EIFL’s report ‘Landscape of no-fee open access publishing in Africa’ will be discussed at the AfricArXiv Open Science webinar series organized by UbuntuNet Alliance and Access 2 Perspectives. The report provides an overview of open access (OA) journals in Africa that do not charge fees for either authors or readers (often referred to as Diamond OA journals). 

EIFL’s report ‘Landscape of no-fee open access publishing in Africa’ will be discussed at the AfricArXiv Open Science webinar series organized by UbuntuNet Alliance and Access 2 Perspectives. The report provides an overview of open access (OA) journals in Africa that do not charge fees for either authors or readers (often referred to as Diamond OA journals). 

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

Register today!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Gerald Leitner
​IFLA Secretary General 25 August 2021

Download the statement from our publications page.

Dear Friends,    

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

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

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

Happy reading and stay safe!  

Best regards,

Ms Lin Li SOH

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

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

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

A Collaborative Effort

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

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

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

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

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

Overall, it has uplifted lives and livelihoods

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

 

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

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

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

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

Contributes to SDGs

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

Climate change is one of the biggest challenges we face this century.

As stewards of knowledge, libraries play a part in educating and demonstrating the importance of environmental sustainability. According to the American Library Association, “Libraries by their very nature are ‘green’ in that their resources are shared by the larger community.” Yet, there’s still a lot more we can do.

NUS’ largest and flagship library, the Central Library, achieved the Green Mark Platinum certification by the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) on March 2020.

The Green Mark certification scheme was launched in January 2005 to promote sustainable design and best practices in construction and operations in buildings. In 2018, BCA launched the Super Low Energy (SLE) Programme to push the envelope of environmental sustainability in Singapore.

SLE buildings feature best-in-class energy efficiency, the use of onsite and offsite renewable energy and other intelligent energy management strategies.

The Central Library’s green features include:

• Energy efficient chilled water plant (operating efficiency - 0.58 kW/RT)
• Energy efficient lighting system (>60% savings over baseline)
• Use of motion sensors for toilets and staircases
• Extensive greenery around main entrance foyer
• Extensive use of sustainable products
• Naturally ventilated circulation space to adjacent buildings
• Provision of 460 kWp photovoltaic system
• 48% energy savings vs NRB 2015 reference

Besides reducing energy consumption, the Central Library BookBridge is a first-of-its-kind bookshelf made from tropical Mass Engineered Timber (MET), a renewable, sustainable building material for architecture. The 31-metre BookBridge was launched in March 2021 and houses the library’s rare book collection that needs to be stored in a controlled environment.

The Central Library BookBridge at Level 2

“We have a big part to play in sustainability. Energy efficiency is part of greening the environment and more importantly translates to cost savings,” said Mrs Lee Cheng Ean, University Librarian of NUS Libraries.

The Central Library’s efforts in greening the environment is part of its space revitalisation project which kicked off in 2018. Since then, it has come a long way. Phase 3 (of 4) of its transformation was completed in early 2021. Watch this video to see the latest renovated floors. The project is currently on its last mile towards final completion. Do keep a lookout for more updates of the fully renovated Central Library.

In 2019, the Central Library also won a BCI Interior Design Award 2019 in the Learning Category

The Maldives is a small island developing state in the Indian Ocean that has a strong Information Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure comparative to many other countries in the South East Asia region. Being a popular tourist destination, and irrespective of the lack of natural resources other than white sandy beaches and ample fishing, the economy of the country is on a strong footing. At the same time, it is vulnerable to external shocks that disrupts the world economy or tourism sector inclusive of negative climate impact.

The populace enjoys a high universal literacy rate which places the Maldivian society at an advantage to reap the benefits of the information provisions made possible through ICTs. However, the library and information science (LIS) sector in the country has much more to do to keep pace with other in-country developments such as universal access to education including free access to higher education up to undergraduate degree, and also the universal access to the internet and smartphones leading to a technology savvy society.

In this backdrop, a project was commenced in 2019 exploring one central aspect that has ramifications on the development of the library sector. Qualified professionals are the engine who propel any profession forward. While the first library in the Maldives is known to have been established in 1945, to date, there are literally only a handful of qualified LIS professionals in the country. Agreeably, having a base qualification to begin with, and then continuous development of skills and knowledge is essential for librarians as well as libraries to remain relevant in a quickly evolving information landscape.

The Maldives National University (MNU) initiated the first in-country long-term library education program in 2010. This program commenced as a one-year certificate course, which was extended in 2012 to a Diploma. To overcome the shortage of local experts to teach these programs, the first two years of the program was taught by expatriate LIS professionals from Sri Lanka (Jayathunga Amaraweera, Deepali Talagala), Bangladesh (Dilara Begum), and Canada (Amman Adam).

In 2018, with the employment of a fulltime LIS professional, the MNU initiated curriculum development for a Bachelor Degree in LIS to cater to the cohort of students who have completed these earlier programs as well as to attract fresh school leavers to join the sector. The course curriculum has been finalised and the first batch will commence their studies within the next few months. The curriculum development for this program proceeded through stakeholder collaboration at various stages.

One such activity was the ‘Workshop on Library Development for Librarians and Library Managers’ held in April 2019 led by MNU and co-hosted by the National Library and the Maldives Library Association. One main purpose of this workshop was dialogue between library managers and librarians in various job ranks to ensure the proposed curriculum framework resonates with the sector.

Figure 1. (On the left) Resource persons and some of the participants from the Workshop on Library Development.
(On the right) Gina presenting at the workshop.

Figure 2. Participants of the Workshop on Library Development for Librarians and Library Managers, outside the National Library of Maldives

The workshop was a collaboration between both authors of this article. Gina was pursuing a regional research project on continuing professional development (CPD) of the LIS sector across different countries and Aminath as the lead curriculum developer for the in-country LIS degree program. A project that explores CPD was seen to be a welcome enhancement to the MNU in their efforts to educate information professionals. Accordingly, the Maldives LIS sector was taken as a pilot study for the CPD project. Through this collaboration, both the authors of this article along with Aminath Shiuna and Mahasin Ahmed Didi from the National Library contributed to the workshop as resource persons.

This collaborative work has continued over the last two years and has been beneficial for both parties. The findings of the CPD pilot study highlighted the need to strengthen collaboration between the LIS stakeholders in the country and provides basic data to develop a CPD plan and strategies for the Maldives LIS sector. In the face of the ongoing pandemic situation as well as the identified desire by LIS professionals in the CPD study to have access to online CPD learning opportunities, the National Library has introduced a webinar series for librarians, a few of these sessions supported by Gina.

Figure 3. Poster presented at ALA 2021 annual conference (reproduced with permission)

Further findings from the CPD pilot study can be accessed from:

● Journal of Education for Library and Information Science (Paper titled: Library employees’ perspective of capacity building through continuing professional development (CPD) in the Republic of Maldives),

● IFLA Journal (Paper titled: A review of LIS profession in the Republic of Maldives: development, challenges, and opportunities)

● International Knowledge Conference 2021 (Paper titled Library’s role in supporting SDGs in a SMART World: the reality in the Republic of Maldives).

The National Library of Australia’s digitisation programme has been running for more than 20 years,  with more than 41 million pages now digitised and available online via Trove [LINK: https://trove.nla.gov.au/]. The Library is now accelerating these efforts, recognising how dispersed the Australian population is and the impact of the Covid epidemic on travel and access.

Launched in 2019, the National Library of Australia’s Treasured Voices Digitisation Programme aims to ensure a truly national library, removing geographical, economic and other barriers to connect all Australians with their stories. The Australian Government is supporting this ambition by providing $10 million over four years, to digitise the collection and inspire further philanthropic contributions.

A portrait of Dame Nellie Melba receiving treatment in the NLA Preservation lab.

The programme is transforming public access to Australian history and culture by making the most important and impactful parts of our unique national collection accessible to everyone online. Digitised items are freely available online through the digital platform Trove which attracts some 33 million visitors annually, from all over Australia and the world.

The extensive personal papers of General Sir John Monash—equating to nearly 300 boxes of archival material have already been digitised through the Programme, and are available to view online now via Trove [LINK: https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-229738465/findingaid]. One of Australia’s most renowned military leaders, Monash was highly regarded for his role as a military commander in the First World War and his work as a civil engineer.

Director-General of the National Library of Australia Dr Marie-Louise Ayres FAHA explains that "Sir John Monash was a meticulous record keeper, and his papers reveal the lives of his contemporaries, as well as the era, through eye-witness accounts of significant events as they unfolded. This collection also provides context around Monash's many professional successes, while still offering an insight into lesser-known aspects of his personal life."

Currently being digitised for the Treasured Voices Programme are the papers of another significant Australian leader, Sir Robert Menzies. Prime Minster of Australia for an unmatched total of 18 years, Menzies’ papers cover not only his professional political career but also his personal interests, family photographs and a number of publication drafts.

Sir Robert Menzies’ commission as Prime minister of Australia, 1939.

Covering a period of over 70 years, the more than 600 boxes of material uniquely capture a tumultuous period in the history of Australia, as it continued to define itself as a country and as a people throughout the twentieth century, including during the Second World War. The digitisation of this collection offers a glimpse of the communications between the Allied world leaders including Churchill, but also of what drove and inspired one of our most enduring and revered Prime Ministers on a personal and private level.

Philanthropic funding has also allowed the Library to begin digitising some of its fantastic performing arts collections, including those relating to soprano Dame Nellie Melba, one of Australia’s most famous performers. The Library has material relating to Melba in several collections including Monash’s. Two deposits that include letters written by Melba and autographed photographs are now online; MS 9331 [LINK: https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-234844371/findingaid] and MS 9561 [LINK: https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-2943255338/findingaid], with more performing arts material to be added to Trove later this year and in the future.

The digitisation of these collections are the first milestones in this very important Programme that promises to bring Australian’s cultural history to them, everywhere, for all time.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH FOR CULTURAL INCLUSIVENESS; GOING BEYOND THE PHYSICAL WALLS OF ABDUL HAMEED SHOMAN FOUNDATION’S PUBLIC LIBRARY

 

Emanating from the belief that culture is a necessity rather than a luxury, the Abdul Hameed Shoman Foundation was established by Arab Bank in 1978 as a pioneering non-profit initiative to support cultural and social responsibility initiatives in the Arab World. The Foundation aims to serve as a beacon of light in Jordan and the Arab World by laying the groundwork for a society that nurtures reading, caters to scientific research and innovation, and promotes cultural enlightenment. 

Founded in 1986 as the first computerised and fully equipped public library in Jordan, the Abdul Hameed Shoman Public Library contributes significantly to the achievement of the Foundation’s goals. For the past 35 years, AHSF has been continuously working on developing an operating model for public libraries to serve as active learning centers that offer accessible and diverse resources, as well as services and opportunities for self-development for all. In 2013, the Foundation relaunched the Knowledge Path Children’s Library (KP) to cater for Children and Youth. The Knowledge Path Library provides a free and lively space for children of all ages and backgrounds to meet, connect, and learn through interactive reading and inspiring activities that promote creative thinking.

To further optimize the model, the public library and KP were incorporated into a 360° scheme of AHSF programs to ensure the achievement of AHSF’s desired impact on its beneficiaries. However, social and economic inequalities remain among Jordan’s biggest challenges to date. Thus, the need for AHSF to leverage its homegrown model by taking it to scale and replicating it elsewhere across the Kingdom, despite the limitations imposed by the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, has never been more pressing.

Subsequently, the community outreach strategy of AHSF’s library became increasingly vital. As a first step towards meeting community needs, AHSF undertook two initiatives to attain a better understanding of community needs and dynamics. Firstly, an intense community participation training was conducted for all employees to involve relevant stakeholders in the design and implementation of the Foundation’s community-based programs and initiatives. Secondly, experts in human sciences will be solicited through AHSF’s scientific research fund to help identify community needs and potential opportunities.

Three main pillars evolved from the AHSF library outreach strategy as follows:

1. Geographical Expansion and Presence:

Besides the main library headquarters, another AHSF library branch was established and activated in East of Amman, and 2 new additional AHSF library branches are currently underway in densely populated areas that have limited access to cultural resources and services, one of which is in another governorate. Partnerships with community centers are also key in maximising our reach and ensuring the extension of AHSF library programs and services. Additionally, AHSF offers funding and capacity building opportunities to existing libraries and projects that unleash creativity from local communities.

1. Ease of Access to Services, Resources, and Information:

AHSF library embarked on a path of digital transformation in 2020, taking all its programmes and services online to achieve its outreach goals. The library activated its electronic management system to include electronic indexing for children and adults, an online search for library resources, and self-services for reserving, borrowing, and renewing a book subscription. AHSF’s e-library services were also made accessible through mobile phones. Moreover, the library regularly conducted different online activities and events during the COVID-19 pandemic. These included musical evenings, book launches, lectures, training sessions, and book reviews. The AHSF library also launched its podcast program and conducted an online specialized two-day seminar addressing the role of libraries in adapting to the new norm.  

Similarly, the Knowledge Path library offered its activities online, delivering them via the Foundation’s social media platforms to enhance their reach. A total of 693 interactive questions, books of the day, interactive activities, and story readings were conducted online to promote and encourage reading. As a result, KP’s presence on Facebook, reached about 738,000 people, with more than a 60% increase in the number of subscribers on the ‘’Friends of the Knowledge Path’’ Facebook group.

Spreading awareness about the library’s programs and services through a variety of online platforms helped foster its outreach capabilities. The Foundation strengthened its presence on social media channels, by holding 123 live broadcasts of its cultural activities. Most significantly, the electronic content offered by the Foundation enables readers and patrons to access information resources easily.

 

1. Outreach visits:

This approach continues to be a crucial modus operandi for reaching out to distant communities and beneficiary groups. Capacity building programs are implemented all over the Kingdom for university students and professionals. Regular visits are made to schools in different governorates to implement interactive activities for children and activate school libraries. The Young Innovators Lab (YIL), which works on developing the critical thinking skills of children aged 10-13 years who are passionate about science and innovation, is implemented every year in a different city.

The AHSF library continues to pursue its mission to deliver diverse and integrated programs and activities that are inclusive, sustainable, and easily accessible in Jordan and the region.

We are delighted to announce that the IFLA Academic and Research Libraries Section has won the IFLA Dynamic Unit and Impact Award for 2021. The Dynamic and Impact Award is awarded to the IFLA unit which has "the greatest impact on IFLA’s global work – engaging members, developing strong leadership and identity, delivering high-quality services with a measurable impact, and communicating activities within IFLA and beyond".  You can discover more about the ARL section and its activities here.

In 2020, IFLA ARL received a Special Mention for its outreach and advocacy in the 2020 Dynamic Unit and Impact Award,

Read the announcements for the IFLA Professional Unit Awards for 2020-2021 here.

 

 

ENSULIB announces 6th IFLA Green Library Award 2021 Results

 

 

The winners of the IFLA Green Library Award 2021 competition are

Category "Green Library"
Canada, Edmonton, The Edmonton Public Library—“Edmonton Public Library”

Category "Green Library Project"
Finland Oulu, Oulu City Library—“A Responsible Library as Promoter of Environmental Awareness”

Both winners will receive an award certificate, signed by ENSULIB Chair and Secretary.

A special recognition goes to
Cuba, Santa Clara, V.C., Asociación Cubana de Bibliotecarios, Villa Clara Branch—“BiblioVerde, un espacio para compartir y aprender en armonía con la naturaleza”

This project was carried out with minimal resources but has a big impact. Cuba will receive an award certificate and, to further their project, 500€ generously sponsored by the German publishing house de Gruyter.

 

 

 

Short-listed runners-ups are:

Category “Green Library”

• Australia, Altona, Hobsons Bay Libraries (EnviroCentre)—“EnviroCentre @Hobsons Bay Libraries”
• China, Shenzhen, Pingshan Library—“Green Efforts of Pingshan Library”
• Slovenia, Ormož, Knjižnica Ormož—“Green Library - Uniting the Local Community on its Road to Sustainability”

Category “Green Library Project

• 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”

All short-listed runner-ups will receive a certificate, signed by ENSULIB Chair and Secretary.

 

The competition was extremely hard. All short-listed submissions were worthy of being honoured as “winners”, but only two could be selected in the end.

 

Congratulations to all winners!

Please find further details about all winners and nominees at https://www.ifla.org/node/93891

 

Harri Sahavirta, Petra Hauke

Helsinki/Berlin, 19 August 2021

 

 

​

Ahora que el 86º Congreso Mundial de Bibliotecas e Información llega a su fin, es hora de pensar en lo que vendrá después. La IFLA hace un llamamiento a sus voluntarios, Miembros y a todas las personas relacionadas con el sector para que planifiquen sus propias acciones y trabajen juntas por un futuro sostenible.

El tema del Congreso se ha centrado firmemente en el futuro y ha habido muchas oportunidades para descubrir, discutir, presentar, provocar y resolver los desafíos a los que nos enfrentamos, fortaleciendo nuestro sector para lo que está por venir.

Como subrayó la Presidenta de la IFLA 2019-2021, Christine Mackenzie, en sus palabras de clausura, las conexiones realizadas tienen el potencial de ser el punto de partida para nuevas colaboraciones y asociaciones que configurarán nuestro sector en los meses y años venideros.

El Secretario General de la IFLA, Gerald Leitner, subrayó el mensaje, animando a todos a pensar en lo que podrían hacer a continuación.

Es el momento oportuno. En solo una semana, las nuevas estructuras de los comités de la IFLA entrarán en vigor, finalizando un proceso intensivo e inclusivo con los Miembros de la IFLA para garantizar que tenemos la gobernanza que necesitamos para satisfacer nuestras ambiciones.

Los candidatos que hayan conseguido sitio en estos comités tendrán un papel clave en la continuación de nuestro Congreso y en el desarrollo de acciones alineadas con la Estrategia de la IFLA. Durante los próximos meses, diseñarán planes de actuación en los que se establecerán los proyectos que se llevarán a cabo.

Al hacer esto, ayudarán a crear un sector bibliotecario sólido y unido, impulsando sociedades alfabetizadas, informadas y participativas.

Sin embargo, la necesidad de actuar no solo concierne a las estructuras de los comités de la IFLA. También es una tarea para cualquier persona comprometida con el futuro de nuestro sector, incluidos, por supuesto, nuestros Miembros: asociaciones, instituciones e individuos.

La Estrategia de la IFLA ofrece un punto y un marco de referencia para el sector bibliotecario global en su conjunto, ayudando a guiar y alinear las acciones, especialmente las que se llevan a cabo a través de la colaboración.

La propia IFLA, en los próximos meses, colaborará de nuevo con el sector para la Estrategia, recopilando historias de actuaciones con éxito y ayudado a que se comprenda su potencial para respaldar la planificación e implementación estratégicas.

Esperamos trabajar con todos ustedes.

¡Somos la IFLA!

​

​

AARHUS, Dinamarca, 19 de agosto de 2021

Todo comenzó con una donación de 6.000 libros en 1785. Hoy, Deichman Bjørvika en Oslo ha sido nombrada la mejor biblioteca pública nueva del mundo.

Cuando el canciller y empresario noruego Carl Deichman legó su colección de 6.000 libros a los ciudadanos de Christiania (ahora Oslo) en 1785, difícilmente podría haber imaginado que, 216 años después, su legado se habría convertido en una biblioteca pública única de seis plantas basada en un sistema automático de clasificación de libros. Si hubiera vivido hoy, le habría encantado ver que su legado se convirtió en la base de la mejor biblioteca pública nueva del mundo en 2021.

El premio a la Biblioteca Pública del Año es otorgado anualmente por la Federación Internacional de Asociaciones de Bibliotecarios y Bibliotecas (IFLA) en colaboración con la empresa de software danesa Systematic A/S, que también patrocina el premio con 5.000 dólares. Este año, 32 bibliotecas compitieron por el premio, cinco fueron nominadas y la ganadora, Deichman Bjørvika en Oslo, se anunció el 19 de agosto en el Congreso Mundial de Bibliotecas de la IFLA, donde la presidenta de la IFLA, Christine Mackenzie, presentó el premio.

Sobre la elección de Deichman Bjørvika, el presidente del jurado, Jakob Lærkes, dice:

“El premio a la Biblioteca Pública del Año trata de rendir homenaje a los modelos a seguir y la biblioteca ganadora, Deichman Bjørvika, es un brillante ejemplo. Un bello e impresionante edificio que sirve de modelo para futuros edificios para bibliotecas. Deichman Bjørvika está a la altura de los criterios para el premio, y el jurado internacional quedó especialmente impresionado por la forma en que el edificio combina la conciencia medioambiental con el estilo arquitectónico. La biblioteca es un nuevo paraíso para los libros y la lectura, al mismo tiempo que incorpora soluciones tecnológicas avanzadas. Deichman Bjørvika muestra cómo las bibliotecas pueden funcionar como instituciones que reúnen a las personas en pueblos, ciudades y comunidades locales”.

La moderna biblioteca también llamó la atención de Systematic, que patrocina el premio. Martin Brøchner-Mortensen, Vicepresidente Sénior del Grupo y representante de Systematic, estaba orgulloso y complacido de apoyar el desarrollo de las bibliotecas del futuro:

“Deichman Bjørvika es más que una joya arquitectónica en la capital de Noruega. Es un diseño inteligente, que se basa en un sistema de clasificación de libros completamente automático que permite a los empleados dedicar su tiempo a atender a los ciudadanos en lugar de simplemente manipular libros. Las bibliotecas son importantes para nuestra sociedad, y en Systematic nos enorgullecemos de ofrecer soluciones en Tecnologías de la Información a nuestro más de un millón de usuarios de bibliotecas”.

El edificio está situado frente al puerto de Oslo, entre la Estación Central y la Ópera de Oslo. La biblioteca fue diseñada por dos estudios de arquitectura, Atelier Oslo y Lund Hagem, quienes recibieron el encargo de diseñar un edificio que inspirase a los visitantes a explorar todas las nuevas instalaciones y actividades disponibles.

Santi Romero Garuz, miembro del jurado y director de arquitectura de bibliotecas de la Diputación de Barcelona, ​​España, destaca el alto grado de facilidad de uso y las perspectivas de futuro del edificio como dos de las principales razones por las que Deichman Bjørvika fue seleccionada como la ganadora del premio.

 “Además de su espectacular diseño que alberga soluciones tecnológicas modernas, la elección de materiales, las soluciones energéticas y las salas multiuso atestiguan el hecho de que la biblioteca se ha construido con miras a la sostenibilidad y el futuro”, dijo.

Knut Skansen, director de la biblioteca de Deichman Bjørvika, se siente honrado de que su biblioteca haya recibido el premio Biblioteca Pública del Año 2021.

Deichman Bjørvika – datos

Deichman Bjørvika tiene 13.500 metros cuadrados de superficie útil distribuidos en seis plantas, todas dedicadas a diferentes tipos de aprendizaje.

La biblioteca cuenta con alrededor de 450.000 materiales diferentes, la mayor parte está disponible para los prestatarios a través de un sistema de autoservicio.

La primera planta es la más concurrida, con restaurante, cafetería, mostrador de información y máquinas de préstamo totalmente integradas. La planta de abajo alberga un cine y un auditorio.

La segunda planta está diseñada para niños pequeños, que pueden escuchar, leer y jugar en las mazmorras mágicas y en la sala de juegos. La tercera planta alberga el "taller de la gente", donde es posible participar en actividades creativas con todo, desde impresoras 3D y máquinas de coser hasta estudios de música y sonido.

Todo se vuelve más tranquilo a medida que se va subiendo. La cuarta y quinta planta están organizadas con salas de lectura, salas de estudio y aulas, y donde, además de la contemplación tranquila, es posible disfrutar de las magníficas vistas del Fiordo y de la ciudad de Oslo.

Premio IFLA/Systematic a la Biblioteca Pública del Año – datos
La Mejor Biblioteca Pública Nueva del Mundo

El premio Biblioteca Pública del Año es otorgado por la Federación Internacional de Asociaciones de Bibliotecarios y Bibliotecas (IFLA) en colaboración con la empresa de software danesa Systematic A/S con el objetivo de rendir homenaje a las bibliotecas públicas nuevas.

El premio se otorga a una biblioteca de cualquier país del mundo que haya destacado por combinar la arquitectura abierta y funcional con soluciones creativas de las Tecnologías de la Información, al mismo tiempo que integra las tecnologías digitales y la cultura local.

Para optar al premio, la biblioteca debe ser de reciente construcción o estar ubicada en edificios que no se hayan utilizado anteriormente como biblioteca.

La ceremonia de entrega del premio tiene lugar en el congreso anual de la IFLA, que este año se celebró de forma virtual, y conlleva un premio en metálico de 5.000 dólares estadounidenses (casi 32.000 coronas danesas / 4.200 euros), patrocinado por Systematic.

Más información:

Systematic A/S: Maia Sejersen, Responsable de Comunicación y PR: mls@systematic.com, +45 4196 5013

Deichman Bjørvika: Jørn Johansen, Director de Comunicación: kommunikasjon@deichman.no, +47 900 97 250

Visite la biblioteca Deichman Bjørvika.

Public Libraries in Iran have a mission to offer services and programs to improve people's lives based on three principles of providing information, education and opportunities for recreation. They do this through a “user-orientation” approach.

Iran Public Libraries Institution serves the public with 3,557 service points and 1,466,316 square meters (Floor Space Ratio) of facilities throughout Iran as at May 2021. This was an increase from the 3,518 service points and 1,440,907 square meters (FSR) during May 2020.

In one year, 0.03 square meters per 100 people have been added to the existing service points, and the number has increased to 39 and 25,409 square meters (FSR).

Service points in Iran

Date

Service point

Floor space ratio (FSR)

(FSR) per 100 people

May 2020

3518

1,440,907

1.80

May 2021

3557

1,466,316

1.83

The corona virus pandemic has affected the activities of cultural institutes including libraries. Some activities have been limited and some have been stopped. So, they have to use other approaches.

Closure of libraries in “red areas” where people had been greatly affected (according to the decision of the Ministry of Health, Treatment and Medical Education), limitation of the libraries’ activity by up to 30 - 50%, separation of returned books for quarantine, separation of librarians' workspaces, preventing clients from entering book repositories, wearing masks, and observing social distancing, and so on are the measures taken by libraries.

Equipping the libraries to prevent Covid-19 infection

The instructions and guidance to fight covid-19 were sent to the libraries. Moreover, the officials observed all the healthcare instructions such as keeping social distance, using disinfectant, warnings, and rearranging the seats in a way that distances were kept.

One of the most significant measures taken to help libraries continue their activities is the use of special equipment to disinfect information resources, educational tools and books in libraries. For this purpose, a book sterilizer was purchased for popular public libraries. This was done to reassure adult members and parents about the hygiene of the books and educational tools.

These UV devices have a volume of 500 liters (equivalent to a bookcase) and in addition to books, they can also disinfect educational tools. This device can sterilise 100 to 150 volumes of books in thirty minutes to an hour. The interior is designed in such a way that can disinfect floors, office tools etc., with up to 90% efficacy. It utilises air pressure to clean dust and other allergens. This device is made by an Iranian knowledge-enterprise.

It should be noted that the libraries’ new approaches made them social and cultural bases too, so during the pandemic they became bases for providing public services to fight the virus. For example, they allocated places in libraries for making masks and other related exercises.

Providing virtual services to audiences and members of public libraries

Due to existing restrictions, members of public libraries are not able to borrow books physically at the libraries. As such, three new services were designed:

1) Home delivery of book during lockdown

Through this method, people can select the books, papers or other cultural products they want via the site or social media related to the libraries. The librarians will pack them based on healthcare instructions and send them to the receiver’s address by using APP, motorbike or post. The elderly, housewives, teens and those who took care of a patient at home welcomed this method more than others. This service has encouraged people to read more.

2) Librarians and social media

As we know, due to the pandemic it is impossible to hold cultural events in libraries where people can physically take part (such as literary circles, telling stories, competitions etc.), but libraries provided an opportunity to keep in touch with their clients through social media and to hold several cultural events through that platform.

3) Providing access to scientific databases

With the aim of extending online services, access to electronic research and scientific resources of Public Libraries, Web-based databases were provided. In this way, members can have online access to articles and scientific researches. This method can be useful for students during lockdown.

In 1996, the Southeast Asia Pacific Audiovisual Archive Association (SEAPAVAA) was born. SEAPAVAA celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2021 with over 90 members comprising heritage institutions, broadcasters, libraries, universities, industry professionals and the like from more than 24 countries. SEAPAVAA represents the work done by its members at various international archiving networks. More importantly, it provides a platform for networking, for the exchange and sharing of best practices, ideas and solutions for the unique complex archiving issues facing the audiovisual industry in Asia and the Pacific.

Between 23-26 June 2021, SEAPAVAA held its annual conference virtually for the first time. Hosted by the Vietnam Film Institute (VFI), a SEAPAVAA institutional member, the e-conference saw over 160 registrants via zoom and Facebook to discuss the theme of “AV Archiving in Changing Times: Successes, Failures, and Challenges”. Besides a keynote lecture and a conclusion panel, a total of 18 papers were presented. There was a lecture by Adrian Wood, a SEAPAVAA Fellow, and a discussion panel made of contributors for an upcoming SEAPAVAA book publication, Keep Memories: Cinema and Archiving in Asia-Pacific. The practice of having an institutional host for SEAPAVAA’s annual conferences has always introduced the culture of the host to conference attendees. Hence, despite going virtual, conference attendees (in-person in Hanoi and internationally online) were treated to traditional dance performances and screenings of classic digitised Vietnamese animation films.

The keynote lecture on “Adapting Digital Archives to Mitigate Climate Change” was delivered by Linda Tadic, the founder/CEO of Digital Bedrock. Her discussion was a crucial reminder for archives to be more mindful of the effect of digital archiving workflows. This call for a greater environmental consciousness is timely amidst a global pandemic and the extreme climate changes sweeping across every continent. The environmental impact is a very real concern for countries in Asia and the Pacific who have already experienced substantial heritage loss because of direct and/or indirect climate changes. SEAPAVAA and the regional archiving industry must work together to make some significant strides toward encouraging better environmental practices and incorporating climate change related risks to management policies and protocols.             

Another key point shared by speakers and participants was the human resources challenge. Top of the list of concerns are that in the current transforming digital setting, it has become increasingly difficult to recruit people with the needed skills, to provide the appropriate training, and to retain staff for the long haul. Archivists are now required to be multi-skilled to cope with analogue and digital formats while being nimble to traverse between preservation workflows with different technological systems. The information and communications technology (ICT) skills once thought to be the sole purview of IT personnel are now a mainstay recruitment requirement. Archives struggle between hiring ICT specialists who have little archiving knowledge and employing archiving staff who may not have adequate ICT skills. Presenters and attendees revealed that their colleagues shadow ICT staff but questioned the viability of this as a long-term solution. There are no easy answers, but it is evident the archiving workplace is experiencing a human resource transformation that requires everyone along the chain of command to be willing to learn and an open mind to accept the changes that come with this HR revolution.         

Several presentations touched on the benefits of collaboration, from working closely with community archives and volunteers, to developing sharing platforms, obtaining the cooperation of government agencies, and tapping on different archives to help advance and advocate the preservation cause. One of the presenters was a familiar face amongst librarians - Christine Mackenzie, president of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions, 2019 - 2021. Her presentation on libraries and the pandemic explored the adaptations that libraries have undergone and noted that collaborations between libraries and archives enable greater access of the heritage materials that are being preserved.

Another important area of discussion in the conference was supporting and reaching out to colleagues of the Pacific islands. A presentation by Aileen Boubou from the Kiribati National Library and Archives highlighted the urgent assistance that archives and libraries in the Pacific needed to prevent the permanent loss of cultural heritage. SEAPAVAA Fellow, Adrian Wood, and founding president, Ray Edmondson, were some of the presenters who spotlighted the Pacific region for greater attention and aid. It is timely that SEAPAVAA’s annual conference in 2022 is planned to be held in the Pacific. Perhaps this would be an opportune time for the archival and library communities in Southeast Asia and beyond to come together to support the institutions in the Pacific region.

On a personal note, every SEAPAVAA conference that I have attended over the last 20 years have always left me with wonderful memories. Professionally, I have grown because of the sharing between SEAPAVAA members. Emotionally, I have enjoyed the warm connection that SEAPAVAA conferences bridge between people from around the world. Strangely enough, I still felt an odd sense of connection even while looking at the familiar and new faces of the SEAPAVAA community on screen. I can only logically conclude that this is indubitably the SEAPAVAA spirit, one I hope many will have the chance to experience too.