on International Library and Information Work

Volume 44, Number 1, 2013

Editorial 3 Libraries in Luxembourg Jean-Marie Reding 4 Notes from MaLIA and Malta Laurence Zerafa and Robert Mizzi 8 From London to Lusaka: the Lubuto Library Project in Zambia Nicola Packer 14 Libraries and Democracy in the United States George Roe 19 Fifty Shades of White Ian Stringer 23 Ontario Library Association Super Conference 2013 John Pateman 25 CILIP Business 27 Australia’s National Year of Reading 2012 Sue McKerracher and Robyn Elland 28 ILIG Business 32 News around the World 35 Letters to the Editor 39

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 Focus on International Library and Information Work Vol. 44, No. 1, 2013 Editorial

This first issue of 2013 brings news of the Anthony Thompson Award, which is administered by ILIG on behalf of CILIP, and this year will enable a young professional from South-East Asia to visit and study the library scene in the UK for up to 3 weeks in June/July 2013. The award has already benefited many professionals from countries such as Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka and Nepal and has proved to have been of real benefit to the individuals and the services they help provide in their native countries.

Continuing the thread of awards, George Roe as the 2012 winner of the Travelling Librarian Award jointly made by the English Speaking Union and CILIP, has provided an interesting account of some US libraries at the time of the presidential election and demonstrates how libraries can be politically engaged yet without bias towards a particular party.

I am delighted to welcome articles from two of the most geographically compact countries in Europe – Luxembourg and Malta, one land-locked the other water-locked as an island. The differences, of course, go far deeper than that on reading and they make interesting comparison. From Zambia in Africa, Nikki Packer has provided a personal account of how library services are combating illiteracy via a well-supported, VSO/Fountain of Hope project and Ian Stringer a brief overview of the superb new public library in Stuttgart, Germany.

There is also news on the National Year of Reading in Australia, a conference in Ontario, Canada and an overview of the activities of the IFLA Section for Children and Young Adults, so read on and let us know your views on anything in the issue via the ILIG twitter group. John Lake

Focus on International Library and Information Work is published three times a year (March, July and November) by the International Library and Information Group (ILIG) of the CILIP: the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals. This issue printed by: Foxprint Editor: John Lake Tel.: +44 (0)1509 505413; Fax: +44 (0)1509 650413 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.foxprint.co.uk or [email protected] InDesign work by Gillian Harris Associate Editor: Alice Tyler Annual subscription: £40.00; US$80.00; €60.00 Tel.: +44 (0)116 275 1379 Orders, remittances (payable to ‘ILIG’), and E-mail: [email protected] advertisements to: Kathleen Ladizesky, Glantrisant, Trisant, Book Review Editor: Jacqueline Barlow Aberystwyth SY23 4RL Tel: 01974 282 411 E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected]

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ILIG on facebook: www.facebook.com/ groups/13131232426 CILIP registered charity number 313014 Focus on International Library and Information Work Vol. 44, No. 1, 2013  Librarianship in Luxembourg - an Overview by Jean-Marie Reding*

The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, an independent state since 1839, counts 2.586 km² and approximately 512,000 inhabitants (status 01.01.2012). 43% of the total population is non-Luxembourgish. The largest communities are made up of Portuguese, followed by the French, Italians, Belgians and Germans. Every day more than 130,000 border crossers come to work to Luxembourg. The official languages of National Library of Luxembourg the Grand Duchy are: the national language, Luxembourgish (Lëtzebuergesch), as well in the Grand Duchy, including those edited as foreign languages, German and French. by Luxembourgers overseas, as well as those This diversity has of course an impact on the concerning Luxembourg. Today, they constitute production of the books and periodicals, as about a quarter of the total funds of the NLL. well as on library collections. Legal deposit for printed materials was The National Library introduced with the first organic law for the The National Library of Luxembourg (NLL) NLL in 1958. By law of 25 June, 2004, with the was founded in 1798 as a school library by re-organisation of the cultural institutes, legal revolutionary/Napoleonic France which had deposit was extended to audio-visual (for the occupied the city from 1795 to 1814. After being National Audio-visual Centre (Centre Nationale available only to the school community, the de l’Audiovisuel)) and digital media (NLL). All “general public” there was admitted from 26 implementing regulations related since 1960 are November, 1800. After several different names therefore very demanding for deliverers, given the library finally was named National Library that they are based on regulation of an historical (Bibliothèque Nationale) by the budget law of period affected by an authoritarian style. 28 March, 1899. The first volume of the national bibliography In 1930 the chief librarian of the time, (Bibliographie Nationale), published by the Pierre Frieden, future Minister of State (1958- NLL, was published in 1946 (volume 1944/45). 59) of the Grand Duchy, decided to separate The print edition was abandoned in 2005 Luxembourgish from non--Luxembourgish (last issue: volume 2004). The bibliography documents, which were until then, of Luxembourgish history (Bibliographie unsorted. In consequence of this decision the d’Histoire Luxembourgeoise), also published Luxemburgensia-Department was founded. by the NLL, appeared in 1965 (volume 1964) The Luxemburgensia include all works printed and was published till 2003 (last issue: volume 2002); it continues to appear as offprint in * Jean-Marie Reding, Master in Library and Information the historical periodical Hemecht. Since 1989 Science (Cologne), has been ALBAD-President since March (volume 1988) the National Centre of Literature 2003 and FËB-President since its foundation in 2009. (Centre National de Literature) publishes

 Focus on International Library and Information Work Vol. 44, No. 1, 2013 Librarianship in Luxembourg the Luxembourgish Literature Bibliography regularly updated: www.albad.lu). The most (Bibliographie Courante de la Littérature widespread library type remains that of the Luxembourgeoise), which is still released as a specialised library. printed edition. Note that according to the law of 6 February, The NLL remains the largest library in 2009, there is mandatory establishment of the country with approximately 1.4 million school libraries in elementary education. This documents, distributed on several sites. Since obligation existed since the law of 10 August, 1972 the central domicile is located in the city 1912, and in a similar way since the Act of 25 centre, in the building of the former Athenaeum. June, 2004, for secondary education. However It represents the library centre of the Grand further details regarding the missions and Duchy and is the head of the bibnet.lu network equipment of these libraries are lacking till this (i.e. union catalogue). The NLL produces the day, leaving considerable freedom to schools on largest number of catalogue records and offers the development of their libraries. the greatest amount of scientific publications, printed and digital. It is the national centre for Public Libraries legal deposit. It has the largest fund of ancient In 1844 a first parish catholic public library was and precious books. In addition the NLL is founded in Luxembourg-City. By circular of 10 the only national centre for international loan January, 1889, the Director-General (Minister at and the most important library for exchanges that time) of the Interior prompted the creation of publications, plus a precursor in the field of of “popular libraries” across the country - which digitisation. were in fact elementary school libraries, but not limited to the school community. After the law Other Scientific Libraries of 10 August, 1912, which forced schools to The University of Luxembourg was founded create “libraries for pupils” and through the by the law of 12 August, 2003, , which resulted donation of “popular libraries” to rather dis- in the merger of the University Centre (Centre interested local authorities, this library form Universitaire), three universities of applied disappeared within a decade from 1918. One sciences (teachers, educators, engineers) and a popular library in Esch/Alzette, established in private school (finance), currently spread over 26 March, 1892, developed fine, thanks to the three sites. A new university library, part of a exemplary dedication of its teacher-librarian. brand new campus, is about to be built in Esch- It was subsidised and finally adopted by the Belval in the South of the country. According to the law of 25 June, 2004, Article 9, the NLL may exercise university library functions, however, this has never taken place.

In general, scientific libraries have small collections. Currently only five libraries have more than 100,000 volumes. Five others have collections between 50,000 and 100,000 volumes Exisiting Catholic parish library in (see the Luxembourg Libraries’ Guide 2010, Luxembourg-Limpertsberg

Focus on International Library and Information Work Vol. 44, No. 1, 2013  Librarianship in Luxembourg city and became the first real public library of the country on 1 December, 1919. The pre- war period was marked by a very political landscape: libraries of the Catholic Peoples’ Society (Katholischer Volksverein - right- wing) competed with those of the Popular Education Association (Volksbildungsverein - social-liberal) and trade unions (left-wing). The Popular Education Movement Library in Nazi invasion and domination (1940-1944/45) Luxumberg-Bonnevoie put an end to this promising development. non-profit association benefiting from local Of these very small public libraries, only two support through provision of facilities and parish libraries (Luxembourg-Limpertsberg subsidies now seems to prevail. Currently, and Rumelange) and one single library of the the number of public libraries, called neutral, popular education movement (Luxembourg- representing balanced collections corresponding Bonnevoie) remained in 2012. to the predominant language situation (at least tri-lingualism), open on a regular basis, In between 1999-2011 seven associative amounts to just 13. Only two have more than libraries and two local libraries have emerged. 50,000 volumes, with at least one qualified The first foundations were local projects, librarian (Esch/Alzette and Luxembourg-City). but especially after the announcement of the Of the 106 local authorities in the Grand Duchy results of the PISA-2000-study (Programme only 14 have a public library today, serving for International Student Assessment) of the approximately 43% of the total population Organisation of Economic Co-operation and (status: 01.01.2012). Development (OECD) on 12 December, 2001, were catastrophic. The country was shocked: In politics, two legislative proposals were Luxembourgish children could not read (i.e. introduced in 2003 and 2007 to support these could not analyse / interpret reading material). young public libraries. Finally, a law of 24 June, Parents particularly recognised the loss of small 2010, on public libraries was promulgated, public libraries since the 1980s and decided to with the by-law (Grand-Ducal regulation) react by founding associative public libraries. of 7 April, 2010. The Act, developed without The model of a public library managed by a professional advice by ministerial bureaucracy, accompanied by regulations of an authoritarian

Forgotten catholic parish library of Luxembourg- Eich-Weimerskirch

Luxembourg City Library

 Focus on International Library and Information Work Vol. 44, No. 1, 2013 Librarianship in Luxembourg

Associative Public Library in Troisvierges Dutch Youth Library in Luxembourg-Pfaffenthal style, is of poor quality. The next years will Network and Standards show us the ropes. In October 1985, the NLL had started the computerisation of its catalogue with Sibil Associations (Système Intégré pour les Bibliothèques de ALBAD, Association of Luxembourgish Lausanne), an integrated system for the libraries Librarians, Archivists and Documentalists of Lausanne, Switzerland. This software later (Associatioun vun de Lëtzebuerger enabled the development of the Luxembourgish Bibliothekären, Archivisten an Dokumentalisten), union catalogue. On 19 April, 2000, Sibil was founded 16 December, 1991, is the only replaced by Aleph 500 (Ex Libris Ltd). From 1985 professional representation of the country. With to 2003 the name of the catalogue was identical a 100 strong membership, including nearly 90% to the one of the software. Since August 2003 of librarians, Membership of IFLA (2003) and it has changed to “bibnet.lu”. With the arrival EBLIDA (2009) and after having focused on the of the union catalogue, standards became organisation of library days from 1991 till 2002, indispensable. From 1984 on ISBD (International ALBAD has converted into a lobbying body for Standard Bibliographic Description) rules were libraries since 2003. seriously implemented. Today, cataloguing corresponds to the rules of AACR2 (Anglo- With the assistance of ALBAD, the following American Catalogue Rules - 2nd edition), due associations were recently founded: to the collaboration with the network IDS (Informationsverbund Deutsch-Schweiz) in the • the Luxembourgish Association of Public German-speaking part of Switzerland. Since Libraries (Union Luxembourgeoise des 1985 professional indexing is done on the basis Bibliothèques Publiques - ULBP (www. of the Répertoire de vedettes-matière (RVM) of ulbp.lu)), created 31 January, 2007, which Laval, Quebec, in conjunction with the Dewey works as national interlocutor for public Decimal Classification (DDC). However, the libraries and has a governing board made majority of libraries use homemade cataloguing up largely of politicians. and indexing rules. The lack of qualified staff, with either bachelor or master degrees, greatly • the association “For Public Libraries affects the quality of the union catalogue bibnet. Association” (Fir Ëffentlech Bibliothéiken lu. Librarians’ education is done abroad; the most - FËB), founded on 24 November, 2009, popular high schools amongst Luxembourgish which has a mission to collect funds for students being Cologne, Germany, and Liège, public libraries and is mainly managed by Belgium. librarians.

Focus on International Library and Information Work Vol. 44, No. 1, 2013  Notes from MaLIA and Malta: where small need not mean ineffective

by Laurence Zerafa and Robert Mizzi*

Introduction MaLIA, the Malta Library and Information Association1 was established in 19692 by a handful of committed library professionals who were among the first crop of qualified Maltese librarians3 . The history of the first 20 years of the MaLIA has been well documented by Dr. Paul Xuereb4,5. Reading through our history one can spot that it has never been an easy task to promote the library profession and libraries in Malta. Two reasons that stand out are the small number of practising librarians The ‘Island of Filfla’ one the smaller islands in the and the fact that government authorities, Archipelago which makes Malta financing libraries, have not shown a generous or consistent commitment to libraries. all library, information and archive workers in Malta11, without the role of a workers’ union. Our informed guess is that around 400 persons must be working in the whole spectrum In spite of this small membership base and of libraries at present6 and that includes the limited resources MaLIA has made progress part-timers and volunteers, who may or may over this past decade or so and these notes not be qualified. A good estimate is that there document some of that progress as seen are around 200 locally qualified librarians7 on through the eyes of two Council members. the island not all of whom would necessarily be working as librarians. MaLIA only manages The Local Dimension of MaLIA to retain around 70-80 paid up members. Laurence Zerafa Finding members to serve on Council8, from If I had to ask myself the question “Where this small pool of members, is never an easy did the impetus for the current progress come task. Council posts are all voluntary and from?” I would say that it is because of a 2006 meetings and associated work have to take MaLIA publication Report on the State of Maltese place after work hours using premises made libraries12 . This report could only happen available by third parties9 and generally using because there was a good number of qualified personal equipment. A look at the names of library professionals and, in its turn, that people serving on Council at present and in happened only through the repeated insistence, the recent past shows that several same names during the 1980s, of various Għaqda Bibljotekarji keep appearing in various positions10. Indeed Councils, that there should be formal education we are a small library association but with the for library workers. This persistence finally ambitious aim of representing the interests of resulted in the first ever University of Malta course for librarians in 1986. The Diploma in *Laurence Zerafa, Chairperson of MaLIA and Robert Library and Information Studies qualification Mizzi, MaLIA International/Public Relations Officer was a two-year evening course aimed at email [email protected]

 Focus on International Library and Information Work Vol. 44, No. 1, 2013 Notes from MaLIA and Malta students already in employment. It became on the public agenda to an extent never felt a regular course, on alternate years, in 1993 before. Several letters written by the MaLIA and since 2006 is offered at both Diploma and council, the public and established columnists Bachelor degree level and covers also archival appeared in the press. Our proposal and its studies. Library studies courses are managed public support were forwarded to the highest by the Department of Library and Information authorities. Even if in the end the idea was not studies, which forms part of the University taken on board by the authorities14, MaLIA’s of Malta Faculty of Media and Knowledge name and the public library cause got plenty Sciences13 of exposure.

It was only natural that qualified librarians Concurrently with these events, during were in a position to ask pertinent questions 2008, MaLIA was making a concerted effort about the local library scene which was to re-establish formal and regular links with perceived to be generally in great need of the Minister for Education, which Ministry is improvement. A number of such librarians, responsible for the funding of the National, sitting on MaLIA Council towards the end lending, academic and school libraries. One of 2004, decided that unless there was a clear cannot make progress in the libraries sector irrefutable picture of the state of libraries in Malta unless one is talking to ministry in Malta we could never make our case for officials. As it happened, following the March improvement with the authorities and the 2008 general elections, a new minister was public. And that is how the Report on the appointed and good relations were established. State of Maltese Libraries came to be published. These good relations paid off when on our The statistical analysis, the result of personal insistence (for a decade at least), and under our interviews, during 2005, with a representative guidance, a new Libraries Act15 was enacted number of librarians in all sectors of library in Parliament in August 2011. Essentially, as practice (national, public, academic, school and MaLIA had suggested, the new act created two special) gave us this picture. With this tool in legal entities; hand we could talk with authority to whoever was prepared to listen and MaLIA started being • An autonomous body (funded by the heard and respected outside the immediate central government) by the name Malta circle of its membership base. Libraries responsible for the National Library and the Public Lending library The next project we took in hand was in system and October of 2008 when MaLIA proposed that • A Malta Libraries Council (MLC) responsible the April 1942 WWII bombed out site of the for advising the National Librarian and the old Royal Theatre House and adjacent square Minister on Library matters at the entrance to Valletta should be rebuilt as a national cultural centre to incorporate a MaLIA took the leading role in getting all modern state-of-the-art public lending library. stakeholders together to discuss the draft law16 Using social media and on-line petitions the making sure that library NGOs are given the idea garnered considerable support and was importance they deserve in the MLC setup the factor that put the lending library issue and seeing this act through parliament within

Focus on International Library and Information Work Vol. 44, No. 1, 2013  Notes from MaLIA and Malta a reasonable time frame. MaLIA is pleased and standards were presented for discussion to note that its objectives in this regard were at a well attended public meeting and have achieved in full. In fact several of its members been published18 and distributed to all MaLIA are on the MLC and the MLC is chaired by members and all interested public libraries a MaLIA Council member, Robert Mizzi. stakeholders. MaLIA has good relations with both the Malta Libraries (the executive branch) and the MLC To increase the visibility of the Association with (the consultative branch). its members and the general public, in 2012 the MaLIA Council decided to start holding regular Once the new act was in place the next phase monthly talks on various subjects for members, was to make sure that public libraries have friends and the general public. Advertised some essential tools in their hands to ensure through our official facebook page19, the talks a process of improvement. The new Libraries serve as a cultural and educational service to Act speaks of standards for libraries but never our members, promote MaLIA’s name with really defines them. Over the second half of the general public and forge links with various 2011 MaLIA started working on a draft for commercial companies and other NGOs. library standards limited to the smaller public libraries found in each town and village. A For this current year our efforts are geared to; number of them serve as branch libraries, under the auspices of the Central Pubic Library17. A 1. Publishing a Directory of Libraries, Information few are administered by their respective Local Units and Archives in Malta which is in its Councils. In February 2012 these guidelines 2nd edition20 2. Organising a national library conference Maltese Libraries – What Future? on the 10 May 201321. Details will shortly be available on our web-page22 3. Holding a commemorative social event for all past university library and archives studies graduates, their lecturers and department administrative staff to mark the 20th anniversary since library education at university level was established on a sound footing in 1993 Outgoing MaLIA Council March 2012-Feb 2013 Front row: Mr. Claudio Laferla (Deputy Vice- MaLIA has tackled several of the essential Chairperson, no longer on Council since Aug 2012), aspects that ensure that libraries and librarians Mr. Laurence Zerafa (Chairperson), Ms. Mary Samut- move ahead over the coming years in Malta. Tagliaferro (Secretary) However our programme of work is far from Back row: Mr. Louis Cini (Membership Secretary), Mr. being comprehensive. Some of the areas that Victor Vella (Treasurer and Events Organiser), Ms. we have not dealt with effectively, in spite of Josephine Spiteri (Assistant Secretary) and Mr. Robert several attempts, are: Mizzi (International/Public Relations Officer)

10 Focus on International Library and Information Work Vol. 44, No. 1, 2013 Notes from MaLIA and Malta

1. The professional status of library staff and 2. The continuing professional development of qualified staff

What we lack is the manpower, expertise and funding to push these essential issues forward. Our Association could benefit from assistance by the international library fraternity.

MaLIA International Relations Robert Mizzi Over the years MaLIA has contributed MaLIA and Malta Library Council (MLC) at the in its own way to the international library National Library of Malta at a historic 1st meeting scene. From its early years, MaLIA had Front row;Ms. Cecily Rizzo (MLC member), Ms. Mary identified the importance of keeping in touch Samut-Tagliaferro (MaLIA) Dr. Lillian Sciberras (MLC) with international developments through Mr. Laurence Zerafa (MaLIA Chairperson), Dr. William memberships in international associations. In Zammit (MLC member & Head of Dept Library, fact, MaLIA has been a member of International Information and Studies University of Malta) Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) Back row : Mr. Charles Farrugia (MLC member & for several years and is one of the founding National Archivist), Mr. Louis Cini (National Library members of the Commonwealth Library of Malta Staff), Mr. Oliver Mamo (MLC member & Association (COMLA). In recent years, National Librarian/CEO Libraries Malta), and Mr. MaLIA has also become a member of EBLIDA Robert Mizzi (MLC Chairperson and MaLIA). (European Bureau of Library, Information and Documentation Associations) thanks also to the MaLIA is also very willing to cooperate in the support and assistance of Chartered Institute organisation of visits to Malta by groups of of Library and Information Professionals foreign librarians. (CILIP) The co-operation and communication with CILIP has in fact been strengthened in Despite the mentioned limitation, the recent years with visits to London by MaLIA proliferation of social media has helped MaLIA representatives and also through a CILIP Career in no small measure in keeping in touch Development Group study visit to Malta in with our colleagues in various institutions March 2009. and associations across Europe and in other continents and keeping abreast of new The limited financial and human resources developments in our profession23. of MaLIA are the major deterrents in fostering further these international relationships. This It is felt that the next logical step for MaLIA notwithstanding, MaLIA continues to support is to try and coordinate exchange trips for its council members when they are in a position Maltese library and information workers with to travel to conferences and meetings abroad our counterparts across Europe. Historically, through part-sponsorship of the costs involved. MaLIA feels very close to the library world in

Focus on International Library and Information Work Vol. 44, No. 1, 2013 11 Notes from MaLIA and Malta the UK24 and we feel that if we can establish an Malta, several of whom are our members. exchange programme for Maltese and British library staff this would be a win-win situation One other aspect in which MaLIA could for everyone. This is now a possibility thanks encourage co-operation between Maltese and to MaLIA’s close co-operation with the already British libraries could be twinning agreements mentioned Malta Libraries Council. Further between libraries in Malta and libraries across more, Malta being a member of the EU, a the UK. There was an attempt to start this a few number of individual members, through their years back thanks to MaLIA’s long time friend employers, have made use of EU funds for such and supporter Dr Mike Freeman but it did visits. not work out for reasons which were beyond MaLIA’s control. The local co-operation between During 2012, MaLIA was represented for the the various entities is now much stronger and first time at the EBLIDA AGM and conference MaLIA is of the opinion that another attempt to held in Denmark and thanks to contacts start such twinning agreements is due. established during this visit, the EBLIDA President accepted an invitation to give a Notes presentation in Malta about the work of EBLIDA 1www.malia-malta.org, www.facebook.com/malia. on the 4th of December 2012. This was part of malta. the activities organised to mark Libraries Day 2In 1969 MaLIA was established as the Malta Library 2012 of which MaLIA was an active supporter. Association (MLA) and between the mid 70s to 1999 This year’s EBLIDA conference and AGM will we were the Għaqda Bibljotekarji (the Maltese version be held in Milan and it is hoped that MaLIA of ‘Association for Librarians’). will again be represented as it is important to 3The only option then for getting a library build up co-operation with European colleagues qualification was to study overseas, usually, but not and keep abreast of the challenges being faced only, in the UK. by libraries across Europe. 4Xuereb, Paul. Promoters of information : the first twenty years of the Ghaqda Bibljotekarji 1969 – 1989.Valletta, MaLIA would also like to take this Malta : Ghaqda Bibljotekarji, 1989. Print. opportunity to ask any library and information 5An update to the next 25 years (1989-2014) still has professional planning to visit Malta (for to be commissioned but our AGM papers from 2007 whatever reason) to get in touch with our onwards are available on-line at www.malia-malta. association before arriving in Malta. In recent org/about-malia.html. years, our members have benefited from such 6The bulk are in academic libraries (around 80), the visits as a good number of visiting colleagues National Library (around 15), public lending libraries accepted our invitation to deliver a talk (around 85), school libraries (120), with several others about their area of expertise despite being on in government department libraries and private holiday. This is one way of trying to provide libraries such as religious houses, banks and a few our members with a possibility to experience companies. aspects of library and information work which 7The first University of Malta-based library education they do not necessarily come across during their course at diploma level was first offered in 1986. It work in local libraries. MaLIA is also in touch became a regular course (alternate years) in 1993 and with a number of foreign librarians resident in since 2006 started being offered at both diploma and

12 Focus on International Library and Information Work Vol. 44, No. 1, 2013 Notes from MaLIA and Malta

bachelor degree level. There are a small number of 2 years earlier in a paper The role of a library association librarians who have pursued studies abroad at both in modern society: MaLIA’s experience written by Robert bachelor’s and master’s level and a couple at doctorate Mizzi then MaLIA Chairman and published in level. The Schools Library Service, a government body Zerafa, Laurence V., Victor Vella and Catherine Vella offers an in-house course for teacher-librarians. (ed.) A mosaic of library and archive practice in Malta : a 8The MaLIA Statute www.malia-malta.org/statute. collection of papers by MaLIA members and friends on the html at present stipulates 7 members on Council. occasion of its 40th anniversary 1969-2009. Malta : Malta 9MaLIA has never owned or leased its premises. Library and Information Association, 2009c. Print. However, the University of Malta Library grants us 17The Central Public Library is located in Floriana, use of its premises for the monthly Council meetings, just outside the capital city www.libraries.gov.mt/ occasional meetings for members and the AGM 18Zerafa, Laurence & Mary Samut-Tagliaferro, ed. by traditionally held towards the end of February of Mary Samut-Tagliaferro. Guidelines & standards for the each year. Other libraries (e.g. MCAST) at times offer development of the Malta public library service: A case their premises for some other meetings. study for public lending (branch) libraries. Malta.Paola: 10The authors of this paper, Laurence Zerafa Malta Library and Information Association, 2009c. (currently Chairperson) and Robert Mizzi (currently Print. Available http://www.malia-malta.org/bank/ International/Public Relations Officer have been on media/web/pdfs/Full%20document%205th%20nov. Council since 1994 and 1998 respectively). pdf 11Since a good number of years, there does exist a 19https://www.facebook.com/malia.malta/events Malta Schools Library Association (MSLA http:// 20Ragonesi, Anita and Laurence Zerafa.A directory of maltasla.wordpress.com/) which however caters only libraries and information units in Malta. Msida: Ghaqda for the needs of school libraries and librarians up to Bibljotekarji, 1996. Print. secondary school library level. MaLIA, however has a 21The last time the MaLIA organised a library number of school librarians amongst its members. conference was in 1999 on the occasion of its 30th 12Mizzi, Robert ... [et. al.]. Report on the state of Maltese Anniversary. The proceedings were published libraries.Msida : MaLIA, 2006. Print. as Zerafa, Laurence V. ed. Libraries and national 13www.um.edu.mt/maks/las development : proceedings of a conference organised by 14A new Parliament house, an open air theatre and a the Għaqda Bibljotekarji on its 30th anniversary 11th new entrance to Valletta all designed by Renzo Piano, December 1999. Malta : Malia, 2000. Print. all nearing completion by mid-2013 now adorn the 22www.malia-malta.org/ and www.facebook.com/ area. malia.malta. 15Malta Libraries Act, available 2011 www. 23See earlier reference to our on-line presence. justiceservices.gov.mt/DownloadDocument.aspx?app 24English is our second and official language and =lp&itemid=22133&l=1 postgraduate library studies generally tend to take 16The draft law carried many of the points that place at UK Universities. MaLIA has been asking for and that were explained

Focus on International Library and Information Work Vol. 44, No. 1, 2013 13 From London to Lusaka: experiences of a VSO volunteer librarian working with the Lubuto Library Project in Zambia by Nicola Packer*

In February 2012 I left my post as College Librarian at Queen’s College, London to begin a 2 year voluntary placement working for the Lubuto Library Project in Lusaka, Zambia, as a VSO volunteer. This article is about my personal experience of working as a Librarian in Zambia.

The Lubuto Library Project currently has two libraries in Lusaka: one hosted by Ngwerere Basic School in the north of the Children using the Talking Circle in the city; and one hosted by Fountain of Hope, a middle of the Reading Room facility for orphans and vulnerable children in the South of the city. It is here that I have As a result, those who stay on the streets been based for the last 11 months. Fountain near the Centre all know me by name and I of Hope is a residential centre for boys who often get odd looks from strangers when I am have recently come out of living on the walking home from work and have to stop streets, and it also has a Community School and greet the youngsters who are begging for children who live locally but can’t afford at the traffic lights! It is humbling and often to pay the school fees to attend a government upsetting working with these young people school. Fountain of Hope offers a hot meal for though, and their stories are traumatic. The anybody who needs one, sports programmes, first time I was taken into the local Compound the opportunity to learn skills, and several (informal housing settlement) I kept thinking programmes based in the library. Lubuto runs of the documentaries that I had seen on the TV, several formal programmes, some led by me where a celebrity is taken around a slum, and and some by other specialists; LubutoMentoring; suddenly realised with a jolt that it wasn’t just LubutoDrama; LubutoLiteracy; LubutoStorytime; something on the telly, it was real life. LubutoArts; LubutoLaptops (from One Laptop per Child) as well as all the other things that go on Lubuto is a very young organisation and in the library on a daily basis. still developing, although its work is informed by many years’ experience of working in Africa During my time at Fountain of Hope I and the inputs of several experts in relevant have been privileged to work with youngsters fields. We have therefore spent a lot of time on or off the street. I have accompanied the trying to clarify how I can best have an input outreach workers when they have done street into Lubuto’s work. It has felt at times as if visits, and we invite the kids to come to the I am more of a mother figure to 50 + kids library and participate in our programmes. than a chartered librarian, and this has been difficult for me (not that being a mother figure is not important!). However, I realise, looking * Nicola Packer is currently a VSO volunteer working back over the year, that I have perhaps been for the Luboto Library Project in Lusaka, Zambia too hard on myself in this respect. Coming

14 Focus on International Library and Information Work Vol. 44, No. 1, 2013 From London to Lusaka from working in a very well respected public school in London, I had several cultural lessons to learn, and as we know, we cannot offer library services without knowing what people want/need. Sitting having my hair plaited by a group of boys and girls may not have been something I would ever have done in the UK but in Zambia it seems to be an important bonding process and it makes them feel more confident around me, which can only be a good thing. Red Linso, a popular musician, reads to the young people who stay on the streets at the City Market Things I took for granted in the UK have been challenged since I arrived in Zambia: different day!). Even things like general security collecting data on library use/book borrowing (I now have a bunch of keys for each cupboard without a circulation system (books are that makes me feel like a jailor) and going to reference only and we don’t have library access the toilet (yes, a key for that too!) took a little to the online library management system yet); bit of getting used to. Lubuto encourages us to assumptions about how and why the library is question every assumption that we make about used (young children do not arrive with their Western libraries so that we can understand parents, they come alone; girls cannot always our unique clientele and focus on the most come to the library after school because they vulnerable children. So in some respects I feel have to go straight home, while boys have like a toddler who is learning to walk for the more freedom); the way that programmes and first time, but I am starting to be able to utilise activities take place (the Zambian sense of time my skills. means that programmes running in the library can take place at pretty much any time on the As every good librarian knows, a major day they are scheduled, and sometimes on a part of our job is all about ‘getting them in and keeping them in’. As well as the important programmes run by Lubuto (see above), I have introduced board games to the library at Fountain of Hope and they are very A group of 8-9 popular, although I have yet to find a method year old boys of stopping the counters from disappearing! who visit the Crafts are also well-liked, and it provides library every day an interesting challenge to find materials which don’t cost the earth, won’t run out in the blink of an eye, and yet can be used for various things with great success (hooray for paper plates). We like to sing: when I first arrived it was not uncommon for me to finish a particularly energetic rendition of Down

Focus on International Library and Information Work Vol. 44, No. 1, 2013 15 From London to Lusaka

in the Jungle, only to turn around and see an audience of adult Fountain of Hope staff members peering through the library door in amusement! I have a group of girls who come into the library very irregularly (whenever they are let out early from school they run in for half an hour before they have to go home and start chores) but whenever they do, they demand to sing with me! Alongside this we have ‘muzungu dancing’ (‘muzungu’ means ‘white man’) - I teach them the routines to such classics as Saturday Night and YMCA amidst much merriment.

We even iced biscuits on the Independence ‘Muzungu’ Dancing Day holiday. The kids were completely astounded that this could be possible and all have big problems with spelling words - and lined up carefully in order that they should all even in some cases recognising letters. If I give get a go. Not one biscuit was eaten before I them some letter cards and ask them to spell said they were ready and not one finger was a word, they can do so correctly because they dipped into the bowl of icing (except mine...). can see the letters; but if I ask them to verbally When the time came for eating, an orderly spell a word for me, they will get confused queue formed and everything was counted because they don’t know the names of the out to ensure fairness - not quite what would letters. Finding fun ways to rectify this was happen in the UK! a challenge - if only I had access to a colour printer and a laminator! However, when my I discovered recently that several of the sister visited in September she brought me the younger children who come into the library card game Boggle Slam, so I have been using the letter cards from that game to get the children to spell/read words, do simple anagrams, or say which letter is missing from various words. They seem to be enjoying it and I hope it is having a positive effect! These are the kinds of things which, without wishing to sound arrogant, it takes a Westerner to do; teaching and learning in Zambia is still mainly done by rote, so local teachers and librarians need be shown how to create games and activities to engage and help their children.

We took part in Zambia Literacy Week in Kasela, the Librarian In Training at Fountain of Hope September with great success - a stall at one of Lubuto Library, doing craft activities with the children

16 Focus on International Library and Information Work Vol. 44, No. 1, 2013 From London to Lusaka the shopping malls in Lusaka generated lots of interest from passers-by and we were able to tell them about the work of Lubuto as well as demonstrate Lubuto’s literacy programme - a programme specially designed by Lubuto and made available in the libraries on the One Laptop per Child laptops (but useable on any computer platform) that helps children learn to read in their mother tongue. This programme is currently being developed further to make Presenting HRH Princess Anne with our gifts the lessons more effective and accessible. We also took the LubutoStorytime out of the library great interest in the way that Lubuto works, and invited local celebrities to read to the asked lots of interested questions about the youngsters who live and work on the street. library and was wonderful with the children Seeing these youngsters get involved in the - accepting the paper flowers that they had story, and enjoy reading the books that I took made her graciously, and not batting an eyelid with us, was a wonderful experience and one at the multi-coloured Christmas tree with which we hope to continue in the future. which she was also presented!

As well as training the Librarian In Training Lubuto Libraries’ strength lies largely in their at Fountain of Hope Lubuto Library, who was programming, but is by no means limited to it himself a library user as a child and grew up so of course there are more technical details to participating in the Lubuto programmes, we consider. Book collections are built in the USA, hosted two students on work experience from at the Head Office in Washington DC. So by the University of Zambia. This was a challenge the time they arrive at the libraries, books are because nowhere in the current curriculum are shelf-ready. However there will always be Library Science students taught about youth books which need repair or re-cataloguing librarianship, or anything to do with a library for whatever reason, and although we have model which involves noise, activity, and a had problems with me accessing the library touch of what we will call organised chaos! management system in Zambia, we are very The students looked bemused on their first much hoping that I will be able to do so in day and asked questions such as “But how do the future. One of my roles is to feed stock you maintain silence?” (Answer: “We don’t”). development information back to the Head However they soon learnt the value of the way Office, and collaborate with staff in the USA we work at Lubuto. to build an ‘opening day’ start-up collection, which can be sent to the new Lubuto Libraries We have been privileged to have some as they are built, and form a strong basis upon high profile visitors this year. Ban Ki-moon, which to develop a more individual collection Secretary-General of the United Nations, to suit the needs of each specific library. visited on my first official day of work and HRH Princess Anne came in September as part As I head into the second year of my of her Golden Jubilee tour of Zambia. She took placement, things are changing. I will start

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to work in the other Lubuto Library in the North of Lusaka for a couple of days a week with the hope that I can start to model good practice there, identify shared training needs for the library staff in both libraries, and start to collect information on stock development and library usage which can be fed back to the Head Office. I hope to create some kind of handbook of songs, games and activities, which can be used by staff in the increasing network of Lubuto Libraries (number 3 is being built in Zambia’s Southern Province in 2013). And there is still a lot for me to learn A finished collage about the local community and how best to serve it. I anticipate several more challenges ahead but hopefully a lot can be achieved. For more information about VSO: www.vso. org.uk If you would like to keep up to date with my adventures, my personal blog is: NB The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not reflect those of worldwideweasel.blogspot.com VSO, Lubuto Library Project or Fountain of Hope. Visit the Lubuto Blog at: lubutoblog. wordpress.com Jane Kinney Meyers, Founder and President of the Lubuto Library Project, was awarded For more information about the Lubuto the ILIG International Award in 2010 and Library Project: www.lubuto.org and www. wrote the article “The Lubuto Library Project: lubuto.org/inthemedia.html Creating Excellent and Sustainable Libraries for Vulnerable African Children and Youth,” in For more information about Fountain of Focus v. 40, no. 1, pp. 4-8. ( A letter to the editor Hope: www.fountainofhope.org.uk in response to this article was published in v. 40, no. 2, along with Jane Meyers’ response).

18 Focus on International Library and Information Work Vol. 44, No. 1, 2013 Libraries and Democracy in the United States: A report from the ‘Travelling Librarian’ 2012 by George Roe*

As the recipient of the ‘Travelling Librarian’ presidential elections, the mock election is a award, I embarked on a study tour of USA chance for them to participate in, and learn libraries in October 2012. My visit coincided about, the process of voting. with the closing stages of the US presidential election campaign, which helped me choose I was also keen to observe events about my theme ‘libraries and democracy’. I chose the elections held within libraries. One such to visit libraries that are playing an active role example was a library book club event at the in enriching democracy in the USA, through Shepherd Park/ Juanita E. Thornton Library, civic engagement programmes that involve the which is a branch of Washington DC Public disadvantaged and marginalised. I also visited Library. The group had chosen to discuss The libraries that are enhancing public access to Obama Hate Machine1, which takes a partisan congressional and government information, approach to media portrayals and personalised through cataloguing, indexing and other library campaigns against the President. metadata. I covered a variety of library types, starting in Washington DC, moving on to I sat in and observed the discussion, which Philadelphia and Harrisburg in Pennsylvania, took place on the day after the first presidential before my final stop in Chicago. Below are some TV debate. I soon discovered that all of the experiences of my trip, arranged thematically. regular members of the group were Obama supporters. The book’s selection was made by Libraries and the US elections the club rather than the library staff, although While I was in the US, I wanted to find out holding such an event in a public library raises how public libraries in the US are helping to some interesting questions about libraries and engage with the electorate about the elections, impartiality (see below). including children and young people who are unable to vote. At Chicago Public Library, I I also discovered that the library itself is an found a campaign taking place for a children’s example of grassroots democracy. Twenty years mock election. The candidates were ‘Babymouse’ ago, a fast food outlet was proposed on a plot (the frontrunner) versus ‘Bad Kitty’. The voting of vacant land. Local activists (led by Juanita was to take place online. The children’s library E. Thornton) campaigned for a neighbourhood also provided materials for children to make library to serve the community. They won, campaign posters for candidates of their own and the library now bears Juanita Thornton’s invention, which were displayed in the library. name – as the book club members put it, “our The librarians explained that, as children are symbol of the system”. surrounded everywhere by coverage of the Democratic mission * George Roe is a member of Among the various librarians that I met, all ILIG and works as a senior considered that their libraries have an important indexer at the House of contribution to make to democratic society. I Commons Library, writing in learned that this relationship is intertwined with a personal capacity. He can the birth of the United States as an independent be contacted at georgeroe@ nation. The Library Company of Philadelphia hotmail.co.uk was established in colonial times, in 1731, by

Focus on International Library and Information Work Vol. 44, No. 1, 2013 19 Libraries and Demoncracy in the United States

memorabilia of office.

I was very impressed with the work that the presidential libraries carry out for school visits. Many of the libraries involve the school groups in enacting key moments of a presidency, using mock-ups of the Oval Office or ‘Situation Room’. Students are allocated various governmental roles to play, such as president or secretary of state. They are then given a question, such as whether President Ford should pardon former President Nixon. The students then discuss Library Company of Philadelphia what to do, using information from the time, such as government briefings, poll figures and Founding Father Benjamin Franklin. On my visit press comment. The issue is often linked to the to the library, I learned that new books were school curriculum, so this process brings the hard to come by in colonial North America, as subject to life and also helps the students to the British used to send only second-hand books. learn about the challenges of making difficult Ben Franklin imported new works of ‘modern decisions in a democracy. philosophy’ and culture for his library, and later credited the dissemination of these ideas, Democracy and the disadvantaged and the networks of people that the libraries I was really struck by the fact that ‘democracy’ created, as helping to prepare the movement for is considered by many US libraries in a wider independence. The library also commissioned sense than voting and elections. This was the first painting in North America to promote demonstrated to me very clearly at the largest the emancipation of slaves, Liberty Displaying public library building in the world, the Harold the Arts and Sciences by Samuel Jennings (1792). Washington Library Center in Chicago. This Interestingly, the painting depicts freedom being library has developed highly innovative services delivered with the help of the library catalogue for its teenage users. Chicago has experienced a - the figure of ‘Liberty’ is shown holding a copy problem with young people of high-school age - and still hangs in pride of place today. getting involved in violent crime. In order to counteract this, the library’s ‘YOUmedia’2 space The Office of the US Presidential Libraries aims to empower young adults from different is a national network of the libraries of former backgrounds to come together and fulfil their presidents, based in the local areas where they creative potential. The space provides library were born or raised. I visited their headquarters resources, digital technology and a range of in the National Archives in Washington DC to other facilities for the creative arts, design learn more about their role as the “classrooms and engineering. YOUmedia seems to have of democracy”, as former President Ronald succeeded as a ‘transformative space’, and Reagan described them. Each of the libraries has helped teenagers to win scholarships, is divided into an archive collection of the publish their own magazine and even release president’s official papers and a museum of the a hit single. Most interestingly, the space has

20 Focus on International Library and Information Work Vol. 44, No. 1, 2013 Libraries and Demoncracy in the United States mimicked online learning communities, where gov5. The new design reflects the increasing users come together informally to collaborate demand of the US public for transparency and around common interests. Adults are not enhanced scrutiny of Congress. The library has allowed into the area (apart from library staff!). added features to the database that enable users I was invited to observe a drama workshop on to manipulate legislative data. For example, the the theme of ‘banned books’, including the use of faceted search means that search results children’s book And Tango Makes Three3, about can be filtered by criteria such as ‘Member’s two male penguins who raise a chick together. interests’ or the sponsors of bills. Users can click I was impressed by the way that the space on these facets to view all of the bills that a provides a public forum for the teenagers to member of Congress has sponsored, alongside express their interests and concerns, which are their voting record. all too often marginalised within wider society. The library believes that this facility represents Legislative experts from the library analyse the future for lifelong learning, and is currently all bills passing through Congress and add developing an equivalent for adults. subject terms to describe them. This helps a user’s ability to search for the topics that While at the Library Center, I also visited interest them. Impartiality is important to this the ‘Choosing to Participate’ exhibition4. The process. Controversial legislation such as the aim of the exhibition is to stimulate positive ‘Obamacare’ bill, receive subject terms based participation in democratic society through entirely on the substance of the bill, and steer education and creativity. The exhibition is clear of partisan interpretations. While at the an interactive multimedia exhibition, which Library of Congress, I also met the librarians explores the courage it takes to make a stand who compile and edit the Library of Congress against prejudice and intolerance, such as Subject Headings. We exchanged similar the desegregation of schools in Little Rock, experiences of choosing impartial terms for Arkansas in 1957. Included in the exhibition are controversial subject matter, such as disputed art works that have been created by local school international territories. students on the subject of ‘participation’, which range from standing out against gang violence Library advocacy to celebrating the diversity of immigration. In these times of austerity, when libraries I felt that the library was the perfect place to are often targeted for funding cuts, I learned house such exhibits, and it was visited by many that many libraries in the US have advocated people while I was there. successfully for extra resources, often on the basis of how libraries help to enrich democracy. Impartiality and transparency The need for library services to be impartial was a recurrent theme of my visit. Libraries are trusted by the public as the only non-partisan public space in US society. This applies as much to the Library of Congress as to public libraries. Upon my visit, the Library of Congress had just re-designed its legislative database, Congress. Pennsylvania Library Association

Focus on International Library and Information Work Vol. 44, No. 1, 2013 21 Libraries and Demoncracy in the United States

The Pennsylvania Library Association (PALA) non-library world in the private sector, such as is developing a new advocacy programme, Google and Amazon. Recent attention has been PA Forward6, which is forming partnerships paid to indexing non-textual content with the between libraries and government bodies, not- help of voice-recognition technology. NFAIS for-profit organisations, financial institutions highlights the need for libraries to adopt these and private companies. The emphasis of PA practices in order to help with the workload Forward is not so much “defend what we’ve and be relevant in the future. got” as “this is the value of libraries – we need more resources”. While in Chicago, I visited the headquarters of the Urban Libraries Council (ULC). The ULC These partnerships focus on working together stressed the need for library and information to achieve specific goals within the community. professionals to adjust our bearings and to adopt PALA decided on the word ‘literacy’ to sum a more active role. Library training needs to up the key value that libraries contribute to include more about the social role of librarians society. This theme was then separated into in a democracy. If librarians are to continue five key projects: ‘Basic Literacy’, ‘Information to enhance democratic society, the profession Literacy’, ‘Civic and Social Literacy’, ‘Health needs to shape library services to complement Literacy’ and ‘Financial Literacy’. The projects online learning methods, and changes in lifelong involve increasing voter turnout, for example. learning. Libraries need to move from a passive In addition, the aim of achieving these projects to an active role in enabling civic engagement is for libraries to demonstrate their unique and help marginalised people become full value to their partners. The partners can then participants in democratic society. lobby within their sectors for increased library funding. Although my visit took place at a My tour of US libraries was a fantastic relatively formative stage for PA Forward, (it experience on a professional and personal launched in February 2012), the aim is for these level. Each of the libraries that I visited was partnerships to flourish and develop the literacy extremely hospitable and I learned far more projects at a state and local level. than I had hoped to. Further details on all of my visits are available at my blog: http:// Future of the profession librariesanddemocracy.wordpress.com/ I visited the National Federation for Advanced Information Services (NFAIS)7 in Philadelphia. 1The Obama Hate Machine: the lies, distortions, and NFAIS is a member organisation that aims to personal attacks on the President and who is behind them encourage discussion, understanding and co- by Bill Press. Thomas Dunne Books, 2012 operation across the information community. 2YOUmedia’s website is at http://youmediachicago. NFAIS provides analysis, news alerts and org/2-about-us/pages/2-about-us education services to its members. Library 3And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and services are coming under pressure by a massive Peter Parnell. Simon and Schuster, 2007 explosion of content from online and digital 4Exhibition website: www.choosingtoparticipate.org/ sources, and lack sufficient resources to organise 5Available in beta format at http://beta.congress.gov/ it all. NFAIS spreads awareness of technological 6PA Forward’s website is at www.paforward.org/ innovations that have been developed in the 7NFAIS website is at http://www.nfais.org/

22 Focus on International Library and Information Work Vol. 44, No. 1, 2013 Fifty Shades of White By Ian Stringer*

I was recently in my home town’s twin town of Filderstadt, near Stuttgart, Germany, home of Mercedes-Benz and Porsche. Whilst in Stuttgart, I was given a tour round the new library. This is definitely a library in the Porsche or Mercedes-Benz bracket.

I was shown round with great enthusiasm by Gunter Marsch, the deputy manager of the Stuttgart Library. The Library is a stunning white square building situated in the heart of the new touch screen maps. You can flick through each development known as the European Quarter. floor, or you can enter a department, book, It will stand above everything in the area when or the location of music, or computers into the development is finished. After privatising the search section. I entered a Harry Potter the local electricity company, the Lande (State), title and it directed me to the second floor wisely put the money into specific public (Children’s Library) and showed me which works programmes. The library is one of many shelf it was on and because it uses Radio from this source. It is built on the site of the Frequency Identification (RFID), that’s where locomotive yards, no longer needed in the age it actually was, not just where it should have of fast electric trains. been. The children’s section has lots of ‘topic islands’ with innovative furniture to draw in A competition for the library design was the young readers. held and the winning architect was Eun Young Yi from South Korea and with offices To my surprise there were no computer in Cologne, Germany. The white cube is nine rooms. However every floor has laptops in storeys high and has exactly the same length lockable cupboards. You merely use your and breadth. There is a balcony on every floor library card to access any cupboard and sit going right round the building. Readers enter where you like with the free Wi-Fi-enabled the balcony using their ‘smart’ library cards. laptop. Dozens of laptops were being used You enter the white cube through surprisingly when I was there, by the books, by the small entrances on any of the four sides and are fountain, in the restaurant and on the roof! immediately made aware that this is a building with a difference. The foyer goes right round the building and surrounds its heart. This is a three-storey open cube-shaped space. Inside, again all white in colour, it is relieved by only a blue fountain and various window openings. It is ideal for contemplation, reading and study.

There are nine floors all with interactive

*Ian Stringer is an ILIG committee member Library Trolley

Focus on International Library and Information Work Vol. 44, No. 1, 2013 23 Fifty Shades of White

Inside Stuttgart Library

But for me one of the great things about this the correct part of the children’s library. The library was the books! There are thousands of trolleys are electrically operated and have an them. The pure white interior coupled with electric tipping mechanism. The whole system the white shelves means the books are the is behind glass screens so the public can (and only colour in the whole place and so this do!) watch the whole process in action. makes them stand out. Their importance is emphasised. Books can be returned on any I was surprised at the many half empty floor merely by dropping them into large shelves and was told this was for two reasons, letter boxes. The books drop into waiting the library had proved far more popular than containers which travel right round the anticipated so the books were where all books library on rails. The continuous track means should be - in readers’ homes and they had books are picked up anywhere and because deliberately fitted more shelving than required of the RFID are taken round the system and as they anticipated increasing the collection delivered to the correct area. So the Harry over the years. There was also a large stack Potter book can be posted on level 3 into a area and local history and archive section with waiting container which takes it round the their own storage areas. building until it arrives at the children’s section and then deposits it onto a waiting trolley in There is an excellent restaurant on the top floor, entirely staffed by people with disabilities. Touch screen at A local charity is allowed to run the restaurant the library for their own profit and you couldn’t wish for friendlier staff. Finally, users are allowed on the roof gardens by using their library card to open the door. There you have a great view over the city and the building site next door. You can see the high speed trains leaving for Vienna, Paris, Prague and Berlin, but soon the building site will be a gigantic shopping Mall going right over the railway.

If you are planning a new library or visiting the Stuttgart area it is well worth a visit.

24 Focus on International Library and Information Work Vol. 44, No. 1, 2013 Ontario Library Association Super Conference 2013 By John Pateman*

The conference got off to a great start on as the amazing possibilities afforded by 3-D Wednesday evening with an opening plenary printing. Technology is not the only solution to by Michael Uslan who is best known as the many challenges which we face. ICT is an the originator and Executive Producer of important part of the solution but ultimately the Batman movie series, starting with Tim just a means to an end and not an end in Burton’s 1989 film and continuing to the recent itself. The Dark Knight Rises. Michael told the story of how he realised his passion to produce ‘dark The session by Ken Haycock on Re-defining and serious’ movies about his comic book Urban Librarianship: Core Competencies for Newer hero, Batman. Michael went to law school Professionals was of more practical application. and became a lawyer solely to earn enough Based on a CULC (Canadian Urban Libraries income for him to pursue his dream. He Council) research project, Ken looked at what it was disappointed in how comic book heroes takes to be successful in an urban public library were often presented in the media as joke like like TBPL. He outlined employer expectations, characters, the 1960s TV series of Batman and academic and experience requirements, and Robin being a case in point. The transition from gaps that need to be bridged for candidates, comic books to graphic novels – which are very urban libraries and graduate programs. There popular with teenage library users – enabled a is a disconnection between what employers more serious consideration of Batman, who is want and what LIS library programs deliver. not actually a super hero because he has no There needs to be a broader mix of skills powers. Uslan has also taught a college course which go beyond traditional library technical on comic books, worked for DC Comics and knowledge and encompass business skills, authored a number of books on the subject. organisational intelligence, people skills and community intelligence. This research will help Thursday was the first full day of sessions to inform our new staffing structure at TBPL. and delegates were spoilt for choice. At any time of the day there were several options to On Friday I joined the Public Library CEO choose from and this required a serious study panel to discuss What is Keeping Them Up at of the program and careful selection of what Night. I was joined on the platform by Jeff was most relevant to Thunder Bay Public Barber (CEO, Regina Public Library); Paul Library (TBPL). My focus was on Leadership Takala (CEO, Hamilton Public Library) and and Management competencies and the range Judith Hare (CEO, Halifax Public Library). of skills TBPL will require from its workers We addressed three key themes: Leadership, going forward. There is no need to look into Governance and Future Direction. We agreed a crystal ball to see the future because Thomas that CEO’s should be leaders who do the right Frey considered The Future of Libraries in his thing and librarians should be managers who presentation on what society, the workplace do the thing right. We also agreed that Boards and libraries might look like in a few years’ were the best governance model and that we time. This session was interesting but placed should stay at arm’s length from City Hall. too much emphasis on new technology, such Where we differed was on future direction, *John Pateman is Chief Executive Officer/Chief Librarian with some CEO’s majoring on political of Thunder Bay Public Library, Canada advocacy and influence, while others wanted

Focus on International Library and Information Work Vol. 44, No. 1, 2013 25 Ontario Library Association Super Conference 2013 to go down the ICT route. My view was that lab, and programming space. we need clear strategic objectives (determined by stakeholder engagement) which drive Our next stop was the Mount Dennis Branch everything we do including our service and (Ward 11) which is undergoing renovation. It staffing structures, systems and organisational was interesting to see a library in the process culture (‘the way we do things around here’). of transformation through an inviting redesign, renewed interiors and a new outdoor reading The last day of conference, Super Saturday, garden. Attention was also paid to the library began with a plenary session by Chantal exterior which will revitalise the streetscape Hebert, a national affairs writer with The in an area which has seen some decline since Toronto Star and a guest columnist for Le closure of the nearby Kodak factory, a major Devoir and L’Actualite. Having seen Chantal on local employer. Photography is the theme of CBC’s The National, I was interested to hear her Kidstop, an interactive early literacy centre speak on the subject of Francophone culture in based in the children’s library. Ontario. Drawing on her personal experience, Chantal stressed how language cannot be Our final stop was the Brentwood Branch divorced from culture, and the impact of this which has undergone extensive renovation and key issue on Provincial and Federal Politics. Her expansion. The floor space has been increased talk prompted many questions from the large by 30% to include quiet study space and a new audience, but most of them wanted Chantal to meeting room with kitchen facilities. There share her analysis of Stephen Harper’s chances were also express check-out and returns, 38 of re-election and the fortunes of the Liberal public access computers (a 65% increase) and NDP parties under new leaders. and a new computer learning centre. The re- imagined architectural design of the branch One of the highlights of OLA for me was the façade and interior reflects the gracious, bus tour of Toronto Public Libraries. Our first elegant and inviting domestic architecture of stop was at Malvern Branch (Ward 42), which the surrounding ‘Garden City’ neighbourhood serves the Malvern community, a population (originally planned and designed by developer of 158,000 residents and one of the highest and visionary Robert Home Smith). growth areas of the City. This community has the highest proportion of children and youth in There were many ideas and design features Toronto, as well as a high proportion of recent in these libraries which can be used to inform immigrants for whom English is a second the development of TBPL. While every library language. These demographics are reflected is very different and designed to mirror the in the library which provides generous space local environment, the following key features for children and a brand new Indoor Youth are provided in all Toronto Public Libraries: Hub. The SPOT (Success, Power, Opportunity, • more accessible community space through Teamwork) is a youth-led Art and Technology open and flexible layouts which maximise Centre which serves as a safe place for the amount of available public space young people aged 14-25. The centre offers • improved customer service by removing performance space, recording studio, media staffed counters and providing RFID self- issue, which currently operates in 75 of

26 Focus on International Library and Information Work Vol. 44, No. 1, 2013 Ontario Library Association Super Conference 2013 / CILIP Business

Toronto’s 100 libraries The other highlight of my visit to OLA was • more access to technology for research, the opportunity to meet and network with learning, working and recreation via a wide range of fellow library professionals public access computers and computer and CEOs. I learned as much from casual learning centres conversations over coffee, in hotel lobbies • welcoming to everyone by creating urban and convention centre corridors as I did in living rooms, comfortable reading lounges, the formal learning sessions. Many libraries Teen Zones, outdoor reading and group face similar challenges and it is important study spaces that we exchange ideas and lessons learned. I • sustainable new energy efficient was able to talk about and generate interest in systems with maximised use of sunlight, what we are trying to achieve in TBPL via the landscaping and trees Fundamental Library Review and the Strategic • new resources and collections including Planning process. books, CDs, magazines and DVDs CILIP Business

CILIP governance Since 1 January 2009 CILIP CILIP website2 – particularly for updates on all has been governed by the 2008 texts of its things CILIP and ILIG between issues of CILIP Royal Charter and Bye-laws and by the General Update and ILIG’s journal, Focus - please check Regulations + Appendixes based on them that you are registered with the CILIP website in - collectively known as CILIP’s Constitutional order to be able to receive both the new, weekly, Documents1. eBulletin from CILIP and the monthly email Newsletter from ILIG. If you have any problems CILIP Council has a duty to ensure that CILIP registering, or the eBulletins are not reaching you, governance remains fit for purpose in a changing please contact the CILIP Web Team2 at web@ world – hence the work undertaken on the cilip.org.uk . For questions about your CILIP Governance Review. If changes are proposed, membership, please contact the Membership CILIP Council will call a General Meeting of the Team2 at [email protected] . Individual Members of CILIP to vote on them1. 1To read CILIP’s Constitutional Documents for yourself The CILIP Annual General Meeting (AGM) is a – including how changes can be made - use the links key part of CILIP governance. Details of the 2013 from their page on the CILIP website at http://www. AGM are still being finalised but it is likely to be cilip.org.uk/about-us/governance/constitutional/pages/ in September. This means that the 60 day deadline default.aspx by which formal notice of any motions to be put to the 2013 AGM, by Individual Members, must 2The CILIP website is being re-launched this spring. reach CILIP head office sometime in July! Check If you have problems contacting CILIP electronically the summer issues of Update - and keep an eye you can contact CILIP by snail mail using the address on the CILIP website – for confirmation of the given on the back page of Focus or by telephone on exact dates. +44 (0)20 7255 0500.

CILIP website To take full advantage of the Alice Tyler, ILIG Web Editor

Focus on International Library and Information Work Vol. 44, No. 1, 2013 27 Australia’s National Year of Reading 2012 By Sue McKerracher and Robyn Ellard*

Australian libraries and library associations were the driving force behind a campaign to turn 2012 into the National Year of Reading, linking together all the great things that were already happening around books, reading and literacy, and giving them an extra boost, with inspirational programs and events taking place across the country. Literacy and Life Skills Survey, 2006. “If your parents read to you when you were very Libraries partnered with government, young; if you learnt to read at an early age; if you the media, writers, schools, publishers, went to a good school, where reading for pleasure booksellers, employers, child care providers, was encouraged, and if you were inspired by the health professionals and a whole host of other people around you to keep reading as a young adult, organisations that shared our passion for then the word on the page (or the screen) will be reading. part of your DNA.

Our vision was of “Australia, a nation of “But that’s not the case for 46% of the readers” and our three goals were: population.

• For all Australians to understand the “Nearly half the population struggles without benefits of reading as a life skill and the literacy skills to meet the most basic demands catalyst for well-being of everyday life and work. There are 46% of • To promote a reading culture in every Australians who can’t read newspapers; follow a home recipe; make sense of timetables, or understand the • To establish an aspirational goal of sharing instructions on a medicine bottle. a book with your child every day “2012 will see a whole heap of amazing, fun, We purposefully described this as a National reading activities taking place around Australia Year of Reading, not a National Year of Literacy, and online, so people of all ages, from different but pockets of low literacy around Australia backgrounds, can discover and rediscover the joy provided our rationale for raising awareness of reading.” of the importance and benefits of reading. Our killer statistic was the 46% figure we took Our target audiences varied for different from the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ Adult programmes within the overall campaign. For One Country Reading we targeted under 12s, *Sue McKerracher, Executive Director, Australian teen and adult readers; for the National Year Library and Information Association PO BOX 6335 of Reading in the Workplace and Adult Learners’ Kingston ACT 2604 Australia sue.mckerracher@alia. Week we targeted adults with low literacy; org.au for Dads Read, we targeted parents from low Robyn Ellard, Project Director The Library Agency socio-economic groups; for The Reading Hour GPO Box 1551, Melbourne Victoria 3001 Australia we especially targeted parents of very young [email protected] children (0-5); for our Indigenous Literacy

28 Focus on International Library and Information Work Vol. 44, No. 1, 2013 Australia’s National Year of Reading 2012

Programs, we targeted people with low literacy previous week was the Children’s Book Council in remote communities. of Australia’s Book Week and the following week was the Australian government’s Literacy and Family literacy was a key target for the Numeracy Week) and different time zones to National Year of Reading. By giving parents run events all through the day. and caregivers the confidence and skills to share books with their children – whether or Having said that, The Reading Hour was for not they themselves are readers – we knew we everyone and there were events and activities could help to break the cycle of disadvantage. for all age groups. Our key partners were Scholastic, Dymocks bookshops, The Walt The National Year of Reading 2012 was about Disney Company, Madman Entertainment, children learning to read and keen readers Good Reading Magazine, The Big Issue, ABC finding new sources of inspiration. It was Local Radio, Melbourne Writers Festival and about supporting reading initiatives while Dymocks Children’s Charities. respecting the oral tradition of storytelling. It was about helping people discover and re- Campaign 2: Public library membership discover the magic of books. And most of all, drive it was about Australians becoming a nation of We ran a nationwide membership campaign readers. between May and August, using the National Year of Reading to attract people into libraries The whole campaign was based on a and to support family literacy initiatives. highly consultative, evidence-based approach Different libraries interpreted the campaign in involving the National Year of Reading founder different ways, and, indeed, the whole National partners in setting the goals and objectives of Year of Reading was a giant promotion for all the campaign. Australian libraries.

While much of the activity happened Campaign 3: One Country Reading through partners and at a local level, we ran Several cities have adopted the One Book One four national campaigns within the National City approach – Edinburgh with Kidnapped and Year of Reading to create a framework that Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde; Chicago with To Kill a others could add to. Mocking Bird; Dublin, The Picture of Dorian Gray, and Brisbane, The Kingdom Where Nobody Dies. Campaign 1: The Reading Hour The Reading Hour (like Earth Hour, but with We based our multi-tiered version of the the lights on!) was both a family commitment program around a much-loved Australian and a national event. Sharing a book with children’s book, Alison Lester’s Are We There your child for 10 minutes a day, an hour a Yet? We developed this theme of travel and week was our aim for Australia’s first Reading places for a junior, young adult and adult Hour on the 25 August 2012. It was nominally audience, using a variety of different media from 6pm to 7pm Australian Eastern Standard and we based our National Year of Reading Time, but with flexibility to allow schools and touring exhibition around Alison’s original workplaces to run activities on a weekday (the artwork.

Focus on International Library and Information Work Vol. 44, No. 1, 2013 29 Australia’s National Year of Reading 2012

Campaign 4: Workplace literacy The cost of the campaign at a national level We worked with major employers to create was $1.7 million. In addition, we estimate writer-in-residence programs, with published there was $5.6 million-worth of in-kind outputs. There were writing workshops support. Partners contributed what they felt for employees who wanted to develop their the project needed or deserved (Disney Junior, creative skills, and for those who struggled for example, produced a high quality TV with reading and writing but welcomed the advertisement for The Reading Hour and ran opportunity to tell their story with the help of it free on the Disney Channel in the run up an author or illustrator. to The Reading Hour). For most recipients, the cost of participation was free. In addition, we ran an Indigenous Festival of Reading, Writing and Storytelling, in Alice The promotional tools were primarily shared Springs, in September; a short story writing branding (available to all free of charge); competition on the theme It’s Never Too Late print collateral including posters, bookmarks, ...To Learn to Read, for Adult Learners’ Week, also wall charts, available free to libraries; free in September 2012. downloadable versions of the print material for other partners; our highly active website Although the National Year of Reading needed www.love2read.org.au, updated at least twice to reach readers and non-readers, to have a week, and our even more active social media critical mass and be part of the mainstream sites – 12,000 online followers for Love2Read rather than sidelined as a program for Facebook, Twitter and our e-newsletter (links marginalised Australians, the underlying and back issues available on the website). PR intention of the campaign was to reach people was incredibly important, as we had no budget experiencing disadvantage and low literacy. for advertising. In terms of editorial coverage For the public library membership drive, for and free advertising alone, we gained $26 example, we targeted: million-worth of media coverage.

• Those who can’t afford to buy all the books We know that more than 2,000 libraries they want to read across Australia participated, running more • Migrants looking for a point of connection than 4,000 events across the year, involving with their new surroundings more than 200,000 active participants. • Parents who might not have thought of reading as a family activity Our original budget for carrying out the • Elderly residents (promoting a healthy campaign was $7 million and, thanks to a mind as well as a healthy body) highly active program of partnerships, we • Young adults who may have got out of the managed to pull off nearly all the activities habit of reading for pleasure we wanted to do at a national level on the • Non-readers seeking help to improve their much reduced figure of $1.7 million. We literacy skills are currently working on the allocation of • People who don’t have their own computer costs against project management, program at home delivery, marketing and communications and evaluation, but as the project only ended two

30 Focus on International Library and Information Work Vol. 44, No. 1, 2013 Australia’s National Year of Reading 2012 weeks ago (at time of writing), these figures and contribution of the campaign to individuals are not yet available. and communities across Australia. The report will be finalised at the end of February 2013. However, we can see clearly that there has been an incredibly high level of return on For more information, contact: investment (ROI). Sue McKerracher [email protected]. au • If we just look at the $1.7 million invested Robyn Ellard [email protected]. against the value of the media coverage au generated and the in-kind support provided, this gives us an ROI of $18.59 National Year of Reading 2012 founder for every $1 invested. partners were the Australian Library and Information Association; the state-based public • If we look at the $1.7 million against the library associations of New South Wales (Metro 200,000 direct participants alone (ignoring and Country), Queensland, South Australia, the wider community awareness raising), Victoria and Western Australia; the State it has cost just $8.50 per person for a Libraries of New South Wales, Queensland, potentially life-changing experience. South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia; the Northern Territory Library; LINC Tasmania, Edith Cowan University is carrying out an and Libraries ACT; auspiced by the Australian evaluation of the National Year of Reading and Library and Information Association (ALIA). we anticipate more findings about the value

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Focus on International Library and Information Work Vol. 44, No. 1, 2013 31 ILIG Business

Treasurer’s Report for the Financial Year 2012 as the committee deems suitable if needed for Kathleen Ladizesky, 10 January 2013 ILIG business. For the first three quarters of 2012 Norman Briggs was Treasurer of ILIG but due to health In 2012 CILIP centralised all Branch and problems this post was taken over by Kathleen Group current and deposit accounts. This Ladizesky as of October 2012. worked very smoothly, managed by Norman Briggs. At this time Branches and Groups no Although there have been significant changes longer need to find their own independent in our income and expenditure for the year our examiners as this task has been taken on overall financial position is sound. board by CILIP where required - a very useful help in some cases. ILIG is indebted to Bose Capitation for 2012 was £654 - up on the nil Dada, CILIP Head of Finance, for her guidance capitation for 2011 but less than half of that of through the changes which occurred in 2012 £1,724 of 2010. and examination of the accounts.

No Anthony Thompson Award was made in On behalf of ILIG, I would like to express 2012 but already a number of applications have thanks to Norman for his work as Treasurer been received for the 2013 Award from New at a difficult time when the accounts were Professionals working in South East Asia (see being centralised and also at a difficult time for announcement on the next page). himself health-wise. We wish him all the best and hope that we will see him at future events Postage and printing costs of Focus have when possible. risen. We have increased the cover price of Focus in 2012 and sales income makes a The ILIG International Award 2013 significant contribution to the overall revenue ILIG International Award for making a but the position needs to be kept under review. difference in libraries and information services Dollar and Euro denominated sales provide a outside the United Kingdom significant additional margin over the Sterling price. In 2005 the International Library and Information Group of CILIP established an Two seminars ran in 2012 gave an overall annual prize to be awarded to a person, group income of £3,470. After all expenses had been or committee, which has made a real difference paid, a sum of £1,231.28 surplus remains. to a community through their work in library and information services in countries outside Our expenditure for 2012 is assessed as the United Kingdom of Great Britain and £9,785.23 with an income of £7,375.56, thus Northern Ireland (UK) giving a deficit of £2,409.67 for the year. Nominations for this award are now open. However, funds in the CCLA interest earning The nominee will be, or will have recently been, account total £18,055.74, of which around working overseas in the library and information £11,000 is restricted exclusively for the Anthony sector and the award will recognize an initiative Thompson Award. The remainder can be used that is either current or has been completed

32 Focus on International Library and Information Work Vol. 44, No. 1, 2013 ILIG Business within the last year. Precedence will be given to Nominations may be made by any member those who have not already received recognition of CILIP. for their work, e.g. by national organisations or publicity. Any person or group, except Please use the one of the downloadable members of the current and immediate past nomination forms at ILIG Committees, is eligible. They may be of www.cilip.org.uk/get-involved/special- any nationality and need not be professionally interest-groups/international/awards/pages/ trained librarians. newintaward.aspx

There is a cash prize of £100, plus one year’s Completed nomination forms must reach free subscription to Focus on International ILIG before 30 April 2013. Library and Information Work, ILIG’s journal.

Anthony Thompson Award 2013

ILIG are delighted to announce that this year’s winner of the Award* is Zakir Hossain, who is currently working as a Manager of the Library and Information Center, SEAMEO RETRAC, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. He has also worked and studied in his native city of Dhaka in Bangladesh.

This year the Award was targeted at the countries in South East Asia during the year when the IFLA World Library and Information Congress is hosted in Singapore and towards young professionals with a maximum of 5 years post qualification experience. The award will enable Zakir to visit the UK in June/July of this year for a period of up to 3 weeks to visit and research his stated professional interests relating to lifelong learning, the role of libraries in building society and current changes in reading habits. The ILIG Committee will be contacting libraries with particular strengths in these areas to seek hosts for visits and short periods of work shadowing for the successful candidate but any library who would like to volunteer their organisation are invited to contact Anna Jablkowska, Secretary of ILIG at: anna.jablkowska@ waitrose.com

*The Anthony Thompson Award enables a qualified librarian from outside the United Kingdom (UK) to visit and study some aspects of UK library and information work. Anthony Thompson was the first full-time Secretary-General of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions, (IFLA), serving from 1962 to 1970. Following his death, in 1979, a trust fund was set up for the study of international and comparative librarianship.

Focus on International Library and Information Work Vol. 44, No. 1, 2013 33 ILIG INCOME & EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT for the year ended 31 December 2012

INCOME 2012 2011 Capitation/RS Other receipts 689.00 Short term loan 1,000.00 Interest 172.26 63.01 Seminars 3,470.00 1,235.00 Focus 858.71 1,451.52 Miscellaneous 4,144.64 4,072.78 Total 10,334.61 6,923.31

EXPENDITURE Short term loan repayment 1,000.00 Committee 904.15 283.46 Postage & telephone 797.57 2,194.79 Stationary & printing 1,686.00 2,235.00 Bank interest/charges 45.00 15.00 Other travel & subsistence 295.80 41,458.00 Annual Confernece/seminars 2,238.72 2,341.78 Other events/Focus 2,330.00 Charity donations 614.60 Miscellaneous 591.15 38.99 Total 10,502.99 7,523.60

Surplus/Deficit for the year -168.38 -601.29

BALANCE SHEET ASSETS Comments Debtors Cash at Bank 18,231.28 21,126.57 18,231.28 21,126.57 LESS LIABILITIES Creditors 572.64 VAT 168.38 28.65 VAT owing 168.38 601.29 18,062.90 20,525.28 NET ASSETS Accumulated Fund CCLA COIF Charity funds 18,055.74 20,383.48 Barclays Community Account 743.09 closed Unity Trust select account 169.54 0.00 Alto prepaid card 6.00 Surplus/deficit for year -168.38 -601.29 18,062.90 20,525.28

34 Focus on International Library and Information Work Vol. 44, No. 1, 2013 News from Around the World

Africa It is available free of charge online at; http://www.hanszell.co.uk/print_vs_online.pdf NatLib Africa Database Hans M. Zell A database of national libraries of Africa Hans Zell Publishing, Lochcarron, Western exists and has been developed and maintained Ross, Scotland. [email protected] by the National Library of South Africa tasked by the International Federation of Library IFLA Associations (IFLA) National Libraries Section and the Conference Directors of National Libraries for Children and Young Adults: Libraries (CDNL). international perspectives with IFLA today IFLA section Libraries for Children and The objectives are to mobilise national Young Adults offers all librarians different libraries in Africa, to promote research and ways of exchanging, working and learning at discussion among them, to co-operate in the international level. What are these ways special projects, and to create a regional group today? Some are “traditionally” IFLA, some consisting of the national libraries, or equivalent are new… institutions, in each country. NatLib Africa Database http://nlsahopta. Among the former are conferences. Every nlsa.ac.za/nla/index.html year the Section organises a conference exclusively on children and young adult Print vs. electronic, and the ‘digital revolution’ services, and sessions at IFLA general in Africa conference. Over the recent years different A recent article written and published by aspects of library work for children have Hans Zell; been considered by librarians and other professionals from all over the world, in papers “takes a critical look at the print vs. digital debate that are available on line. Speakers at our last in Africa, taking stock of the current position as conference in Joensuu (Finland), Breaking it relates to electronic publishing and the use of Through Boundaries, came from fifteen different electronic reading devices in (English-speaking) countries! In 2013 conferences we will study sub-Saharan Africa, and the rapidly changing two questions: libraries and young people’s publishing environment on the continent. It cultural heritage (conserving, digitizing, describes and critically examines a number of giving access) in Bangkok and the training of projects and initiatives that are concerned with librarians for young people in Singapore. digital printing and publishing, and provision of e-book reading devices. Secondly, a Newsletter twice a year, with information on the Section of course but The article also touches upon another topic that especially with articles on inspiring initiatives is closely associated with digital media, namely that and experiences, largely illustrated. The last of the somewhat contentious area of self-publishing, issues take us from Australia to Poland, and the phenomenal rise in digital self-publishing in from Haiti to the Philippines, from Turkey to Africa in recent years”. California… The last article from the UK was published in 2009… proposals to the editor for

Focus on International Library and Information Work Vol. 44, No. 1, 2013 35 News from around the World contributions are welcome! motivation, absence of projects… One objective Then, a Mailing List specialised in libraries was to develop professional solidarity: to put for young people, with 350 members. Any in touch libraries more advantaged in terms of librarian can subscribe and post information training and financing with less advantaged or requests for information, contacts or advice. libraries, needing professional help. But the The “News” section of our IFLA webpages are project is open to all types of partnership another means to give colleagues information between libraries, whatever their financial or on events, publications etc. that you want to training possibilities. share internationally. Any library (public, school, NGO) or Finally, the Section has published three structure working with libraries can register; it Guidelines: for Children’s Library Services, for is not necessary to be an IFLA member. Then, Library Services to Children and Toddlers and to find a sister library, one reads other libraries’ for Library Services for Young Adults (revised), profiles, on the List of Participants (classified by with both “philosophical” and practical ideas country) and emails the libraries one would like to improve libraries’ response to meeting to twin with – the language spoken is of course young people’s needs, in ways that are the first criteria for choosing! Or else, one can developmentally appropriate. contact the Section and ask for a “godmother” to help find a sister library. It may take time to Alongside all this, the Section is conducting meet “the right” sister library… two participative programmes, involving any library that wishes to benefit from them: Possibilities are endless as to what sister libraries can do. It depends on the degree of 1. Sister Libraries for Children’s and Young investment they want (it can be an email per Adults’ Reading month!) and on what they need. The first thing The aim of this programme launched in is to get to know each other, by email or Skype, 2009 is to enable any library to get in touch share pictures of the library and the staff. Then, with a foreign library and build a partnership: librarians may exchange between themselves exchange ideas and experiences and do (ideas for programmes, difficulties faced and programmes together. The “sister library” solutions found, book recommendations, share principle –which is not new, of course, and has pictures of great moments in the library, staff proven to be very inspiring and to allow for exchanges, training exchanges…) or they can sustainable cooperation - applies here to work conduct joint programmes involving readers with children and young adults. (exchange of information on each other’s country, library and preferred books, reading The idea was born as a response to a clubs…). situation in which numerous children’s librarians all over the world find themselves: The programme has appealed to libraries all isolation, lack of training, lack of information over the world: 130 libraries have registered, on quality books, inadequate, old or too from all continents. Librarians and readers small collections, lack of financial, moral or speak a wide variety of languages, English, political support… but also stagnation, lack of Spanish and French being the most read and

36 Focus on International Library and Information Work Vol. 44, No. 1, 2013 News from around the World spoken. Their reasons for wanting a sister with participation of members of the national library are different… to discover in their committee of the Youth Libraries Group of profiles. Most are public libraries, but a third of CILIP. All information on the programme is on them are school libraries; some are big, others line as well as the illustrated catalogue that can very small. be printed free of charge. A session was held at last IFLA conference, with papers exploring 75 of the registered libraries have twinned. different countries’ picture book landscape: Many are still just exchanging information Haiti, US, Lebanon, Japan, Senegal… about each other, but many others are conducting joint programmes, as can be seen An exhibition of the selected books, in the blog created for sharing experiences. generously donated by publishers, is available An on-going activity is proposed around the to any library that requests it, also free of charge picture book My Favourite Book that can be sent except for insurance and travel expenses from free of charge to any library requesting it. Paris where the circulation of the exhibition is managed by the National Library. It will be The evaluation of the programme in 2012 is shown at the next Bologna Children’s Book on line, and a paper about it will be presented Fair, where IFLA Section Libraries for Children at next CILIP Umbrella Conference in July will have a stand. 2013: The IFLA international ‘Sister Libraries’ programme – connecting communities, developing For more information on the Section’s readers and building professional partnerships. We activities, you can contact any of the Standing hope more libraries in the UK will join! Committee members. And if you are attending IFLA conference, you are welcome to our SC 2. The World through Picture Books meetings! This programme is creating a list of picture books from around the world that have been Viviana Quiñones, Bibliothèque Nationale de France recommended by librarians in collaboration and Chair of the IFLA Section for Libraries for with IFLA section Literacy and Reading and Children and Young Adults with IBBY (International Board on Books for Young People). The books, all available, can be IFLA Multi-lingual Website used as a way of celebrating and promoting IFLA launched a multi-lingual version of its the language, cultures and quality of children’s website on 25 February 2013. Many of IFLA’s book publishing from each country, by policies, guidelines, and other documents libraries wishing to purchase books from other have been available in IFLA’s seven official countries and looking for popular and “multi- languages, and other languages, for some cultural” titles and by Sister Libraries as a way time. The launch of the multi-lingual website of exploring the children’s literature of their provides improved access to existing and Sister Library country. newly translated content in languages other than English. More than thirty countries have participated – more than 4000 librarians participated in the Multi-lingual access and content will voting in the UK, organised by Annie Everall begin with the Spanish language, and will

Focus on International Library and Information Work Vol. 44, No. 1, 2013 37 News from around the World be followed by French. A selection of key • Honduras (Universidad Nacional documents, policies and guidelines has been Autonoma de Honduras) translated. More content and translations into • Indonesia (Indonesian Research Institute) other IFLA languages will follow. • Kenya (Maseno University) • Nigeria (Convenant University) As a worldwide organisation IFLA deals • Nigeria (Obafemi Awolowo University) with many and large cultural differences, • Philippines (University of the Philippines most prominently languages. As one of IFLA’s Visayas) Key Initiatives, having the content of IFLA’s • Senegal (University of Thies) website in as many languages as possible • Uganda (Makerere University) helps to reduce the language barriers and gaps • Ukraine (Institute of Intellectual Property in relation to IFLA’s work. IFLA collaborates of National University, Kiev) with a network of Language Centres and • Zimbabwe (University of Zimbabwe) volunteers around the world to translate content, and promote content to their language The research project is a follow up to the 2012 communities. study, Working Together: evolving value for academic libraries, which investigated library value and Library Value in the Developing World reported on findings from the UK, US and SAGE is conducting a research study to Scandinavia. This project was undertaken by investigate library value in the developing LISU, a national research and information centre world. The project, Library Value in the based in the Research School of Informatics Developing World, will investigate the value of and the Department of Information Science academic libraries for teaching and research at Loughborough University (UK), who are staff at twelve institutions selected from also consulting on the current SAGE research countries classified by the World Bank as project. A finding of the 2012 LISU report was low income and middle income economies that general marketing of the library raises its (i.e. with a GNI less than $4035). The aim of profile amongst teaching and research staff. the study is to provide the academic library This is seen as an increasingly essential activity. community in developing countries with To this end, Library Value in the Developing World a better understanding of the connections will also include a marketing case study which between academic libraries and academic will examine the effectiveness of marketing departments, and to identify practical ways techniques to drive awareness, usage, and to enhance their working relationship. Library perception of the services and support libraries Value in the Developing World will focus on the offer their academics in teaching and research similarities and differences. roles.

The research team will be working with The results of the research project will be and using case studies from the following published in the summer of 2013. participant universities: For further information about this project • Ghana (University of Cape Coast) please contact Nell McCreadie, Group • Georgia (National Scientific Library) Marketing Manager, SAGE at nell.mccreadie@ sagepub.co.uk.

38 Focus on International Library and Information Work Vol. 44, No. 1, 2013 Letters to the Editor

Dear John,

I have been moved to write to you because Stephens (Green of the BL and Parker then of of the excellence of the last issue [43; 3 ‘12] of CLW) when I was (very briefly) the ICLG’s ‘Focus’. I can’t recall one better: CPD, the Group Secretary in 1974/5 (but having to give it up and CILIP and their exploitation of web-based when I was deeply involved in establishing and other mobile / tablet-based opportunities for the new MA / ALISE course at Loughborough international communications, ‘social learning - in the days of Peter Havard-Williams, Stella tools’ & Apps and all the ICT developments’ Keanan and Ann Irving). Thereafter I remained consequences for LIS services - and all from an involved as The LA’s Deputy Chief Executive international perspective: super!! with responsibilities for international work and liaison with the Group. It makes me so happy to see within CILIP the ILIG undertaking a more central role and with a Now as a retired Hon. Fellow I watch CILIP ‘higher profile’ thanks to predecessors of yours and the Group (along with IFLA – one of and earlier Chairs (where it may be invidious, my greatest professional ‘loves’) from (semi) but nevertheless, to single out Hazel Dakers). ‘retirement’ here in Sri Lanka, with some pride for the apparent understanding of the fantastic I think I was first involved with the ICLG, as and almost (then) unimaginable opportunities it used to be, as a student way back in the early available now for the LIS profession as changes sixties (having recently made a major change beyond recognition - but in ways so exciting in – Baghdad – in my career objectives from because of the new and immensely influential theatre-direction under some ‘encouragement’ roles - that await forward-looking and from my then British Council ‘guru’ – John innovative professionals as seem to be involved Ferguson) when I was at Ealing. Later I was with the Group. to become actively involved with the two Congratulations and more strength to you all involved.

Yours Sincerely Russell Bowden, Kottawa, Sri Lanka

Focus on International Library and Information Work Vol. 44, No. 1, 2013 39 DATES FOR YOUR DIARY ILIG INFORMALS AND MEETINGS

You are warmly invited to the next ILIG Informal

Date: Wednesday 10 April 2013 Time: 18:00 to 19:45 Place: CILIP, 7 Ridgmount Street, London, WC1E 7AE

We will be joined by Dr. Janet Murray, Director of Murray Consulting & Training Pty. Ltd. who is based in Australia. She will be speaking about her experience of developing libraries in the more remote areas of the globe including Vietnam and Samoa.

More details and online booking form in the next monthly e-bulletin.

ILIG Committee Meeting Date: Wednesday 12 June Time: 1.30pm - 5.00pm followed by ILIG informal, topic to be announced

Keep up-to-date with ILIG via its web pages at www.cilip.org.uk/ilig

If undelivered, please return to ILIG, c/o CILIP, 7 Ridgmount Street, LONDON, WC1E 7AE, UNITED KINGDOM

40 Focus on International Library and Information Work Vol. 44, No. 1, 2013