Library Services to People with Special Needs Section is pleased to announce the publication of the section’s brochure in Croatian.  It was translated under the direction of Maela Rakocevic Uvodic and joins 10 other translations of the brochure.  It can be found at:  IFLA — Library Services to People with Special Needs (LSN) Section Brochure

Thanks to all of the contributors who made these translations possible.

The Conference of Parties to the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions (2005 Convention) held their biannual meeting last week. IFLA attended as an observer, underlining the importance of showing culture's contribution to development, and promoting equitable access for all.

While the Parties themselves are national governments, the Convention recognises the fundamental role of civil society in protecting and promoting the diversity of cultural expressions. Parties are therefore committed to encourage the active participation of civil society in their work to implement the Convention. Part of this engagement is the biannual Civil Society Forum, the third edition of which was held on 31 May.

Civil Society Forum Outcomes

IFLA took a central role in this year’s Civil Society Forum, namely in the following thematic breakout sessions:

• Culture and sustainable development – building on the work of IFLA and partners towards upholding culture as the fourth pillar of sustainable development.
• Digital environment, rights, and trade – upholding the importance of meaningful access to information in both the creation of and access to cultural expressions.

The outcome of the Civil Society Forum was a list of recommendations representing the perspective of civil society, which were presented to the Conference of Parties on 2 June. Several of these recommendations to the Parties align closely with areas of IFLA’s work:

• Incorporate culture and creative industries explicitly into the plans, instruments and reporting mechanisms (Voluntary National Reviews and Voluntary Local Reviews) around the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs. See more on how libraries engage in VNRs here.
• Fully seize the opportunity to build back better, designing policies that allow culture and creative industries to fulfil their role as the fourth pillar of sustainable development. See more on IFLA’s position on culture at the heart of the COVID-19 response here. 
• Pave the way at international level for the inclusion of a goal on culture in the post 2030 international debate on sustainable development, based on the evidence collected through UNESCO, regional, national and local authorities, civil society, academia and the private sector. See the report on Culture in the Implementation of the 2030 Agenda here.
• Take note of the best practices observed by civil society while implementing the UNESCO Open Roadmap for Implementation of the Convention in the Digital Environment. See more on how libraries help bridge the digital divide here: Leveraging Public Access to Connect Underserved Users - IFLA@WSIS 2021.
• Further use the Internet Universality indicators to ensure meaningful access to cultural content. See IFLA’s briefing on UNESCO's Internet Universality Indicators here.

The Forum further recommended that all stakeholders acknowledge that cultural participation, a vibrant and inclusive cultural life in communities, and access to culture represent a precondition to achieve all Sustainable Development Goals.

 

Engaging Further

The Conference of Parties called for all Parties to take steps towards creating national plans to protect and promote cultural diversity in the digital environment. As stated in the Convention’s Operational Guidelines for Implementation in the Digital Environment, this includes such activities as:

• encouraging the implementation of digital preservation measures and the development of infrastructure to ensure universal and continuous access to cultural content
• ensuring access to cultural content by suppling the necessary digital equipment to public institutions such as schools, libraries and cultural centers
• setting up programmes for digital literacy, public education and awareness on using the Internet and on mastering digital tools

Parties are further invited to highlight such efforts in their periodic reports, to which civil society actors are encouraged to contribute.

Libraries can play an important role in helping to bridge the digital divide, transfer digital skills, and enable meaningful access to help protect and promote cultural diversity in the digital environment.

What you can do: Email your national point-of-contact and ask to discuss how your library’s activities may be able to contribute to the next annual report. IFLA can help with this.

Do you have experience and stories that can help build a strong body of evidence on how libraries promote and protect diverse cultural expressions – both traditionally and in the digital environment?

Let us know!Share with: claire.mcguire@ifla.org

Find out more about the 2005 Convention here.

You are invited to attend the 13th Conference of the Association of Parliamentary Librarians of Asia and the Pacific (APLAP) on 15-17 June 2021 from 1:00 - 5:00 p.m (Philippine Standard Time/UTC+8) via Zoom.
 
The conference aims to assist in the development of parliamentary libraries and research services units in the region by providing a venue for participants to share their knowledge and experiences, and discuss new developments in support of the expansion of innovative practices and processes. This year's conference is open to parliamentary librarians who are non-APLAP members.

 This conference is free of charge and e-certificates will be provided. Kindly confirm your participation by 8 June 2021 at this link.

Library and Research Services for Parliaments Section has launched a second survey on service operations during the COVID-19 global pandemic. The first survey was conducted in 2020 and the results were presented in December 2020. 

This second survey is open now and will remain open to 30 June 2021. Parliamentary libraries and research services are encouraged to participate.  Please see this link for more details.

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The 2021-2023 IFLA Professional Council, responsible for guiding and supporting the work of IFLA's Professional Structure, has been elected by its Members and Officers.

Professional Division Committee Chairs (formerly Division Chairs) take on an expanded leadership role of direct support and coaching to ensure success and to increase the profile of the Professional Structure's committees and their work.

An exciting change in accordance with IFLA’s new governance structure, are the eight new Professional Division Committees.  The Chairs of these Professional Division Committees will bring together and lead Officers of 6-8 Professional Units, as they develop resources in response to the professional and practical needs of their library sectors.

Taking up their roles after our General Assembly in August, they will play a key role in delivering on the IFLA Strategy 2019-2024, in particular by strengthening the library field – and IFLA’s work – at the professional level.

I am happy to announce that the candidates below (in alphabetical order) have duly been elected, in accordance with IFLA’s rules:

Professional Council Chair

Adjoa Boateng (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland)

Professional Division Committee Chairs

• Dilara Begum (Bangladesh)
• Camille Callison (Canada)
• Man Yi Helen Chan (China)
• Patrick Danowski (Austria)

• Anoja Fernando (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland)
• Te Paea Paringatai (New Zealand)
• Jan Richards (Australia)
• Leslie Weir (Canada)

 

See more: IFLA Elections 2021 results

Information on the allocation of the Division Committees to specific Chairs will be published at a later date.

Thank you to all Professional Division Officers and Division Chairs who nominated to serve in these positions, for your commitment to IFLA and continued service to the profession. My congratulations to those elected – we look forward to working alongside you in support of IFLA's goal of building a strong and united global library field.

Gerald Leitner
Secretary General
The Hague, The Netherlands
4 June 2021

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Inspired by the IFLA Strategy, the IFLA Asia and Oceania Section (IFLA AO Section) is bringing the profile of libraries in Asia and Oceania to a new level, with a dynamic focus on advocacy around the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).

Closely aligned to IFLA Key Initiative 1.1 “Show the power of libraries in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals", the IFLA AO Section organised a webinar on “Libraries and the SDGs” and a complete makeover of the IFLA Asia & Oceania Regional Newsletter, both of which were enthusiastically welcomed by the library community regionally and internationally.

 

IFLA Asia-Oceania Regional Webinar on Libraries & the SDGs

The Library and Information Association of New Zealand (LIANZA) hosted a mid-term virtual event for the Asia and Oceania Section's Standing Committee at the National Library of New Zealand.

The 2-hour event ‘Libraries and the SDGs’ saw great success with guest speakers from the USA, Singapore, India, Fiji and New Zealand, and registrants from a wide range of countries across the region. The webinar highlighted the 17 interlinked Global Goals which serve as our “collective blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all”.

It showcased grass-roots SDG stories from libraries regardless of their locality, size or resource level and provided practical examples of how libraries contribute to attaining the SDGs. Lively discussion ensued in the ‘question and answer’ session.

Felicity Benjes, a staff member of the National Library of New Zealand gave a personal perspective on the event:

I confess I didn’t know much about the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) other than that they existed, and that New Zealand was involved in contributing to them. I was expecting to hear how these were being achieved at a very high-level, perhaps describing international leadership and inter-government support programmes.

In reality, the stories told were grass-roots examples which brought to life the way libraries are contributing in very real ways to the SDGs through serving their communities. There was a project to save bats in Alaska, salary negotiation boot camps for women in New York, the recording of stories, voices, and traditional clothing of the Punjab community in Auckland.

Professor Ramesh Gaur told us of the Accessible Online Book Library in India which provides free access to over 1 million books for people with visual impairment. Those were just a few of the inspiring practical examples reported.”​

Read more information on the webinar here.

Read the brief report on the webinar here and here.

 

Watch the recorded event on the LIANZA YouTube channel.

  IFLA Asia & Oceania Regional Newsletter

Last week, the Section published its latest Asia & Oceania Regional Newsletter, which included a dozen tangible examples of how the UN SDGs are used in everyday library work. These, along with other regional news, can be found in a newsletter waiting to be discovered by the worldwide library community. Not to be missed!

It is wonderful work done by IFLA's Regional Office for Asia and Oceania.

Check the newsletter here.

Soh Lin Li, Regional Manager of the IFLA Regional Office for Asia and Oceania, and Tina Yang, Chair of the IFLA Regional Standing Committee of Asia and Oceania, co-highlighted their emphasis on SDG work:

We are excited to work on the UN SDGs in our region; both the Office and the wider Asia and Oceania region believe that we have a lot to showcase and offer to the world as examples.

Alongside this, we are heading towards a makeover of the Regional Section due to the newly formed Asia and Oceania Regional Division Committee. Moreover, we’ll be hosting an SDG-focused session at the upcoming virtual WLIC 2021, so do not miss an opportunity to stay connected with the work of our region, past-present-future.”​

What's coming next

As a basis for effective library advocacy, the AO Section Standing Committee is currently working on the production of a high-quality, high-impact tool in the form of a case-studies booklet to demonstrate to external audiences the contribution of libraries to development in all its dimensions. The aim is to provide at least one case study for each of the 17 SDGs. Members of the Section Standing Committee will contribute case studies from their country, detailing the activity and its impact.

In line with the IFLA WLIC 2021 theme "Let's work together for the future", the IFLA AO Section invites speakers to share the initiatives undertaken by libraries in Asia and Oceania to support the SDGs. The speakers will bring forth projects and activities carried out by libraries or in partnership with libraries, addressing community needs and making a significant impact on the life of their community at local, national, and regional levels. This will provide an insight to others from beyond the region to explore the various SDG-related projects and activities that are in place within Asia and Oceania.

 

Follow the IFLA Asia and Oceania Section online

• ifla.org/asia-and-oceania
• Facebook
• Twitter

 

Read more about the IFLA Strategy 2019-2024

How is your library or library association engaging with the IFLA Strategy? Let us know! Post on your social media, using the hashtag #IFLAStrategy and #WeAreIFLA or send an email to Despina Gerasimidou, IFLA’s Strategic Development Officer at despina.gerasimidou@ifla.org.

 

      

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We're live! The World Library and information Congress 2021 platform is now open.

Visit www.ifla-wlic2021.com

IFLA WLIC 2021 will be held across three days - Tuesday, 17 August to Thursday, 19 August, spanning three time zones. On the website, you'll find information about the theme and subthemes and of course, how to register and take advantage of the Early Bird rates. IFLA has lowered its fees to widen inclusivity and encourage the broadest possible attendance to its first virtual conference.

This year, IFLA is providing a World Library and Information Congress (WLIC) experience like never before. We invite you to take advantage of this exceptional opportunity. Be a part of this unique event to connect with colleagues and internationalise your professional perspective.

Our industry partners can read about opportunities to sponsor and exhibit at the conference. The sponsorship booklet is now available and offers an array of options to showcase products and services and embrace a global audience.

Sign up to our IFLA WLIC Newsletter to receive regular updates on sessions, speakers and more.

Kind regards,

Gerald Leitner
Secretary General
The Hague, Netherlands
3 June 2021

These tables and graphics are updated to include all 48 NBR profiles and their latest updates, and are available at the bottom of the NBR page.

NBR sections covered in the tables include:

1. Identification, History, Size

3. Organisation & Administration

4. Online Services

5. Pricing & Licensing

6. Standards

The graphics file includes a map of the bibliographies contributing to the NBR, and pie charts or bar charts illustrating data from the related tables.

A recent report from Denmark has shone a new light on the different ways in which public libraries make a difference to people's lives, and how we can measure this. We interviewed Christian Lauersen, Director, Roskilde Library, to find out more.

Being able to understand and demonstrate impact is not only important for advocacy, it's also crucial if we want to know whether what we are doing is working. Yet while data about usage can offer some insights, it is often harder to build an idea of the difference being made to people's lives.  

In the below interview, Christian explains the results of his work with Seismonaut to carry out research into how users are benefitting from libraries in their daily lives. Find out more on Christian's own website and on Twitter.

IFLA: What are the merits and limits of current indicators, such as footfall in libraries or numbers of loans?

Christian Lauersen: I’ve been accused of disliking statistics and data because of this impact study, but that is not the case.

Key figures like lending numbers and foot traffic in libraries are great at saying something about the use of libraries which obvious is important knowledge but they come short when you want to look at the value and impact the public library gives individuals and communities.

So I use statistics and data on usage a lot in my daily work but they don’t give me the full picture of the difference we make in our communities -  we cannot see the role libraries play in fighting inequality, polarization and loneliness from a spreadsheet. We cannot see the impact a shared reading sessions at a library has on a kid from the number of kids who attended. We need insights and understandings beyond usage to have a sound and constructive debate about why libraries matters and how we should shape them to lift future challenges.

What was the genesis of your study?

In Denmark the public library is quite often debated publicly. This is important and basically healthy – no debate would indicate that people didn’t care about the library and our role and purpose being in the spotlight of various opinions is what fosters progress and critical thoughts about the work we do.

The problem is that the debate often finds fuel in the context of key figures of usage like lending numbers, foot traffic etc. or by ‘experts’ and other ‘opinion makers’ that have some thoughts to share. Both statistics and the opinion of experts are very welcome in the debate about the public library, but I always thought something very important was missing in that picture; the only reason that we have public libraries - the citizens and communities we serve. 

We take the ‘public’ in the public library very seriously and wanted to expand the language about the value and impact of the public library by putting the citizens at the centre of the discussion. 

How well do you see the results supporting the argument that libraries have become spaces for creativity and community, as well as safe and quiet spaces, focused on information?

Very well. The study shows that the public library has a very diverse impact on citizens ranging exactly from a haven in everyday life where one find time for one selves to places that sparks creativity and community. 

To citizens, the public library supports creativity and are a source of inspiration, helps stimulate the imagination, and motivates people to try new things and acquire new skills. At the same time they help form and maintain com­munity, both directly – by being a place where you can meet and experience togetherness with each other – as well indirectly by citizens looking at libraries as communal property in society.

Public libraries are places where you learn to take care of society in a concrete, materialistic sense by taking care of the materials you borrow, the newspapers you read and the facilities you use.

We talk a lot about libraries providing skills, as well as information. Is this borne out by the results?

I think so yes. Libraries are not only storage houses for information – they link free and equal access to information and cultural activity with different kinds of literacy and skills that empower citizens and communities.

A great example on this in the study is the significance of the impact of the perspective that public libraries provide as a credible communicator of knowledge that give citizens an enlightened and critical perspective on life, and the impact of creativity where citizens find the public library a source of inspiration that stimulates users' imagination and can also help motivate users to try something new and acquire new skills

Similarly, there’s a lot of focus on libraries as places for community and creativity, as well as having more traditional roles as a haven where you can find information. What do the results say about this?

The results say that citizens embrace and value the different roles that libraries take, and also say that the individual might change the purpose and the use of the library over years.

What has been learnt by looking individually at collections, events, buildings and staff?

Overall that these services of public libraries are complementary and affect people and communities in many ways.

Looking more individually at the impact of collections, events, buildings and staff, the study shows that the collection is the most-used library service and is especially impactful on users as a source of new knowledge and information. In addition, the collection gives users a sense of well-being to a great extent.

It shows that participating in public library events is very important and that citizens find that these events are highly impactful across many different parameters. However, the events especially matter in relation to building stronger community, and are rated much higher on this aspect than other library services are.

The libraries’ physical facilities have a varied level of impact on their users. In addition to creating a space for concentration and immersion, the facilities also contribute to the users’ well-being, creativity and the ability to reflect. Furthermore, these facilities also create a truly special atmosphere, according to the users.

Interactions with public library staff are highly impactful on library users, and in more ways than one might assume. Staff guidance is impactful in terms of the users’ search for information and relevant readings, but it also contributes to community, conversations, immersion and new motivation.  

The work also engages with non-users – what lessons do you get from surveying them?

On a general note I think it is extremely important that we reach out to current non-users when we make studies on public libraries – libraries serve communities and not only those who use them, so non-users are important voices.

The study reveals that being a non-user is not a static term. A non-user may have used a public library in the past and/or expect to use one in the future, and that has great value. We often have an understanding that you are either a user of libraries or you are not, but reality is more nuanced than that. The study shows that 96.5 % of Danish citizens have used a library, are using a library or are expecting to use a library in the future and it depends on needs and life situations wither they will use it.

In other words even though citizens might not use a library right now they still value having libraries in their community because they are expecting to use them sometime in the future e.g. when they have kids, start to study, get a new hobby, retire etc.      

The survey also asked about the value of libraries at a time of growing use of online entertainment such as Netflix. Is there good news?

I’m not sure why growing use of online entertainment should be labelled either ‘good news’ or ‘bad news’ in the context of libraries. General media usage is important for libraries in terms of knowledge for development, collaboration and so on but I don’t think it is libraries’ responsibility to point out growing use of Netflix as a bad thing for libraries or communities.

Anyhow the study shows that 4 out of 5 citizens believe that public libraries still have relevance today despite the rise of digital services such as Spotify and Netflix and this is also linked with the finding that the vast majority of citizens in Denmark believe that public libraries are important because they offer free and equal access to knowledge and culture – online entertainment is not free and equal - and the impact of libraries being places of trust.

In an age where it is difficult to distin­guish information from misinformation, it is of great impor­tance to citizens that the public library curates and disseminates knowledge and information - physically and digitally     

What sort of reactions have you had from colleagues and others?

I’m stoked by how much positive feedback we have got on this work, both from the sector but also from a lot of people outside the sector as well as media and politicians. What really thrills me is that I can see that other libraries and cultural institutions adopt the logic and method of the study to look at value and impact of libraries to citizens locally and in different aspects – e.g. the impact of collaboration with schools   

How can these results be used in convincing decision-makers of the importance of libraries?

By putting the findings in the context of society and communities. A library is not an end in itself – it is way to empower people, make communities stronger and a solution to some of the problems and challenges that societies face. It is the same with the findings in this work; they are only interesting in the context of society and the answers and opportunities that they point at for citizens and communities.

When we look at the growing problem with loneliness in society, we now have citizens’ words and opinion that public libraries foster community and togetherness, so how can that knowledge be a part of different solutions? If we discuss the challenge of misinformation, fake news and social media echo chambers it is highly relevant that we now know that citizens find the public library to be a place where you can trust what you see and hear

What can be done with these results in terms of your own programming?

First of all, the results have raised awareness of what is really important for citizens and how it affects them, and especially the impact from collections and events; these will be used to shape and develop what we do.

Second it will be used to improve the way we talk about the things we do. We also sometimes gets happy if we get a full house at an event and then forget to focus on the impact we wanted to create or that we have created. You are always more satisfied if 50 people come instead of 15 but what it the event changed the life of 7 out of the 15? Should we not be extremely happy and proud about that?

What lessons does this work offer for libraries elsewhere in the world?

Hopefully it has a huge potential to put citizens and communities at the centre of both studies and language about the impact and value of libraries. I truly hope many libraries across the world will adopt parts of the findings, design and method to create new studies, new insights and a new global language and understanding of the impact of public libraries

IFLA Environment, Sustainability and Libraries (ENSULIB) and Preservation & Conservation Sections held a joint webinalr on May 6 2021.

"Environmentally Inspring and Engaging Buildings, Research, Education and Library Services"

Video recording is now available at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ei_UBo4uQ84

 

An exciting innovation in IFLA’s new governance structures will be our new Regional Division Committees for Asia-Oceania, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, Middle East and North Africa, North America and Sub-Saharan Africa.

These will bring together representatives in each of these six world regions in order to support the development and delivery of action plans that respond to the needs of their library fields, in particular around strengthening advocacy for libraries.

Taking up their roles after our General Assembly in August, they will play a key role in delivering on the IFLA Strategy 2019-2024, in particular by strengthening the library field – and IFLA’s work – at the regional level.

Find out more about the role of IFLA’s Regional Division Committees.

I am happy to announce that the below candidates (in alphabetical order) have duly been elected, in accordance with IFLA’s rules, and reflecting the caps on numbers of representatives per country. Those regions with fewer than 15 candidates will subsequently be able to co-opt additional members.

Each Committee will subsequently be asked to elect a Chair, who will also represent them on IFLA’s new Regional Council, which will be chaired itself by Nthabiseng Kotoskoane (South Africa).

Asia-Oceania Regional Division Committee

• Al Mamun, M. (Bangladesh)
• Augias, Christophe (New Caledonia)
• Begum, Dilara (Bangladesh)
• Che Nasir, Nor Edzan (Malaysia)
• Chen, Ying (China)
• Cokanawai, Tulia (Fiji)
• Gamage, Premila (Sri Lanka)
• Helieisar, Atarino (Micronesia (Federated States of))
• Iwasaki, Rei (Japan)
• Kar, Debal Chandra (India)

• Lapuz, Elvira (Philippines)
• Mamtora, Jayshree (Australia)
• Nakaora, Nina (Fiji)
• Nomura, Misako (Japan)
• Roberts, Winston (New Zealand)
• Tan, Gene, Hwee Yong (Singapore)
• Tunupopo, Avalogo Togi (Samoa)
• Weber-Beard,Sabine (New Zealand)
• Yang, Tao (China)
• Zain, Labibah (Indonesia)

  Europe Regional Division Committee

• Alvandian, Laurie (Armenia)
• Blin, Frédéric (France)
• Bording Andersen, Steen (Denmark)
• Çimen, Ertugrul (Turkey)
• Duda, Vadim (Russian Federation)
• Frey, Jeannette (Switzerland)
• Glossiotis, Georgios (Greece)
• Gruszkowski, Tomasz (Poland)
• Hajdu Barát, Ágnes (Hungary)
• Hamilton, Stuart (Ireland)

• Holcer, Dunja Croatia)
• Hopkins, Marcie (United Kingdom)
• Klauser, Hella (Germany)
• Lammens, Sara (Belgium)
• Linder, Karin (Sweden)
• Ninkov, Jasmina (Serbia)
• Parise, Stefano (Italy)
• Sellés Carot, Alicia (Spain)
• Simonishvili, Maia (Georgia)
• Stasselová, Silvia (Slovakia)

  Latin America and the Caribbean Regional Division Committee

• Cabrera Portillo, Evangelina (Paraguay)
• Castro Moreno, Marisela (Mexico)
• Ferrari, Adriana Cybele (Brazil)
• Fuentes Martinez, Maria Angelica (Chile)
• Guzmán Muñoz, Ruth J. (Costa Rica)
• Lacorazza, María Silvia (Argentina)
• Lebrón Ramos, Jeannette (Puerto Rico)
• Maigua, Verónica (Ecuador)
• Menjivar Pleitez, Jonathan Ernesto (El Salvador)
• Moisés Kroll do Prado, Jorge (Brazil)

• Morales Bellido, Hugo (Bolivia (Plurinational State of))
• Quirós, Micdonia (Panama)
• Rodríguez, Karla (Costa Rica)
• Santa, Alejandro Lorenzo César (Argentina)
• Seroubian, Mabel (Uruguay)
• Torres Vargas, Georgina Araceli (Mexico)
• Vélez, Alejandra (Colombia)
• Vergara, Carmen Elena (Colombia)
• Viciedo Valdes, Miguel (Cuba)
• Zucchini Almorón, Fabrizzio Javier (Paraguay)

  Middle-East and North Africa Regional Division Committee

• Al Shawabkeh, Younis (Jordan)
• Abushulaibi, Eman (United Arab Emirates)
• Albayati, Faiza, (Iraq)

• Aljabri, Saif (Oman)
• Bachir, Imad (Lebanon)
• Ismail, Heba (Egypt)
• Kuwari, Abeer (Qatar)

  North America Regional Division Committee

• De Castell, Christina (Canada)
• Ghafouti, Loubna (Canada)
• Hervieux, Sandy (Canada)
• Huang, Michael (United States of America)
• Jefferson Jr, Julius C. (United States of America)
• Kear, Robin (United States of America)
• Koen, Diane (Canada)
• Lannon, Amber (Canada)
• Lasda, Elaine (United States of America)
• Lewis, Vivian (Canada)
• Manganiello, Francesco (Canada)

• Mering, Margaret (United States of America)
• Mitchell, Shawn (Canada)
• Paiva, Marie (United States of America)
• Sapon-White, Richard (United States of America)
• Scheeder, Donna (United States of America)
• Shuva, Nafiz (Canada)
• Tabb, Winston (United States of America)
• Thibault, Nathalie (Canada)
• Zhang, Ying (United States of America)

  Sub-Saharan Africa Regional Division Committee

• Chibanda, Nyarai (Zimbabwe)
• Hagwelele, Allen (Zambia)
• Kaddu, Sarah (Uganda)
• Kavuri, Purity (Kenya)
• Kinyanjui, Mary (Kenya)
• Lebele, Ayanda (Botswana)

• Magocha, Bongiwe (Botswana)
• Nalumaga, Ruth (Uganda)
• Ndiaye, Mandiaye (Senegal)
• Norbert, Tangmo (Cameroon)
• Osuchukwu, Ngozi (Nigeria)
• Oyedele, Damilare (Nigeria)

 

See more: IFLA Elections 2021 results

My congratulations to those elected, and to all candidates for their strong commitment to IFLA and willingness to participate in building the future of our field.

Gerald Leitner
Secretary General
The Hague, The Netherlands
1 June 2021

The pandemic has underlined the importance of access to information for all, but at the same time, the risks of misinformation. Libraries have a huge potential to contribute, as highlighted in a webinar organised by participants in the IFLA-Goethe Institut Emerging International Voices Programme.

Already in the early weeks of the pandemic, senior officials at the World Health Organization and elsewhere were talking about the risks of an infodemic.

Tackling this, they argued, needed to be a priority, in order to prevent misinformation from weakening the impact of policies and initiatives designed to slow or stop the spread of the pandemic.

A key part of the response to misinformation circulating is the provision of high-quality, easily accessible facts, based on research, something that the open access movement looks to ensure. However, open access publishing is not universal, and the simple availability of reliable information does not guarantee that it is used.

These are the challenges that participants in the Emerging International Voices webinar looked to address on 26 May. The Emerging International Voices programme is a joint initiative of the Goethe-Institut and IFLA, designed to support promising new professionals in the library field to build their experience and reach.

Introductory words came from IFLA Secretary-General Gerald Leitner, who underlined the need to provide positive solutions to cerns about infodemics, and Brigitte Döllgast, Head of the Library at the Goethe-Institut, who welcomed the ongoing engagement of the participants.

Following this, five speakers from around the world offered their perspectives.

Tina Purnat, WHO highlighted the scale and threat of the infodemic, and the need to act to counter its impact. She underlined the need for people to develop good information hygiene, alongside personal hygiene, in order to keep themselves and those around them safer, with libraries able to play a key role.

Victor Ejechi, StatiSense, Nigeria, urged participants to develop the right instincts when receiving information, and to be ready to check on other sources. Libraries were well placed to support this, but in turn required support and training to do so effectively.

Dr Feda Kulenovic, University of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Hercegovina, focused on the role of libraries in being proactive in getting information into the hands of users. They could be a sort of hactivist, shaping the policies and infrastructure that determine how information is produced, shared and accessed.

Professor Yasar Tonta, Haceteppe University, Turkey stressed how libraries can go beyond just checking facts on behalf of others to developing the skills in among users to be their own fact-checkers, ready to deal with new information. This provided, also, a more sustainable, long-term solution.

Finally, Dr Dasapta Erwin Irawan, Universiti Teknologi Bandung, Indonesia, emphasised that for open access to be truly universal, and so provide relevant opportunities and information for all, there needed to be a meeting point between different models of creation, sharing and assessment. Through this, we can support the drive to make more relevant information available for all.

A lively discussion at the end, drawing on questions from the audience, helped reinforce the importance of focusing on building individual skills, rather than trying to censor individual items of misinformation.

Participants nonetheless raised the question of what changes may be needed to the way in which information is shared, and in particular the risk of distortion by commercial interests. A more publicly-orientated information infrastructure could help re-promote freedoms.

Furthermore, panellists also highlighted the need for investment in this infrastructure – both libraries themselves and their staff, and the tools needed to promote open access for all.

Thanks go to the Emerging International Voices team who organised the webinar: Nilay Cevher, Damilare Oyedele, Madiareni Suleiman, Rita Aleixo, Ejla Curovac, and Naomi Smith, as well as to the Goethe-Institut.

You can view the webinar on YouTube. Find out more about the Emerging International Voices programme.

IFLA Environment, Sustainability and Libraries (ENSULIB) and Preservation & Conservation (P&C) Sections joint webinar on 6 May 2021

 

 

"Environmentally Inspiring and Engaging Buildings, Research, Education and Library Services"

 

The recording is available now

https://youtu.be/Ei_UBo4uQ84

 

 

Our speakers presented papers on a wide range of sustainability and library issues, such as environmentally sustainable libraries and library services, sustainable library and LIS projects, library educational programs, and sustainable technologies (both digital and physical) for library material preservation and conservation.

 

Level of interaction: Webinar - discussion with Q&A

 

Speakers:

Fenella G France Ph.D., MBA FAIC & Andrew Forsberg, Library of Congress, USA

 

Giuseppe Vitiello, European Bureau of Library, Information and Documentation Associations (EBLIDA)

 

Leo F.H. Ma, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, China

 

Muhammad Sajid Mirza Ph.D., Islamic Research Institute, International Islamic University, Pakistan

 

Leonor Gaspar Pinto & Paula Ochoa, Centro de Humanidades, Portugal

 

Laurie Kutner, Howe Library, University of Vermont, USA

 

Elaine Harrington & John Hough, University College Cork, Ireland

 

Minna Männikkö, Oulu City Library, Finland

 

Duration of event: 120 Minutes

 

Language(s) subtitling and translations available: English with subtitles in the event language

 

Accessibility: Live AI Closed Captioning and transcription

On 26 May 2021, IFLA Division IV – Support of the Profession and SET held the second webinar in the “Webinar Series for Library and Information Science Students”. May’s theme was “Projects in the Libraries – Ideas, Innovations, Initiatives”.

It was an honor for Division IV, as well as for LIS students, to have Erik Boekesteijn, Senior Advisor at the National Library (KB) in the Netherlands, as the moderator of the webinar. Four students from Norway, the Philippines, and the United States gave impressive presentations about the innovative and interesting projects they developed for libraries.

The recording is available on the IFLA Section on Education and Training YouTube Channel. You can also see this booklet with abstracts to learn more about this webinar.

The next webinar is scheduled for 23 June 2021. See the Call for Proposals and stay tuned!

 

 

"ENSULIB announces
6th IFLA Green Library Award 2021 Shortlist
in Two Categories"

 

With generous sponsorship from De Gruyter Publishing (Boston/Berlin), ENSULIB circulated a Call for Submissions for the IFLA Green Library Award for the sixth year in a row. Any type of green library or any outstanding green library project, initiative or idea was invited to apply for the IFLA Green Library Award. Libraries with a small budget but a great impact were explicitly invited to participate in the competition. Deadline for submissions was 15 March 2021.

All submitted applications received by ENSULIB were firstly checked to determine if they were properly prepared and follow the guidelines for submissions. These applications were selected for the longlist.

The quality and relevance of the project, initiative or idea will be evaluated by the independent international ENSULIB Award Reviewing Committee in terms of:

• Applicability to the goals and the scope of ENSULIB
• Contribution of libraries to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
• Quality of the overall presentation, public visualization via website etc.
• Relevance to IFLA’s goals and values (Key Initiative 4.1)

To ENSULIB’s great delight, despite the global pandemic and its massive impact on libraries 33 submissions were received from around the world, including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Colombia, Croatia, Cuba, Finland, France, Germany, India, Iran, Italy, Lebanon, Russia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Ukraine, and United States.

See the full IFLA Green Library Award 2021 nominated shortlist in two categories listed alphabetically by country below.

The two finalists of the IFLA Green Library Award 2021 in the categories “Green Library” and “Green Library Project” will be announced during the virtual World Library and Information Congress 17/19 August 2021.

 

 

Shortlist “Green Library”

Country

City

Library/Institution

Submission Title

Australia

Altona

Hobsons Bay Libraries (EnviroCentre)

EnviroCentre @Hobsons Bay Libraries

Canada

Edmonton

The Edmonton Public Library

Edmonton Public Library

China

Shenzhen

Pingshan Library

Green Efforts of Pingshan Library

Slovenia

Ormož

Knjižnica Ormož

Green Library - Uniting the Local Community on its Road to Sustainability

 

Shortlist “Green Library Project”

Country

City

Library/Institution

Submission Title

Cuba

Santa Clara, V.C.

Asociación Cubana de Bibliotecarios, Villa Clara Branch

BiblioVerde, un espacio para compartir y aprender en armonía con la naturaleza

Finland

Oulu

Oulu City Library

A Responsible Library as Promoter of Environmental Awareness

Spain

Valsaín (Segovia)

National Center of Environmental Education (CENEAM) - National Parks – Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge

RECIDA, The Spanish Network of Green Libraries working for Sustainability

US, NY

Saratoga Springs

Southern Adirondack Library System

Farm-2-Library Program

 

ENSULIB, May 2021

 

 

"ENSULIB announces
6th IFLA Green Library Award 2021 Longlist
in Two Categories"

 

With generous sponsorship from De Gruyter Publishing (Boston/Berlin), ENSULIB circulated a Call for Submissions for the IFLA Green Library Award for the sixth year in a row. Any type of green library or any outstanding green library project, initiative or idea was invited to apply for the IFLA Green Library Award. Libraries with a small budget but a great impact were explicitly invited to participate in the competition. Deadline for submissions was 15 March 2021.

All submitted applications received by ENSULIB were firstly checked to determine if they were properly prepared and follow the guidelines for submissions. These applications were selected for the longlist.

The quality and relevance of the project, initiative or idea will be evaluated by the independent international ENSULIB Award Reviewing Committee in terms of:

• Applicability to the goals and the scope of ENSULIB
• Contribution of libraries to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
• Quality of the overall presentation, public visualization via website etc.
• Relevance to IFLA’s goals and values (Key Initiative 4.1)

To ENSULIB’s great delight, despite the global pandemic and its massive impact on libraries 33 submissions were received from around the world, including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Colombia, Croatia, Cuba, Finland, France, Germany, India, Iran, Italy, Lebanon, Russia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Ukraine, and United States.

See the full IFLA Green Library Award 2021 nominated longlist in two categories listed alphabetically by country below.

The reviewing process is still in progress. The IFLA Green Library Award 2021 nominated shortlist will be published in May.

The two finalists of the IFLA Green Library Award 2021 in the categories “Green Library” and “Green Library Project” will be announced during the virtual World Library and Information Congress 17/19 August 2021.

 

 

 

Longlist “Green Library”

Country

City

Library/Institution

Submission Title

Argentina

Buenos Aires

Library of the National Congress of Argentina

The socio-environmental commitment of the Argentine Library of Congress

Australia

Altona

Hobsons Bay Libraries (EnviroCentre)

EnviroCentre @Hobsons Bay Libraries

Canada

Edmonton

The Edmonton Public Library

Edmonton Public Library

China

Wuhan

Hubei Provincial Library

To Extend the Implication of Green Library in the Context of Coronavirus Pandemic: An Example of Hubei Provincial Library in China

China

Shenzhen, Pingshan District

Pingshan Library

Green Efforts of Pingshan Library

Colombia

Cali

Biblioteca Pública Daniel Guillard

EN MI BIBLIOTECA LA TIERRA ES DE TODOS 2021

Croatia

Karlovac

Public Library “Ivan Goran Kovačić”

Our Green Story – Our Green Festival

India

Panjim

Bookworm Trust

Envisioning a Green Library in the Panjim City

Iran

Tehran

National Library and Archives of I.R.Iran

National Library and Archives of Iran Green Initiative

Italy

Milan

Bocconi University Library

Here comes the sun. The Bocconi University Library from saving to producing energy

Russia

Moscow

Russian National Public Library for Science and Technology (RNPLS&T)

Russian National Public Library for Science and Technology and Sustainable Development Goals. RNPLS&T is a socially responsible library

Slovenia

Ormož

Knjižnica Ormož

Green Library - Uniting the Local Community on its Road to Sustainability

 

 

 

 

 

Longlist “Green Library Project”

Country

City

Library/Institution

Submission Title

Austria

Linz

Stadtbibliothek Linz – City library of Linz,

Linzrad - Free cargo bike hire at the city library of Linz, Austria

Croatia

Zadar

Zadar Public Library

Zadar Public Library

Croatia

Šibenik

Public library „Juraj Šižgorić“

Green library in Šibenik

Cuba

Santa Clara, V.C.

Asociación Cubana de Bibliotecarios, Villa Clara Branch

BiblioVerde, un espacio para compartir y aprender en armonía con la naturaleza

Finland

Oulu

Oulu City Library

A Responsible Library as Promoter of Environmental Awareness

France

Fontaine-Etoupefour

Médiathèque de Fontaine-Etoupefour

Réalisations et projets d’une médiathèque engagée pour l’environnement

Germany

Wetzlar

Stadtbibliothek Wetzlar

European Sustainability Week 2020 in the Wetzlar City Library

Spain

Valsaín (Segovia)

National Center of Environmental Education (CENEAM)- National Parks – Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge

RECIDA, The Spanish Network of Green Libraries working for Sustainability

Switzerland

Vevey

Bibliothèque municipale

Everything will be fine tomorrow (IoI)

Ukraine

Kyiv

National Library of Ukraine for Children

"Eco-lessons and practical steps": Green program of the National Library of Ukraine for children

US, NY

Saratoga Springs

Southern Adirondack Library System

Farm-2-Library Program

 

ENSULIB, April 2021

 

"ENSULIB announces
6th IFLA Green Library Award 2021 Longlist
in Two Categories"

 

With generous sponsorship from De Gruyter Publishing (Boston/Berlin), ENSULIB circulated a Call for Submissions for the IFLA Green Library Award for the sixth year in a row. Any type of green library or any outstanding green library project, initiative or idea was invited to apply for the IFLA Green Library Award. Libraries with a small budget but a great impact were explicitly invited to participate in the competition. Deadline for submissions was 15 March 2021.

All submitted applications received by ENSULIB were firstly checked to determine if they were properly prepared and follow the guidelines for submissions. These applications were selected for the longlist.

The quality and relevance of the project, initiative or idea will be evaluated by the independent international ENSULIB Award Reviewing Committee in terms of:

• Applicability to the goals and the scope of ENSULIB
• Contribution of libraries to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
• Quality of the overall presentation, public visualization via website etc.
• Relevance to IFLA’s goals and values (Key Initiative 4.1)

To ENSULIB’s great delight, despite the global pandemic and its massive impact on libraries 33 submissions were received from around the world, including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Colombia, Croatia, Cuba, Finland, France, Germany, India, Iran, Italy, Lebanon, Russia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Ukraine, and United States.

See the full IFLA Green Library Award 2021 nominated longlist in two categories listed alphabetically by country below.

The reviewing process is still in progress. The IFLA Green Library Award 2021 nominated shortlist will be published in May.

The two finalists of the IFLA Green Library Award 2021 in the categories “Green Library” and “Green Library Project” will be announced during the virtual World Library and Information Congress 17/19 August 2021.

 

 

Longlist “Green Library”

Country

City

Library/Institution

Submission Title

Argentina

Buenos Aires

Library of the National Congress of Argentina

The socio-environmental commitment of the Argentine Library of Congress

Australia

Altona

Hobsons Bay Libraries (EnviroCentre)

EnviroCentre @Hobsons Bay Libraries

Canada

Edmonton

The Edmonton Public Library

Edmonton Public Library

China

Wuhan

Hubei Provincial Library

To Extend the Implication of Green Library in the Context of Coronavirus Pandemic: An Example of Hubei Provincial Library in China

China

Shenzhen, Pingshan District

Pingshan Library

Green Efforts of Pingshan Library

Colombia

Cali

Biblioteca Pública Daniel Guillard

EN MI BIBLIOTECA LA TIERRA ES DE TODOS 2021

Croatia

Karlovac

Public Library “Ivan Goran Kovačić”

Our Green Story – Our Green Festival

India

Panjim

Bookworm Trust

Envisioning a Green Library in the Panjim City

Iran

Tehran

National Library and Archives of I.R.Iran

National Library and Archives of Iran Green Initiative

Italy

Milan

Bocconi University Library

Here comes the sun. The Bocconi University Library from saving to producing energy

Russia

Moscow

Russian National Public Library for Science and Technology (RNPLS&T)

Russian National Public Library for Science and Technology and Sustainable Development Goals. RNPLS&T is a socially responsible library

Slovenia

Ormož

Knjižnica Ormož

Green Library - Uniting the Local Community on its Road to Sustainability

 

Longlist “Green Library Project”

Country

City

Library/Institution

Submission Title

Austria

Linz

Stadtbibliothek Linz – City library of Linz,

Linzrad - Free cargo bike hire at the city library of Linz, Austria

Croatia

Zadar

Zadar Public Library

Zadar Public Library

Croatia

Šibenik

Public library „Juraj Šižgorić“

Green library in Šibenik

Cuba

Santa Clara, V.C.

Asociación Cubana de Bibliotecarios, Villa Clara Branch

BiblioVerde, un espacio para compartir y aprender en armonía con la naturaleza

Finland

Oulu

Oulu City Library

A Responsible Library as Promoter of Environmental Awareness

France

Fontaine-Etoupefour

Médiathèque de Fontaine-Etoupefour

Réalisations et projets d’une médiathèque engagée pour l’environnement

Germany

Wetzlar

Stadtbibliothek Wetzlar

European Sustainability Week 2020 in the Wetzlar City Library

Spain

Valsaín (Segovia)

National Center of Environmental Education (CENEAM)- National Parks – Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge

RECIDA, The Spanish Network of Green Libraries working for Sustainability

Switzerland

Vevey

Bibliothèque municipale

Everything will be fine tomorrow (IoI)

Ukraine

Kyiv

National Library of Ukraine for Children

"Eco-lessons and practical steps": Green program of the National Library of Ukraine for children

US, NY

Saratoga Springs

Southern Adirondack Library System

Farm-2-Library Program

 

ENSULIB, April 2021

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Closely aligned to the IFLA Key Initiative 1.2 “Build a strong presence in international organizations and meetings as a valued partner”, the Honduran Association of Librarians and Documentalists (Asociación de Bibliotecarios y Documentalistas de Honduras - ABIDH) has been defining and updating its Annual Operational Plan according to the IFLA Strategy 2019-2024 and the new normal: virtual working.

Aligning ABIDH’s Annual Operational Plan to the IFLA Strategy 2019-2024

Since 2019, ABIDH has been defining and adjusting its Annual Operational Plan to the IFLA Strategy 2019-2024.

In 2020, faced with a changed world due to the COVID-19 pandemic, ABIDH had to modify its Annual Operational Plan, thus complying with the need to work virtually while also making the most of alignment with the IFLA Strategy 2019-2024. Various webinars took place at the XV Conference on Library Science, in order to strengthen the knowledge of colleagues. National and international speakers were invited from different countries such as Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Puerto Rico, Cuba, and Argentina to talk about the Sustainable Development Goals, technology and reading promotion.

 

ABIDH first defined an Annual Operational Plan in 2019, in alignment with the IFLA Strategy 2019-2024. Under the leadership of Vicky Escoto, ABIDH’s President, the new Board of Directors drew on learning from the commitments made at the IFLA workshop “Strategies for Stronger Libraries” (May 2019).

The development of the 2019 Annual Operational Plan was followed by various workshops that took place at the XIV Library Science Conference. During those workshops, information was shared with the support of national speakers and international facilitators from Puerto Rico, Argentina, Guatemala, Panama, Nicaragua and El Salvador.

Themes of the workshops included the Sustainable Development Goals (especially SDGs 5, 8, 11, 17), the IFLA Library Map of the World and the IFLA – ABIDH Strategy, to which the participants contributed with the dynamic brainstorming, in order to develop ideas for the years 2020–2021.

 

  Updating the Honduran libraries’ data on the Library Map of the World

Recently ABIDH successfully updated Honduran libraries’ data on the IFLA Library Map of the World (LMW). Explore the Honduran library scene here and here.

 
Continuing professional development of Honduran librarians and documentalists

Since 2003, the year when ABIDH was created, one of its missions has been the continuous professional development of librarians and documentalists, and building powerful links with key international institutions, in order to shape programmes which benefit libraries. In this way, it has worked to build its reputation as an essential regional and international partner.

To achieve this, the Association has run a series of training sessions – here is a short overview of the main courses ABIDH has run in the past years, in relation to the IFLA Strategy.

In 2018 ABIDH began with a training aimed at directors and heads of libraries at the national level, with the workshop "Library Advocacy: Challenges of Globalization". This workshop was developed in accordance with analysis and the discussion around the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) and IFLA's Global Vision Proposal.

In June 2019, ABIDH held the training workshop: “Libraries and their contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals”. Librarians were trained to facilitate access to information with a clear focus on specific themes, such as: people, planet, peace, partnerships, and prosperity. In that workshop participants achieved their expectations by seeing their objectives fulfilled and learnt how they could apply their knowledge into practice.

Towards the end of 2019 ABIDH made a visit to the "Home for the elderly Hilos de Plata". This activity was carried out to address the role of libraries as socially responsible towards Honduran society, not only from the intellectual point of view, but also from the moral and human point of view.

Vicky Escoto, ABIDH’s President highlights the impact of IFLA Strategy 2019-2024 on the work of Honduran libraries:

ABIDH is a strengthened union thanks to the IFLA Strategy! The content of the IFLA Strategy 2019-2024 has facilitated ABIDH’s management on behalf of the 2019-2022 Board of Directors. Furthermore, it has made Honduran libraries visible, since Honduran libraries -just like all other countries- works for a common goal, through implementing new practices and sharing of experiences, thus creating worldwide impact. Likewise, communication channels with the leaders of different IFLA Members -Library Associations and schools- allow us to stay informed and request help to achieve our objectives.”​

 

Read more about the IFLA Strategy 2019-2024

How is your library or library association engaging with the IFLA Strategy? Let us know! Post on your social media, using the hashtag #IFLAStrategy and #WeAreIFLA or send an email to Despina Gerasimidou, IFLA’s Strategic Development Officer at despina.gerasimidou@ifla.org.

 

      

The Civil Society Forum (31 May) is a biennial event that enables civil society actors active in the protection and promotion of a diversity of cultural expressions to coordinate their activities and engage with the governing bodies of the 2005 Convention.

During the International Year of the Creative Economy for Sustainable Development, IFLA has been active in deepening our work with the 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of a Diversity of Cultural Expressions. See our Get into Guide here for more.

The Civil Society Forum is coordinated by civil society actors themselves and provides an opportunity for many different types of organisations and stakeholders to voice their priorities.  Through this Forum, civil society can provide proposals to the Conference of the Parties on priorities that that they would like to see reflected in the work of the Convention’s governing bodies.

IFLA will play an active part in this year’s Forum – working to ensure the role of libraries as enablers of environments where diverse cultural expressions are encouraged, valued, shared, and protected. See our recent blog article for World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development for more examples of how libraries have an impact.

Third Civil Society Forum Themes

This year’s Forum will contain four breakout sessions, during which participants will discuss priorities on critical topics relating to cultural diversity.

An IFLA representative will moderate the breakout session on the topic, Culture and sustainable development – building off the work of IFLA and partners towards upholding culture as the fourth pillar of sustainable development.

IFLA is also involved in conversations on the topic, Digital environment, rights, and trade, upholding the importance of meaningful access to information in both the creation of and access to cultural expressions.

Outcomes

The outcome of this Forum includes elaboration of a set of recommendations to inform the future work plan of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions.

IFLA’s goal is to ensure the formulation of these recommendations includes the perspective of the global library field. This will impact our longer-term goal of enabling greater recognition and potential cooperation regarding the role of libraries in preserving and promoting diverse cultural expressions.

For more information and the full programme of the Forum, visit the UNESCO Diversity of Cultural Expressions website: Third Civil Society Forum.

Strengthening the global voice of libraries by making every librarian an advocate is a key part of IFLA's Strategy. But how can we teach advocacy? WE interviewed Raphaelle Bats, France, to find out about her experiences (English, and then French).

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IFLA: What does advocacy mean for you?

Raphaelle: It’s about taking action to influence political decisions, in particular around the definition and drafting of policies, and ensuring that the subject of our advocacy – the role libraries – is included. Lobbying is a part of advocacy which plays out at the level of national or international institutions when there is discussion around a draft policy. Advocacy can take place more broadly, with campaigns to build awareness of the value of libraries, but the end-goal remains to work with elected officials and decision-makers to be sure that libraries have a place at the table in policy discussions.

How did you come across the concept of advocacy for the first time ?

I couldn’t say for certain, but I remember well having organised a round table with colleagues from ALA (USA) and the Austrian librarians’ association in 2014 during a study day on the role of libraries and their recognition by others. I was therefore familiar with the term, but in France, we were really beginners in the field.

And when did you make the step from doing advocacy to teaching advocacy, and why?

Thanks to the IFLA International Advocacy Programme! It was in December 2016 that I was trained in advocacy and the 2030 Agenda, which offers both a framework for presenting the role of libraries, but also opportunities to act to ensure the recognition of this, because governments were right at the beginning of efforts to implement the Agenda. With this training, I gained knowledge, but more importantly developed an advocacy goal (to ensure the inclusion of libraries in France’s Voluntary National Review). The more I worked on this project, the more I developed my own skills, through trial and error. I was regularly invited to talk about this process and the path I had taken, and this is how I became a trainer on these questions.   

In what context do you teach advocacy?

In two contexts primarily – firstly with university students studying library and information science, for example in Switzerland at the HEG which has made advocacy part of its programme in the first years, which I very much salute! Secondly, with professionals already in work, generally on request by a network (often regional) which wants to give librarians skills to defend their institutions. In both cases, these are training courses of 2 to 3 days. I also give shorter interventions, but this is more something for conferences than a real training course.

Does the new generation of librarians easily understand the need for advocacy?

At the beginning, not at all. But recently, a student told me how happy she was to have this in her first year of university because ever if she didn’t have all the skills and experience of a librarian, she did now know how important it was to have a clear discourse, to evaluate her library, to have a strategy, and to position her library in her local area. She considered that the training in advocacy had helped her understand all of this.

At heart, it’s a training course about the role of the library, and it’s always important to remind yourself that we’re not in this job for nothing. But of course, I’m biased!

As a student said to me, I’m advocating for advocacy. And it’s true!!! It’s true, because I think that advocacy obliges us to think about the library in its setting, with a strong pressure to build a strategy and develop indicators, and it’s never a bad thing for a public institution to be able to talk about its strategy, the tools it has, and to be accountable to citizens about what is being done by this institution which in the end works for them.

What does teaching advocacy make it possible to change in attitudes and practices?

Exactly what I was mentioning above – to build strategies, to pay attention to indicators, to align with local policies, without being passive. Fundamentally, it obliges libraries to be political, something that doesn’t always come easy to a profession which is scared of this word, which is so often associated with the more polemic activities of politicians.

What does your training cover, in terms of content and pedagogy?

First of all, work to define what advocacy is, and then to explain the relation between advocacy and libraries.

Next comes work around how to show the essential role of libraries, in particular by looking at strategy documents (at the local or national levels) to see where libraries are (generally nowhere) or could be. Once this absence has become obvious, we then work on what evidence we could bring, what could convince others.

Finally, we work on advocacy tools provided by associations, time-bound events (such as Libraries Week or Cyclobiblio), and actions directly with elected officials. I finish by telling the story of our experience in France to get libraries included in the national roadmap for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. It’s an advocacy experience that shows that you need plenty of time (2½ years), lots of different actions (meetings, events, brochures etc), but it pays off because we have achieved what we set out to achieve.

The lessons themselves switch between theoretical approaches, practical case students, and especially lots of exercises.

What recommendations do you have for other countries ?

I recommend running advocacy projects, then find a way to share the skills gained and then train librarians as soon as possible.

I would perhaps have another recommendation also – don’t confuse communication and advocacy, even if the latter uses the tools of the former. The political dimension of advocacy needs to be recognised and embraced if it is to work.

 

[TEXTE ORIGINEL EN FRANCAIS] 

 

IFLA: Que veut dire l’advocacy pour toi ?

Il s’agit des actions à mener pour influer sur les décisions politiques et notamment en matière de définition et de rédaction des politiques publiques et faire inscrire dans celles-ci l’objet de notre défense, en l’occurrence pour nous : le rôle des bibliothèques. Le lobbying est une partie de l’advocacy, qui se joue directement au niveau des institutions nationales ou internationales lors des discussions autour d’une politique publique en cours de rédaction. L’advocacy peut se jouer aussi sur un plan plus général, avec des campagnes de valorisation des bibliothèques, mais le but final reste de travailler avec les élus et les décideurs pour que la bibliothèque trouve sa place à la table de discussion sur les politiques publiques.

Comment as-tu rencontré le concept de l’advocacy pour la première fois ?

Je ne saurais plus dire exactement, mais je me souviens bien avoir organisé une table-ronde avec des collègues de l’ALA (USA) et de l’association des bibliothécaires Autrichiens en 2014 pendant une journée d’étude sur le rôle des bibliothèques et leur reconnaissance. J’étais donc familière du terme, mais en France on était vraiment de très très grands débutants en la matière.

Et quand est-ce que tu as fait le saut de « faire de l’advocacy » à « enseigner l’advocacy »? Pourquoi ?

Grace à l’International Advocacy Program de l’IFLA ! C’est donc en décembre 2016, que j’ai été formée à l’advocacy et à l’Agenda 2030, qui offre non seulement un cadre pour présenter le rôle des bibliothèques, mais encore des opportunités d’agir pour la reconnaissance de celles-ci puisque les différents Etats en étaient juste au début de leur prise en main de cet outil. Avec cette formation, je me suis dotée de connaissances, mais surtout d’un projet d’advocacy (faire inscrire les bibliothèques dans le rapport national volontaire de la France) et plus j’ai travaillé sur ce projet, plus j’ai développé des compétences, à force d’échecs et d’erreurs. J’ai été régulièrement invitée à partager ce processus et ce chemin, et c’est ainsi que je suis devenue formatrice sur ces questions.

Dans quel(s) contexte(s) enseignes-tu l’advocacy ?

Dans deux contextes principalement : soit auprès d’étudiants dans des universités en sciences de l’information et des biblithèques, par exemple en Suisse à la HEG qui a inscrit l’advocacy au programme des premières années, ce que je salue vivement ! Soit auprès de professionnels déjà en poste, en général à la demande d’un réseau, souvent départemental, qui veut doter les bibliothécaires de compétences pour défendre leurs bibliothèques. Dans les deux cas, ce sont des formations de 2 à 3 jours finalement. Je donne aussi des interventions plus courtes, mais il s’agit davantage de conférences que de formation.

La nouvelle génération des bibliothécaires, comprend-elle facilement le besoin de l’advocacy ?

Au début, pas du tout. Mais dernièrement une étudiante m’a dit combien elle était contente d’avoir ça en première année d’université parce que même s’il n’a pas toutes les compétences et les expériences de bibliothécaire, maintenant elle sait combien il est important d’avoir un discours construit, d’évaluer sa bibliothèque, d’avoir une stratégie, de positionner sa bibliothèque dans son territoire. Et tout ça, elle considère que le cours sur l’advocacy lui permet de l’appréhender. C’est au fond un cours sur le rôle de la bibliothèque, et c’est toujours important de se rappeler qu’on ne fait pas ce métier pour rien. Mais bon, je suis de partie pris ! Comme me l’a dit un étudiant, je fais de l’advocacy de l’advocacy. Et c’est vrai !!! C’est vrai, parce que je pense que l’advocacy nous obliger à penser la bibliothèque dans son environnement, avec une forte pression sur la construction d’une stratégie et l’élaboration d’indicateurs, et ça ne fait jamais de mal à une institution publique d’être capable de publiciser sa démarche, ses outils et de rendre compte aux citoyens de ce qui est mené par cette institution qui est à leur service.

Que permet l’enseignement de l’advocacy de changer dans les attitudes et les pratiques ?

Justement ce que je disais au-dessus : construire des stratégies, prêter attention aux indicateurs, être en résonnance avec les politiques publiques locales, sans être passifs. Cela oblige au fond les bibliothèques à être politiques, et ce n’est pas toujours évidemment dans une profession qui est effrayée par ce mot qu’elle relie directement à la nature politicienne de la politique.

Que comprend ton enseignement, en termes de contenu et de pédagogie ?

D’abord un travail de définition autour de l’advocacy, puis un travail d’explicitation du rapport entre advocacy et bibliothèques.

Ensuite un travail autour de la preuve du rôle essentiel de la bibliothèque, notamment à partir de la circulation dans des documents stratégiques locaux (de la municipalité ou du pays) pour voir où est la bibliothèque (en général nulle part) et où elle pourrait être. Une fois qu’on a pris conscience de ce gros vide, alors on travaille sur ce qui pourrait faire preuve, ce qui pourrait convaincre.

Enfin, un travail sur les outils de l’advocacy fournis par les associations, les campagnes événementielles (du type la semaine des bibliothèques ou cyclobiblio), et les actions menées directement auprès des élus. Je finis par la narration de notre expérience en France pour faire inscrire les bibliothèques dans la feuille de route nationale pour l’implémentation de l’agenda 2030. C’est une expérience d’advocacy qui montre qu’il faut beaucoup de temps (2 ans ½), beaucoup d’actions variées (rencontres, campagnes événementielle, brochures, etc.), mais que ça paye puisque nous avons obtenu ce que nous cherchions à obtenir.

Le cours oscille entre approches théoriques, des présentations de cas, et surtout plein d’exercices.

Quelles recommandations aurais-tu pour d’autres pays ?

Mener des projets d’advocacy, puis construire une transmission des techniques apprises et enfin former les bibliothécaires le plus tôt possible.

J’aurais peut-être une autre recommandation : ne pas confondre communication et advocacy, même si la seconde utilise les outils de la première. La dimension politique de l’advocacy doit être pleinement assumée pour que cela fonctionne.