de patrocinio, inscripción, así como opciones de viaje y hoteles en los próximos meses. El Comité de Programa se encuentra en su fase inicial de planificación, pero si tiene un tema que desea ser considerado o le gustaría consultar sobre patrocinio, envíeme (c.mumma@austin.utexas.edu<mailto:c.mumma@austin.utexas.edu>) un correo electrónico así como a los Presidentes del Comité de Programa, Gilberto Pedreira Campillo (pedreiracg@madrid.es<mailto:pedreiracg@madrid.es>) y Carlos Villarrubia Rodríguez (villarrubiarc@madrid.es<mailto:villarrubiarc@madrid.es>)

El Comité de Programa para Madrid y el Comité Directivo de PASIG están trabajando juntos en este evento. ¡Me gustaría agradecer a los miembros de ambos comités por todos sus esfuerzos y compromiso! Si usted tiene un interés en la preservación digital y desea ser parte de una gran comunidad, ¡asegúrese de guardar esta fecha!

The post SAVE the Date for PASIG Madrid, May 19-21, 2020 appeared first on Duraspace.org.

In May 2019, six young African public librarians travelled to Denmark to take part in an intensive week-long learning, knowledge-sharing and networking experience that included participation in the Next Library 2019 conference in Aarhus (2 - 4 June), which was attended by over 400 people from 44 countries. The six young librarians, from Ghana, Kenya, Namibia and Zambia, were participants in the EIFL Initiative for Young African Library Innovators (IYALI) 2019 programme.

In May 2019, six young African public librarians travelled to Denmark to take part in an intensive week-long learning, knowledge-sharing and networking experience that included participation in the Next Library 2019 conference in Aarhus (2 - 4 June), which was attended by over 400 people from 44 countries. The six young librarians, from Ghana, Kenya, Namibia and Zambia, were participants in the EIFL Initiative for Young African Library Innovators (IYALI) 2019 programme.

In May 2019, six young African public librarians travelled to Denmark to take part in an intensive week-long learning, knowledge-sharing and networking experience that included participation in the Next Library 2019 conference in Aarhus (2 - 4 June), which was attended by over 400 people from 44 countries. The six young librarians, from Ghana, Kenya, Namibia and Zambia, were participants in the EIFL Initiative for Young African Library Innovators (IYALI) 2019 programme.

Session 234  LIS Education Role in Libraries Dialogue: Changes Start Here - Wednesday, August 28, 2019 13:45 - 15:45 held in Trianti.  
Education and Training (SI) There is an increasing awareness about the prospective and important role of LIS education in directing LIS professional through the changing trends in a rapidly evolving information society. Implementing powerful learning strategies in the LIS discipline academic and practice sectors, resonates with the IFLA president’s theme, “Libraries Motor for Change.” This call to action urges LIS educators to work on their program plans and curricula. This session’s objective is to provide complementary coverage of new techniques, infrastructure, and academic and professional aspects for LIS future development.

Session 275  LIS Education in Developing Countries: Challenges and Trends - Thursday, August 29, 2019 13:45 - 15:45 held in MC 3 

LIS Education in Developing Countries LIS Education in Developing Countries Special Interest Group, sponsored by Education and Training Section, is focused on curriculum development as well as policy and procedure design for assessment and accreditation of LIS schools in the developing countries. We are seeking papers that discuss what challenges developing countries are experiencing in their LIS schools or what recent trends they are addressing with their LIS education?

World Library and Information Congress (WLIC): 85th  IFLA General Conference and Assembly 

24-30 August 2019, Athens, Greece.

First Business Meeting: Session 006 will meet in Athens College Room 107 on Saturday, August 24, 2019 from 11:15 a.m. - 13:15 p.m.

Second Business Meeting: Session 244 will meet in Business Meeting Room 3 Thursday, August 29, 2019 from 08:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

Dear colleagues from Africa, Asia, Oceania, Latin América and the Caribbean

We invite you to participate in the research titled "HOW TO GET OUR VOICE HEARD AT IFLA ?", which is being conducted by members of IFLA Regional Division V including Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), Africa, Asia and Oceania (A&O) Sections with the objective of identifying strategies to increase the number of members from our region at IFLA decision making position and in its activities and congresses.

Specifically, we seek to investigate the perception that professionals in the regions involved have so much about the needs, problems and difficulties they face to participate in IFLA, as well as their suggestions, ideas and contributions that can subsidize future actions and strategies that may be created by them . The data collected are confidential. No individual responses or name of the participant will be disclosed.

Your participation is critical to the development and success of our research. We, the researchers responsible for this study, commit ourselves to clarifying any questions that the participant may have before, during and after the research, through the following contacts: Sueli Mara Ferreira, Division V < sueli.ferreira@gmail.com> / Sanjay Sanjay K. Bihani - A&O Section / Rosemary Shafack - Africa Section - / Ana Maria Talavera - LAC Section -

The link to answer the questionnaire is  http://bit.ly/2JDyzdC

The survey is open until July 30, 2019.

We appreciate your attention and contribution! --

SUELI MARA SOARES PINTO FERREIRA,

PhD Full Professor Senior, Graduate Program in Information Science - University of São Paulo, Brasil

IFLA Governing Board Member IFLA Regional Division V Chair (África, Ásia and Oceania, América Latina and the Caribbean)

IFLA Professional Committee Member

IFLA Library Development Advisory Committee Member FEBAB, Copyright and Open Access Brazilian Committee Chair Email: sueli.ferreira@gmail.com Cel: +55-11-971005819 "...Life goes on inside us, not outside. What happens outside may even be a trigger, but our inner perception determines reality. " "...a Vida se passa dentro de nós, não fora. O que acontece fora pode até ser um gatilho, mas nossa percepção interna determina a realidade."

En su segundo evento en el Foro Político de Alto Nivel, la IFLA, con la amable colaboración de la Misión Argentina ante las Naciones Unidas, celebró un encuentro sobre cómo extender el éxito de la Declaración de Buenos Aires a más países y a todo el mundo: Información para el desarrollo: La implementación de la Declaración de Buenos Aires.

El 22 de mayo de 2019, en Buenos Aires, los ministros y sus representantes de trece países presentes en el Foro de Ministros y Secretarios de Cultura de América Latina y el Caribe firmaron la Declaración de Buenos Aires.

Esto subrayó su compromiso tanto con los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible como con el acceso a la información como medio para lograrlo. También enfatizaron la importancia de las bibliotecas como socias para el desarrollo, y prometieron ayudarlas a realizar su potencial en este sentido.

Por último, subrayaron disposición a llevar el mensaje de la Declaración de Buenos Aires al mundo, a través del Foro Político de Alto Nivel de las Naciones Unidas, en el que ministros y altos funcionarios de todo el mundo están debatiendo la mejor manera de garantizar un crecimiento más fuerte, más justo y más sostenible.

Gracias a la Misión Permanente de la Argentina ante las Naciones Unidas, la IFLA se enorgullece de haber podido celebrar un debate sobre los siguientes pasos.

El Embajador argentino, Su Excelencia Martín García Moritán, inauguró la reunión dando la bienvenida a la IFLA y subrayando su propio compromiso con el acceso a la información a través de las fronteras. Expresó su deseo de que se hicieran esfuerzos para que las personas valoraran y utilizaran mejor la información y la cultura, y destacó su apoyo a las bibliotecas como asociadas clave para ello.

La Presidenta de la IFLA, Glòria Pérez-Salmerón, expuso a continuación la conexión entre información y desarrollo, basándose en su propia experiencia tanto local como internacional a lo largo de su mandato como Presidenta. Las bibliotecas tienen un papel único, argumentó, en asegurar que no terminemos en una sociedad de 'personas que saben' (knows) y 'personas que no saben' (know-nots).

La Secretaria Ejecutiva del Consejo Nacional de Políticas Sociales de Argentina, Gabriela Agosto, recordó que las bibliotecas contribuyen de manera muy distintas. Las bibliotecas especializadas son esenciales para apoyar la toma de decisiones, mientras que las bibliotecas públicas son fundamentales para la dimensión cultural de la Agenda 2030.

El Director Coordinador de la Biblioteca del Congreso de la Nación Argentina destacó la labor de su propia biblioteca para abordar la exclusión y la pobreza informacional. Acogió con entusiasmo la labor de la IFLA para apoyar a sus miembros en la región y darles la confianza y la voz necesarias para promover y defender con mayor eficacia.

Por último, el Secretario General de la IFLA, Gerald Leitner, reiteró el éxito de la Declaración e instó a los presentes a llevar sus mensajes a los colegas de las Naciones Unidas.

La Declaración, subrayó, debería ser un punto de partida, tanto para la adopción de nuevas medidas en la región como para la realización de esfuerzos similares en otras partes del mundo.

En el debate a continuación, el consenso fue claro en torno al papel de las bibliotecas como pilares de la vida democrática. Con un fuerte enfoque en incluir y ofrecer oportunidades a todos, sus misiones están en línea con el motivación de la Agenda 2030 de no dejar a nadie atrás..

El hecho de que los países de América Latina y el Caribe se estén involucrando es particularmente importante. Las buenas prácticas ya expuestas en las bibliotecas argentinas constituyen un valioso ejemplo para otros de cómo las bibliotecas pueden contribuir a la creación de sociedades más justas. La Revisión Nacional Voluntaria de Argentina en 2020 ofreció una oportunidad particularmente fuerte para destacar este trabajo.

La IFLA da las gracias a la Misión Permanente de Argentina por su apoyo y espera con interés trabajar con todos los Estados Miembros para garantizar que el papel de las bibliotecas en el desarrollo sea debidamente reconocido y apoyado en todo el mundo..

Vea más fotos de este evento en nuestro canal de Flickr.