Ifla Journal

IFLA IFLA JOURNAL

Ofﬁ cial Journal of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions Volume 34 (2008) No. 4, pp. 321–400. ISSN 0340–0352 SAGE Publications

CONTENTS

Editorial: Focus on Québec Stephen Parker ...... 323 The President’s Page Claudia Lux ...... 325 Congrès mondial des bibliothèques et de l’information, Québec, 2008: Discours d’ouverture par le gouverneur général du Canada Michaëlle Jean ...... 326 World Library and Information Congress, Québec, 2008: opening address by the Governor General of Canada Michaëlle Jean ...... 330 World Library and Information Congress, Québec, 2008: opening address by the President of IFLA Claudia Lux ...... 333 Libraries and the First Nations People of Canada James Bartleman ...... 337 Libraries Driving Access to Knowledge: a discussion paper Ellen R. Tise, Reggie Raju and Charles Masango ...... 341 World Library and Information Congress, Québec, 2008: closing address by the President of IFLA Claudia Lux ...... 347 The Public Library in Contemporary Nigeria: challenges and the way forward Umunna N. Opara ...... 349 REPORTS Building for the Future: National and Academic Libraries from Around the Globe: report on a conference held in The Hague 3–5 October 2007 Karen Latimer and Andrew Cranﬁ eld ...... 359 Secretary General’s Report to Council, 2008 Peter Johan Lor ...... 363 IFLA’s New Transparency, Good Governance and Freedom from Corruption Manifesto: background and rationale Paul Sturges ...... 369 World Library and Information Congress, Québec, 2008: ‘Libraries on the Agenda’ – Report on the President’s Session Christel Mahnke ...... 371 Reports on Special Group Meetings in Québec ...... 373 The New IFLA Website Simon Lemstra ...... 378 NEWS (with separate Table of Contents) ...... 383 INTERNATIONAL CALENDAR ...... 394 SOMMAIRES 396 — ZUSAMMENFASSUNGEN 396 — RESÚMENES 397 — Pефераты статей 397 ...... 396 NNotesotes fforor ContributorsContributors ...... 399

Visit http://iﬂ .sagepub.com Free access to tables of contents and abstracts. Site-wide access to the full text for members of subscribing institutions. IFLA Journal Ofﬁ cial Journal of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions ISSN 0340-0352 [print] 1745-2651 [online] Published 4 times a year in March, June, October and December

Editor: Stephen Parker, Apt. 1C, Edifício Rosa dos Ventos, Rua Rosa Parracho 27, Cascais 2750-778, Portugal. E-mail: [email protected]

Editorial Committee David Miller (Chair), Levin Library, Curry College, Milton, MA, USA. E-mail: [email protected] Michèle Battisti, Association des professionels de I’information et de documentation (ADBS), Paris, France. E-mail: [email protected] Sanjay Kumar Bihani, Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi, India. E-mail: [email protected] Galina Kislovskaya, Russian State Library, Moscow, Russian Federation. E-mail: [email protected] Filiberto Felipe Martinez-Arellano, University Center for Library Science Research, National Autonomous University of Mexico. E-mail: [email protected] Alli Mcharazo, Tanzania Library Service, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. E-mail: [email protected] Christobal Pasadas Ureña, Universidad de Granada Biblioteca, Facultad de Psicología, Granada, Spain. E-mail: [email protected] Christine Wellems, Buergerschaftskanzlei, Parlamentarische Informationsdienste, Hamburg, Germany. E-mail: [email protected] Wu Jianzhong, Shanghai Library, Shanghai, China. E-mail: [email protected] Stephen Parker (United Kingdom) (Editor, ex ofﬁ cio)

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Stephen Parker young people. He implemented four aboriginal literacy programs including a reading program In this issue of IFLA Journal, the focus is on and summer reading camps for native children. Québec – specifi cally, on the World Library and Mr. Bartleman served for 35 years in Canada’s Information Congress, 74th IFLA General Con- Foreign Service as Ambassador to various coun- ference and Council, held in the beautiful city of tries. He is the author of four best-selling books Québec, Canada, from 10–14 August 2008. and currently Chancellor of The Ontario College of Art and Design. We begin, appropriately, with the Opening Address by the Governor General of Canada, the Right The next paper, by IFLA President-elect Ellen Tise, Honourable Michaëlle Jean. The fi rst language for Reggie Raju and Charles Masango, is a slightly many of the proceedings in Québec was, of course, revised version of a paper which provided the French; so in acknowledgment of the importance background to discussions during the President- of the French language to Québécois culture, we elect’s Brainstorming Session, held during the fi rst present Mme Jean’s address in French – the Québec Congress on 12 August 2008. Ellen Tise language in which it was delivered. However, is currently the Senior Director, Library and Infor- because the primary language of publication of mation Services at the University of Stellenbosch, IFLA Journal is English, we next present the South Africa. She is President-elect of IFLA for English translation of her address. the period 2007–2009 and will thus automatically serve as President for the period 2009–2011. Michaëlle Jean was born in Port au Prince, Haiti, Reggie Raju is also employed at the Stellenbosch and immigrated to Canada with her family in University Library and Information Service as 1968, fl eeing the dictatorial regime of the time. Director of Information Technology and Com- She worked for eight years with Québec shelters munication, while Charles A. Masango is a for battered women, and later ventured into Research Development Co-ordinator with the journalism and took part in documentary fi lms Emerging Research Programme, Department of produced by her husband. Michaëlle Jean became Research and Innovation at the University of Cape Canada’s 27th Governor General in September Town. In ‘Libraries Driving Access to Knowledge: 2005. a discussion paper’, the authors provide a brief examination of the evolution of libraries and We follow the Governor General’s address with their contribution to literacy and information pro- the Opening Address by the President of IFLA, vision and access to that information. They note Claudia Lux. This in turn is followed by a paper that the mode of access has signifi cantly changed, from one of the plenary sessions in Québec. In and this has brought a different set of challenges. ‘Libraries and the First Nations People of Canada’ These challenges include, amongst others, the James Bartleman, until recently Lieutenant dismantling of barriers to access in an era of Governor of Ontario, describes his childhood as a information explosion and the moral obligation member of the First Nations People of Canada and to drive access to knowledge and information. his discovery of the value of books and libraries. He describes the social conditions of young We close this highly selective sample of papers people living in poor First Nation communities from the Québec Congress with the Closing in Canada and his efforts to establish libraries, Address by the President of IFLA, Claudia Lux. summer reading camps, reading clubs and creative writing literary awards for children and youth The next paper was not presented at the Québec in these communities. During his time in offi ce, Congress, though it refl ects many of the themes Mr Bartleman pursued three priorities: elimin- and topics discussed in Québec, particularly, ating the stigma of mental illness, supporting perhaps, those raised in Hervé Fischer’s address. anti-racism initiatives and encouraging aboriginal In ‘The Public Library in Contemporary Nigeria:

challenges and the way forward’, Umunna N. from Corruption Manifesto: background and Opara, a Principal Lecturer at the Federal Poly- rationale’, by Paul Sturges, Chair of IFLA FAIFE, technic, Nekede, Owerri, in Imo State, Nigeria, explains how the Manifesto came about. examines the state of public libraries in Nigeria and notes that the tempo of public library devel- Another feature of the programme in Québec was opment in the country in the years immediately a session led by President Claudia Lux to review after independence, and after the Nigerian civil progress in connection with her Presidential war could not be sustained due to inadequate theme, ‘Libraries on the Agenda’. The proceedings fi nancial support by the establishing authorities. are summarized in the report on the session by The paper identifies inadequate funding, de- Christel Mahnke. moralized and inadequate workforce, inadequate accommodation, etc. as the challenges currently The next item in the Reports section is a report confronting these libraries. It proposes a remedi- on ‘The New IFLA Website’ by Simon Lemstra, ation of these conditions as a way forward. IFLA Web Manager, which describes some of the background to the planning and development of The Reports section of this issue is longer than the new site. usual, and again focuses mainly on the proceedings in Québec. However, the first report, Also included in the Reports section are brief ‘Building for the Future: National and Academic reports on the meetings in Québec organized by Libraries from around the Globe’, by Karen the Special Interest Group on Indigenous Matters, Latimer and Andrew Cranfi eld, summarizes the the Access to Information Network–Africa/Réseau proceedings of a conference organized by the d’Accès à l’Information en Afrique, the Women, IFLA Library Buildings and Equipment Section Information and Libraries Discussion Group, the and the Koninklijke Bibliotheek, held in The E-Learning Discussion Group, the Agricultural Hague from 3–5 October 2007. The aim of the Libraries Discussion Group, the LIS Education conference was to explore, through a series of in Developing Countries Discussion Group and visits and case studies, how national and academic the New Professionals Discussion Group. library building projects had successfully risen to the challenges posed by raised user expect- As mentioned above, a noteworthy item in the ations and the need for new services. News section is the ‘IFLA Manifesto on Trans- parency, Good Governance and Freedom from The next item in the Reports section is the Corruption’. Also in the News section, for those Secretary General’s Report to Council, 2008, who can’t forget Québec or those who wish they by outgoing Secretary General Peter Johan Lor, had been there, is an opportunity for ‘Looking which provides a mainly very positive picture of Back on the Congress’. IFLA’s progress over the past year. IFLA Section Committees have submitted more The new IFLA Manifesto on Transparency, Good than 30 recommendations of papers from their Governance and Freedom from Corruption was Québec Congress sessions to be considered by offi cially launched at a press conference during the IFLA Journal Editorial Committee for pos- the Québec Congress. The full text of the Mani- sible publication in 2009. The papers selected festo is presented in the News Section of this by the Committee will appear in coming issues issue under the heading ‘Policies and Plans’, but of the journal, giving readers further opportunities the next item in the Reports section, ‘IFLA’s new to experience the fl avour of Québec. Transparency, Good Governance and Freedom

324 The President’s Page

Claudia Lux, IFLA President, 2007–2009

When I‘m writing this page the Berlin Marathon has just ﬁ nished. Near to 40,000 runners were on the streets of Berlin on a golden autumn day and even more visitors from all around the world were watching the spectacle along the streets. Haile Gebrselassie of Ethiopia shattered his own marathon record this Sunday morning, to become the ﬁ rst man in history to run it in under 2 hours 4 minutes. Irina Mikitenko from Germany, after a fantastic race, wins the women’s marathon.

I never understood how one can run more than 5 kilometres, not to say 42 kilometres, in a row. It is so fascinating to watch the energy when people pursue this goal, how they prepare themselves over months to take part in this great event. I would like to know how many librarians are Claudia Lux, IFLA President 2007–2009 running marathons. The results list does not show a profession, but I know at least some people more staff. They are under pressure by politicians from libraries in Germany who are running the who do not want libraries to give access to the Marathon in Berlin. knowledge in the world, and who apply censorship in a direct or subtle way. It is a marathon of argu- We have had some running events in connection ments we need to put libraries on the agenda. with IFLA Congresses. Have we ever had a page in our library journals about librarians and sports? So what is it that librarians love about their jobs? Oh yes, quite a few and there have even been some reports about the football matches with librarians Is it the atmosphere of the library, this temple of from Austria, Germany and Italy. Last time they knowledge or the new living room of the city? played in the biggest stadium of Munich. Is it the world of possibilities which are open to us through the books and media around us? Is As you all know, we librarians do not have the it the wonderful feeling when we could give help image of marathon runners. But in reality we are. to somebody who was looking for an answer? You will hardly meet a more dedicated group of Or is it just our joy in never ceasing to learn more people who are identifying themselves with their about the world and the creative ideas of men institutions and services to the people. You will just by doing our jobs? I am sure that every one hardly ﬁ nd a group of people who are so proud on of you can describe why you love our profession. their work. Most librarians love their job. Why is And when you do it, please start to tell it to other it like that? Is there any objective reason for it? people. Tell it to show them the new picture of librarians. Tell it to explain why libraries must be Librarians are often not well paid, their institu- on their agenda. And tell it to convince young tions are constantly in discussion with politicians people to come into our profession, as we need who do not understand why libraries are growing more people who love to run a marathon for bigger, need more money for acquisitions and libraries on the agenda.

Copyright © 2008 Author. IFLA Journal 34(4): 325. IFLA ISSN: 0340-0352. DOI: 10.1177/0340035208099261 325 Congrès mondial des bibliothèques et de l’information Québec, 2008: Discours d’ouverture par le gouverneur général du Canada

Michaëlle Jean Bienvenue à Québec!

Nous voici réunis à l’endroit où le majestueux ﬂ euve Saint-Laurent se rétrécit, comme le rappelle la signiﬁ cation amérindienne du mot Québec. Dans cette ville chargée d’histoire et en cette année qui marque le quatre centième anniversaire de sa fondation par l’explorateur français Samuel de Champlain et ses compagnons d’aventure. Cet anniversaire rappelle l’épopée fabuleuse qu’était celle des premières traversées et des « nouveaux commencements » en terre d’Amérique, pour reprendre la formule du Père le Jeune. Cette épopée, Champlain l’a racontée et l’a illustrée avec force détails dans quatre ouvrages successifs qui s’échelonnent de 1603 à 1632, des carnets de voyages couvrant la quasi-totalité de ses voyages dans les Amériques et de ses séjours au Canada.

Le récit de ses explorations et de ses découvertes est parvenu Son Excellence la très honorable jusqu’à nous presque entièrement, parce que ces ouvrages ont été Mme Michaëlle Jean est née publiés de son vivant et conservés dans des bibliothèques et des à Port-au-Prince en Haïti. C’est fonds d’archives. C’est d’ailleurs à l’initiative d’un bibliothécaire, en 1968 qu’elle est arrivée au l’abbé Laverdière, également professeur d’histoire au séminaire de Canada en compagnie de sa Québec, que ces textes ont été réédités deux siècles plus tard. Tout famille, après avoir fui le régime un foisonnement d’études et d’ouvrages s’en est suivi. Nul doute dictatorial de l’époque. Titulaire d’une maîtrise en littérature que, sans la publication et la conservation des carnets de voyage comparée à l’Université de de Champlain et des ouvrages qui y sont consacrés, cette page Montréal, elle a ensuite enseigné décisive de notre histoire, que nous célébrons cette année, nous à la faculté d’études italiennes aurait échappé. de cette même institution. Trois bourses lui permettent Je vous invite d’ailleurs à visiter durant ce séjour la Citadelle de de parfaire ses connaissances Québec, reconnu comme le site militaire historique le mieux à l’université de Pérouse, à conservé en Amérique du Nord et qui abrite aussi la résidence l’université de Florence et à ofﬁ cielle du gouverneur général. Vous y trouverez un précieux l’Université catholique de Milan. bâtiment patrimonial, la Redoute, érigée par le sieur de Frontenac Mme Jean parle couramment cinq en 1693, que nous avons fait restaurer pour y exposer Le grand livre langues : le français, l’anglais, de Champlain, œuvre monumentale offerte par les villes françaises l’italien, l’espagnol et le créole. Parallèlement à ses études, elle de La Rochelle, Rochefort et l’agglomération de Royan à l’occasion a oeuvré pendant huit ans auprès du 400e de Québec. des maisons d’hébergement et de transition pour femmes Je crois comme vous que tout espace consacré à la diffusion du victimes de violence conjugale savoir et de la grande aventure de l’humanité vient illuminer et au Québec et participé à la mise enrichir notre patrimoine collectif. C’est dire à quel point votre sur pied d’un réseau de refuges rôle, en tant que gardiens de la mémoire du monde, a toujours d’urgence au Québec et ailleurs été crucial pour le développement humain : depuis les tablettes au Canada. Mme Jean a ensuite d’argile conservées dans les archives et la bibliothèque du palais des connu une brillante carrière de rois d’Assyrie jusqu’à l’ère numérique, en passant par la mythique journaliste, de présentatrice et bibliothèque d’Alexandrie.

About the Author continued on Tout au cours de l’histoire, il a fallu la clairvoyance et l’engagement page 329 de gens convaincus, comme vous, de l’importance et de la portée

Copyright © 2008 Author. IFLA Journal 34(4): 326–329. 326 IFLA ISSN: 0340-0352. DOI: 10.1177/0340035208099262 Discours d’ouverture par le gouverneur général du Canada des écrits et de tous les témoignages qui font que et de conservation. Ces documents vont bien les mots traversent les siècles, les frontières, au-delà de l’écrit, allant de l’enregistrement sonore brisent les solitudes et viennent jusqu’à nous. aux vidéos et aux ﬁ lms. Nous voici à l’ère des Nous devons à ces passeurs de savoir, ces con- médiathèques. servateurs de manuscrits, ces copistes, ces enlu- mineurs, ces fondateurs de bibliothèques et De nouveaux supports permettent ce qui parais- d’archives, ces esprits éclairés d’avoir accès à la sait inimaginable il y a à peine un quart de siècle. sagesse d’Aristote, de jouer Sophocle et Euripide Il est possible aujourd’hui d’assurer une pérennité des millénaires après leur mort, voire d’écouter à des œuvres, des traits de civilisations et des les partitions de compositeurs de génie comme témoignages issus de la tradition orale. Grâce à Mozart. ces supports nos pouvons désormais faire en sorte que tout un art de vivre ne sombre dans l’oubli. Les bibliothèques et la science qu’elles sous- tendent sont nées d’un idéal de pérennité et Chez nous au Canada, nous réalisons à quel d’universalité qu’ont caressé toutes les grandes point il est urgent de voir à la survie des cultures civilisations depuis l’invention de l’écriture : celui ancestrales, notamment celles des premiers qui consiste à réunir tout le savoir du monde, à peuples qui sont nos racines les plus profondes la manière de Jorge Luis Borges, qui a un jour en ce continent, les Premières nations, les Inuits rêvé d’une bibliothèque qui contiendrait tous les et les Métis. ouvrages depuis la nuit des temps. Il est urgent de tout faire pour sauvegarder la Or, l’histoire nous a montré combien les fos- richesse de leurs légendes, de leurs histoires, de soyeurs d’idées et de liberté s’en prennent souvent leurs coutumes, de leurs savoirs, de leurs rapports aux bibliothèques et aux livres, avec quelle fureur au territoire. ils les mettent à l’index et les jettent au bûcher de leur barbarie. Combien de trésors fragiles et Il est primordial de les aider à rassembler les précieux ont été réduits en cendres. Deux millions traces de tout ce dont ils ont été dépossédés par la de livres, dont 3000 manuscrits rares sont ainsi colonisation et de voir à préserver ce patrimoine partis en fumée dans la nuit du 25 au 26 août unique. Déjà trop de langues sont disparues du 1992 lorsque la bibliothèque de Sarajevo a été fait même d’une désastreuse indifférence. volontairement bombardée et incendiée. C’est comme si deux millions d’étoiles s’étaient éteintes La meilleure façon de lutter contre les ravages à jamais dans le ciel de l’humanité. de l’indifférence c’est la connaissance. N’était- ce pas le projet ambitieux de Diderot et de son C’est dire à quel point l’idéal qui vise à préserver Encyclopédie, au siècle des Lumières? et à mettre le savoir à la portée de toutes et de tous, à favoriser ainsi le partage et la rencontre des Or, vous, bibliothécaires et archivistes, savez idées, l’esprit critique, l’humanisme et la vigueur désormais faire en sorte que les connaissances des forces de création, cet idéal n’est jamais voyagent bien au-delà des murs de vos établisse- totalement à l’abri des esprits réducteurs et des ments. Grâce à la numérisation et le web vos forces de destruction. parvenez à abolir les contraintes d’espace et d’accès. Vous avez en main de puissants instruments de Cet idéal est une œuvre de vigilance qu’il nous développement et de démocratisation. faut protéger, poursuivre sans cesse, démocratiser, comme un bien commun, une denrée et une L’arrivée des bibliothèques sur le web a assuré- ressource essentielles à la vie. ment permis de créer de nouveaux réseaux et d’établir des liens inespérés et lumineux entre Et jamais, je dirais, cet idéal ne nous a semblé divers champs de connaissances et diverses aussi atteignable, réalisable qu’aujourd’hui, disciplines. C’est un véritable décloisonnement alors que les nouvelles technologies offrent aux des institutions de l’information, des biblio- bibliothèques, aux archives et aux institutions thèques et de leurs champs de compétences à vocation patrimoniale des possibilités quasi qui est en marche à l’échelle de la planète, un inﬁ nies. La nature même des documents a changé, décloisonnement qui entraîne à son tour un accès ainsi que leur mode de création, de diffusion sans précédent au savoir. Dans ce contexte, vous 327 Michaëlle Jean

n’êtes plus seulement des gardiens de la mémoire apprentissage de la liberté qui ne m’a plus jamais et des transmetteurs de connaissances, mais des quittée et qui m’inspire dans tous les combats pourvoyeurs de contenus et de sens. que je mène, aujourd’hui comme hier, en ayant à cœur de contribuer de différentes façons à une J’irais jusqu’à dire que, sans vous, les nouvelles plus grande humanisation de l’humanité. technologies ne seraient que des coquilles vides. Je crois profondément que les bibliothèques, Hier, c’était, entre autres, soutenir la bibliothèque traditionnelles et virtuelles – car les deux, à mon du quartier défavorisé où j’ai vécu plus de 15 sens, ont leur place – doivent plus que jamais nous ans, dans le sud ouest de Montréal, et contribuer accompagner dans ce mouvement d’ouverture à regarnir celle aussi de la petite école primaire et cet accès toujours plus grand à la diversité des fréquentée par de nombreux enfants chez qui cultures et des connaissances. Les bibliothèques, vous ne trouviez pas un seul livre, ni le moindre grandes et petites, doivent aussi nous guider dans magazine. notre quête de sens et notre compréhension de la place que nous tenons dans l’histoire et dans Aujourd’hui, la gouverneure générale qui se tient le monde. devant vous a toujours à cœur d’accompagner la mise sur pied de camps de lecture pour enfants et Dans le pays où je suis né, Haïti, à côté de la crise de bibliothèques dans des communautés isolées alimentaire, de la vie chère, de l’insécurité et de parmi les plus désavantagées de notre pays. Lors la faillite des institutions, l’accès à l’éducation de mes nombreux déplacements à travers le est en tête de liste des préoccupations. La soif Canada et de visites d’État dans des pays en d’apprendre et le désir de s’instruire font que développement, j’ai toujours dans mes bagages des jeunes, privés d’électricité à la maison, des caisses de livres à distribuer, parmi lesquels s’agglutinent au pied des réverbères le soir, là où des dizaines d’exemplaires des Prix littéraires du il y en a, ou s’arrachent les yeux autour d’une gouverneur général dont toute une sélection en lampe à l’huile, pour déchiffrer leurs leçons, lire littérature jeunesse. tout ce qui leur tombe sous la main. Parlez-leur de bibliothèques ouvertes à toutes et à tous, lieux Je suis ravie de voir que vous avez au nombre fabuleux de découvertes, et les voilà qui se mettent des conférenciers invités l’ancien lieutenant- à rêver grand. gouverneur de l’Ontario, mon ami James Bartle- man qui a contribué à grand renfort de conviction Alberto Manguel, romancier canadien d’origine et d’imagination à la mise sur pied d’un vaste argentine, essayiste, traducteur, éminent poly- réseau de lecture, de bibliothèques scolaires et glotte, grand collectionneur de livres, lecteur d’alphabétisation dans les communautés auto- vorace et généreux qui a fait la lecture pendant chtones du Nord de l’Ontario. Notre rêve est d’en deux ans à Borges, aveugle, décrit ainsi ses heures faire une initiative nationale. Chaque mot, chaque de rêverie dans des bibliothèques : « J’éprouve geste, chaque livre, chaque bibliothèque, chaque un plaisir d’aventurier à me perdre entre les médiathèque compte. rayonnages encombrés, avec la conviction super- stitieuse qu’une hiérarchie établie de lettres ou Je salue votre engagement et votre dévouement de chiffres me mènera un jour à une destination à une cause qui m’est chère et vous souhaite de promise. » J’aime croire que cette destination très fructueuses discussions en cette ville qui, cette promise dont parle Manguel c’est l’espace vital année, plus belle que jamais, a le cœur à la fête. de tous les possibles, de tous nos espoirs et de tous nos rêves. Merci et bon congrès!

Jamais je n’oublierai la première fois où ma Discours d’ouverture presenté auCongrès mondial mère a déposé un livre entre mes mains. Ce des bibliothèques et de l’information: 74e congrès premier livre m’a ouvert les yeux, l’esprit et le et assemblée générale de l’IFLA, 10–14 août 2008, cœur sur le monde tel qu’il est et tel qu’on peut Québec City, Canada, pendant la Cérémonie l’imaginer. C’est non seulement un apprentissage d’ouverture (Session 67). English version: see de la connaissance qui en a résulté, mais un pages 330–332.

328 Discours d’ouverture par le gouverneur général du Canada

About the Author continued le Prix Anik du meilleur reportage d’information au Canada pour son enquête sur le pouvoir de d’animatrice d’émissions d’information à Radio- l’argent dans la société haïtienne; le premier Prix Canada et au réseau anglais CBC Newsworld. Elle de journalisme d’Amnesty International -Canada. a aussi participé à plusieurs ﬁ lms documentaires Elle a également été reçue membre de l’Ordre signés par son mari, le cinéaste Jean-Daniel Lafond des Chevaliers de La Pléiade par l’Assemblée : La manière nègre ou Aimé Césaire, chemin faisant, internationale des parlementaires de langue Tropique Nord, Haïti dans tous nos rêves, L’heure française, et désignée Citoyenne d’honneur par de Cuba, tous primés, au Canada et sur la scène la Ville de Montréal et le ministère québécois de internationale. Le couple a une ﬁ lle de huit ans, l’Immigration et des Relations avec les citoyens du Marie-Éden. Québec pour ses réalisations dans le domaine des Les réalisations de Mme Jean lui ont valu de communications. nombreuses distinctions, dont le Prix Mireille- En septembre 2005, Michaëlle Jean est devenue Lanctôt pour un reportage sur la violence conjugale; le 27e gouverneur général du Canada.

329 World Library and Information Congress, Québec, 2008: opening address by the Governor General of Canada

Michaëlle Jean Welcome to Québec!

We have come together where the majestic St. Lawrence River narrows, which is the original Indian meaning of the word Québec. In this magniﬁ cent city steeped in history, in this year marking the 400th anniversary of its founding by French explorer Samuel de Champlain and his fellow adventurers. This anniversary reminds us of the great epic of those ﬁ rst crossings, those “new beginnings” in America, to quote Père le Jeune. Champlain recounted and illustrated this epic in great detail in four successive works published between 1603 and 1632, travel logs covering almost all his travels in the Americas and his time in Canada.

Almost all accounts of his explorations and discoveries have survived to this day because they were published in his lifetime and preserved in libraries and archives. It was also on the initiative of a librarian – Abbé Laverdière, who was also a history teacher at the Séminaire de Québec – that these texts were reedited two centuries later. This was followed by an abundance of studies and works. There is no doubt that, were it not for the publication and Her Excellency the Right Honour- preservation of Champlain’s travel logs and all the works dedicated able Mme Michaëlle Jean was to them, the decisive page of our history that we are celebrating born in Port au Prince, Haiti. this year would have been lost. She immigrated to Canada with her family in 1968, fl eeing the dictatorial regime of the time. During your stay here, I encourage you to visit the Citadelle of After obtaining a Master of Québec, recognized as the oldest preserved military site in North Arts in comparative literature America and home to the Governor General’s offi cial residence. It at the University of Montreal also contains an important heritage building, the Redoubt, built by she taught at the Faculty of the Sieur de Frontenac in 1693, and restored to exhibit Le Grand Italian Studies at the same Livre de Champlain, a major work of art donated by the French university. Three scholarships cites of La Rochelle, Rochefort and the Agglomération de Royan allowed her to pursue her studies for the City of Québec’s 400th anniversary. at the University of Perouse, the University of Florence and Like you, I believe that any space dedicated to sharing humanity’s the Catholic University of Milan. great adventure and knowledge enlightens and enriches our collect- She is fl uent in fi ve languages: ive heritage. That is why you, as guardians of the world’s memories, French, English, Italian, Spanish and Creole. During her studies, have always played an essential role in human development: from Ms. Jean worked for eight years the clay tablets preserved in the library and archives of the palaces with Quebec shelters for battered of Assyrian kings, to the mythical Library at Alexandria, all the way women, while actively contributing to the digital age. to the establishment of a network of emergency shelters throughout Throughout history, we have needed the insight and commitment Québec and elsewhere in Canada. of people, like you, who recognize the importance and scope of She later ventured into journalism written works and accounts, which have allowed words to survive and became a highly regarded the centuries, cross borders, break down solitudes and speak to us. These passers-on of knowledge, these guardians of manuscripts, About the Author continued on these transcribers, these illuminators, these founders of libraries and page 332 archives, these wise spirits; they are the reason we have access to

Copyright © 2008 Author. IFLA Journal 34(4): 330–332. 330 IFLA ISSN: 0340-0352. DOI: 10.1177/0340035208099263 Opening Address by the Governor General of Canada the wisdom of Aristotle and the plays of Sophocles save entire lifestyles from disappearing into the and Euripides thousands of years after they died, shadows. the reason we can listen to the scores of musical geniuses like Mozart. Here in Canada, we know how important it is to protect ancestral cultures, especially those of the Libraries and the sciences behind them were born fi rst people, who are our deepest roots on this con- of a longing for perpetuity and universality that tinent, the First Nations, Inuit and Métis. There every great civilization has entertained since the is an urgent need to do all we can to protect the invention of writing: the desire to bring all the wealth of their legends, their stories, their customs, world’s knowledge together in the manner of their knowledge and their ties to the land. It is Jorge Luis Borges, who one day dreamed of a essential that we help them gather the traces of library that would contain every work written everything that colonization took from them and since the beginning of time. ensure this unique heritage is preserved. Too many languages have already disappeared simply History has taught us that those who want to through indifference. stifl e ideas and freedom often focus on libraries and books, banning them and burning them at Knowledge is our best defence against the ravages the stake of their barbarism. So many fragile of indifference. Was that not what Diderot was and precious treasures have been reduced to aiming for with his ambitious Encyclopédie ashes. Two million books, including 3000 price- project during the Enlightenment? less manuscripts, went up in smoke the night of August 25–26, 1992, when Sarajevo’s library was As librarians and archivists, you already know deliberately bombed and burned to the ground. how to make certain that knowledge travels well It was as though two million stars in the sky of beyond the walls of your institutions. Digitization humanity were forever extinguished. and the Web have fi nally removed the constraints of space and access. You now have powerful Which only goes to show that preserving know- instruments of development and democratization ledge and making it accessible to all—thereby at your disposal. With libraries now being posted encouraging the sharing and meeting of ideas, on the Web, new networks can be created, and un- critical thought, humanism and all the strength expected and brilliant ties can be established of the forces of creation – this ideal can never be between various fi elds of knowledge and a wide completely protected from the narrow-minded or range of disciplines. Information institutions, the forces of destruction. libraries and related establishments are being brought together on a global scale, resulting in We must therefore be vigilant and protect this an unprecedented access to knowledge. In this ideal, work on it constantly and democratize it way, you are not only guarding memories and like a common good, commodity, or resource that transmitting knowledge; you are also supplying is essential to life. content and meaning.

And, I must say, this ideal has never seemed as One might even say that, without you, new tech- attainable or feasible as it does today, at a time nologies would be but empty shells. I strongly when new technologies provide libraries, archives believe that libraries – both traditional and virtual, and heritage institutions almost inﬁ nite possibil- because I think they both have their place – must ities. The very nature of documents has changed, now more than ever be part of the movement as have the ways they are created, distributed and towards openness and an even-greater access to preserved. Documents now go above-and-beyond the diversity of cultures and knowledge. Libraries, the written word, and include sound recordings, big and small, must also guide us in our quest for videos and ﬁ lms. We have now entered the era of meaning and our understanding of our place in the multimedia library. history and the world.

New mediums allow what seemed unimaginable In Haiti, where I was born, what is of greatest only twenty-ﬁ ve years ago. We can now ensure concern to people is the food shortage, the cost that written works, the traits of civilizations and of living, the lack of security, the bankruptcy of accounts given through oral traditions all live on institutions, and access to education. The thirst for in perpetuity. With these new mediums, we can knowledge and the desire to learn pushes young 331 Michaëlle Jean

people who have no electricity at home to stand of Ontario, my friend James Bartleman, who, with together at night under streetlamps, where there great conviction and imagination, helped establish are any, or to strain their eyes under oil lamps a vast network dedicated to reading, educational to work on their lessons and read anything they libraries and literacy training in aboriginal com- can get their hands on. Tell them about libraries munities in northern Ontario. Our dream is to that are open to everyone, incredible places of make it a national initiative. Every word, every discovery, and watch them start to dream big. action, every book, every library, every multimedia library counts. Alberto Manguel, an Argentinean-born Canadian novelist, essayist, translator, eminent polyglot, I salute your commitment and dedication to a collector of books, and voracious and generous cause that is dear to my heart, and I hope you have reader – he read to a blind Borges for two years – very productive discussions in this city, which described his hours of reverie in libraries in this is more beautiful than ever this year and in the way: “I feel an adventurous pleasure in losing mood to celebrate. myself among the crowded stacks, superstitiously confi dent that any established hierarchy of letters Thank you! or numbers will lead me one day to a promised destination.” I think the promised destination Opening address presented at the World Library Manguel spoke of is that vital space where any- and Information Congress: 74th IFLA General Con- thing is possible, where all of our hopes and ference and Council, 10–14 August 2008, Québec dreams reside. City, Canada, in the Opening Ceremony (Session 67). Version française: voir pages 326–329. I will never forget the fi rst time my mother put a book in my hands. That fi rst book opened my eyes, my soul and my heart to the world as we know it, and the world as we can imagine it. As a result, I gained not only knowledge, but a freedom that can never be taken from me, one that inspires me About the Author continued in all the battles I face, today as yesterday, through journalist and anchor of information programs at my desire to do all that I can to help humanize Radio-Canada and CBC Newsworld. She also took humanity. part in documentary fi lms produced by her husband, fi lmmaker Jean-Daniel Lafond, including A State of Yesterday, among other things, I did so by sup- Blackness: Aimé Césaire’s Way (La manière nègre porting the library in the disadvantaged neigh- ou Aimé Césaire, chemin faisant), Tropic North bourhood I lived in for more than 15 years in (Tropique Nord), Haiti in All Our Dreams (Haïti dans tous nos rêves), and Last Call for Cuba (L’heure de southwest Montreal, and by helping to restock the Cuba), all of which earned awards both in Canada one in the little elementary school, many students and internationally. The couple has an eight-year old of which live in homes without a single book or daughter, Marie-Éden. magazine. Ms. Jean has won numerous honours, including the Prix Mireille-Lanctôt for a report on spousal violence; Today, the Governor General who stands before the Prix Anik for best information reporting in Canada you supports the implementation of reading for her investigation of the power of money in Haitian camps for children and libraries in isolated com- society; and the inaugural Amnesty International munities, some of which are the most disadvan- Canada Journalism Award. She has also been taged in our country. During my many travels named to the Ordre des Chevaliers de La Pléiade, by across Canada and on my State visits to developing the Assemblée internationale des parlementaires de countries, I always take boxes of books with me langue française, and has been made an honorary to distribute, including many that have won the citizen by the City of Montreal and the Ministère de Governor General’s Literary Award, especially l’Immigration et des relations avec les citoyens of those from the Children’s Literature category. Québec in recognition of her accomplishments in communications. I was excited to see that one of the invited speakers Michaëlle Jean became Canada’s 27th Governor at this congress is the former Lieutenant Governor General in September 2005.

332 World Library and Information Congress, Québec, 2008: opening address by the President of IFLA

Claudia Lux Members of the National Committee of the World Library and Information Congress 2008

Presidents and directors of library associations

Distinguished guests

Delegates and Colleagues

What a great pleasure to be here with you at the ofﬁ cial Opening of the World Library and Information Congress 2008 in Québec City, the 74th IFLA General Conference and Council. Thank you all for coming to this great event in the wonderful city of Québec in Canada.

Canada, a country and a government that puts libraries on its agenda with its strong support of this Congress. Canada, a country with a high professional level of library work. Canada, a country with new library buildings as outstanding models. Canada, a country with remote libraries in isolated rural communities connected by satellite technology to the world’s knowledge. Canada, a country whose librarians have played an important role in the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions for decades and have given us professional help of great value – and still do. One outstanding example of the librarians’ activities here in Canada is the founding of Bibliomondialis to support ten colleagues from developing countries to participate in the World Library and Information Congress 2008. Let’s say thank you to our host country for its support of our IFLA and the Congress here in Québec City.

Québec City! A city which welcomes us with a beautiful and charm- ing image of 400 years of history. A city, which is named ‘small path’, ‘kebek’ in the language of the Algonkin, the indigenous inhabitants of this region.

Languages are like trains taking us deep into different cultures. We librarians know the importance of languages very well. Librar- ians give access to materials in many languages, even if they do not know how to speak those languages. IFLA’s new language policy supports this with seven ofﬁ cial languages and three new language centres. We have opened up our website for translations of our professional papers and guidelines into all of our members’ languages. Languages – standing here in the province of Québec, we should not forget that it is still a privilege for many librarians to be able to read and communicate in world languages such as French and English.

And what about the people we serve? Many of of race, nationality or beliefs, libraries have more them lack knowledge of the current lingua franca possibilities to help peoples to live in peace with even in their own countries. We have to ﬁ nd ways one another. In many cases libraries are on the how to make the world’s knowledge from all agenda and play an important role in understand- countries available in languages they can under- ing and communication between different cul- stand and work with. tures and even between former enemies.

There is a multitude of published information There is no global understanding without respect. hidden in many languages in libraries and on the In a peaceful world, respect for different cultures, Web. Will it be needed in the future? Will this for different attitudes and for different styles of knowledge be distributed and shared through living is a key to understanding. Even if sometimes libraries worldwide? What is the role of libraries we do not understand, we still can respect differ- in this? What will it be in the future? We develop ent cultures. new activities in enhancing catalogue data which can make it easier to distribute and share this Respect also means to respect the personal integ- knowledge. We give better access to published rity of our users, protect their personal data and information on the shelves or on the Web when deny access to their personal data for surveillance. we share tables of contents and abstracts. More We have to be wary and take action against the and more libraries scan their copyright-free, multi- new, upcoming activities which under the pretext lingual collections and place them as open access of fi ghting terrorism use us or our libraries in content on the Web to be used by countless others! an attempt to monitor and control the reading What was hidden in the old Arabic Collection in a habits of our readers. We librarians stand for library in Europe will be made accessible through the principles for free access to information and the Web, just as the Spanish newspapers from freedom of expression. The protection of the per- centuries ago in Asia are being digitized and made sonal data of our users is a very signifi cant part of available. Preservation and dissemination of the this free and uncensored access. world’s documentary heritage is, and will be, one of the key tasks of libraries and librarians. This is After this congress some delegates will travel to a signifi cant contribution to open up the world’s see some of the natural beauties of Canada and knowledge to everybody. the North. To protect this beauty and the natural environment is an important task. Today we can Making knowledge accessible to everyone and no longer look at the white ice cap of the North eliminating barriers to information is our goal. Pole without thinking of how it is constantly But we know that this professional level has not melting down. Global warming is a topic all over yet reached all the libraries and all their users. the world and environmental problems become Librarians struggle to bridge the gap between more and more a part in the librarian’s life. From the information rich and the information poor hurricane Katrina to the tsunami in Asia and the through an elaborate system of information terrible earthquake in China – libraries or librar- literacy training and lifelong learning. Hundreds ians were among the victims. Libraries have to be of success stories tell how people have found on the environmental agenda. We might not be innovative ways to learn and work, to be em- able to change the impact of the environmental powered for a better life through libraries. These changes, but we can and do support the work of are the results of your work, colleagues, the work the scientists. And it is up to librarians to stimulate that you do with great enthusiasm that makes a and develop university repositories for saving real difference in people’s lives. texts and research data and making them accessible to the scientifi c communities to develop better ‘Libraries without borders – Navigating towards solutions for the future of this globe. Libraries are global understanding’ is the theme of this year’s key to the sustainability of the Information Soci- World Library and Information Congress. Librar- ety as they have a network of experience in ies are gateways to global understanding and organising the world’s knowledge, storing it, and cultural diversity is a value in the global library providing access to it. Librarians are successful in world. IFLA’s Multicultural Library Manifesto working on fi nding ways to transfer this know- stimulates library activities for this goal. From ledge into digital preservation and they work storytelling for children, to a broad display of sci- together with many partners to achieve this goal. entifi c books and activities without any segregation The time will come when we will have solved 334 Opening Address by the President of IFLA

Dramatic dances during the Opening Ceremony.

the problem of sustainability in the digital world. Libraries act as gateways to knowledge and cul- But we’re not there yet! Sustainability also ture, by providing access to information, ideas means that libraries are connected to the people and creative works in various forms. In a time of through communities, which gives them a social high speed connectivity libraries have to be quick component of sustainability through the outreach in adapting and providing their information ser- work of librarians, which will be more and more vices. But they also have an element of recreation, important in the future. ‘Libraries without borders’ an element of reﬂ ection. This is why new library is not only a statement of what we have achieved buildings need new types of space, space for learn- thus far. It’s a call for activity! It’s a call for opening ing and thinking in an atmosphere supporting up our walls and doors, and going out into the creativity, space reﬂ ecting the ideas of human society much more than we have done before. beings, or ‘chilling out’ zones to allow people to It’s a call to use more of the social networking deaccelerate, to withdraw and recover from the tools that Web 2.0 spaces offers us, to be creative hecticness of life and move into communication in connecting with our users and our friends, with the inner human spirit. Libraries must be and keeping our non-users informed about the created and recreated as new public places, to possibilities libraries offer. facilitate social inclusion and lifelong learning. 335 Claudia Lux

As librarians we cannot change the world, but we guarantee for the further development of infor- can be more visible by distinctly demonstrating mation services through libraries to improve the many of the good values represented by libraries lives of people throughout the world. and librarians for all to see and by putting them into action. To work for more public awareness In this spirit I wish you a very successful World and put libraries on the agenda of those deciding Library and Information Congress here in Québec the future of mankind, is the topic of my presid- City! ential theme. Librarians all over the world have used this motto and have strengthened their ad- Opening address presented at the World Library vocacy activities. This upcoming week will be a and Information Congress: 74th IFLA General great opportunity for more professional exchange Conference and Council, 10–14 August 2008, and mutual inspiration for future plans. Our Québec City, Canada, in the Opening Ceremony network within IFLA and the network of library (Session 67). associations in the individual countries are the

336 Libraries and the First Nations People of Canada

James Bartleman Abstract Plenary address presented at the World Library and Information Congress: 74th IFLA General Conference And Council, 10–14 August 2008, Québec City, Canada. Describes the author’s childhood as a member of the First Nations People of Canada and his discovery of the value of books and libraries. Describes the social conditions of young people living in poor First Nation communities in Canada and his efforts to establish libraries, summer reading camps, reading clubs and creative writing literary awards for children and youth in these communities. Keywords: social deprivation; racism; First Nations People; libraries; reading; children; Canada

Distinguished guests, participants, ladies and gentlemen: The Honourable James K. It’s a great pleasure to speak to you today on the topic of ‘Libraries Bartleman concluded his term and the First Nations People of Canada’. as the 27th Lieutenant Governor of Ontario on September 5, 2007. During his time in offi ce, he pursued I intend to make the point that libraries and books can transform three priorities: eliminating the lives, but too many segments of society, especially aboriginal stigma of mental illness, support- people, do not have access to them. And when governments will ing anti-racism initiatives and not or cannot act, then civil society can step up to fi ll the gaps. encouraging aboriginal young people. As Lieutenant Governor, I understand that the issue of access to libraries by indigenous people Mr. Bartleman implemented four has been very important in past meetings of your organization, and aboriginal literacy programs I’m happy to have the opportunity to talk about the situation here in including The Club Amick Read- Canada. I also would like to talk the dangers posed by state control ing Program for 5,000 native children and 36 summer reading of libraries and information. camps for 2,500 children in Ontario’s north. The programs are I have been a lifetime supporter of libraries, and I assume that continuing for 5 years. Preceding every one of you here today is a supporter as well. I assume each his appointment as Ontario’s of us has our own story to tell about how we were bitten by the Vice-Regal Representative, Mr. ‘library bug’ when we were children and how we became addicted Bartleman served 35 years in to books and libraries. Canada’s Foreign Service as Ambassador to Cuba, Israel, NATO I have the status of a registered Indian, otherwise known as a First and the European Union and High Nations person, and am a member of a reserve or First Nation Commissioner to South Africa and Australia, and was Foreign community. My mother is from a reserve about 200 miles north of and Defence Policy Advisor to the Toronto. She married my father when she was 14 and he was 18 Prime Minister. back in the days of the Great Depression. Those were the days when discrimination against native people was even more widespread He holds ten honorary degrees and is the recipient of a number of than it is today. In fact, it was an era in Canada when there was honours and awards, including the extensive discrimination against anybody who was not white. National Aboriginal Achievement Award 1999, the Phi Delta Kappa My parents accordingly were on the margins of society. They Educator of the Year Award 2004 lived an aboriginal lifestyle at the beginning by fi shing and sell- and the Arthur Kroeger College ing the catch to tourists, picking blueberries and cutting and Award in Ethics in Public Affairs selling fi rewood to make ends meet. Later, my father moved on to 2007. a variety of jobs as a day labourer. He was often without work but About the Author continued on was proud of the fact that he always paid his own way and never page 340 accepted welfare.

In the spring of 1946, my father, looking for work, Edmundson, and in his book Why Read? he dropped by to visit my Indian grandfather at a writes, “Reading takes you from a world of harsh small reserve in the village of Port Carling in limits into expanded possibilities.” And that was Central Ontario. A trucker came by looking for what happened to me. a labourer willing to work for 50 cents an hour. My Dad took the job and found a place to sleep Reading was the great leveller in my life. And it’s in a cleft of a rock covered with a roof of scrap the same thing for people around the world. No tin near the village dump. He lived there until he matter how poor you are, if you can read and have saved enough money to send for his wife and his access to a library, you’re as rich as the wealthiest four children. because you have access to entirely different worlds. Worlds that allow you to escape the world I will never forget that summer of 1946. To a of poverty and racism. Reading is truly magic. 6-year old kid, it was heaven on earth. Living beside the dump was like living by a garage sale Reading provided me with the foundation for in which all the goods were free. My brother and doing well in school, and doing well in school I would wait every day for the dump truck to pass provided the basis for me to take advantage of by our tent and chase it up the road to the dump. opportunities as they came along. In my case, I At that dump, we had a private aviary with sca- obtained a summer job when I was in high school venging crows and seagulls, and a private zoo working on the estate of the Chairman of the with porcupines, racoons and the occasional black Board of Pittsburgh Paint and Plate Glass. My bear. And for someone with a good imagination, Indian grandfather had been his father’s guide it was like being at a Boy Scout camp with an back in the early years of the century taking him ever-present fi re. And if you haven’t smelled the around Ontario. And there I was, little Jimmy distinct odour of burning cardboard and orange Bartleman, polishing his antique boats and tipping crates, then you just haven’t lived! my hat in the morning, being respectful as you’re supposed to be, chopping his wood, and dusting And best of all, the dump was my fi rst library. off his jacket. We had no books at our home in the tent. But at the dump I found dozens and dozens of comic And one day, he called me up on the porch, and books tossed out by rich American and Canadian he was there with his cigar, (rich Americans in tourist kids. And that’s how I learned to read. those days always smoked big cigars and drank bourbon). “I hear you’re doing well in school,” That fall we moved to a summer cottage for the he said. After I mumbled something that he took winter. The snow blew in through half-inch cracks as my agreement, he said. “How would you like in the wall, the temperature inside would drop me to send you off to fi nish high school and go to down to minus 30 or minus 40 degrees Celsius. university?” Of course I said, “Yes!” and I went And the four Bartleman children and our dog off to fi nish high school and to the University of would creep in the night to join our parents in Western Ontario to graduate in Honours History. bed. In the morning there would be six humans and one dog, all under the covers, which were I was then able to compete with other Canadian covered in frost. But we were happy, we had a university graduates on an equal footing, joined great caring and loving family. the Canadian Foreign Service, worked my way up to be an ambassador six times, advisor to What was terrible for us, however, was the the Prime Minister and eventually Lieutenant racism we experienced. Other children called my Governor of Ontario. mother a “dirty squaw”! My brother and I were called “dirty half-breeds”. Given my background, I adopted as one of my social justice causes, the plight of First Nations But I knew how to read and soon discovered the children in the north of Ontario. Let me tell village library. I never looked back because it you about my fi rst trip, which was to a reserve opened my life to another universe. I discovered on the James Bay called Kashechewan. As my that reading really is an act of self-discovery. plane taxied down the runway, I saw another one It expands your consciousness and wakes you waiting to take off. I asked the local Chief what up. There is a wonderful author named Mark was going on. He said that a 12-year old girl had

338 Libraries and the First Nations People of Canada just killed herself and that they were taking her Nations children in Canada to attend residential body out for an autopsy. I asked why. He said that schools from the age of six or seven until they she had no hope. were sixteen or seventeen.

And then, not too long afterwards, I got a call And so, from the late 19th century to the later from the Grand Chief saying that three kids, in part of the 20th century, 150,000 children were a two-month period, in a place called Wunnimin forced to go to these schools. At the schools they Lake in Northwestern Ontario, had killed them- were treated harshly with beatings, sexual abuse selves. They had hanged themselves in various and poor food. Tens of thousands died. The chil- places, including one 12-year old girl from a tree dren were forbidden to speak their native language, in front of the school. He asked me to go up with they were forbidden to wear native clothing, they him to see what we could do and we talked to were forbidden to associate with each other and their classmates. They had hoods over their heads, family members in the schools and there was a and their eyes were sad and they looked like they lot of bullying amongst the kids themselves be- were in the state of terminal depression. We then cause they were ﬁ ghting for the food. And they called on the parents of the children who died accompanied this with a policy forbidding cultural and I asked them ‘why’? practices in their home communities.

Because they had no hope. In the old days, be- Raising children in this way turned them into fore the coming of the white man, in the native poor parents. When they became parents, that’s culture, when you became 13, you reached the the way that they treated their kids and then their age of puberty. The children would spend time kids were taken away for 10 years. Then they in a shelter. They would wait, fasting, until they came back and they treated their kids the same received a vision from ‘Gitche Manitou’, the Great way. Dysfunction cascaded down over the gener- Spirit, which would give them a spirit name and ations. The government used education to try and a vision for their future. Then they would return convert aboriginal people, an entire nation of ab- to their family. It would be a very happy time in original people, into white people. They did not the community because after the vision quest the succeed in this goal but they did destroy the family young person would be ready to select a mate, structure. found a family and get on with life. Let this be a lesson on how important it is not to But these kids, when they turn 13, see a future let governments use education as a tool of state without hope. They feel inadequate because social engineering. It is critically important that they are about 6 years behind non-native kids libraries and education be a marketplace for all in education. They live in overcrowded houses. ideas. They have access to satellite TV but what are they seeing? Jerry Springer, Judge Judy, and the mean- And thus I discovered a suicide epidemic among ingless dregs of modern globalized culture. And the youth in Northern Ontario who lacked hope. when they look at native programs they see scenes I also discovered the schools had no libraries, of kids living in native ghettos of Winnipeg and there were no libraries in the communities and Regina and where the stars were young hookers no books in the homes. And so I decided to mobil- and drug dealers. And when their friends are sent ize civil society to ﬁ ll the gap because govern- out to school in Sudbury or in Timmins, the big ments weren’t doing it. I went to the media and I Canadian towns in northern Ontario, they ﬁ nd brought representatives of the principal Canadian they are not able to rent apartments or rooms be- newspapers up north to see the conditions and to cause of discrimination that continues to exist tell them what I was planning to do. And I took today in these northern communities against First up teams of reporters from national television. Nations people. And I worked with a variety of organizations to establish libraries. With no funding or budget, I I want to talk about the dangers of the misuse of launched an appeal for good, used books to estab- libraries and information and how it can destroy lish libraries. cultures. Beginning in the late 19th century, we began in Canada a massive social engineering It became a province-wide initiative led by the exercise that would have made Stalin happy. The librarians across the province. They knew the im- government devised a policy of forcing all First portance of libraries and books and they took 339 James Bartleman

the lead. The police jumped in and they opened I hope that those of you from countries which up their detachments across the province. They have aboriginal populations will think of this had to park their cars on the streets because the initiative when you return home. Working to- books arrived in such large numbers. The mili- gether we can really let native kids dream just as tary provided a huge armoury for storage and you are able to dream. retired librarians, teachers, and scouts went to work sorting them. In two drives, I collected over Thank you very much. 2 million books and established libraries in all First Nations communities in the province. Plenary address presented at the World Library and Information Congress: 74th IFLA General And then I moved to establish Summer Reading Conference And Council, 10–14 August 2008, Camps. I went to the universities, the colleges, Québec City, Canada, in session 144. Version the trade unions, corporations, and teachers’ française: http://www.ifla.org/IV/ifla74/ federations and collected some 7 million dollars. papers/144-Bartelman-trans-fr.pdf I have funding to last 5 years. This summer (2008), we are operating 39 summer literacy and mental wellness camps in every remote community in Ontario. About the Author continued

And then I began a program which I’m most Mr. Bartleman is the author of four best-selling books and donates all book royalties to the causes excited about. It is called Club Amick for Young he promoted as Lieutenant Governor. He is currently Aboriginal Readers and I have raised about Chancellor of The Ontario College of Art and Design, 1.25 million dollars. The Southern Ontario a member of the Blue Ribbon Panel on the future Library Service runs it for me. Five thousand of Medical Education in Canada, a visiting fellow to children belong to it from kindergarten to grade Laurentian University’s Aboriginal Studies Program eight in every isolated community in Ontario. and honorary patron to a number of organizations Every four months, each child receives a brand and causes. He was born in Orillia, Ontario and grew new quality book to take home. I have also estab- up in Port Carling. lished creative writing literary prizes for abori- Mr. Bartleman is a member of the Mnjikaning First ginal children in Ontario (twelve annual prizes Nation. He is married to Marie-Jeanne Rosillon and of 2,500 dollars each) which are generating much they enjoy their three children, Anne-Pascale, Laurent enthusiasm among the children. and Alain.

340 Libraries Driving Access to Knowledge: a discussion paper

Ellen R. Tise Abstract Libraries are critical contributors to knowledge generation. The paper provides a brief examination of the evolution of libraries and their contribution to literacy and information provision and access to that information. However, the mode of access has signiﬁ cantly changed, which has brought with it a different set of challenges. These include, among others, the dismantling of barriers to access in an era of information explosion and the moral obligation to drive access to knowledge and information. This paper was prepared as a discussion document for the President- elect’s Brainstorming Session held at the recent IFLA World Library and Information Congress in Québec City, Canada on 12 August 2008. Keywords: libraries; access to knowledge; access to information

Introduction

Reggie Raju The concepts of knowledge and society are commonplace in the LIS environment today. When teased out, these concepts unearth the principle that knowledge, which is generated through the ab- sorption, processing and internationalization of information, is critical for the growth of society. Therefore, a signifi cant criterion for a growing society is access to that information. The library, as a conduit for information, serving a wide spectrum of information seekers, has a critical role to play in the facilitation of knowledge generation. It is the view of Chan and Costa (2005: 141) that access to knowledge is essential in a development process. It (that is, knowledge) serves as liberator from poverty and deprivation and as a springboard for breaking-through in the quest for innovation and change. Sen (2005: 375) points out that the concept of access to information and knowledge is at the heart of a knowledge society. Charles Masango As indicated by Chan and Costa (2005: 141), access is imperative in a society seeking new knowledge, be it knowledge that will liberate them from poverty and deprivation or that which will bring about innovation and change. It is common cause that the library will serve as the vehicle for the acquisition of knowledge. Drake (1984: 632), in defi ning access to libraries states that “the library is available, with some limitations, to anyone who wants to use it”. Ellis-King (2007) adds to this defi nition the principle that there is a need to ensure that the end-user gets the information they require in as convenient and in as timely manner as possible. To achieve this end, the library has developed methodologies and processes.

However, the methodologies and processes developed for the afﬂ uent information seekers seeking innovation and change are a far cry from those seeking information for survival purposes. By the same token, the reasons for the existence of libraries today have About the Authors: page 346 evolved signiﬁ cantly since the ancient Greek era.

libraries grew because universities developed and Rationale for Libraries national states supported collections that later became national libraries. The raison d’être for libraries goes as far back to the era of ancient Greece where the library The demand for more information by university was viewed as the place to achieve ‘literacy and scholars gave impetus to the Gutenberg invention. intellectual life’. Krasner-Khait (2001) points out The printing press had to increase levels of pro- that, in order to accomplish the rationale for duction of scholarly material to meet the growing libraries Demetrius in 300 BC ‘suggested setting demands of the university scholars. up a universal library to hold copies of all the books in the world’. To therefore foster literacy, New Inventions with New Players? according to Krasner-Khait (2001), Benedict in 529 AD established a rule for the monks to ‘apply themselves to reading’. One can argue that this The emergence of the printing press in England in practice subsequently evolved within scholars as 1476 opened up the possibility of the large-scale they made use of library collections to acquire reproduction of books for the ﬁ rst time. Leaffer knowledge and become literate. Corroborating (1989: 2) adds that this was the birth of commer- this argument is the view of Schiller and Schiller cial publishers. In order to control the printing ([n.d.]: 147) who indicate that this may be so as of potentially subversive materials, the Crown ‘libraries are associated with information collec- placed the printing of books in the hands of the tion, organization, retrieval, and dissemination’ Stationers’ Company, who would not publish which serves as a foundation for knowledge books that the Crown considered politically or growth that will result in literacy. Extrapolating religiously objectionable (Merges, Menell and this argument is the view of Behrens, Olin and Lemley, 2000: 345–346 and Phillips, Durie and Machete (1999: 4–5) who point out that libraries Karet, 1997: 3). In exchange, the Stationers’ Com- store information, which is ‘facts out there’, and pany was given what was effectively a monopoly when scholars make use of the facts, they acquire on book protection. knowledge because the facts are transferred in to their memory, resulting in the scholar becoming Notwithstanding that the Statute of Anne in literate. 1710 was introduced in the print environment to protect authors (Leaffer, 1989: 3), commercial However, libraries are continuously changing publishers claimed this protection because indi- and engage in evolving technology to make infor- vidual authors themselves could not publish mation more readily available in the medium their works as they could not afford to purchase associated with the era. a printing press. If authors wanted to publish their works, ‘they took such works to commercial publishers who paid authors whatever they Evolution of Libraries wished and subsequently published the work’ (Masango, 2006: 251). Krasner-Khait (2001), in tracing the evolution of libraries points out that during the monasticism In the new environment of digitization, publishers transformative stage of libraries there were three equally reap the beneﬁ ts from works they publish major libraries – viz. the university library, the as such works are protected by copyright and library for the royal family and civil service licensing agreements. Copyright protects digital and a theological collection which emerged works as these works are in literary form. In the in Constantinople. These libraries displayed digital environment, ‘in an effort to commercial- handwritten manuscripts on their open selves ize digital information effectively, publishers have as there was no reprographic technology that introduced licensing agreement’ (Masango, 2006: could reproduce the handwritten manuscripts 252). The rationale for licensing agreements is en masse. In 1450 when Gutenberg invented that digital technology permits users to make the printing press it revolutionized bookmaking; perfect copies of texts quite easily (Peters, 2003: as a consequence, ‘printed books replaced hand- 217), and digital environment offers scholars the written manuscripts’ that were displayed on opportunity to manipulate, alter, reformat, or erase libraries’ open shelves. During the 1600s and 1700s information at will (Neacsu, 2002: 111). 342 Libraries Driving Access to Knowledge

The golden thread that was introduced by the In the current information provision environment, Crown to restrict politically and religiously objec- there is the preoccupation with addressing the tionable material had developed into a mon- issue of access to the technologically affl uent. As opoly: that golden thread became richer when articulated by Hamilton (2003), information is a the production of scholarly information started to right and as indicated by Chan and Costa (2005) bulge at the seams with the advent of digitization. a tool for development. Therefore, it is absolutely However, the thread was fast growing into a noose imperative that the issue of access be interrogated for libraries. to assure the world’s citizenry that libraries are a signifi cant role player in driving knowledge production. New Players: a threat to the raison d’être of libraries? Defi ning Access One can argue that with the emergence of new technologies that facilitates access to informa- Drake (1984: 632) says that access to information tion for knowledge, there has arisen an economic is a complex concept. “As the term is used in our struggle in libraries. The new players in the form profession, we usually mean making informa- of publishers have captured ‘the information tion available. In most instances, however, we stockpiles built in recent years’ and are seeking do not make information available; we make profi t from the sale of the ‘information to those books available and leave the user to fi nd needed who have the means to pay for it’ (Schiller and information in our stock of printed material” Schiller, [n.d.]: 146). The reasons for charging (Drake 1984: 632). This defi nition has evolved as prices on the information, as articulated by libraries are making more information available Masango(2006: 252), stem from the fact that they in electronic format and progressively reducing have copyright on the information because they its stockpile of printed material. This evolution ‘have taken the initiative in obtaining, verifying must encapsulate the fundamental principle of or presenting the contents of these works’ in a access. In an era of information explosion, it is new form. criminal not to identify and dismantle barriers to access to information as restrictive access is a Although publishers enjoyed copyright on print violation of the United Nations Universal Declar- information, in order to accomplish the objective ation of Human Rights. of the Statute of Anne 1710 which, according to Leaffer (1989: 3) was to encourage ‘learned men The concept of freedom of access to infor- to compose and write useful work’, it was germane mation is perhaps most clearly outlined in to maintain the rationale of libraries. In this light, Article 19 of the UN Universal Declaration of libraries, according to the first sale doctrine, Human Rights. According to this, all human were free to loan out books and other materials beings have the fundamental right to have they have purchased, and can repeat the lending access to all expressions of knowledge, cre- process as often and as long as they like (Ou, ativity and intellectual activity, and to express 2003: 90). By libraries loaning out books to any- their thoughts in public. (Hamilton, 2003) one who so wants to make use of the books, they help in maintaining the rationale of libraries. The IFLA Free Access to Information and Freedom of Expression (IFLA/FAIFE: 2002) A cursory view of the evolutionary process would website posts the view that the right of access to give the impression that it would be diffi cult for information and ideas is vital for any society. It libraries to effectively carry out their rationale in underscores that view that if citizens of the world the digital environment. This could not be further are to participate and make informed choices they from the truth. The fundamental principle gov- must have unrestricted access to information erning libraries is the provision of information to and knowledge. An informed and knowledge- the user community. However, what is rapidly able citizenry will add value to the access to free- changing is the mode of access. Libraries would have dom, prosperity and the development of society. to remodel themselves to enhance their rationale This argument is corroborated by Hamilton and, in the age of information explosion, make (2003) who says that “the idea is that access to every attempt to make access to information, to information allows citizens to participate in the the world’s citizenry, as uninhibited as possible. democratic process and make informed choices 343 Ellen R. Tise et al.

that will lead to the development of society. If an • Lack of signifi cant usage opportunities (“usage individual’s freedom of access to information or access”) freedom of expression is impeded, information fl ow suffers and democratic processes are set The cursory mention of these barriers to access back.” to knowledge in technologically affl uent societies must not be interpreted as insignifi cant; it should However, it must be accepted that although be fl agged for further interrogation. there may be the will, access could be impeded by a range of factors. It is has been argued by The Role of the Internet as a Hamilton (2003) that libraries, in the main, make Solution to Access every attempt to provide access to as wide a range of resources as possible. As indicated, the will could be inhibited by factors such as budget Hamilton (2003) indicates that the Internet, as a constraints, selector bias, and legislation imposed tool for information retrieval in libraries in tech- by government. nologically affl uent societies, may be a solution to some of the problems relating to access. Hamilton (2003) goes on to point out that the use of IT as Waning Access: Seeking New Roads way to overcome barriers has fi gured centrally in schemes to solve the problem. The idea of the It is unfortunate but a reality that societies have Internet as a tool to reduce social exclusion has developed unevenly. However, as unfortunate as gained credence thanks to its ability to open access it is, the lack of focused attention is converting a to government information and communication schism into a gulf. Chan and Costa (2005), point channels, and libraries have contributed to this out that “developing nations today face major concept by making collections and catalogues problems, including widespread poverty, inade- available online for those physically unable to quate drinking water, high illiteracy rates, intense access library resources, Indeed, the lure of virtual foreign debt, overpopulation and a heavy disease libraries as information gateways for the socially burden”. A common link underlying these prob- excluded is a theme much explored in recent lems is the inhibited access to knowledge. Low years. With more and more governments attempt- levels of access to knowledge and information ing to deliver public services online over the next has a compound effect resulting in further ‘under- few years, information – and the ability to access development’. it – is becoming more important in empowering communities to take control of their future. Libraries must accept that they have the moral obligation to drive access to knowledge and The emergence of the Internet as a key tool information to alleviate poverty and deprivation within a library’s arsenal of information access due to the paradoxical situation of a scarcity of mechanisms helps this theory along. With the vast information in an era of information explosion. amount of information resources the Internet offers, the library continues to provide a variety In technologically affl uent societies the limitations of ideas and opinions, and indeed expands fur- to access to knowledge are manifested in different ther the information available due to the reforms. Van Dijk and Hacker (2003: 315) have iden- moval of many constraints imposed on selection tifi ed four types of barriers to access, which are: discussed above. On top of this, the Internet is open to more and more people due to the nature • Lack of elementary digital experience caused of the technology, the excluded are brought by lack of interest, computer anxiety, and into the fold and democratic ideals are spread unattractiveness of new technology (“mental farther afield. When considering information access”). access on a global scale it is quickly apparent that • No possession of computers and network con- the Internet is unable to overcome many prob- nections (“material access”). lems on its own. Without equal and equitable access • Lack of digital skills caused by insuffi cient to Internet-accessible information resources, dem- user-friendliness and inadequate education or ocracy is not fully inclusive and cannot function social support (“skills access”). to full effect (Hamilton, 2003).

344 Libraries Driving Access to Knowledge

It is clear from Feather (2006), Mathur and How Do and Can Libraries Drive Ambani (2005) and Godlee (2004) that libraries Access to Knowledge? can drive access to knowledge. In its current state in hybrid communities, the library should make There is a dearth in the literature on how libraries every effort to dismantle all barriers between the can open the doors of access to the knowledge user and access to its collection (in the broadest that is available. As indicated above, there is the sense possible). It could and must start opening preoccupation that the answer lies with a tech- its collections and services to all communities, nological solution, that is, ICTs. In some in- especially the communities that have been and stances, as discussed earlier, the root cause of continue to be deprived of the world’s know- inhibited access is technology itself and in other ledge. It is their right in terms of the UN declar- instances, especially in developing countries, ation and the library has an obligation to uphold the infrastructure of the channels of information that right. provision is extremely weak. The solutions to both barriers to access to knowledge pose very Lor and Britz (2007: 388) point out that “modern different challenges. ICTs have created many opportunities for civil society, opening up space for dialogue, partici- With regard to barriers to information in develop- pation and creativity.” Libraries have all of the ing countries, it must be accepted that the more above capacities and more as they have a long immediate solution to the situation, although it history of developing networks. Libraries, with all may seem paradoxical, is ICTs. Mathur and that they have ‘accumulated over the centuries’, Ambani (2005: 345) are very convincing when combined with the ICTs offer a total knowledge they state that “the application of ICT solutions package for the Information Society. One of the for … developing countries opens (sic) up a vast library’s accumulations over the years is its rela- range of possibilities. Giving an opportunity to tionship with the user and that it is spread all the vast majority of the population living in over the world. rural areas, to cross the digital divide to obtain access to information resources and services Conclusion provided by ICT is the next revolution waiting to happen.” There is no doubt that access to knowledge is Africa is noted for its poor landline telephone critical for the development and growth of society infrastructure. However, it has circumvented and for participation in democratic processes. its poor landline telephone infrastructure by Implicit in the theme ‘Libraries Driving Access substituting it with cellular phone technology. to Knowledge’ is that of social inclusion and By the same token, India has circumvented its librarians becoming active change agents in poor rural IT infrastructure as it “has developed a society. However, access alone is of course not technology speciﬁ cally for the rural user at a low enough, it is also about extending services, cost” (Mathur and Ambani 2005: 347). methods and practices and developing innovative approaches to guarantee free and universal Given the fact that knowledge and information access to relevant knowledge. Libraries should can, through improvised technology, be delivered ensure that the world’s citizenry have access to to ‘deprived communities’, the library can serve the world’s knowledge. as a link between the information that is available and the user communities. However, as indicated by Godlee et al. (2004: 295), it is import- References ant for the library to provide the right informa- Behrens, S.J. Olen, S.I.I. and Macjet, M.P. (1999) Mastering tion at the right time thereby facilitating access information skills. Pretoria: Unisa Press. to knowledge. This argument is corroborated by Chan, L. and Costa, S. (2005) Participation in the global Feather (2006:4) who says that the problem is knowledge commons: challenges and opportunities for to select and evaluate information rather than to research dissemination in developing countries. New Library World, Vol. 106 (no 1210/1211): 141–163. gain access and that the professionals bring their Available at http//:www.emeraldinsight.com unique body of knowledge to the evaluation Drake, M. (1984) User fees: aid or obstacle to access? process. Wilson Library Bulletin, May: 632–633.

345 Ellen R. Tise et al.

Ellis-King, D. (2007) Convenient access to PSI through About the Authors libraries. Public Sector information: National meeting, Dublin Castle. Available at: http://psi.gov.ie/lai- Ellen R. Tise is currently the Senior Director, Library speaking-notes.pdf and Information Services at the University of Feather, J. (2006) The context of change: information Stellenbosch, South Africa. She previously held the professionals and the information profession in an position of University Librarian at the University of information society. Health Information and Libraries the Western Cape, Bellville, South Africa, and prior Journal, Vol 23: 3–9. to this she was Deputy University Librarian (Client Godlee, F., Pakenham-Walsh, N., Ncayiyana, D., Cohen, Services) at the University of the Witwatersrand, B. and Parker, A. (2004) Can we achieve health infor- Johannesburg. She has served on the Governing mation for all by 2015? Available at http//:www. Board and Executive Committee of the International thelancet.com Federation of Library Associations and Institutions Hamilton, S. (2003) Freedom to access to information and (IFLA) between 2001 and 2005; the IFLA Free Access freedom of expression: the Internet as a tool for global social inclusion. Library Management, Vol. 24(no. 8/9). to Information and Freedom of Expression (FAIFE) Available at http//:www.emeraldinsight.com. Advisory Board 2003–2005 and was President of IFLA/FAIFE. (2002) The IFLA Internet Manifesto. the Library and Information Association of South Available at: http://www.ifl a.org/III/misc/im-e.htm Africa (LIASA) from 1998–2002. She is currently the Krasner-Khait, Barbara. (2001) Survivor: The history of President-elect of IFLA for the period 2007–2009. the library. [Online]. Available: http://www.history- This means that she will automatically serve as magazine.com/libraries.html [2008, June 26]. president for the period 2009–2011. Ellen may Leaffer, Marshall. (1989) Understanding copyright law. be contacted at: JS Gericke Library, Stellenbosch New York: Matthew Bender. University, PO Box 5038, Stellenbosch, 7599, South Lor, P..J. and Britz, J..J. (2007) Is a knowledge society Africa. Tel: +27 21 808 4880. Fax: +27 21 808 possible without freedom of access to information? 3723. E-mail: [email protected] Journal of Information Science, Vol. 33(4): 387–397. Masango, Charles A. (2006) South African scholars’ and Reggie Raju is currently employed at the Stellenbosch commercial publishers’ perceptions of open access sources. Mousaion, 24(2): 249–268. University Library and Information Service as Director Mathur, A. and Ambani, D. (2005) ICT and rural societies: of Information Technology and Communication. He opportunities for growth. International Information has worked in academic libraries for more than 20 and Library Review, Vol 37: 345–351. years. He may be contacted at: JS Gericke Library, Merges, Robert P., Menell, Peter S. and Lemley, Mark A. Stellenbosch University, PO Box 5038, Stellenbosch, (2000) Intellectual property in the new technological 7599, South Africa. Tel: +27 21 808 4641. Fax: +27 age. 2nd ed. New York: Aspen Law and Business. 21 808 3723. E-mail: [email protected] Neacsu, E. Dana. (2002) Legal scholarship and digital publishing: has anything changed in the way we do Charles Masango is a Research Development Co- legal research? In Law library collection development ordinator with the Emerging Research Programme, in the digital age. Edited by Michael Chiorazzi and Department of Research and Innovation at the Gordon Russell. New York: Haworth Information University of Cape Town (UCT). He has a PhD Press. 21(2/3 and 4): 105–122. specializing in contemporary copyright fair dealing Ou, Carol. (2003) Technology and copyright issues in the academic library: fi rst sale, fair use and the electronic management issues. He has an LLB from the document. Portal: Libraries and the Academy. 3(1): University of Yaoundé, Cameroon; a Postgraduate 89–98. Diploma in Library and Information Science from the Peters, Thomas A. (2003) Was that the Rubicon, Lethe, or University of Botswana; and a Masters in Library Styx we just crossed? Access conditions for e-content. and Information Science from the University of Cape Library Collections, Acquisitions, and Technical Town where he did his PhD as well. Before joining Services. 27: 215–223. the Emerging Researcher Programme, he was a Phillips, Jeremy, Durie, Robyn and Karet, Ian. (1997) Whale lecturer in the Department of Information and Library on copyright. 5th ed. London: Sweet and Maxwell. Studies, University of Cape Town. He also taught in Schiller, Herbert I. and Schiller, Anita R. [n.d.]. Libraries, the Department of Library and Information Science, public access to information, and commerce. [Online]. University of Fort Hare prior to his appointment in Available: http://books.google.co.za/books?hl=en&lr =&id=P1Jiy1EZvHwC&oi=fnd&pg=PA146&dq=Lib UCT. Contact details: Charles A. Masango, Emerging raries+for+access+to+knowledge&ots=5B3hQHcT0v Researcher Programme, Research and Innovation &sig=hQbotyFokaWo1s0McPnk-zrxidU#PPA146,M1 Offi ce, 2 Rhodes Ave., University of Cape Town, [2008, June 26]. South Africa. Tel: +27 21 650 5128. Fax: +27 21 Sen, B. (2005) Indigenous knowledge for development: 650 5768. E-mail:[email protected] bringing research and practice together. International Information and Library Review, Vol. 37: 375–382. Available at http//:www.elsevier.com/locate/illr van Dijk, J. and Hacker, K. (2003) The digital divide as a complex and dynamic phenomenon. The Information Society, Vol. 19: 315–326. 346 World Library and Information Congress, Québec, 2008: closing address by the President of IFLA

Claudia Lux What a great conference this was! A great global market of successful work achieved in the profession during the last year and reported at this great event. We all collected new ideas to take home and new friendships were created. Everything went so well and I saw smiling faces everywhere. This was due to the wonderful organization by the National Committee and by Concorde our professional conference organizer on one side and the IFLA core programs, sections and special interest groups on the other side. Most of all I want to thank all of you for the work you have done in preparing this conference and in presenting the results of your daily work to a global audience. I am very impressed by your work, your ideas and your dedication to IFLA. This IFLA Congress has highlighted many successes and shown how libraries support development in education and science and improve people’s lives.

Thank you all for the work you have put into the conference and for attending this wonderful event. I hope that you all enjoyed the World Library and Information Congress 2008 and the incredible hospitality of our Canadian guests here in Québec as much as I did.

I promised to you that I would pick up the Libraries on the Agenda Theme again in this closing speech. I went to so many countries last year and received a warm response to IFLA’s current presidential theme. I feel, that whether I am in a big metropolitan area, in a university library or in a rural community, librarians are very creative and develop their own ideas in how to interpret the theme.

I want to thank all of you, who have so spontaneously joined my campaign for placing libraries on the agenda. I hope you will continue to join me in this goal of improving the inﬂ uence of librarians on decision-makers. On top of the many things we are currently doing and still have to do in our advocacy work there is one key element, as I see it. Advocacy work is an ongoing aspect of our work, every success from today can be lost tomorrow, as governmental changes takes place. People have asked me, whether IFLA could convince this or that person to support a library, hoping that everything will work well afterwards.

But there is no stability, you have to advocate again and again. So how can we make our advocacy work for libraries more sustainable?

The same question goes straight to the funding of libraries. There are many projects which are not sustainable because it is difﬁ cult to ﬁ nd ongoing support. Sustainability of our work is crucial for development.

Regular funding or project funding, support of a according to their local advocating needs, the government or support of a foundation – good advocacy knowledge will spread very well. professional work is only a part of the game. How can we realize this dream, I do not know. To put libraries on the agenda for sustainable But I do know what we have to do to come closer library development we need to develop more to this goal. We can collect your knowledge of advocacy competences at all levels of our work. advocacy, the knowledge inside our association We have to train the librarians and information and in all the library associations and institutions workers in placing libraries on the agenda of gov- of the world. We have to share our knowledge ernment, state and national decisions makers. and our stories. I’m realistic. Dreams often do not come true, but there is no reason why we should I have a dream. I have a dream of a worldwide not spread a dream like this. Let’s start with a library advocacy movement. A dream of well- few small steps. trained librarian and information workers in every part of the world. They are trained to present We can integrate advocacy in the curriculum at libraries and to communicate their values, their our library and information schools. impact, and their contribution to development and society. For me, this is the key to further We can organize an advocacy training day at developing our services. For me this is the key to the World Library and Information Congress sustainable library and information work. next year.

I have a dream. I have a 10 million dollar dream. And we can do more and that is part of your 10 million dollars to train leaders of library asso- role. ciations and active librarians of each country in the world. 10 million dollars to empower them Start thinking now and bring your ideas to Milan to do excellent and successful advocacy work for next year! the development and the sustainability of library and information workers. 10 million dollars to Closing address presented at the World Library develop a multilingual advocacy toolkit that is and Information Congress: 74th IFLA General sensitive to the local cultural aspects of our mem- Conference and Council, 10–14 August 2008, bers around the world. If each of them promises Québec City, Canada, in the Opening Ceremony to train 10–20 other librarians of their association (Session 167)

348 The Public Library in Contemporary Nigeria: challenges and the way forward

Umunna N. Opara Abstract This paper examines the state of public libraries in Nigeria. It states that the tempo of public library development in the country in the years immediately after independence, and after the Nigerian civil war could not be sustained due to inadequate ﬁ nancial support by the establishing authorities. The paper identiﬁ es inadequate funding, demoralized and inadequate workforce, inadequate accommodation, etc. as the challenges currently confronting these libraries. It proposes a remediation of these conditions as a way forward. Keywords: public libraries; Nigeria

Introduction

Dr. Umunna N. Opara is currently The impetus for the birth of the public library in Nigeria came from a Principal Lecturer at the Federal the UNESCO Seminar on Public Library Development in Africa, Polytechnic, Nekede, Owerri, which was held at the then University College (now University Imo State – Nigeria. He holds of Ibadan) Ibadan between 27th July and 21st August 1953. The BEd (Hons.), MLS, and PhD seminar advocated, among other things, the establishment of public degrees from the University of libraries in Africa (UNESCO, 1954). Ibadan, Nigeria. He is currently the State Chairman of the According to Aguolu and Aguolu (2002): Nigerian Library Association, Imo State Chapter as well as a member of the Accreditation and The establishment of any library is predicated upon two Curriculum Review Committee fundamental assumptions namely, that the authorities setting of the Association. E-mail: it up are prepared to see to its continued existence by adequate [email protected] ﬁ nancial support and that the people whom the library serve appreciate its informational and educational values.

The public library from 1955 to 1980 appears to have enjoyed better recognition and support, not only from the political leadership, but also from the educated class. This is supported by Mchombu (1991) and Mambo (1998), who noted that during this period in Africa, the public library received as much priority in government business as other essential services like hospitals and schools. Zeleza (2000) has also noted that during this period, library systems in Anglophone Africa experienced rapid development. This was partly due to the popular urge for social, economic and intellectual improvement in the citizenry, which was necessary for building the emergent nation states. Azikiwe (1937) for instance, believed that not only did Africans need political emancipation, they also needed to be liberated from the shackles of ignorance and illiteracy. Thus, the public library was rightly perceived as a vital instrument for bringing about a literate and educated population.

Two years after the UNESCO Seminar on Public Library Develop- ment in Africa, the defunct Eastern Nigerian Regional Government promulgated the ﬁ rst public library law in Nigeria. The Western and Northern Regional Governments followed with the enactment of

legal deposit laws in 1957 and 1964 respectively. operational terms, the public library is established The headquarters of the Eastern Nigerian Library and maintained to: Board was completed in 1959, and before the • provide informal educational opportunities for outbreak of the Nigerian civil war in 1967, the the citizens in the community; Board had built and opened Divisional Libraries • enrich the knowledge of individuals in various in Umuahia, Onitsha, Ikot-Ekpene and Calabar. subject/disciplines where they undertake Harris (1970) has described the enactment of the formal education; public library law in Eastern Nigeria as “the most • provide avenues to meet the information needs signiﬁ cant thing that has happened in Nigerian of people; library development.” • support the educational, civic and cultural activities of groups and organizations; and With the balkanization of the three, and later • provide recreational opportunities and encour- four, regions into the present 36 states and the age constructive use of leisure time (Wheeler Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, there is now a and Goldhor, 1962). public library presence in each state of Nigeria except Abuja. More than half a century after the In addition to printed books and periodicals, most ﬁ rst public library was legally established in the public libraries today have a wide range of other country, it is pertinent to examine the challenges media including music CDs, computer software, public libraries are facing, particularly against movies on videotapes and DVD, as well as facil- the background of the ongoing reforms in the ities to access the Internet. It was perhaps against education sector and the ‘Read Campaign’ by this wide range of resources and services that the Federal Ministry of Education. The Read Onadiran and Onadiran (1981) described the Campaign is a readership campaign designed by public library as a resource for scholars, center the Federal Government of Nigeria to inculcate for information and aid for students, a means for a reading culture in her citizens. Unfortunately, self-education and a center of amusement. It is the government has not yet involved the Nigerian only the public library that provides an open and Library Association in the campaign, and nothing non-judgmental environment in which individuals has been heard of it since it was launched in and their interests are brought together with the May 2008. universe of ideas and information (Wilkins, 1977). The uniqueness of the public library is in the area of its clientele. It has the distinction of having the The Public Library in Perspective most heterogeneous clientele. While all users of other libraries have unhindered access to the pub- The public library is not only publicly owned but lic library, not all the clientele of the public library also in general use by any citizen in the area taxed enjoy such access to other libraries. This means for its support (Opara, 2006). Therefore, it exists that the public library is everybody’s library. It primarily to serve the entire population of its also means that there are certain services which locality. According to the IFLA/ UNESCO Public public libraries provide that are not available in Library Guidelines (Gill et al, 2001), the public other types of libraries. Thus, the public library is library is an organization established, supported the only library that allows all citizens in the area and funded by the community either through taxed for its support to partake of the immense local, regional or national government or through heritage of human social thought. Just as the some other form of community organization. It clientele is heterogeneous, so the ideas and infor- provides access to knowledge, information and mation available through the public library span works of imagination through a wide range of the entire spectrum of knowledge and opinions. resources and services, making it available equally This requires that the staff must have the capacity, to all members of the community regardless of not only to deal with a diverse clientele, but also race, nationality, age, gender, religion, language, be able to access and assemble information disability, economic and employment status and materials from different subject areas in order educational attainment. The UNESCO Public to satisfy the information needs of users. This, Library Manifesto (UNESCO, 2000) stated that no doubt, is the greatest challenge facing public the public library is a product of modern democ- libraries. The public library is thus ‘special’ and racy and a practical demonstration of democracy’s therefore deserves special consideration. It is the faith in universal education as a lifelong process. In only library that has the widest reach. 350 The Public Library in Contemporary Nigeria

In any nation, the public library system is a social were fewer resources available for development invention designed to preserve and disseminate generally and far less for the public library. The certain cultural products of the nation and the political leadership deployed more resources to community. In Nigeria, it is assisted in this respect other sectors and less to the library. This proved by the provision of legal deposit laws even though the point that in times of economic crisis the library these laws are rarely observed. At this stage of becomes an easy victim. According to Aguolu Nigerian’s development, and within the context (1989), for the library (including public libraries) of a globalized world, the public library ought to to fl ourish in any society, the economy must be be seen to be ready to provide ready and free access suffi ciently bright to motivate the government to books and other information sources for all to commit funds to library development. In the members of the community (Opara, 2006). same vein, Kuhne (2000) argues that a country that has problems of hunger, education, economic and political freedom cannot give priority to the The Public Library in Contemporary right to information. Also, Kuhne contended that Nigeria the right to information has no meaning for a person who is hungry, who does not have enough Provision of public library services in Nigeria is money, who is not educated and who does not the responsibility of states and local government have freedom. However, it is often not realized councils. All the states of the Federation provide by both the leaders and the led that information public library services to their inhabitants. How- is a power that can play a decisive role in solving ever, a few local government councils complement these problems. Indeed, the problem is the lack the efforts of the states in the provision of these of ideological inclination on the part of our services. This may be due to lack of legislation by leaders towards supporting the public library. the respective States Houses of Assembly requir- This is partly because the public library is hardly ing the local councils to establish and maintain perceived as a powerful instrument for the social, public library services. economic and political transformation of the community in which it is located. Commenting on Each state’s public library operates a three-tier the state of public libraries in Africa, Rosenberg library system: headquarters, divisional and (1993) stated that: branch libraries. While the headquarters are located in the capitals of the states, the divisional Public libraries set up in the fi rst fl ush of inde- and branch libraries are located in urban centers pendence are no longer seen as crucial to de- and semi-urban and rural areas. However, due to velopment and are certainly given no place in paucity of resources, these networks of branches present structural adjustment programmes. are generally not maintained. In the 1960s and 1970s, public libraries in the country maintained In the same vein, Rasmussen (n.d.) stated that effi cient extension services to prisons, hospitals, the state of libraries (including public libraries) in orphanage homes and schools. This was facilitated Africa is bleak and that library resources no longer by mobile library services. Presently, this service meet even the basic needs of users. Emojorho is no longer available due to the grounding of the (2005), in his study of public libraries in Edo and mobile library vans. However, in each of the states, Delta States of Nigeria found that the libraries public libraries provide services for children and were performing poorly in most aspects due to some, like the Imo State Library Board, provide appalling resources. library services to the visually impaired. The state of the public library system in any nation Since the 1980s, there has been a steady decline is a refl ection of the level of acceptance of libraries in fortunes of the public library in Nigeria. Much and librarians by that nation. It also refl ects the of this period was characterized by global eco- prevailing value system in the country concerned. nomic recession starting from the early 1980s. In the words of Wilmot (1982): “libraries … refl ect This resulted in the formulation by the Federal the characteristics of the nation, its strength as Government of certain economic policies such as well as its weaknesses.” Thus the neglect of some the crippling Structural Adjustment Programme of our public libraries is a refl ection of ideological (SAP) imposed by the World Bank. As a result of the weakness on the part of the leaders concerned. oil glut of that time and the debt burden (that was In these circumstances, public libraries are seen terminated by the Obasanjo administration), there as developmental luxuries. 351 Umunna N. Opara

The poor recognition of the role of the public library Inadequate Funding manifests itself not only in government action or inaction, but also in the perceptions and attitudes The bane of public libraries in Nigeria is poor of individual members of the community for funding. Every other problem confronting them whom it is established. Too many library users emanates from that. This problem is steadily (and non-users) in our communities still have a compounded by the reality of both infl ation and narrow view of the role of the public library. This the information explosion, including the grow- is unlike the situation in many parts of the de- ing concern for the provision of information in all veloped world, where the growth of the public its formats. As Sager (1989) has noted, a public library is, to a large extent, due to the support and library can go only as far as its budget allows. vocal expression and desire of the generality of the This is particularly so in a country where fi nancial people to have such a facility. In some parts of support for the library from outside government the United States of America, citizens are known is hard to come by. The problem is worsened by to have voted in referenda for increased taxation the irregular release of the inadequate subventions in order to continue to enjoy public library ser- in some states, thus making planning impossible. vices. In developed countries like the US and Furthermore, staffs in the affected states are owed Britain, philanthropic organizations established arrears of salaries and other entitlements. This has by wealthy citizens contribute immensely to the resulted in low morale and high staff turnover. development of their public libraries. Nigeria has wealthy citizens who can contribute to library The most concrete measure of the adequacy of development in the same manner that Gerald Ford government support to the public library is the and Andrew Carnegie have done. In fact, inade- per capita expenditure on the library. This can quate support to the public library in Nigeria has be determined by dividing the government sub- persisted because of lack of a vocal citizenry vention to the public library by the population to who appreciate the importance of the library be served. To determine per capita government in the social, economic, and cultural wellbeing expenditure on the Imo State Library Board, for of the nation. instance, let us divide the 2001 subvention to the Board (NGN 13 million) by the population It is true that a majority of Nigerians are still of the state at that time (3,485,499). This gives illiterate. However, the inadequate support for us approximately NGN 5.00 (about 4 cents US) our public libraries cannot be attributed mainly per citizen! This pathetic situation arises partly to the high level of illiteracy among the citizenry. from the public accounting system that treats As Aboyade (1982) has noted: library books as capital items in the budget. There is a lethargic and lopsided implementation … among highly educated Nigerians, there of capital budgets at all levels of government in is still that lack of appreciation for the dif- Nigeria. Available fi nancial records at the Imo ference which the provision of library and State Library Board show that the Board has not information services can make in their lives received capital votes since 1994. This means or that of the society at large. The result is that that the Board has not been receiving book funds if such people are ever in a position of infl u- from its own government for the past 14 years. ence or policy making, they fi nd it diffi cult The impact of this on the library’s stock-building to support the library cause. efforts can be imagined. This situation may not be different from what obtains in some other states. If the educated minority can support the cause of According to Oyegade, Nassarawa and Mokogwu the public library at every given opportunity, its (2002) “while few public libraries in Nigeria had fortune is likely to improve. been neglected in capital funding, most others recorded substantial capital grants in the current year [i.e. possibly in 2002 – Opara] averaging The Challenges NGN 20 million with an average release of 10% of the total budgetary allocation.” This report The preceding sections of this paper have sign- did not indicate in quantitative terms the “few” posted the challenges facing the public libraries in neglected public libraries in capital funding as well Nigeria. The paper will now address the specifi c as the “most” of them that received “substantial challenges. grants”. This makes this report unsuitable as a 352 The Public Library in Contemporary Nigeria framework for a realistic appraisal of the funding Mason (1990), the elements that are most useful in levels of our public libraries. It behoves each acquiring political support for the library budget library board to make a strong case, through lob- are an understanding of political pressure points bying of the executive and legislative arms of the and the willingness and ability to lean on them. government, for the inclusion of books and other Library budgets, according to Lux (2007), have a materials as consumable items in the budget. It is lot to do with how politicians see libraries. In her a well-known fact that library stock building is a opinion, some librarians are too shy and do not continuous addition of new titles of books, new want to interfere in policy and therefore they can editions of available titles and subsequent issues get forgotten when there is development going of periodicals. on or money available. It is against this background that Jenkins (1990) has urged public librar- In proffering a solution to the poor funding of ies to become ever more astute politically. She public libraries in Nigeria, Adimorah (1988) opines that lack of knowledge of the legislative proposed a funding pattern for public libraries process on the part of librarians is the major rea- whereby the Federal Government would contribute son for the low priority which libraries hold with 20 percent, State Government 50 percent and legislative bodies. This observation is no less true Local Government 30 percent. Good as this pro- of the Nigerian situation. posal is, it must be realized that the Federal Gov- ernment exclusively funds the National Library Inadequate and Unmotivated Workforce which maintains branches in some states and is therefore unlikely to agree to such an additional It cannot be too strongly emphasized that the commitment. Moreover, the National Library has quality of public library services ultimately plans to provide public library services through depends upon the quantity and quality (the 2 Qs) its state branches. A more realistic proposal, in of the staff. As Sahai (1990) has noted, the quan- the opinion of this paper, would be joint funding tity and quality of staff is second only to fi nance as between the state government and local author- an essential prerequisite for a good library. The ities in each state. Presently, public libraries are quality of library staff is one of the key points mainly the responsibilities of state governments. highlighted in the UNESCO Statistics on Libraries There is need for a law requiring each local gov- (UNESCO, 1966/67) defi nition of the library. In ernment to establish public library services in any case, the ability of the library to procure needed its area. funds will, to a large extent, depend on the capacity of the staff to articulate the needs of the library It may be pertinent at this juncture to note that in a persuasive and compelling manner. The im- public libraries in some other parts of the world portance of human capital in the attainment of are facing fi nancial crises too. In America, for corporate goals is indicated by Drucker (1973) instance, public libraries are fi nding themselves when he stated that “a manager achieves results in the midst of what the American Library Associ- through people.” A library that lacks adequate ation (ALA) is calling the “deepest budget cuts in numbers of staff of the right calibre cannot be ex- history” (Coffman, 2004). The situation there is so pected to achieve much. With the prevailing state bad that some of the public libraries are shutting of affairs, public libraries in Nigeria are unlikely down, some reducing opening hours and laying to attract and retain quality staff. The existing off staff. While some of these libraries are explor- staff generally lack creativity and innovativeness ing other sources of funds, others are gaining tax in service delivery. This is a negation of the increases through the support of members of their UNESCO Public Library Manifesto (UNESCO, communities. 2000) that describes the role of the librarian as that of “an active intermediary between users In order to secure a higher level of funding, Library and resources.” Boards will need to make extensive use of lobbying. This requires constant pressure and persu- The staff of most public libraries in Nigeria today asion. The requirements for successful lobbying are low in morale as a result of inadequate atten- include an understanding of the workings of tion given to them and their institutions. While both the legislative and executive arms of govern- their counterparts in the academic, research, and ment and the ability of the management and Board national libraries are enjoying enhanced pay pack- to state clearly and persuasively how the library ages, they are not. This disparity in conditions of will benefi t the people to be served. According to service has led some public library staff who have 353 Umunna N. Opara

the opportunity to migrate to these other libraries. dilapidated and forlorn. Branch libraries are in The public library staff can do quite a lot to help either rented or donated accommodation. It cannot themselves. It may not be easy, but the prevailing be too strongly stressed that the deplorable state circumstances of their libraries should task their of some public library buildings in Nigeria has creative ingenuity. Much depends on the vision impacted negatively, not only on the productivity and drive of the head librarians. In the words of of staff, but also on their image and the image of Sager (1989): the library as an institution. While the populations of users and potential users are on the increase, A library administrator’s major resource is space remains static. The building of the Enugu the institution’s personnel. Whether this State Library Board, completed in 1959 and resource is wasted or effectively employed the oldest public library building in Nigeria, has depends on the administrator’s organiza- remained virtually the same in terms of space tional skills, leadership ability, sensitivity to despite an astronomical increase in the popula- employees’ needs, knowledge of their skills, tion of users. and capacity to motivate them. The Collections It is the considered view of this paper that the head librarian of a public library with the right The stocks of most public libraries are not keeping leadership qualities can harness the potentials of pace with the exponential growth in information the available manpower to achieve much needed materials because of inadequate budgetary relevance for his library. The saying that “the Lord support. The IFLA/UNESCO Guidelines for helps those who help themselves” is very correct. Public Library Service (Gill et al, 2001) in respect The public library staff must rise up to change the of public library stock provide that: state of their libraries and by extension change their status. the public library must have adequate resources not just when it is established but also on a continuing basis to enable it to sustain Inadequate and Dilapidated Accommodation and develop services that meet the needs of The library building is one of the three legs of the local community. This means it should the tripod upon which the library stands (Opara, provide materials in all formats, up-dated 2005). According to the IFLA Standards for regularly to meet the changing needs of Public Libraries (IFLA. Public Libraries Section, groups and individuals, including newly 2000), public library buildings: published and replacement materials.

Play an important part in public library The reality in most of Nigeria’s public libraries is provision. They should be designed to refl ect a far cry from the preceding admonition by IFLA. the functions of the library service and be The stock of most public libraries in the country suffi ciently fl exible to accommodate new would have remained static but for the kind ges- and changing services. tures of Book Aid International, the interventions of the defunct Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) and the The public library is a service institution and efforts of the Education Trust Fund (ETF) and public library buildings must be adequate both in donations from individuals and organizations design and space in order to facilitate the rend- both within and outside the country. However, it ering of that service. The design must be adequate appears that the plan by the ETF to provide three for both able and disabled users. Only a few public mobile library vans to each State Library Board library buildings in Nigeria, such as those of Kano (Oyegade, Nassarawa and Mokogwu, 2002) has and Ogun States, can be said to be reasonably not materialized. Book Aid International will be adequate and in good condition. In the South East, withdrawing its services to Nigeria by the end the headquarters of the Abia and Imo States’ of 2008. Book Aid International had been sup- Library Boards were designed as divisional librar- porting libraries – academic and public – in ies of the defunct Eastern Nigerian Regional and Nigeria since the 1980s. The organization was East Central State Library Boards respectively. donating books based on the expressed needs The Library Boards of some states like Anambra of the benefi ting libraries. However, the libraries and Ebonyi do not have their own buildings as were responsible for freight charges and clearing headquarters. In some others, the buildings are of the consignments of books at the Lagos seaport. 354 The Public Library in Contemporary Nigeria

Part of the frustration of Book Aid International and Selbar (1995) refer to as the sum total of the in Nigeria was the bottlenecks associated with individual’s thoughts and feelings about himself clearing of the books which led to the accumu- as an object. Some librarians do not realize that the lation of consignments at the seaport. Also, the way they see themselves affects their public image. ETF has recently withdrawn its intervention In the words of Akintude and Selbar “…. the programme to public libraries in order to revert image that librarians perceive that others form to its original mandate of supporting tertiary about them is directly affected by the self-concept institutions of learning. The impact of this on of librarians themselves.” the stock building and facilities of Nigeria’s public libraries can be imagined. There is an Poor recognition and support of the public library urgent need for public libraries in Nigeria that stem from poor or wrong perception of the role have not started to explore other sources of ﬁ - of the library. This translates to negative or poor nancial support to start doing so. This is necessary attitudes to it. All these are products of the mind because a library that cannot meet the informa- (Opara, 2006). A management strategy to tackle tion needs of its users is a moribund and anemic the problems of the public library should there- information system as it has lost its vitality, honour fore aim at changing the present mindset of gov- and attractions (Ajidabun, 2004). ernment and the public about the library. No management strategy can do this better than a well Donor support is now a survival strategy and planned and sustained public relations strategy. according to Rasmussen (n.d.), it is now seen as an acceptable, normal and inevitable way of funding The public relations practice being advocated all library functions. Managers of Nigeria’s public here does not only involve the creation of a public libraries should begin to identify and approach relations unit in the library with someone who is donor agencies, locally and internationally, for trained in public relations techniques and whose support, not only in the realm of acquisitions but sole responsibility is public relations; the practice also in the areas of ICT and capacity building. of public relations in the public library should not They should also begin to look inwards with a be exclusive to the library management. If the view to identifying potential areas such as en- desired goals must be attained, the functions must hanced (value added) services like information be diffused among the library staff. In the words consultancy, for internal revenue generation. of Kies (1987):

Recognition of this broader involvement is Poor Perception of Public Library and especially important in such public service, Librarians non-proﬁ t institutions as libraries. An organ- This is perhaps the greatest challenge facing ization’s formal programme of planned public public libraries in Nigeria today. It is poor percep- relations is indeed primarily a management tion that is responsible for the low priority rating function, but all of the organization’s em- of our public libraries in government business. ployees, not only the management level, need The public library is not perceived as an engine to be concerned and involved in the overall of growth. This has contributed to the poor image public relations of the organization. of the public library and librarian. According to Slater (1981), the social image of any group or This is because the image and success of an occupation or profession has three facets: the organization do not depend on its management public, the self and the ideal. The public image alone. As a matter of fact, the actions or inactions refers to the way the society sees an institution of any member of staff of an organization impact or profession. Just as the public library is not on the opinion the public holds about the organ- perceived as an essential institution, so also the ization. This is why the practice of public relations public librarian is generally seen only as one who is anchored on the principle that public opinion lends books. matters.

Self-image, on the other hand, is internal to a Public Library Laws in Nigeria person, and it refers to the way each member of an institution or profession sees himself. This Public library law is as old as the public library in is the same as the self-concept which Akintude Nigeria. The defunct Eastern Nigerian Regional

355 Umunna N. Opara

government is reputed to have enacted the fi rst public library law in Nigeria in 1955. According The Way Forward to Aguolu and Aguolu (1997), this legislation helped to speed up library services in the Region. The public library is the local gateway to know- There is hardly any public library in Nigeria today ledge, and provides a basic condition for lifelong which is not backed up by law. This is because, learning, independent decision-making and cul- without legislation, public library services would tural development of the individual and social be provided at the whims and caprices of whoever groups (UNESCO, 2000). For it to actualize all is in charge of the establishment (Agidee, 1970). these, it needs to be adequately supported by the establishing authority as well as by members of According to the UNESCO Seminar on Public the community for whom it is established. In Library Development in Africa (UNESCO, 1954): specifi c terms, public libraries in Nigeria need to be assisted as follows: Only legislation can empower the appropriate authorities to provide the services and • Provision of Adequate Funding: Adequate bud- ensure adequate fi nancial support and effi - getary allocation is needed to cover regular cient administration according to national staff salaries and allowances, stock building, standard. Only legislation can defi ne the capacity building and other overhead costs. functions of the providing authority, create One of the public libraries was so cash-strapped the conditions in which it may fulfi l those that it was cut off from the public power supply functions, and ensure development. for its inability to pay accumulated energy bills. The current practice of treating the book Unfortunately, some of the public library laws fund as a capital item in the budget should be have been found to be defective in content and jettisoned as it has crippled the stock-building structure. This has generated agitation by the programmes of these libraries. Nigerian Library Association for their review. • Adequate Buildings: Public library buildings The most vexed areas are the appointment of should be adequate both in design and space the heads of these libraries and the composition and centrally located to be accessible to all those of the Boards. As a result of the ambiguous pro- who may desire to use them. In one of the states visions for the appointment of the heads of some in the country, the head of the public library of these libraries, some non-librarians have only got to know that the architectural design been appointed, to the chagrin of the Library for his building was ready at a public function. Association. For instance, non-librarians are In other words, he made no input in the design heading the public libraries in Edo, Ondo and of his future library building. Such a design is Rivers States. In some states, all members of the likely to be defective in one respect or the other. Boards are non-librarians because the laws do not Most public library buildings in Nigeria do not expressly require that members shall be librar- provide for physically challenged users. ians or that the local library association shall be • Staffi ng: Most of the libraries presently do not represented on the Board. Perhaps only the Benue have adequate staff. Existing vacancies have State Library Board Edict of 1982 stipulates not been fi lled because the establishing auth- that all persons to be appointed members of the orities have not given approval. Public librar- Board shall be knowledgeable in library science ies in Nigeria have the highest levels of staff or related fi elds. The Librarians’ Registration turnover compared to other libraries. This is be- Council of Nigeria – the body that regulates the cause of poor conditions of service. In some practice of librarianship in Nigeria – is yet to public libraries, departments that are ought to be reconstituted. In the meantime, the Nigerian be headed by professionals are instead headed Library Association is engaged in dialogue with by paraprofessionals or non-professionals. Also, the State Governments whose public libraries are most branches of these libraries are headed by headed by non-librarians. paraprofessionals or non-professionals. There is a need for enhanced conditions of service for Most of the public library laws in Nigeria are over- the staff, comparable to what obtains in the due for review. The state governments concerned National Library of Nigeria. This will be achieved have not taken the necessary steps to do this if they are accorded academic status and the because they do not see the library as a priority. Consolidated Salary Structure (CONTISS) is 356 The Public Library in Contemporary Nigeria

granted to them. The establishing authorities References should give approval for the fi lling of existing Aboyade, B. Olabimpe. (1982) The making of an informed vacancies. society. Ibadan: Ibadan University Publishing House. • Review of Legislation: Those laws that contain Adimorah, E.N.O. (1988) Information use in a period objectionable provisions should be amended of economic recession. An Address Delivered at the Closing Ceremony of a Workshop on Fundamentals in order to expunge the vexatious provisions. of Librarianship and Information Science held at the Vacancies in the headship of public libraries Imo State Library Board, Owerri. should be advertised and made competitive in Agidee, Dickson. (1970) Legal provisions for library order to attract the best brains available. The development in Nigeria 1948–1968. Nigerian Libraries, current practice whereby appointment of the 6 (1 & 2), 53–63. Aguolu, C.C. (1989) Libraries, knowledge and national devel- head librarian is based on seniority has proved opment. Maiduguri: University of Maiduguri Press. unhelpful. Aguolu, C.C. and Aguolu, I.E. (1997) A force in library • Lobbying, Advocacy and Fundraising: Lobby- development in Nigeria. World Libraries, 7(2). ing in relation to the library is an attempt to Aguolu, C.C. and Aguolu, I.E. (2002) Libraries and infl uence those who are in positions to make information management in Nigeria: seminal essays on themes and problems. Maiduguri: Ed-Liform decisions in favour of the library. However, Services. Meraz (2002) has noted that inadequate use of Ajidabun, C.O. (2004) The acquisition management and this strategy by librarians is due to the fact that bibliographic control of government publications in lobbying is often viewed as a purely political Nigerian university libraries. World Libraries, 14 (2). activity. Even at that, what is wrong with it? It Retrieved February 13, 2008, from http://www. worldlib.org/vol14no2/ajidahunv14n2.Shtm. is evident that no state government in Nigeria Akintude, Stephen and Selbar, Julna. (1995) Librarians’ can fund its public library adequately alone. image dressing and self-concepts: a sociological Therefore, the libraries themselves should cre- analysis. African Journal of Libraries, Archives and ate value-added services in order to generate Information Science, 5(2), 109–125. additional revenue. In addition, there is a need Azikiwe, Nnamdi. (1937) Renascent Africa. London: Cass. to attract private sector support. Lobbying and Coffman, Steve. (2004) Saving ourselves: plural funding advocacy are potent instruments required to for public libraries. American Libraries, February. achieve this. Drucker, Peter F. (1973) Management: tasks, responsibilities, • Capacity Building: There is an urgent need for practice. New York: Harper and Row. p. 32. training and retraining of library staff, par- Emojorho, Daniel. (2005) Public library and nation building: the Nigerian experience. Library Management, ticularly in the areas of ICT and management 26(3), 123–129. of resources. Training and retraining should Gill, Philip, et al. (Eds.) (2001) The public library service: enable the public librarian to be innovative and IFLA/UNESCO Guidelines for Development. München: creative in providing services and managing K.G. Saur. resources. Harris, John. (1970) Twenty years of library development: libraries and librarianship in Nigeria at mid-century. Nigerian Libraries, 6(1&2), 26–40. Conclusion Heron, Margie. (2004) The public library building in the 21st century. South Carolina State Library Facilities Planning Resource. The contemporary public library is the most IFLA. Public Library Section. (2000) Standards for public libraries. Verlag Documentation, Pullach/Munation. economically effi cient community resource for Jenkins, Cynthia. (1990) The political process and library providing people of all ages and educational levels policy. In Josey, E.J. and Shearer, Kenneth D. (Eds.) with ready access to information and knowledge Politics and the support of libraries. New York: Neal- (Heron, 2004). Schuman Publishers. pp. 45–51. Kies, Cosette. (1987) Marketing and public relations for libraries. Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press. The public library in Nigeria cannot fit this Kuhne, Brigitte. (2000) Public libraries and librarian- description as it is seriously hindered in the ship. In Line, Maurice (Ed.) Librarianship and performance of its roles by inadequate support information work worldwide 2000. London: Bowker from its establishing authority as well as from Saur. pp. 89–104. those for whom it is established. It needs to be Lux, Claudia. Libraries on the agenda. Research Information, August/September 2007. assisted in order for it to play the roles expected Mambo, Henry J. (1998) Public libraries in Africa: a critical of it within the context of the Read Campaign assessment. African Journal of Library, Archives and promoted by the Federal Government. Information Science, 8(2), 67–76.

357 Umunna N. Opara

Mason, Marilyn Gell. (1990) Politics and the public Sahai, Shri Nath. (1990) Academic library system. library: a management guide. In Josey, E.J. and Shearer, New Delhi: Allied Publishers. Kenneth I. (Eds). Politics and the support of libraries. Slater, M. (1981) Occupational image: poor focusing. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers. pp. 112–123. Library Review, 30, 53–161. Mchombu, R. (1991) Which way African Librarianship? UNESCO. (1954) Development of public libraries International Library Review, 23, 183–200. in Africa: the Ibadan seminar. Paris: UNESCO. Meraz, G. (2002) The essentials of ﬁ nancial strength (UNESCO Public Library Manuals, 6) through sound lobbying fundamentals: The bottom UNESCO. (1966/67) Statistics on libraries. Paris: line. Managing Library Finances, 15(2), 64–69. UNESCO. p. 1. Onadiran, G.T. and Onadiran, R.N. (1981) Public library UNESCO. (2000) UNESCO Public Library Manifesto. services in Nigeria. Library Review, 1(4), 409–433. Retrieved April 14, 2008 from http://www. unesco. Opara, Umunna N. (2005) Repositioning the public library org/web world/libraries/manifestoes/librarian.htm. in Nigeria through public relations. Paper delivered Wheeler, J.L. and Goldhor, H. (1962) Practical admin- at the 3rd Quarterly Meeting of the Nigeria Library istration of public libraries. New York: Harper and Association, Imo State Chapter, held at the Imo State Row. House of Assembly on the 29th September, 2005. Wilkins, Barratt. (1977) Survey of state library agencies. Opara, Umunna N. (2006) Projecting a positive image of Occupational Paper no. 142. Urbana: University of public libraries in Nigeria through public relations. Illinois Graduate School of Library and Information African Journal of Library, Archives and Information Science, 1976. p. 36. Science, 16(2), 129–135. Wilmot, P.F. (1982) Libraries and nation-building. A paper Oyegade, Emmanuel Adebayo, Nassarawa, Sanusi A. delivered at the meeting of the Nigerian Library and Mokogwu, W.O. (2002) 40 years of public library Association, Borno State Chapter, Maiduguri, 27th service to Nigeria: past, present and future. Paper April, 1982. delivered at the 40th Annual National Conference Zeleza, Paul Tiyambe. (2000) The dynamics of book and AGM of the Nigerian Library Association held and library development in Anglophone Africa. BPN at Topo, Badagry in Lagos State, Nigeria from June Newsletter, No. 26 & 27. 16–21, 2002. Rasmussen, Anja Moller. (n.d.) Policies and practices towards information and library support. Retrieved Note February 13, 2008, from http://www.aau.org/english/ This paper is a revised version of the lead paper delivered documents/librarianship.htm. at the 2008 National Workshop/Seminar of the Public Rosenberg, Diana. (1993) Rural community resources Library Section of the Nigerian Library Association, centres: a sustainable option for Africa? Information held at the Enugu State Library Board, Enugu from 9–13 Development, 9 (1&2), 29–38. March, 2008. Sager, Donald J. (1989) Managing the public library. 2nd ed. Boston: G.K. Hall & Co.

358 National and Academic Libraries from Around the Globe

REPORTS

Building for the Future: National and Academic Libraries from Around the Globe: report on a conference held in The Hague 3–5 October 2007

Karen Latimer and Andrew Cranﬁ eld National Libraries

Introduction The fi rst session of the conference focused on national libraries and brought interesting presen- Libraries are changing in the digital age as infor- tations from all over the globe. Even though it is mation increasingly comes in electronic form 10 years since it opened, the ‘Black Diamond’ and the emphasis in libraries is placed on access extension to the Royal Library, Copenhagen to information and user support rather than on remains one of the most profound examples of collection building. Such change undoubtedly modern library architecture. Deputy Director impacts on the design of library buildings. Pre- Steen Bille Larsen gave us a tour back in time and dictions about the demise of the physical library, refl ected on some experiences of the last 10 years however, seem unfounded and many exciting of the new building. and innovative buildings have been designed in recent years. Indeed the need to create library Like so many library extension projects it was a buildings as meeting places for both academic and lack of space that drove the process of fi nding the social purposes that people want to visit rather fi nancial and political backing for this. In 1993 than have to visit has given library building design approval for the extension was granted and an a positive fi llip. international competition announced. The Royal Library used the world famous architect Harry The IFLA Library Buildings and Equipment Faulkner-Brown as a consultant. Steen Bille Section, which has recently launched the pub- Larsen said that the library had used Faulkner- lication, Library Building Guidelines, and the Brown’s ‘ten commandments’, which are worth Koninklijke Bibliotheek, which was celebrating mentioning here: the 25th anniversary of its current building, joined 1. Flexible with a layout, structure and services, forces to host a conference, Building for the Future, which are easy to adapt. in The Hague in October 2007. The aim of the con- 2. Compact for ease of movement of readers, staff ference was to explore, through a series of visits and books. and case studies, how national and academic 3. Accessible from the exterior into the building library building projects had successfully risen to and from the entrance to all parts of the build- the challenges posed by raised user expectations ing, with an easy comprehensive plan needing and the need for new services. Delegates visited minimum supplementary directions. the University Library at Delft designed by 4. Extendible to permit future growth with mini- Mecanoo and Michael Wilford’s Peace Palace mum disruption. in The Hague. Both buildings are architecturally 5. Varied in its provision of reader spaces, to give striking and successful working libraries and wide freedom of choice. both visits gave rise to much discussion and di- 6. Organized to impose maximum confrontation verse opinion. between books and readers.

7. Comfortable to promote effi ciency of use. Steen Bille Larsen ended his presentation by 8. Constant in environment for the preservation stating that, 10 years after the opening of the of library materials. library, they were still extremely satisfi ed with 9. Secure to control user behaviour and loss of their ‘new’ library and the Black Diamond has books. become part of many Danes’ consciousness and 10. Economic to be built and maintained with that the library plays an important part in the minimum resources both in fi nance and staff. preservation and dissemination of Danish cultural heritage. Building in the mid- and late 1990s was no easy task with the digital information landscape still There is no doubt – the National Library of Belarus unclear and uncharted and therefore the ‘1st is striking. From the many pictures of the library commandment’ concerning flexibility was of that Director Roman Motulsky presented, its particular importance. futuristic diamond-like structure is one part building, one part spaceship. To build a library such as Most people in Copenhagen probably know the this has been a huge fi nancial undertaking and the Black Diamond, so the project has certainly been generosity of various companies, organizations successful in creating a well-known brand, but and private persons have contributed to the task. fi nding the entrance to the library is somewhat more diffi cult! When the visitor has entered the Of special interest in Director Motulsky’s presen- library it is not 100 percent clear what kind of tation was the speed at which the building had building one is in – museum, concert hall or been completed – the construction of the library library. Steen Bille Larsen refl ected that this is was completed in only 36 months and it took only an aspect that needs to be improved – the Black 100 days to move the materials from different Diamond is iconic, the library perhaps less so. locations in Minsk to the new library building. The design of the library prioritizes maximum A good example of how requirements change storage facilities and it takes an impressive 20 is the question of the original number of PCs in minutes to deliver materials from the stacks to the library. Originally the library opened with the user. The stack has corridors along the peri- 90 user PCs in the information hall – today this meter of its outer walls, which create an air layer figure is 10, underlining that user and usage that helps to minimize temperature infl uences patterns change dramatically over the course of and helps to maintain the optimal temperature a decade. in the building.

Another good example of old technology that The library has an impressive 2.060 reading will change over the coming years is the use of places distributed among 19 reading rooms and old newspapers. Today the library offers most of special emphasis has been placed on the use of these on microfi lm in specially equipped reading natural light for the reading rooms, galleries and areas. In time these will, in all probability, be offi ces. available online and the relationship between the service provided and the space needed will The library covers more than just the written have changed. word and there are permanent art exhibitions focusing on Belarusian culture, ethnography A modern building like this should of course and folklore. Other cultural activities include a be comfortable and Steen Bille Larsen refl ected conference hall, art galleries, a book museum and on two important issues for users – indoor cli- a fi tness centre! mate and the provision of food and drink. The building is too hot in the summer and as public The national library of Belarus is built to impress – buildings in Denmark are not allowed to have air the modest main entrance to the huge building will conditioning this is a diffi cult problem to solve. make most users feel slightly daunted on entering Users of the library are allowed to use the staff the grandiose halls and rooms of the library. canteen at certain times of the day and it’s fair to say that this may well be the best library canteen From Belarus we moved far away to the island in Denmark. state of Trinidad and Tobago. Annette Wallace,

360 National and Academic Libraries from Around the Globe the Executive Director of the National Library is truly at the forefront of developing a digital and Information System Authority, introduced environment within a physical framework. us to the new national library designed by the architect Colin Laird. Seven fl oors, 24,000 sq. ft. Cautious Dynamism: The Koninklijke of fl oor space and a reinforced concrete structure Bibliotheek Building 1982–2007 to combat the risk of earthquakes all make this an impressive library. Also unusual for a National Library is the fact that this library doubles as a The afternoon programme was given over to a public library offering a wide variety of services celebration of the 25th anniversary of the KB for children and adults, including a storytelling building in The Hague. Martin Bossenbroek, room for children with a design refl ecting the Director of Collections and Services at the library, local folk culture. The library is also host to the spoke about rearranging the public space of the heritage library, which collects, among other KB building and this part of the programme items, materials about the history of Trinidad fi nished off with a presentation of a book about and Tobago. the KB library – a lavish publication in both Dutch and English detailing the building and Perhaps most striking is the library’s amphi- construction process, fl oor plans of the library theatre, which provides a forum for outdoor and with a wealth of illustrative material.1 The activities – a library space of which I think many placement of the KB library so close to the central librarians would be envious. The combination station of the Hague often means that it is quite of national and public library gives this building diffi cult to get a clear view of this building – this a rather different feel from many other national book shows how impressive the KB building libraries – a vibrancy which seems to be refl ected really is. At the end of this session there was in the architecture as well. also a brief presentation promoting the recently published IFLA Library Building Guidelines to The last presentation on the theme of national delegates.2 libraries was on the construction and new reading environment of the National Digital Library in Academic and Research Libraries Seoul, South Korea (NDL). As one might expect there is a marked emphasis on the use of ICT, digital media and the provision of more advanced On the fi nal day of the conference, attention forms of library services, though the library is a turned to academic and research libraries. There hybrid collection containing both analogue and has always been a strong user-support tradition digital materials. in this type of library but there is a shift in focus here too and a different balance between trad- The NDL is built to complement the existing itional collections and electronic services is emer- National Library of Korea and this cohabitation ging and indeed between reader places and is ‘joined’ together by a large green area in front shelving areas also. The four papers presented of the library and on the whole one gets the im- spanned four countries and three continents. pression of a library built and designed in harm- Many common themes and problems were iden- ony with nature. With its eight fl oors, fi ve of them tifi ed including funding issues, the importance underground, there is still a strong emphasis on of a strong vision, environmental concerns and collection storage and the underground book the need to design attractive and fl exible spaces stacks alone can hold 12 million volumes. Much which will encourage scholarship and enable emphasis has been placed on space strategy and collaborative learning to take place. planning a new reading environment, with the construction of what the library refers to as a The fi rst talk, by Tanja Notten, described the ‘digital cluster space’ where a number of services University Library of Utrecht, designed by Wiel are provided for (PCs, scanners, web cams and Arets at a cost of EUR 45 million and opened in printers) in one place. The library also provides a 2004. The need for more space and centralized media centre, where users can create multimedia facilities as well as improved health and safety materials themselves, an exhibition area and an and environmental conditions prompted the international video conference room. The NDL drive for a new building. The vision for the new

361 Karen Latimer and Andrew Cranﬁ eld

library was to integrate service points, allow architects – Schmidt Hammer Lassen. It is hoped access to as much of the collections as possible to start the EUR 84.5 million project in 2008/2009 and provide a mixture of individual and group with a proposed completion date of 2011/2012. study spaces. Lounge, café and auditorium spaces were provided in addition to traditional shelving The fi nal presentation of the conference was and reading areas. Flexibility in both the struc- given by Ruth Pagell on the Li Ka Shing Library ture and house rules was key to the project in order at Singapore Management University. She stressed to create a welcoming atmosphere while still the importance of the library as holding a central maintaining a balance between the scholarly and and critical place in the learning environment. As the social. Work spaces were designed to allow well as being open, friendly and fl exible, it had to two-way communication between staff and users. embody the highest aesthetic and environmental The décor, including black walls and intricate values to encourage scholarship and learning. glazing patterns, was intended to create intimacy The physical library is where space, appropriate and encourage concentration. pedagogy and technology overlap; an innovative institution needs an exciting and well-designed Celia Lacerda then presented a paper on the library which should be a link between the class- Library at UnicenP at Curitiba in Brazil. This room and the workplace. The speaker looked at building sits in a beautifully landscaped site over- the impact of research and teaching services on looking a lake at a central point of the campus. the design of the building; growing e-resources It is a dramatic trapezoidal shaped building of means there is less need for shelving areas and eight fl oors with an atrium. It was designed by also has an impact on work and reading areas and Manoel Coelho and it was evident that there the interface between library staff and users. A had been excellent rapport between the architec- recurrent theme was the need for more evidence- tural and library teams. Alternating mezzanines, based research to fi nd out how libraries are used broad stairways and a panoramic lift add to and what our users want. This can then feed into the drama of the building, which is also a very the design and choice of furniture. practical, environmentally-conscious one. Wide glass panels allow natural lighting and ventila- Conclusion tion and the building relates well to its natural setting. Internet access and a mixture of seating areas take precedence over collection space in The conference more than fulfi lled its promise acknowledgement of the current trend of access to look at how national and academic libraries to information being more important than had risen to the challenge of the electronic age. possession. The recent projects from around the world that were discussed and illustrated were innovative In a slight change of emphasis, the third paper took and exciting and gave delegates much food for as its topic a building that is still at the planning thought. stage. The new library for Aberdeen University in the north of Scotland has aroused a lot of References interest through its international competition and continuing fund-raising challenges. Wendy Pirie 1. Dorine van Hoogstraten. Cautious dynamism. The Koninklijke Bibliotheek Building 1982 – 2007. addressed the issue of commissioning a building Koninklijke Bibliotheek / NAi Uitgevers Publishers and seeing it through the planning process. As well 2007. as requiring a functional and environmentally- 2. IFLA library building guidelines: developments and friendly but iconic building, the University wants refl ections. Edited on behalf of IFLA by Karen Latimer to integrate collections and offer an enhanced and Hellen Niegaard. München, KG Saur, 2007. service to the local community. The importance of having a clear vision for the future rather than Karen Latimer is Senior Library Manager & AFBI just duplicating the existing set-up was stressed, Librarian, Queen’s University Belfast and Secretary, as was the need for good architectural advice IFLA Library Buildings & Equipment Section. E-mail: from the very beginning and a clear collection [email protected] management policy. An architectural competition was launched in 2005 and six practices, from the Andrew Cranfi eld is Director, EBLIDA, Grote Marktstraat 100 expressions of interest, were short-listed. 43, The Hague, The Netherlands. Tel: +31 703090550. E- mail: www.eblida.org The winners, announced in 2005, were Danish 362 Secretary General’s Report to Council, 2008 Secretary General’s Report to Council, 2008

Peter Johan Lor, Secretary General membership markets, retain current members, and recruit new members. It is again an honour to present to you a brief report on IFLA’s operations. This report covers I intend again to use the six prioritized strategic the period since the 2007 IFLA World Library actions as the framework for my report. However, and Information Congress in Durban. IFLA does not stand still, and as priority actions are accomplished new priorities take their place. Last year I spoke about IFLA’s strategic plan and The Governing Board is currently revising the mentioned the twelve strategic directions and priorities, and will decide on a new set at its next 45 strategic actions that it comprises. I men- meeting, on Saturday 16 August. In this report, tioned that in December 2006 the Governing for the sake of continuity, I shall stick to the Board drew up a priority list, in which six of the framework I used last year, but I am taking the strategic actions were selected for priority action. liberty of modifying it somewhat. They are: How Did We Do? Priority 1: Strategic action 6(a) (Society Pillar): Create an advocacy capability at IFLA HQ Using the list of priorities as a framework, I now and develop an advocacy campaign focusing report brieﬂ y on our progress in respect of each of on the following themes: Freedom, Equity and them. Unlike last year I shall not suggest a score Inclusion. out of ten. Instead, I’ll use ‘smileys’:

Priority 2: Strategic action 3(a) (Profession Pillar): Revitalize IFLA’s website for professional development and exchange. Priority 1: Create an advocacy capability at IFLA HQ and develop an advocacy Priority 3: Strategic action 11(d) (Members campaign … Pillar): As of this year IFLA headquarters has the Develop diverse, broad-based and stable sources nucleus of an advocacy unit. In January we of funding, other than membership. appointed Dr Stuart Hamilton in the newly created position of Senior Policy Adviser (SPA). Priority 4: Strategic action 9(a) (Members The creation of this position was made possible Pillar): by a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, announced at our Congress last year. Organize an annual World Library and Information This was an important step forward for IFLA. Congress that is effi ciently managed, fi nancially It adds signifi cantly to IFLA’s advocacy capacity. benefi cial to IFLA, sustainable, and reasonably It helps to ensure continuity in our represen- priced for members. tation at international bodies. Continuity is an important factor in successful advocacy. In Priority 5: Strategic action 12(a) (Members addition we are now able to divide the work of Pillar): representation among senior staff. For example, Review IFLA professional groups, taking a life- I was able to spend more time working with cycle approach, streamlining IFLA, to ensure that UNESCO, allowing me to participate in the they remain relevant and effective. evaluation of the Information for All Programme (IFAP) and in the development of IFAP’s strategic plan. We were also able to participate more Priority 6: Strategic action 10(f) (Members effectively in the annual action line facilitation Pillar): meetings that are held to follow up the World Develop a toolkit for IFLA divisions, sections, and Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), and discussion groups that helps to identify potential related meetings.

Stuart has been able to give a big boost to the architecture and design, and installation and work of FAIFE. There is a pipeline full of excit- confi guration of the content management soft- ing projects, largely funded by the Swedish ware. The two stages were outsourced to two International Development Cooperation Agency, different web development companies, which are Sida. At any given moment some are being con- currently working in parallel. Many of you will ceptualized and developed for next year, others have seen the ‘demos’ of the website that Fiona are in progress, yet others are being followed up has presented during various sessions this week. with further work. In the latter category I can The new site will have a fresh, modern look. It mention a highly successful IFLA/FAIFE ‘Train provides clear and effi cient navigation, an attract- the trainers’ workshop on the IFLA/UNESCO ive web presence for each of our professional Internet Manifesto Guidelines, held at the National units (Sections, Special Interest Groups, Core activ- Library of the Philippines just a few weeks ago. ities, etc.), and a range of web 2.0 functionality, Plans are already being made to follow this up including blogs, wikis and forums, to enable IFLA with a further programme to ensure successful members to communicate, interact and work to- outcomes in the South-East Asia region. gether in innovative and fl exible ways. Its design takes into account our seven offi cial languages as Stuart has much to do. He is working on projects well as the requirements of visually handicapped with the Committee on Copyright and other Legal and bandwidth-challenged users. Matters (CLM) and he has already participated in a major WIPO meeting, where CLM has been We have shown you some mock-ups. Beta testing doing great work. Stuart is also assisting our and evaluation will commence in September 2008. President in developing a ‘Libraries on the Content will be updated in keeping with the new Agenda’ strategy. I shall not say more about this, as design. Training will be provided online to all the President will deal with this in her address. On content creators. The new IFLA website will be this priority we have seen excellent progress. launched in January 2009, and the old IFLANET will be archived, but in doing so we will also acknowledge a debt of gratitude to our long-time web-mistress, Sophie Felföldi, to Library and Archives Canada, where IFLANET was initially Priority 2: Revitalize IFLA’s website for developed and hosted, and to the Institut de professional development and exchange l’information scientifi que et technique (INIST), which has hosted it since 2001. This is another ‘feel-good’ priority. After the Durban Congress we put together an expert This priority deserves a big smile. panel of knowledgeable persons who had been ‘volunteered’ by IFLA member institutions Priority 3: Develop diverse, broad-based to advise us on the redevelopment of IFLA’s and stable sources of funding, other than website. They conferred electronically and then membership met in The Hague in January to review where we were with the project. As the main outcome they I have already referred to signifi cant grants made provided us with a very useful ‘road map’ for the by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and way forward. We had a map, but we also needed Sida. The grant of USD 1 million from the Gates a driver. IFLA’s immediate Past President, Alex Foundation is a general operating support grant Byrne, who is the Director of the Library of the to enable IFLA to continue its work “to highlight University of Technology, Sydney (UTS), kindly the importance of providing public access to agreed to lend us one of his staff to help us with technology and the Internet through libraries the web project, and Fiona Bradley came to to improve lives”. It is for the period 2007 to 2009. IFLA Headquarters in The Hague on a 6-month It provides support for inter alia our advocacy secondment to drive the project. work and for the upgrading of our website and IT infrastructure. The grant from Sida, a total Working with a project team at Headquarters of SEK 23 million (c. EUR 2.4 million) for the and a user group made up of representatives of period 2005–2009, is the most important source the eight divisions and core activities, we made of funding for projects by ALP and FAIFE. The rapid progress. An open source content manage- year 2009 is not far away. This means that we will ment system (CMS) called Drupal was selected. need to work hard to ensure that funding is found The project was divided into two stages: information to continue this work from 2010. 364 Secretary General’s Report to Council, 2008

The Stichting IFLA Foundation, set up last year, refused in violation of assurances that had been now holds about EUR 250,000, being money given when Québec City was selected as our con- donated to the IFLA Fund and surpluses from gress venue in 2003. They have affected several the 2006 and 2007 Congress foundations. The speakers, which resulted in gaps in the Congress Foundation’s Trustees decided to plan for growth programme, and some regular participants, by investing most of this money, but every year including standing committee members, thereby EUR 50,000 will be made available for larger impeding IFLA’s professional governance. This projects of a strategic nature that are aimed at would have been the ﬁ rst IFLA Congress with building IFLA’s capacity in the long term. The full simultaneous interpretation into Arabic, but Trustees and the Governing Board are discussing refusal of visas to three Arabic-speaking partici- the manner in which this amount will be made pants who would have served as volunteer inter- available. preters and translators, would have made this impossible if the National Committee and Library Corporate partners make an important contri- and Archives Canada had not generously stepped bution to IFLA, not only through their membership in to help by providing interpreters for the opening fees, but also because most of them are exhibitors session. It is ironic that the visa issue has cast a and sponsors of our congresses. We currently have cloud over a congress held under the slogan of three tiers of corporate partners: ‘Libraries without Borders’.

Gold [displayed on screen] This situation may well be part of a worldwide Silver [displayed on screen] trend which will increasingly affect participants Bronze [displayed on screen] from developing countries. To alleviate the problem IFLA will take up this matter at the highest Can we give them all a round of applause? level with the authorities in countries hosting future congresses, and we will step up the guid- The fees and benefi ts of the three categories of ance we already give to intending participants – corporate partners need to be reviewed. The especially to apply for visas early so that there is revised Statutes, which will no longer lay down more time to challenge refusals. detailed provisions for corporate partners, will give the Governing Board greater fl exibility in Good progress is being made in organizing the tailoring packages to fi t the needs of corporate congresses in Milan (2009) and Brisbane (2010). partners. The venue for 2011 will be made known during the closing session. We strive to offer a congress This priority area is one of great challenge for us. of high quality at a price our members can afford. This is an ongoing challenge. We do not see the congress as a cash cow. We aim to break even or achieve a modest profi t. Because a congress is affected by many uncertain factors, we have to Priority 4: Organize an annual World budget conservatively. Mostly the result exceeds Library and Information Congress that is our expectations, but we have no guarantee. To effi ciently managed, fi nancially benefi cial to keep our registration fees affordable, the fees for IFLA, sustainable, and reasonably priced for IFLA members will remain unchanged next year, members while those non-members will go up. This is a In recent years IFLA has had a series of success- risky decision, and means that we rely on you to ful congresses. This has been a very enjoyable come to Milan in large numbers to ensure that congress too. Unfortunately I have to express we break even. deep disappointment about the problems many participants, particularly colleagues from develop- The economic challenges of organizing a success- ing countries, have experienced in obtaining visas ful congress have stimulated some rethinking. to enter Canada. In spite of all the efforts of IFLA We have clarifi ed and strengthened the legal Headquarters, Concorde Services Ltd, and the framework that binds IFLA, the limited liability Canadian National Committee, which worked company that is responsible for each congress, really hard to assist the affected persons, this has the professional conference organizer or PCO unfortunately prevented some 40 pre-registered (Concorde Services Ltd), and the National participants from joining us here. The visas were Committee. This framework consists of a set 365 Peter Johan Lor

of contracts between these parties, covering future be in the Rules of Procedure. This will the period until 2010. Work is in progress on a make it easier for IFLA to respond rapidly to new strategic review of future congresses. challenges and opportunities.

To plan good congresses we need good infor- This has been a big job. In anticipation of the mation about your congress experiences. Last Council’s approval I think a broad smile is year we asked participants to complete a web- appropriate. based post-congress evaluation questionnaire. We had a record response – for which, thank you very much! The results were very useful. You told us that you are generally positive about many aspects of the congress, but you also pointed out Priority 6: Develop a toolkit for IFLA some areas of weakness, on which we are working. divisions, sections, and discussion groups A summary of the results has been published in the that helps to identify potential membership June 2008 IFLA journal (vol. 34, no. 2). This year markets, retain current members, and recruit we again ask you to complete the post-congress new members evaluation questionnaire. For the fi rst time it will Since the initial development work on the toolkit be available in all seven IFLA languages. has been completed, the Governing Board decided that this priority can be deleted. For my Also for the fi rst time, we will ask participants report I shall refocus Priority 6 on membership in satellite meetings to complete a separate web- development, grouping together the following based questionnaire asking them about the event strategic actions: they attended and also how this relates to the congress itself. Finally, our PCO will distribute an evaluation questionnaire to all exhibitors. A Priority 6: Membership development, loyal constituency of happy exhibitors is critical comprising strategic actions: to the success of our congresses. We want to know 10(c): Assertive management of member how we can improve their IFLA Congress ex- services perience too. I appeal to you all to respond to the 11(b): Recruit and retain members questionnaires that you will be asked to complete. 11(c): Recruit and retain corporate partners In so doing you help us to offer you a better congress. In April, due to increasing costs and lack of progress, we stopped all work on the new This priority is a mixed bag of good and bad membership system that we were developing news. We need an in-between smiley here. to link to the new website and to our fi nancial system. This work was diverting energy from the new website, which is a higher priority. It was a diffi cult decision. For membership administration we have reverted to our old system. It is Priority 5: Review IFLA professional groups, ineffi cient but it works. As an interim measure taking a life-cycle approach, streamlining the database structure has been optimized, while IFLA, to ensure that they remain relevant and a new approach is being considered. effective During the past year our discussion on professional IFLA’s membership levelled off in 2001 when we structures, which started in Seoul, has resulted had 1781 members in 155 countries. It has been in the proposal for more general and thorough slowly declining ever since. As of July this year revision of IFLA’s Statutes, which will be voted we have 1571 members in 145 countries. Because on shortly. The Statutes are complemented we changed the cut-off date for membership by Rules of Procedure. Therefore a new set of renewals in 2006 the figures are not strictly Rules of Procedure has also been drafted. If the comparable. In the past we ‘carried’ many mem- new Statutes are approved this afternoon the bers who had not paid their membership fees. Governing Board will consider and approve Now we have fewer members but they are almost the new Rules of Procedure. Much of the detail all paid-up members and we no longer have a large concerning our professional structures will in amount of bad debt to write off.

366 Secretary General’s Report to Council, 2008

However, this is cold comfort. We need to turn Alexandria, Egypt, for French (specifi cally for the tide and start growing our membership again. francophone Africa), in Dakar, Senegal, and In April Cynthia Mouanda, then Membership for Russian, in Moscow. The establishment of a Manager, proposed a ‘3Rs’ membership develop- Chinese language centre is receiving attention. ment plan under the slogan ‘Recruit, Retain, These offi ces will greatly enhance our ability to Rejuvenate’. The Treasurer set a higher target for communicate in all our offi cial languages. membership income, and the Governing Board • From May this year we have a Professional joined in the effort, each member undertaking to Communication Offi cer, Ingeborg Verheul, who recruit a handful of new members. We also put has been seconded to us by the Koninklijke more emphasis on member retention. A drive Bibliotheek, the national library of the Nether- to contact non-paying members resulted in the lands. This means that we now have a staff reinstatement of a number of members who member working primarily on communication. had been deleted on account of non-payment in That does not mean that she can generate all 2007. In terms of the Global Library Association the content we need. I therefore appeal to all Development (GLAD) Programme six library our professional units, especially sections and associations in small developing countries will be core activities, to let us have interesting and helped to pay their membership fees. attractively written reports on your achieve- ments, with photographs whenever possible. Positive as these efforts may be, they do not ade- We need to celebrate our successes on our new quately address the challenge we face. A more website, in proposals and reports to donors, in strategic approach is needed. A broadly smiling our annual report and elsewhere. Smiley is not appropriate here. This is encouraging progress, which deserves a broad smile.

Since this is my last report to you as Secretary General, I take the liberty of adding two priorities which I consider to be important, and which I Priority 8: Building organizational capacity shall discuss very briefl y. Under this heading I include the following strategic actions: Priority 7: Communication Under this heading I group four strategic actions 10(a): Increase capacity of all IFLA offi ces to from IFLA’s strategic plan: support strategic directions and actions 10(b): Recruit and retain staff with professional 8(a): Electronic newsletter competencies 8(b): Communication with offi cers 8(c): Multilingual service At the beginning of this year IFLA embarked 10(e): Communication strategy for ‘indirect on a process of organizational restructuring at members’ IFLA Headquarters, led by President Claudia Lux. This process is still under way and a new I consider communication to have been our organizational structure is taking shape. greatest weakness during my term as Secretary General, but now at last we are making some real Coincidentally, this has been a year of many staff progress. I mention four positive developments: changes. We were sad to lose a long-serving staff member, Karin Passchier, who lost a brave battle • The President’s monthly newsletter has been against cancer. In addition our longest-serving well received, which shows that it meets a staff member, Sophie Felföldi, well known to need. many of you as always helpful, patient and • The new website, to which I have already knowledgeable, left us to move to Cyprus. referred, will not be a passive repository of Two months ago we said good-bye to Cynthia information, but a powerful, versatile com- Mouanda, who has in the mean time given birth to munication tool. baby Thalia. While on the subject of new arrivals, • To our three existing regional offi ces we have we have welcomed several new colleagues, in added three language centres, for Arabic, in chronological order: 367 Peter Johan Lor

• Sofi a Kapnisi (part-time Graduate Administrator, of key strategic areas before being immersed in position shared with the UDC Consortium) routine organizational matters. She is an impres- • Stuart Hamilton (Senior Policy Adviser) sive professional association executive and I am • Simon Lemstra (Web Manager and IT confi dent that when I leave on 5 September IFLA Coordinator) will be in good hands. • Fiona Bradley (seconded to us for the website redevelopment project and soon returning to Conclusion Sydney) • Ingeborg Verheul (Professional Communication Offi cer) Time has fl own and it is time for me to hand over. • Esther Doria (part-time Administrative This has been an absorbing and challenging job. Assistant) It has been a wonderful privilege to serve you as IFLA’s Secretary General. It remains for me I should also mention that we welcomed Josche to thank my colleagues at Headquarters, in the Ouwerkerk, now the proud mother of Sacha, back Core Activities and Regional Offi ces, the President from maternity leave. and Governing Board, officers and members of Coordinating Boards, Standing Committees, Last but not least, the new Secretary General, Advisory Boards and other structures, and last Jennefer Nicholson, joined us in June. Her early but not least, to thank you, the members who appointment has allowed her to work in parallel have offered me so much wisdom, support with myself for 3 months. During this time she and friendship, and who make IFLA the great has had a great opportunity to review a number organization that it is.

368 IFLA’s New Transparency, Good Goverance and Freedom IFLA’s New Transparency, Good Governance and Freedom from Corruption Manifesto: background and rationale

Paul Sturges, Chair of IFLA FAIFE Croatia itself, Bosnia, Germany (a representative of Transparency International), Russia, South The precise origins of the idea that FAIFE should Africa, the USA, and Britain were brought together work towards a new IFLA Manifesto on trans- for the occasion. Discussion ranged widely across parency are a little hard to identify. They began the nature and extent of corruption, the activities to take shape during the mid-2000s when I was of anti-corruption campaigners and activists, and both Chair of FAIFE and Academic Consultant the incidence of corruption in the library profes- to an action research project that included local sion itself. At the end of the workshop the Croatian Chapters of the anti-corruption NGO Transpar- Library Association drew up a strong statement ency International from Pakistan, Nigeria and on the role of libraries in the struggle against cor- Croatia as partners. (Sharma and Sturges, 2007) ruption and the FAIFE representatives compiled The idea that libraries could be seen as transpar- a list of sub-topics that might eventually form part ency institutions, allowing light in to darkened of a policy statement. areas, thus contributing towards good governance and limiting the scope for corruption, began to The second phase of the process involved the seem a natural one in this context. Defi nitions of FAIFE Committee of the Library and Information transparency are various and the topic has not Association of South Africa (LIASA), when been coherently written up as an approach to LIASA was also the host of IFLA’s World Library information access, but a reasonable defi nition and Information Congress in 2007. The Goethe might be something like ‘The condition in which Institute in Johannesburg was recruited as a knowledge of activities that are of public interest further partner, not least because the Institute is revealed so as to provide the potential for has excellent meeting facilities in its premises. A accountability.’ L ibraries, by providing access to WLIC pre-conference was arranged for August print and electronic resources, obviously already 16th and 17th with invited speakers, including contribute to social, political, economic and other librarians, researchers and civil society activists, forms of transparency, but attention has seldom and other participants from South Africa, Germany been drawn to this as an aspect of the general (naturally), Serbia and a number of other rationale for libraries. As FAIFE is IFLA’s Intel- countries. Once again FAIFE was indebted to Sida lectual Freedom core activity, it seemed a worth- for fi nancial support to make the event possible. while project to explore this approach to the The intention was for this pre-conference to bring socio-political role of libraries somewhat further, the discussion much closer to the specifi c issues and possibly develop policy ideas for IFLA that could form parts of an IFLA policy. For this relating to it. purpose LIASA/FAIFE identifi ed a locally-based rapporteur, Thabiseng Taole, to put together a To do this, FAIFE enlisted the aid of the two national fi rst draft of a policy document from the themes library associations that have a permanent discussed at the Goethe Institute. After another FAIFE committee in their structure. First of all, successful and very stimulating set of presentations the Croatian Library Association agreed to attach and discussions, this is exactly what she did. a FAIFE one day workshop entitled ‘Libraries, Civil Society Organisations and the Struggle The original draft was subsequently redrawn a Against Corruption’ to its 6th annual celebration number of times over as its content was exposed of the International Day of Human Rights at the to the FAIFE Committee and the IFLA Governing National Library of Croatia in Zagreb, 8th and 9th Board, before it was formally accepted as the IFLA December 2006. The Department of Information Manifesto. Amongst other aspects of the draft, the Science at the University of Zagreb’s Faculty of title was frequently altered to obtain some sort of Philosophy also agreed to be a partner, and FAIFE balance between the fully explicit and the easy-to- was able to draw on fi nancial support from Sida, remember. Simply calling the Manifesto ‘Trans- the Swedish development agency. Speakers from parency’, ‘Good Governance’ or ‘Anti-Corruption’

or permuting any two of these were all tried. In up the process very widely, so that the policy would the end only the long and, admittedly clumsy, title not be a product too closely associated with the that the Manifesto now bears would do. Quite industrialized ‘old’ democracies of Europe and early in the process a colleague from Transparency North America. The ten clauses of the Manifesto International had expressed surprise that FAIFE call on the library profession to make its own should adopt such a lengthy process, lasting well house as clean as possible, before recommending over a year, to draw up a policy document that means by which the library can be made a practical an NGO would feel able generate in a fraction of contributor to transparency activity and become the time. With all due respect to our civil society an effective partner in society’s struggle against associates, this does reﬂ ect the difference between corruption. It will not necessarily be an easy the way an NGO might work and an appropriate policy to adopt for colleagues in countries where policy-making process for a global association of corrupt and authoritarian governments suppress professional bodies and institutions like IFLA. criticism in brisk and heavy-handed fashion. In such environments it will represent an ideal to be Throughout the process FAIFE was very con- pursued over the long term, but wherever there is cerned that in taking IFLA and its members scope for change and improvement, the profes- further into a socially-engaged policy area than sion now has a clear statement to guide it, in the they generally ventured, it was necessary to have form of this manifesto. a document that could be ‘owned’ by the library profession. The slow process of discussion and The full text of the IFLA Manifesto on Transparency, drafting deliberately involved colleagues from Good Governance and Freedom from Corruption an emerging central European democracy and a is reproduced in the News Section of this issue very newly democratic African state, and opened under ‘Policy and Plans’, pp. 383–384.

370 Report on the President’s Session World Library and Information Congress, Québec, 2008: ‘Libraries on the Agenda’ – Report on the President’s Session

Christel Mahnke international political level concerning libraries and their role in the education and information The session started with a talk by Claudia Lux systems. Therefore, IFLA has taken lobbying on about elements of successful lobbying: how to all levels as a main focus. Since the WSIS (World start, what to do, what to avoid. She spoke from Summit in the Information Society 2003–2005), her vast experience, and instead of giving a presen- a working group inside IFLA is taking care of this tation to the audience, she shared her ideas and activity. Thanks to the generous support of the Bill personal approach. This encouraged other people and Melinda Gates Foundation, Stuart Hamilton from the audience to share their stories as well, started in January 2008 to work as Senior Policy and before we knew it, we had learned a lot Advisor at IFLA Headquarters. This long title about lobbying under different circumstances, for was immediately cut short to ‘spa’, showing Stuart different aims. Hamilton not only as a creative head and tireless worker, but also as a person to feel good with. He In the end, Barbara Ford proposed to have more has given fresh energy to the working group, and ‘hands on workshops’ about lobbying, where helped to reach some strategic decisions. people can exchange their experiences and learn from each other, how to do successful lobbying. Together with other members of the working The audience applauded the idea, and we hope group, he ensured IFLA’s presence in important to see more of it in Milan. The whole session sessions of UNESCO bodies, in international proved how deeply the current president’s motto conferences on education and development, ‘Libraries on the Agenda’ has taken root in the and of course during the WSIS follow-up week IFLA community. in Geneva.

The second part of the session was devoted to a The implementation of the WSIS action lines is panel discussion about IFLA’s lobbying for librar- evaluated during this yearly conference session, ies as a vital part of the global information society. and we make sure that libraries play their part in Many decisions are made on the national and this agenda.

Panel discussion members. L. to R. Claudia Lux, Elisabeth de Carvalho, Filiberto Felipe Martinez.

But lobbying is not only necessary in conferences, curriculum in Qatar and other countries of the but on a day-to-day basis. Libraries are indeed Arab world. This will not only give students a at the heart of the information society, as many better ability to learn, work and become and edu- examples from the ‘Success Stories Database’ cated citizens, but will hopefully seed the idea show. Danielle Mincio (Switzerland) started the of libraries as information powerhouses in the database and is improving it constantly. You can heads of the coming elite. ﬁ nd it in the centre of IFLANET webpage. The audience, including IFLA’s President Elect Filiberto Felipe Martinez und Elisabeth de Ellen Tise, took part in the panel discussion with Carvalho from the IFLA Latin America and questions and examples of political lobbying in Caribbean Section shared their lobbying experi- their working environment. It showed once more, ence on national and regional levels in Latin that ‘Libraries on the Agenda’ is here to stay. America. Dr. Hesham Azmi (Qatar University) spoke about his work to establish information Christel Mahnke is Coordinator, President’s competence as a regular part of the university Information Society Working Group.

372 Reports on Special Group Meetings in Québec Reports on Special Group Meetings in Québec

Several meetings of Discussion Groups and other specialized groups took place during the Québec Access to Information Network–Africa/ Congress. Some of them have submitted brief Réseau d’Accès à l’Information reports on their proceedings, as follows: en Afrique

Special Interest Group on Indigenous Access to Information Network–Africa/Réseau Matters d’Accès à l’Information en Afrique is an IFLA discussion group with a difference, since it is not only a discussion group but a regional profes- The final meeting of the IFLA Presidential sional network under the Society pillar of IFLA. Commission on Indigenous Matters took place ATINA/RAIA seeks to marry the concerns of the on 12th August 2008. Dr. Loriene Roy, ALA Past Africa Section of IFLA with those of the Govern- President and an enrolled member of the White ment Information and Official Publications Earth Reservation of Anishinabe (Ojibwe/ Section (GIOPS) and the Free Access to Informa- Chippewa), chaired the meeting. It was facilitated tion and Freedom of Expression core programme by Ms. Penny Carnaby, National Librarian, (FAIFE). Its aim is to provide a forum for discus- Aotearoa/New Zealand, and Mr. Winston Roberts, sion and for action through libraries within IFLA, Principal Advisor – International & CDNL Secre- in order to promote public access to government tariat, Strategy, Policy & Communications, took information, governmental transparency, the notes. The meeting considered the current IFLA exposure of corruption and other ills, freedom of Statement on Indigenous Traditional Knowledge expression, democracy and economic and social (http://www.iﬂ a.org/III/eb/sitk03.html) and a progress throughout the African continent. proposal to establish a Special Interest Group (SIG) on Indigenous Matters in IFLA. According ATINA/RAIA was founded as a result of the to IFLA governance procedure, the prospective 1996 GIOPS/FAIFE conference at UNECA, the SIG must be placed under an existing section. United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, The Library Services to Multicultural Populations in Addis Ababa, on the African implementation Section has welcomed the SIG and approves of the World Summit on the Information Society. of the proposal. Section Chair Minjin Kim The network sponsored IFLA discussion pro- provided a summary of the process and noted grammes chiefly in English and focusing on that, if approved, the SIG will be guided by a southern Africa at the Durban World Library Convener who must be an IFLA member. Others and Information Congress in 2007, and chieﬂ y participating in the SIG need not be members of in French and focusing on Central, West and IFLA but will be invited to join. Penny Carnaby North Africa at the Québec World Library and and Loriene Roy gathered over 60 signatures Information Congress in 2008. of individuals supporting the establishment of the SIG. The signatures were submitted to The ATINA/RAIA papers and discussion among Sjoerd Koopman, Coordinator of Professional 50 session participants in Québec City explored Activities at IFLA Headquarters. He will convey the following topics: this proposal to IFLA’s Professional Committee. The Committee will make a determination on the • Moving towards the information society: formation of the SIG, likely at its next meeting in stakes and strategies in West Africa. December 2008. Minjin Kim and Loriene Roy will • What information and documentation centres prepare a report on the possible establishment of can do about the problems of accessing informa- the SIG for the next issue of the Newsletter of tion for development in Central Africa. the Library Services to Multicultural Populations • Public access to information, freedom of Section. expression and the building of democracy in Cameroon and in Benin. Further information: Loriene Roy, indigenous- • The current state of government publishing and [email protected] access to government information in Nigeria.

• Freedom of expression in Tunisia and the rest Past-President of the American Library Asso- of the Maghreb after the World Summit on the ciation set the mood for ‘Putting Women on the Information Society. Agenda: Empowering Women Professionals to Lead in the Information Society’ (the title of the In addition, a very useful working meeting was session) by inviting delegates to seek and fi nd held in Québec of the IFLA Senior Policy Advisor partnerships and collaborations. with representatives from the libraries of three francophone African international organizations This was followed by 45-minute interactive work- in Dakar and Yaoundé, the African Copyright and shops in English and French (Spanish was also Access to Knowledge Project (ACA2K) project in planned). This format gave the 170+ delegates Johannesburg and the International Develop- the opportunity to participate in the two sessions ment Research Centre in Ottawa, to explore future which interested them the most, under two ATINA/RAIA programmes and cooperation to- different strands: wards achieving IFLA’s WSIS goals through African libraries. For more information or to join 1. International leadership opportunities: the the new ATINA/RAIA listserver, see the ATINA sessions, focusing on specific examples of pages on the IFLA website or contact the convenor current models of partnerships and experiences, of the group, Francis Kirkwood of the Library of were led by Barbara Ford, Director and Parliament in Ottawa, Canada. Distinguished Professor, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and member of IFLA’s Report by Francis Kirkwood. E-mail (kirkwf@parl. Governing Board; and Michele M. Reid, Dean gc.ca Tel. +1-613-947-2266. of Libraries, North Dakota State University, who was also the programme coordinator. 2. Mentoring the mentors / launching the Big Putting Women on the Agenda: Sister-Little Sister Mentorship Scheme: follow- Report on the Women, Information and ing on an idea born at the Durban Conference Libraries Discussion Group Programme to start an international mentorship scheme led by women willing to help other women to The Women, Information and Libraries Discus- learn their way around the IFLA structure and sion Group (WIL DG) met on 11th August 2008. to develop their professional skills to their full The mission of the Group is the promotion, devel- potential in a multicultural, cross-sectoral men- opment and support of library and information torship scheme where women professionals services for the benefi t of women, and society as from all over the world would contribute their a whole. The Discussion Group, under the sponsor- time and knowledge. ship and professional guidance of the Manage- ment of Library Associations Section, focuses Delegates’ feedback has been really positive, men- on women as users of library and information tioning that the round tables setting encouraged services, as workers in the library fi eld, and as participation in an international context, giving providers of information. women professionals the opportunity to share experiences, be inspired by others, learn some- WIL’s first programme in Durban discussed thing new, and in some cases has helped facil- women professional contribution to the UNESCO itating some individual partnerships between Millennium Development Goals. The four presen- delegates from different countries. tations were truly inspirational and attracted lots of interest from the 200+ strong audience. Report by Maria Cotera, WIL DG Lead Con- A meeting with around 20 delegates was held vener, University College London, UK. E-mail: right after the programme; the outcomes helped [email protected] the Discussion Group conveners to establish the focus of WIL’s session for Québec – with this E-Learning Discussion Group being identifi ed as professional development of LIS women workers, and the programme style moving away from speakers presenting papers, to E-Learning made fi rst made its appearance as a ‘round tables’ setting to facilitate discussion. a discrete theme in the IFLA conference program at the 2004 Buenos Aires conference. The At the meeting in Québec, Loriene Roy, Professor, interest shown in the programme at the Québec University of Texas at Austin and Immediate conference – with over 150 in attendance despite 374 Reports on Special Group Meetings in Québec the program scheduling on the last session of the conferences – and at prior conferences – is evid- last day of the conference – was testament to the ence of the growing interest in this topic within growing level of interest in the developing area IFLA. The Group hopes to continue operation of e-learning in libraries and the LIS profession. in the newly established Special Interest Group format. More information about the E-Learning The theme for the Québec program session, Discussion Group is available at: http://www. ‘Putting the Learner into E-Learning’, spanned ifl a.org/VII/dg/eldg/ and the Convenors of the the interests and perspectives of the Discussion E-Learning Discussion Group would welcome Group’s three sponsoring Sections: Continuing your interest. Professional Development and Workplace Learn- ing, Education and Training, and Information Contact: Anna Maria Tammaro annamaria. Literacy. [email protected] .

Debbi Boden and Ruth Stubbings, of the univer- Report by Ian Smith, (Former) Co-convenor – sities of Worcester and Loughborough in the E-Learning Discussion Group. E-mail: I.Smith@ United Kingdom respectively posed the question latrobe.edu.au ‘Do Librarians Like to Learn Online?’ in their presentation which was focussed around two Agricultural Libraries Discussion Group e-learning modules aimed at enquiry desk staff and at those who are teaching information literacy in a more formal environment. The Agricultural Libraries Discussion Group session was held on Wednesday 13 August 2008 Bruce Kingma and Kathleen Schisa of Syracuse on the theme ‘Trends in Agricultural Information University (USA) addressed the issue of ‘The Eco- Transfer Systems Worldwide’. Over 50 delegates nomics of Learner Centered Online Education’ – from different countries participated in the delib- focussing on the interrelationships between the erations. Jacinta Were, Systems Librarian, Uni- quality of online instruction and the costs asso- versity of Nairobi, moderated the session. Peter ciated with the provision of effective e-learning. Ballantyne, President, International Association of Agricultural Information Specialists (IAALD), The host country for the conference was re- and Dr. Deva Eswara Reddy, Associate Professor of presented by Corinne Laverty of Queen’s Uni- Library Science, Texas A&M University, explored versity, Ontario. Dr Laverty’s presentation – the implications of agricultural information ‘Information Literacy by Design: An e-learning transfer mechanisms in developed and developing wiki for librarians’ – examined a case study of countries. the development and use of a wiki as a learning tool for librarians involved in teaching infor- Dr. Eswara Reddy, in his paper ‘Holistic View of mation literacy. Agricultural Information Transfer Systems’, took the view that an agricultural information transfer The program presentations concluded with system consists of four independent, interrelated Chutima Sacchanand, of the Sukhothai Tham- components: development, documentation, dis- mathirat Open University and the Thai Library semination, and diffusion of information, broadly Association. Dr. Sacchanand’s presentation, ‘Put- corresponding to generation, organization, com- ting the Learners into E-learning: an experience munication, and utilization of information. He of Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University’ opined that educational and research systems returned to the main theme of the program session are the prime movers in advancing agricultural and brought to the program a different perspective – knowledge. They include local, national and culturally and geographically – from the other international educational and research institutes four presentations. worldwide. The function of organization and retrieval of agricultural information rests solely The full text of all four of the presentations with library and information professionals. is available at: http://www.ifla.org/IV/ifla74/ Of late, these functions have also expanded to Programme2008.htm a plethora of national and international agricultural information systems. The dissemination The success of the E-Learning Discussion Group function is set to be the primary concern of ex- sessions at the Québec and Durban IFLA tension service providers. The fourth component 375 Ismail Abdullahi

of the information transfer system, utilization of in the paper included the barriers and challenges agricultural information, is the common concern faced by LIS faculty in pursuing their professional of all the users such as farmers, ranchers, decision development in the areas of teaching, research makers, educators and researchers in developed and service. A good discussion was followed by as well as in developing countries. a report of the convener Dr. Ismail Abdullahi, who told the participants that, during its 3 years Peter Ballantyne, in his presentation, said that of activity, the discussion group has evolved to information transfer logistics is no more a linear become a major forum of discussion for LIS process as the advent of information technology Education in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. has blurred the distance between the generators and consumers of information. He said that when Then there was a discussion about organizing a public funding is used to generate such informa- Satellite Pre-conference in 2009 in Milan, Italy. tion and knowledge, access to that information During this time, the group will critically explore should be free of costs. He said that in an innov- and develop the concept of collaboration among ation systems perspective approach, all the actors LIS education in developing countries. The theme have knowledge, and should therefore be involved of this Satellite meeting will be ‘Building Bridges: in knowledge sharing. Such an approach helps to connecting the soul and spirit of LIS education build ‘open communities’ where all perspectives in developing countries.’ Topics selected for this and expertise can be contributed to solve an issue meeting are: curriculum development; faculty; or problem. He emphasized web 2.0 as an ap- student; collaboration; accreditation; continuing proach for open and accessible knowledge and professional development (CPD); professional information sharing, where we need to have stand- association; distance education; information and ards in terms of attitudes as well as the tool set. communication technology (ICT); and profes- By using tools like blogs, wikis, and RSS feeds, sional ethics. organizations are already moving in the direction of more open knowledge sharing. Report by Ismail Abdullahi. E-mail: iabdullahi@ nccu.edu The discussion that followed centered round the vital role of librarians and information profes- New Professionals Discussion Group sionals in harnessing information technology in the transfer and exchange of agricultural information. The participants were emphatic in The New Professionals Discussion Group pre- pleading for close cooperation between the IFLA sented a successful program that challenged group on agricultural libraries and IAALD in librarians and library associations from around promoting farmer oriented information services the globe to take a closer look at how they in- worldwide. volve new librarians in their association’s work. Speakers included Robyn Ellard, Assistant Report by Deva Eswara Reddy. E-mail: dereddy@ Director of the Australian Library and Informa- lib-gw.tamu.edu tion Association (ALIA), Keith Michaels Fiels, Executive Director of the American Library Asso- ciation (ALA), Barbara Schleihagen, Executive LIS Education in Developing Countries Director of Deutscher Bibliotheksverband e.V. (DBV), Susanne Riedel, Executive Director of The LIS Education in Developing Countries Dis- German Professional Association (BIB), and Jesus cussion Group held its meeting on August 12th, Lau, the Vice-President/President Elect of the 2008. The topic of this meeting was ‘LIS Education Association Mexicana de Bibliotecarios/Mexican in Developing Countries and the Challenges of Library Association (AMBAC). Human Resource Development.’ A concept paper entitled ‘Strategies for Continuing Professional The panelists shared their wisdom to motivate Development of LIS Faculty in Sub-Saharan new librarians to participate in association’s work. Africa’ was presented by Drs. Edwin M. Cortez, Keith Michael Fiels started off giving three tips Johannes Britz, and Isaac Kigongo-Bukenya. The to get ahead: show up, take on work, and do it! paper addressed the need for structured access Most times committees need members and those to continuing education opportunities by LIS who attend their meetings have the opportunity faculty in Sub-Saharan Africa. Issues discussed to join that particular group. If a task needs to be 376 Reports on Special Group Meetings in Québec completed, it is always a good idea to volunteer, 2. Practice Euthanasia: people hang around for and if you volunteer, make sure you fi nish what too long; give others a chance to work. you start. 3. Bring them in: if you are a veteran, go where new professionals are; go online. Jesus Lau encouraged new librarians to not be 4. Give support: newbies need to know that afraid of the crowds of the Congress or the big veterans have their backs. names of chairs of committees and divisions 5. Put them in charge: provide space where new because they like all of us are only human too. librarians take decisions. Example: CILIP’s The important aspect is to dare to participate Career Development Group and ALIA’s New and speak up. Robyn Ellard explained how Generation Advisory Committee. ALIA’s New Generation Advisory Committee advises their Executive Board on matters related During the IFLA Congress in Québec convenors to recently qualified new professionals. This encouraged new librarians to get involved in the revolutionary approach has greatly helped ALIA DG and a number of the attendees put their names to better serve its newest members. forward. These were contacted and it is expected that a number of them join the NPDG as active Barbara Schleihagen stressed the importance convenors. of communication and interaction among colleagues to ensure understanding of what the During the congress, convenors fi nalized plans to needs are. She suggested that opening spaces present a joint pre-conference with the Continuing for students to develop projects for library asso- Professional Development and Workplace ciations could motivate more involvement of this Learning, Moving In, Moving Up, and Moving group in committee work. Susanne Riedel shared On: Strategies for Regenerating the Library information about the Treff-session of the BIB and Information Profession at the University which offers a reduced rate for fi rst time members. of Bologna on August 18-20, 2008. More This has proven to be a wonderful recruitment information and paper’s proposal submission tool among new librarians increasing membership form at http://www.ifl a.org/IV/ifl a75/satellite- of this sector. cpdwl-call-en.htm

The session included a healthy discussion about Currently, NPDG convenors are Liz Lewis (UK), the points raised by the speakers. All the panelists Joanna Ball (UK), and Robyn Ellard (AUS). Loida agreed that library associations need to encourage Garcia-Febo (PR/US) and Andrew Cranfield employers to develop secession plans to proact- (DK/UK) are now advisors to the DG. ively strategize for the big exodus of the baby boomers. Bob McKee, Executive Director of the Report by Loida Garcia-Febo. Chartered Institute of Information Professionals E-mail: loidagarcia [email protected] (CILIP), the association in the UK, summarized the discussion with ﬁ ve points:

1. It is important to run an effective association: people want to be involved in an association that is different.

377 Simon Lemstra The New IFLA Website

Simon Lemstra, IFLA Web Manager. interact in online communities (forums, blogs, E-mail: webmaster@iﬂ a.org wikis, etcetera).

Since you all are loyal readers of our Journal and In all of this we gave a lot of attention to inter- other IFLA communication means, I am sure nationalization, usability and accessibility. Our you already know about the new website we are seven ofﬁ cial languages should get a more integral developing. In this article I want to give you a place on our website by providing a better struc- general update about what has been done and ture and workﬂ ow for the translation process. where we will be in the near future. By adhering to Web standards developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) we would The People Involved have a solid base to make the site easy to use and its content accessible to all.

At the beginning of 2008 a project team was With those considerations in mind we set out to formed at IFLA Headquarters (HQ). We started fi nd a good management system and one or two off with Peter Lor, Cynthia Mouanda and myself, professional companies to take care of the actual with Fiona Bradley as the project leader. In the development. After proper research and a few course of the year some of them left IFLA and thus rounds of requests for information (RFI) we made the team: Cynthia to give birth to her lovely Thalia, our choices. First we chose Drupal as the system to Peter to be succeeded as Secretary General, and manage the website’s structure and content, then Fiona to go back to her job in Australia. Others we chose two companies to design and develop stepped in to provide us with advice and new the site. Design agency Eend from Utrecht, The views on the Web: IFLA’s new communication Netherlands, would take care of the functional offi cer Ingeborg Verheul and intern Mikkel Lund and graphic design. The Belgian Drupal specialist Jensen. I was ‘upgraded’ to project leader. dotProjects from Ghent would be responsible for making the CMS do what we need it to do. This core project team was assisted on various occasions by a user group of twelve representatives from our Sections and Core Activities. Their ex- Design Phase perience with other web projects, and especially with using our old website and other web Eend put a couple of their people on our design applications, was of great value. In October we project. In a series of brainstorming sessions with expanded our user group to include all IFLA HQ staff their project manager laid the ground- Information Coordinators. They will be the main work for the new site structure. Then, page by page, web editors of the new website, so they were, we discussed the proper elements to be added, the and are, closely involved in testing the content relations between those elements and between management system (CMS) and giving us feed- pages, the behaviour of buttons and links, and back on proper procedures. the functionality of it all. Finally one of Eend’s graphic designers took all of that in and created Goals and Considerations the look and feel of our new site. Believe me, one could write an entire paper about As Fiona Bradley put it, “With the new website, this design phase we went through, but unless we aim to provide new communication tools, you’re a web designer, much of it is just boring improve navigation, and promote IFLA’s activities details. Suffi ce to say that we think the result was and events”. Better site structure and navigation excellent. The new website looks professional will improve the fi ndability of the information and with just the right amount of nicely balanced documents on the site. New communication tools colours. The functionality is a big improvement will provide IFLA members and other information on that of the current site, and the technical basis specialists with the means to discuss, share and promises good usability and accessibility.

Copyright © 2008 Author. IFLA Journal 34(4): 378–382. 378 IFLA ISSN: 0340-0352. DOI: 10.1177/0340035208099353 The New IFLA Website .sagepub.com/current.dtl] The new IFLA homepage. [The illustarions can be viewed in colour the online version at http://iﬂ

379 Simon Lemstra A typical Section homepage.

380 The New IFLA Website

The fi rst results of this phase were presented by In the months after that we tested the new system. Fiona Bradley at the IFLA Conference in Québec, We learned to make the best of it and we started an Canada. We were pleased to see that most of the ongoing process of laying down rules, procedures feedback was positive and very much in line with and guidelines for an optimal use of the website. our own views. Both Eend and dotProjects were available for help and minor changes in our setup. Drupal Training and Testing We chose Drupal because it is a very fl exible and versatile general management system for site The Information Coordinators (IC’s) will become structure and content. It is an open source ap- even more important than they already are within plication (one of our requirements), and the their groups. A major part of the success of our core program and most of the extra components new website with its communities will depend on and modules are free to use. Compared to its the commitment of the Sections. The more active competitors Drupal gives us the best combination their offi cers and members are in writing news of functionality and ease of use, with all sorts and other content and in populating the commu- of possibilities to extend it. The program code nities, the more successful the site will be. These it generates complies to the Web standards people are the beating heart of IFLA. I mentioned earlier. One of the things we did to help them was to An extra advantage of this CMS is that it uses set up an extranet: a secluded part of the new the technologies PHP and MySQL, which are website only accessible to the web editors and widely used across the globe. So should the need webmasters. Actually, that extranet was the fi rst arise to extend the system, or to change its inner of our new communities. At the moment it has a workings, there will be many companies able to forum to discuss content management and to help do that for us. On top of that – and perhaps this is each other with questions and problems, and it a more personal advantage – I have been a PHP/ has a growing amount of pages with information MySQL developer myself with lots of previous (procedures, guidelines) and training videos. experience with CMS’s, including Drupal. Another important part of our work in these past few months was to test if our new pages were Development Phase indeed as usable and accessible as we designed them to be. Most of the usability testing came We chose dotProjects because they are Drupal from our web editors by simply working with the specialists, with a good name and a lot of experi- site. In the accessibility testing we had a lot of ence in building websites for governmental and help from our Libraries for the Blind Section. nonprofi t organizations. They, or rather their pro- Some of its members, visually impaired in some ject manager, came into the picture somewhere way, volunteered to walk through our new web near the end of the design phase. We started the pages using assistive technologies such as screen development project with him in more or less readers and magnifi cation. the same way as we did with Eend. In a couple of meetings we discussed the structure and fun- Web Hosting ctionality resulting from the Eend sessions, as well as our other needs: a multilingual, multi-user system with a proper workfl ow, possibilities to While dotProjects was busy setting up our set rights and roles, and community tools. Drupal system, we looked into the fi eld of web hosting. Our current website is hosted by the In October dotProjects delivered the beta version French L’Institut de l’Information Scientifi que of our fully functional web application. That et Technique (INIST). Since IFLA has always was the moment when we started introducing been very content with its arrangement with the new system to our future web editors: HQ INIST, we fi rst talked to them about our new staff of course, but more importantly the Infor- plans. It turned out that they would not be able mation Coordinators of our Sections and Core to provide us with everything we need for the site, Activities. so we had to look for a new hosting provider. 381 Simon Lemstra

First of all there were technical requirements to have to be monitored and if necessary adjusted, take into account, such as disk space, available new wishes and demands will arise for which monthly bandwidth and supported web technol- we will develop additions to the site, and of course ogies. Then the costs were important (recurring all of us will have to write interesting articles and for setup) and the level of support that could and papers, send in photos and videos, keep the be provided. Also, just as it is important to be able discussions in the forums going, ... to extend the web application, we need to be able to easily upgrade our hosting package: more disk Should you have any further question about space, more bandwidth, more types of software, the website or have something interesting to new program settings to make. contribute, now or in the future, please do not hesitate to contact us at IFLA Headquarters. And The result was that we chose a managed VPS who knows, perhaps we will ‘meet’ in one of our account. VPS stands for Virtual Private Server: a new communities. solution that takes the middle ground between a low-end, affordable ‘shared hosting’ account and Further information: a high-end dedicated server of one’s own. The package we chose provides enough resources for Updates about the website project – www.iﬂ a. us to expand in the near future. Should we digit- org/I/whatsnew/new-website.htm ally grow too large, then we can upgrade to a larger VPS package or even switch to a dedicated World Wide Web Consortium – www.w3c.org server, all with the same provider. Eend – www.eend.nl (in Dutch) And Now? dotProjects – www.dotprojects.be (in Dutch)

Well, a good website is never ﬁ nished. Even after Wikipedia article about VPS –en.wikipedia.org/ the launch of our new site in the new year we will wiki/Virtual_private_server keep working on it. The functionality of it will

382 News IFLA Policies and Plans

NEWS

Policy and Plans

democratic values and universal unbiased educational, scientific NEWS CONTENTS civil rights”; and technical, and socially relevant Policy and Plans ...... 383 The Alexandria Manifesto on information to each and every one. From the Secretariat . . . . . 384 Libraries, the Information Soci- The information materials and From the Regional Offi ces . . 384 ety in Action (2005) (http://www. access provided by libraries and Membership Matters . . . . . 384 ifla.org/III/wsis/Alexandria information services contribute to Grants and Awards ...... 385 Manifesto.html) reasserts the good governance by enlarging the Québec Conference ...... 387 principle that “libraries and knowledge of citizens and enrich- Future IFLA Conferences information services [are] vital ing their discussions and debates. and Meetings ...... 388 to a democratic and open Infor- IFLA Publications ...... 390 mation Society”; Libraries and information ser- From Other Organizations . . 391 and adds that “Libraries are essen- vices should extend their mission Other Publications ...... 392 tial for a well informed citizenry so as to become more active com- Personal News ...... 393 and transparent governance”. ponents in good governance and the struggle against corruption. In Transparency, Good particular they can perform a signifi - Governance and Freedom cant role in informing citizens of IFLA Manifesto on from Corruption their rights and entitlements. Transparency, Good Governance and Freedom Transparency is the basis of good IFLA therefore calls on all library from Corruption governance and the first step in and information professionals, fi ghting corruption. It provides a and all those responsible for universal rationale for the provi- the governance of library and IFLA has on numerous occasions sion of good records management information services at national and in many forums made clear its systems, archives, and financial and local level, to support the belief in the positive role of libraries regulatory and monitoring systems. following programme in society and its commitment to en- It is directly linked to the practice of hancing this role. It has consistently socially responsible authorship and 1. Librarians should counter cor- linked this to the principle of Free- journalism, the work of editors, the ruption directly affecting librar- dom of Access to Information and publishing and the distribution of ianship, as in the sourcing and Freedom of Expression, as set out information through all media. supply of library materials, ap- in Article 19 of the United Nations pointments to library posts Universal Declaration of Human Corruption undermines basic and administration of library Rights, 1948. social values, threatens the rule of contracts and fi nances. Library law, and undermines trust in political Associations should support In particular: institutions. It creates a business this through the creation or environment in which only the cor- strengthening of Codes of Pro- The IFLA/UNESCO Public Library rupt thrive. It hinders scientifi c work fessional Ethics. Manifesto (1994) (http://www. and research, weakens the functions 2. Librarians should strive to ifl a.org/VII/s8/unesco/eng.htm) of the professions and obstructs the improve professional status of states the importance of “the emergence of the knowledge society. all information professionals ability of well-informed citizens It is a major contribution to the cre- and promote better pay for to exercise their democratic ation and prolongation of human professionals to reduce their rights and to play an active role misery and the inhibiting of devel- susceptibility to corruption. in society”; opment. Corruption succeeds most 3. Librarians should reassert their The Glasgow Declaration on Li- under conditions of secrecy and role in educating citizens by braries, Information Services general ignorance. developing strong collections and Intellectual Freedom (2002) and facilitating access to infor- (http://www.ifla.org/faife/ IFLA asserts that libraries are mation on philosophical and policy/ifl astat/gldeclar-e.html) in their very essence transparency socio/economic/political topics. states that libraries and informa- institutions, dedicated to making 4. Where a country has infor- tion services “help to safeguard available the most accurate and mation access or freedom of

Copyright © 2008 International Federation of Library Associations & IFLA Institutions (www.iﬂ a.org). IFLA Journal 34(4): 383–393. ISSN: 0340-0352. DOI: 10.1177/0340035208099276 383 From the Secretariat

information laws, librarians 7. Libraries should collect infor- of information rights (through should seek to make the library mation materials issued by posters and other publicity a centre where citizens can be offi cial bodies, particularly those methods) and librarians should assisted in drawing up and sub- that deal with citizens’ rights seek to raise awareness of the mitting information requests. and entitlements. They should right to information. 5. Where a country does not have seek to make information that 9. Libraries should create or co- information access or freedom is issued by offi cial bodies more operate in the creation of anti- of information laws, or such comprehensible and accessible corruption portals which link laws are not effective, librarians (through indexes, abstracts, content from offi cial sources, should support initiatives to search support, etc). They should anti-corruption NGOs and draft, amend, promote and pro- also organize digitization and other relevant sources. tect such laws from neglect. other preservation programmes 10. Libraries should support exist- 6. Training should be organized for for offi cial information relating ing and planned citizens’ ad- librarians and users in the use of to laws, rights and entitlements, vice centres provided by anti- the type of information that will and facilitate access to existing corruption NGOs with infor- improve citizens’ understanding databases of these types of mation provision, technical of the laws and assist them in information. assistance with databases and the pursuit of their rights and 8. Libraries should be made avail- all other relevant aspects of entitlements. able as venues for the promotion their professional expertise.

From the Secretariat

job. It has been an honour and I have a postal address in South Farewell Message a privilege to serve IFLA in this Africa which is checked fairly regu- from Secretary position, in which I have made larly: PO Box 71315, The Willows, General Peter Lor many friends and have shared many 0041, South Africa, but it will be wonderful experiences. better to contact me by e-mail at Dear Friends and Colleagues [email protected]. In January we will move to Time has ﬂ own and after three-and- Milwaukee, USA, where I have been With warm greetings a-half years my stint as Secretary appointed as a visiting professor General of IFLA will come to an end in the School of Information Peter Lor on 5 September. This has been an Studies, University of Wisconsin exciting, challenging and absorbing Milwaukee.

From the Regional Ofﬁ ces

Ang, who will be taking over Janice International Relations, National Welcome to Petrina Ang Ow’s portfolio. Her contact details Library Board, 100 Victoria Street are as follows: #14-01, Singapore 188064. DID: +65 6332 3610. Fax: +65 6332 The Regional Ofﬁ ce for Asia and Petrina Ang Hui Min (Ms), 3616. E-mail: Petrina_ANG@nlb. Oceania welcomes aboard Petrina Associate II, Professional and gov.sg

Membership Matters

Institutions Ghana Institute of Management New Members and Public Administration Chongqing Library, China (GIMPA), Ghana Direction Générale du Trésor et University of Guyana Library, We bid a warm welcome to de la Compabilité Publique Guyana the following 20 members who (DGTCP), Côte d’Ivoire Publika Magyar Könyvtári Kür/ have joined the Federation Faculty of Life Sciences Library, Publika Hungarian Library between 18 July and 26 September University of Copenhagen, Group, Hungary 2008: Denmark Centre Sarobidy, Madagascar 384 Grants and Awards

Delta State University, Nigeria National Associations Personal Affi liates Russian Book Chamber, Russian Federation Federación Centroamericana de Ms Sandra Boyce, Barbados Bibliothèque de Genève, Switzer- Asociaciones y Colegios de Mohammed Al Gharib, Saudi land Bibliotecarios (FECEAB), El Arabia Robert W. Woodruff Library/AUC, Salvador Frederick Zarndt, United States United States Palestinian Library and Information Association (PLIA), Palestinian Territories Student Affi liate International Association Parent Library Community of Randi Robin, Canada International Council for Scientifi c Serbia, Republic of Serbia and Technical Information (ICSTI), Red de Bibliotecas Universitarias France Españolas, Spain

Grants and Awards

• an explanation of how the Prize 2008 Access to Learning Award of Guust Van Wesemael money would be used; USD 1 million to the Vasconcelos Literacy Prize • and a realistic budget. Program in Mexico’s Veracruz state for its innovative efforts to Call for Applications 2009 Candidates are also advised to connect people to information and attach a letter of support from their knowledge through free access The objective of the Prize is to recog- library association. to computers, the Internet, and nize an achievement in the fi eld of training. The organization is being literacy promotion in a developing The Prize of EUR 2,725 will be paid honoured for bringing these tools country. The Prize should prefer- out in two instalments: two thirds and services to rural, indigenous ably be used for follow-up activities immediately and one third on sub- communities using all-terrain such as purchasing targeted col- mission of a report of how the Prize vehicles equipped with technology lections of appropriate books, but has been used. classrooms. Microsoft, a foundation may also be used for other activities partner in efforts to help public such as literacy promotion, training, Within 6 months after receipt of the libraries connect people with online policy development. The Prize is Prize, the winner must submit to information, will also contribute to issued biennially. The focus of the IFLA HQ an interim report of the the Vasconcelos Program providing Prize is public library or school library use made of the funds, and the software and technology training work. Both individuals and library second instalment will be paid out. curriculum through its applicable institutions are eligible to apply. When the project period is fi nished programs. Created and managed a fi nal report and a fi nancial state- by the Veracruz secretary of public The Prize was established by the ment should be submitted. (The education, Vasconcelos targets com- IFLA Executive Board in November report should be in a form suitable munities where state and federal 1991, to commemorate the late for publication in IFLA Journal). authorities have provided computers Guust van Wesemael, who was in public spaces such as schools and Coordinator of IFLA’s Professional Deadline for applications: 1 March community centers but the equip- Activities from 1979 to 1990 and 2009. ment remains severely underused Deputy Secretary General of IFLA because residents lack basic com- from 1979 to 1991, and his con- More information and application puter skills. A bus and training team tribution to IFLA’s efforts to promote form on the IFLA website: http://www. spends up to two weeks in each literacy in the developing countries. ifl a.org/III/grants/grant02.htm village providing computer literacy In 1996 the Prize was re-established and other training to people of all under revised conditions. Bill & Melinda Gates ages. Prior to each visit, Vasconcelos Applications must be accom- Foundation: Access to works with local leaders to make sure panied by: Learning Award the training meets each community’s needs and identifi es support so the (ATLA) 2008 • the reasons for application; centers can continue these services. • a detailed description of the Since 2005, Vasconcelos’ fl eet of completed project or activity At a ceremony during the World all-terrain vehicles–each equipped (including a short description of Library and Information Congress with computers, satellite Internet the library, or of the organization in Québec, the Bill & Melinda connections, and a team of ex- and its activities); Gates Foundation presented its perienced trainers–has supported 385 Grants and Awards

more than 120,000 people in more • Mr. John Kiyaga, Library Assist- Freedom to Publish Prize for his than 200 communities. These are ant, Uganda Christian University, exemplary courage in upholding among Mexico’s poorest areas, Mukono, Uganda freedom to publish. where many people face diffi cult • Miss Ani Minasyan, Circulation/ health and economic conditions Reference Librarian, American IPA established the IPA Freedom and have education levels far University of Armenia, Yerevan, to Publish Prize to honour a per- below the national average. To Republic of Armenia son who has made an important address some of these challenges, • Mr. Caleb Ouma, Librarian, Nation contribution to the defence and Vasconcelos devises a curriculum Media Group, Nairobi, Kenya promotion of freedom to publish and outreach activities tailored • Miss Saima Qutab, Librarian, anywhere in the world. Ragýp to the needs of each community. Directorate General Mines & Zarakolu is a Turkish publisher A typical curriculum combines Minerals, Lahore, Pakistan born in 1948. Since starting his technology literacy training and • Mr. Raymond Sikanyika, Senior publishing house Belge with his community-specifi c activities, such Library Assistant, Copperbelt wife Ayse Nur in 1977, he has been as health education, cultural pre- University, Kitwe, Zambia subjected to harassment from the servation, and indigenous art and • Ms. Vesna Vuksan, Head, Library Turkish authorities. Ragýp Zarakolu dance projects. Vasconcelos has Development, Belgrade City refused to abandon his campaign enabled new economic and edu- Library, Belgrade, Serbia for freedom of thought, striving “for cational opportunities for many an attitude of respect for different people, including Flavia Esmira Read more about this on: http:// thoughts and cultures to become Vásquez Rivera, an artist, entre- www.oclc.org/news/releases/ widespread in Turkey”. Over the preneur, and mother of three living 200830.htm years, the charges brought by the in Coxquihui. After enrolling her Turkish authorities against Ragýp sons in Vasoncelos’ training pro- Zarakolu and his wife resulted in gram, Vásquez was inspired to 6th IFLA International imprisonment, confiscation and learn how online resources could Marketing Award destruction of books, and the im- help her build her small jewelry- position of heavy fi nes, endanger- making business. She learned how As already announced in IFLA ing the survival of the Belge pub- to use Internet and computers to Journal Vol. 34, no. 3, the 6th IFLA lishing house. Ragýp Zarakolu is improve her marketing efforts. As International Marketing Award for the chairperson of the Freedom to a result, her contribution to her 2008, awarded by the IFLA Section Publish Committee of the Turkish family’s income has increased by on Management and Marketing, in Publishers Association. 25 percent. Vasconcelos will use collaboration with Emerald Group the Access to Learning Award Publishing Ltd, was awarded to The 2008 IPA Freedom to Publish funds to reach more people with Ros Dorsman of Central West Prize is sponsored by the Dutch additional vehicles, more trainings, Libraries, Australia. Second place Publishers Association (NUV). and ongoing technical support. was awarded to Shelley Civkin, Richmond Public Library, Canada, For further information: Alexis Further information: ATLA@gates and third place to Grant Kaiser, Krikorian, Director, Freedom to foundation.org Calgary Public Library, Canada. The Publish. Tel +41 22 830 10 80. awards were made during the World E-mail: krikorian@internationalp Jay Jordan IFLA/ Library and Information Congress ublishers.org OCLC Early Career in Québec. Development Fellowship International Information Program For more information: Christie Koontz (USA) – ckoontz@admin. Literacy Logo Contest fsu.edu At a news conference during the World Library and Information During the UNESCO session of Congress in Québec, Jay Jordan, Freedom to Publish Prize the World Library and Informa- OCLC President and CEO, named tion Congress held in Québec, the librarians chosen by OCLC, Canada, in August 2008, Mr IFLA and the American Theological During the closing ceremony of Abdul Waheed Khan, UNESCO’s Library Association to participate in the 28th International Publishers Assistant Director-General for the Jay Jordan IFLA/OCLC Early Association (IPA) Publishers Con- Communication and Information, Career Development Fellowship gress in Seoul, Korea (12–15 May awarded the winner of the inter- Program for 2009. 2008), IPA President Ana María national Information Literacy Cabanellas announced that pub- Logo Contest. The winner is a The 2009 Jordan IFLA/OCLC lisher Ragıp Zarakolu had been young Cuban designer, Mr Edgar Fellows are: voted recipient of the 2008 IPA Luy Perez from Havana. 386 Québec Conference

The international Information IFLA Medals were presented to: Literacy Logo Contest supported by UNESCO and the International Adolfo Rodriguez Gallardo in rec- Federation of Library Associations ognition of distinguished service to and Institutions (IFLA) aimed to IFLA and the international library create a logo to identify organiza- community, especially in promot- tions and projects dealing with The international Information ing librarianship in developing information literacy and to raise Literacy Logo countries the visibility of those who carry out information literacy work. Rima Kupryte in recognition of her groundbreaking work with the The logo was selected by an inter- Open Society Institute and eIFL The aim of creating this logo is to national jury of information lit- in sharing information at a global make communication easier between eracy experts from among 198 level. those who carry out information submissions from 36 countries literacy projects, their communities, around the world. and society in general. The logo IFLA LIS Student will be available free of charge The winner was awarded the Prize Paper Award and promoted as an international of USD 3,000, and the selected symbol of information literacy. logo has been recognized as an The logo may be downloaded in IFLA will offer an IFLA LIS Student international symbol of information various languages and graphics Paper Award in 2009. It will be literacy work. formats from http://www. coordinated by Section 23, Edu- infolitglobal.info/logo/?s=home cation and Training (ET). All IFLA The logo communicates, in a simple sections are asked to open their way, the human ability to both The logo may also be viewed in Call for Papers to LIS students search and access information, not colour in the online edition of this for the Milan 2009 WLIC and to only through traditional means, issue of IFLA Journal at http://iﬂ . recommend the best student paper but also through the use of ICT sagepub.com/ submissions. Papers selected worthy (Information and Communication of the award shall be submitted Technologies), as it uses graphic re- to the ET Section to be reviewed sources known all over the world, IFLA Awards and for award nomination. The award such as the book and the circle. The Honours includes an amount up to EUR first one symbolizes study, and 1800 to support costs for travelling, the second, knowledge and infor- lodging and the conference fee. mation, which today are made more The following IFLA honours were presented during the Closing Session available through informatics, Further information: Petra Hauke, of the Québec Congress: showing with this that its social aim Secretary, Education and Training is to communicate. Section, Lecturer, Librarian, Insti- The IFLA Scroll was presented to tute for Library and Information Melvin Thatcher in grateful recog- The book, open and next to the circle, Science, Humboldt University, nition for his service to IFLA and, comprises with it a visual meta- Hochkalterweg 3a, D-12107 BERLIN, especially, in his function as Chair phor representing those people who Germany. Tel. +(49)(30)7415903. of the Standing Committee of IFLA’s have the cognitive tools to reach Fax +(49)(30)74070216. E-mail: Genealogy and Local History information in a nimble way, as well [email protected] as the desire to share this ability. Section.

Québec Conference

interest are three videos posted Looking Back on the by Library and Archives Canada, Congress showing the Opening Ceremony (including the Opening Address by the Governor General of Canada, Many people have tried to capture Mme Michaëlle Jean) and the the Congress in photos, videos plenary addresses by Hervé Fischer and words (blogs). Links to a and James Bartleman. selection of them are on IFLANET at http://www.ifla.org/IV/ifla74/ IFLA President Claudia Lux was post-congress.htm. Of particular serenaded by one of the performers Claudia serenade. 387 Future IFLA Conferences and Meetings

during the Cultural Evening on authorities. They included IFLA Sunday, 10th of August … Standing Committee members and a member of IFLA’s Governing … and many delegates really had Board and all female delegates fun on the Fun Night, Tuesday from Colombia. Countries affected 12th August. The World Library (all developing countries) were and Information Congress is not China, Colombia, Cuba, Egypt, Iran, all hard work! Kenya, Mauritius, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Senegal, South Africa, Sri Lanka and Turkey. Only two of Delegates Refused Visas the affected delegates were known to have eventually received their Thirty-nine registered delegates to visas before the end of the Congress. the IFLA World Library and Infor- Delegates to other international mation Congress held in Québec, conferences in other subject areas held recently in Canada have been Fun night. Canada, in August 2008 were initially refused visas by the Canadian experiencing similar problems.

Future IFLA Conferences and Meetings

Simultaneous interpretation into This conference will highlight the IFLA Presidential English, German and Arabic will importance of delivering library Meeting 3 be provided. services for print disabled people and show you how to improve Registration fee for the two-day your services through co-operation Access to Knowledge Infrastruc- programme (including lunch, coffee and partnership. On the second tures: Networking through Libraries. brakes and reception): EUR 100 full day of the conference, we will Third International Meeting on (early bird registration until 20 Janu- focus on public libraries and plan ‘Libraries on the Agenda’. Federal ary 2009, afterwards EUR 160) to feature many short examples of Foreign Offi ce, Berlin, Germany, best practice in supporting print 19–20 February 2009 You will fi nd further information, disabled people. the programme and the online- On the occasion of the IFLA presid- registration under: Contact: Helen Brazier. E-mail: ency of Claudia Lux, the German [email protected] IFLA National Committee in co- http://www.ifl a-deutschland.de/de/ operation with different partners ifla_praesidentschaft/2009_3pm_ is organizing the third and last en.html CPDWL and New of the series of IFLA Presidential Professionals Meetings. We are looking forward welcoming you in Berlin! According to Claudia Lux’ Presid- Continuing Professional ential theme on ‘Libraries on the German IFLA National Committee Development and Workplace Agenda’, international library – Offi ce Learning Section and the New experts, politicians and decision Professionals Discussion Group. makers will discuss the role of Contact: Hella Klauser, Expertise IFLA Satellite Conference. libraries within the international Network for Libraries (KNB), University of Bologna, Italy. August networking of the knowledge Strasse des 17. Juni 114, 10623 18, 19, and 20, 2009. Theme: Mov- society. International contributors Berlin, Germany. Tel.: +49 (0)30 ing in, moving up, and moving on: from various Islamic countries have 644 98 99 16. E-mail: klauser@ Strategies for regenerating the library also been invited. bibliotheksverband.de Website: and information profession. http://www.ifl a-deutschland.de Topics to be discussed will be among Conference Themes and others the development of the information society as a national obli- Focus Libraries for the Blind gation, the relationship of digital The broad focus of this satellite knowledge and cultural heritage meeting is the creation of a positive and the role of libraries within the IFLA Libraries for the Blind work environment for a multi- network of research, education, Section Conference, Belgium, generational workforce. society and state. 17–20 August 2009 388 Future IFLA Conferences and Meetings

General Themes Colleagues interested in present- IFLA World Library and ing a poster session are invited to Managing between and across Information Congress complete the relevant form and generations 2009 in Italy send it together with a brief descrip- Mentoring and coaching tion of not more than 200 words of Communication skills, e.g. goal the session (we would appreciate IFLA World Library and Infor- setting, providing feedback receiving a summary in English, mation Congress: 75th IFLA Organizational structures with your proposal). Dealing with organizational General Conference and Council, 23–27 August 2009. Milan, Italy. blocks The application form can be found Theme: Libraries create futures: at: http://www.ifl a.org/IV/ifl a75/ building on digital heritage. Moving In call-postersession-en.htm Further information: IFLA 2009 Attracting people to the profession Please send the completed form and Secretariat, 4B, 50 Speirs Wharf, Developing retention strategies description to: Sofi a Kapnisi, IFLA Port Dundas, Glasgow G4 9TH, Creating a positive work environ- Graduate Administrator, PO Box Scotland, UK. Tel: +44(0)141 331 ment 95312, 2509 CH Den Haag, The 0123. Fax: +44(0)207 117 4561. Teambuilding and cohort develop- Netherlands. Tel. +31 70 3140884. E-mail: [email protected] ment Fax. +31 70 3834827. E-mail: sofi a. Conference website: http://www. Involving newcomers in profes- kapnisi@ifl a.org sional associations ifla.org/IV/ifla75/1st-ann2009- en.pdf Conference Sessions Moving Up or Announced

Developing as a leader Milan City National Committee, Management of Library Associ- Working and leading within the IFLA 2009 Milan, Italy, Associazione ations Section (MLAS) with Con- organization Italiana Biblioteche. E-mail: tinuing Professional Development Managing up iﬂ [email protected] Website: www. and Workplace Learning Section Challenging existing organiza- aib.it (CPDWL). Librarians on the Cat tional structures Walk: Communicating for advocacy Relationship and network building Call for Poster Presentations to inﬂ uence policy and practice.

An alternative approach for the Moving On The Global Library Association presentation of projects/new work Development Program (GLAD) Re-skilling and transferability of will be available for conference was developed by MLAS and re- skills participants. An area on the confer- ceived the approval of the IFLA Succession planning and passing on ence premises has been designated Governing Board in 2006 as a knowledge for the presentation of information strategic initiative. The objective of New careers for information regarding projects or activities of the GLAD Programme is to help workers interest to librarians. The theme may to develop a set of skills relating to be presented by a printed poster or Library Association Management Further information from the by photographs, graphics and texts in order to strengthen the pool of program convenors: attached on the given panel. All qualifi ed personnel who will poten- IFLA offi cial languages – Arabic, tially manage Library Associations Loida Garcia-Febo, Assistant Chinese, English, French, German, at the local level. This in turn will help Coordinator, Special Services, Russian and Spanish – are welcome. to strengthen the pool of potential Queens Library, 89-11 Merrick Presenters of a poster session will be candidates from which IFLA can Blvd., Jamaica, NY 11432, USA. expected to be present on Tuesday draw for leadership positions within E-mail: loidagarciafebo@gmail. 25 and Wednesday 26 August 2009 the association. com in order to explain their poster and to hand out available leafl ets MLAS and CPDWL share the Roisin Gwyer, Associate University and other information material. mission of the GLAD Programme: Librarian, The University Library, Further advice on poster sessions to strengthen the management of University of Portsmouth, may be obtained from IFLA library associations in order to Cambridge Road, Portsmouth, PO1 Headquarters. The Professional make associations stronger players 2ST, England UK. E-mail: roisin. Committee of IFLA will review all in the development of libraries and [email protected] submissions. thus in the development of societies

389 IFLA Publications

in all parts of the world. This is to be • newspapers as agents of political achieved through continuous train- change IFLA World Library and ing and development of informa- • the role of newspapers in Italian Information Congress tion professionals, as one of the unifi cation 2010 in Australia objectives of the CPDWL Section. Contact: Ed King, Secretary, IFLA This will be a one-day session. Part Newspapers Section. Tel. +44 7412 The Australian Library and Infor- 1 will focus on: 7362. E-mail: [email protected] mation Association and the city of Brisbane have been selected to host the International Federation • successful advocacy programmes Interlending and • communication and promotion of Library Associations and Insti- • infl uencing the political agenda Document Supply tutions (IFLA) World Library • identifying the right arena for and Information Congress in advocacy 11th Interlending and Document 2010. The theme of the Congress • working with media Supply Conference, Hanover, will be: ‘Engaging, Embracing, Germany, 20–22 October 2009. Empowering’. Part 2 will provide interactive Theme: Strategic alliances and practice in making presentations. partnerships in interlending and Further information from: IFLA Volunteers will be invited to submit document supply. Headquarters, PO Box 95312, 2509 their presentations, two of which CH The Hague, The Netherlands. will be selected for review and Topics will include: Phone: +31 70 314 0884. Fax: +31 evaluation. 70 383 4827. E-mail: ifl a@ifl a.org. • cooperation in document supply Website: www.ifl a.org Contact: Sylvia Piggott, CPDWL Sec- and interlending tion. E-mail: [email protected] • national and international experiences in resource sharing IFLA World Library and Newspapers Section. Newspapers • open access activities Information Congress in the Mediterranean and the • rights & distribution/licensing/ 2011 in Puerto Rico Evolution of the Modern State. economic aspects • future directions During the closing session of the Two hour programme covering the World Library and Information following topics (although other Contact: Kim Baker, Programme Congress in Québec, it was an- topics will also be considered): Executive: Document Supply and nounced that Puerto Rico had been Information Services and Cape selected as the host country for the • how collections of newspapers Town Campus Coordinator, 2011 Congress. Further details will have been formed; National Library of South Africa, be available at a later date. • the current state of newspaper PO Box 496, Cape Town, 8000, collections South Africa. Tel: +27 21 487 5604. • actual or planned newspaper Fax: +27 21 423 3359. E-Mail: digitization projects [email protected]

IFLA Publications

the challenges that libraries face by over 30 library associations IFLA/FAIFE Learning when providing Internet access around the world. To help libraries Materials to their users, or when supplying implement the values of the Inter- information about HIV/AIDS. net Manifesto, in 2006 IFLA prepared the IFLA Internet Manifesto FAIFE is pleased to present two Guidelines, a signifi cant guidance sets of learning materials for use by The Internet Manifesto document that is now available librarians working in the areas of Learning Materials in English, Spanish, German and Internet access and public access Russian. to health information. These learn- The IFLA Internet Manifesto was ing materials, which take the form adopted at the 68th IFLA General Since 2005, IFLA has been de- of a workshop manual and a set of Conference and Council, August livering workshops on the Internet accompanying workshop slides, 23rd 2002, Glasgow, Scotland. Manifesto around the world. To are intended for use by library Since that time the document has date, nearly 20 workshops have professionals who are engaged been translated into 20 different been held in Latin America and the in training colleagues to consider languages, and has been adopted Caribbean, Africa and Asia, and 390 From Other Organizations more workshops are planned for Access to HIV/AIDS through use them to inform and educate the future. In the workshops pre- Libraries Learning Materials colleagues about the positive role senters have used various versions libraries can play in increasing of the materials now available here, In recent years IFLA/FAIFE has access to information about HIV/ and have amended and edited the been emphasizing the role libraries AIDS in the community. materials each time to refl ect the can play in increasing public access diverse experiences of workshop to health information, especially participants. access to information about the Downloads: HIV/AIDS virus. Information about Access to HIV/AIDS through The current set of materials is the libraries’ activities in this area Libraries Workshop Manual product of a thorough learning pro- have been collected in both the [PDF – 164 kb] http://www. cess, and it will help presenters 2005 and 2007 World Reports, ifla.org/faife/news/ifla-hiv-aids- anywhere to reproduce a one-day and explored in more depth in the workshop-manual.pdf Internet Manifesto workshop for IFLA/FAIFE Theme Report 2006, colleagues, even if Internet access which investigated the social respon- Access to HIV/AIDS through in the library is extremely limited. sibilities of libraries in relation to Libraries Workshop PowerPoint It is hoped that these materials will some of the big issues and major Slides (1) [PDF – 128 kb] http:// help presenters and participants challenges facing the world today: www.ifla.org/faife/news/ifla-hiv- understand more about the values the HIV/AIDS pandemic, poverty aids-workshop-slides-1.ppt of freedom of access to informa- and corruption. tion and freedom of expression Access to HIV/AIDS through with regards to the Internet, and In 2006 preparations began on a Libraries Workshop PowerPoint explain why it is our responsibility set of resources relating to libraries’ Slides (2) [PDF – 664 kb] http:// as librarians to ensure that access to role in tackling these issues and, www.ifla.org/faife/news/ifla-hiv- the Internet remains as free, equal following a drafting and consultation aids-workshop-slides-2.ppt and unhampered as possible. exercise in 2007, the Access to HIV/ AIDS through Libraries Learning For more information: http:// Materials have been created. The www.ifl a.org/faife/news/learning_ Downloads: materials provide clear details on materials_workshops.htm how to hold a one-day workshop Internet Manifesto Workshop on this topic, and they have already or Manual [PDF – 144 kb] http://www. been successfully used by librarians ifla.org/faife/news/ifla-internet- in places such as Brazil, Mexico, Stuart Hamilton, Senior Policy manifesto-workshop-manual.pdf Nigeria and Zambia,. Advisor , IFLA HQ, PO Box 95312, 2509 CH The Hague, Netherlands . Internet Manifesto Workshop IFLA/FAIFE is pleased to make the Tel. +(31)(70)3140884. Fax +(31)(70) PowerPoint Slides [PPT – 124 kb] learning materials available for free 3834827.E-mail: faife@ifl a.org http://www.ifla.org/faife/news/ through IFLANET and encourages ifl a-internet-manifesto-workshop- librarians with an interest in public slides.ppt access to health information to

From Other Organizations

The city of Ljubljana was selected Lor, representing the International Ljubljana is World Book for the quality of its application as Federation of Library Associations Capital 2010 well as for its diverse and complete and Institutions (IFLA). programme, widely and enthusi- astically supported by all players Ljubljana (Slovenia) was named involved in the book industry (pub- Melbourne appointed as the World Book Capital 2010 lishers, bookstores and libraries). 2nd City of Literature by at the conclusion of the selection The quality of the applications this UNESCO committee meeting held at UNESCO year made the Jury’s choice par- headquarters in Paris on 18 June ticularly difﬁ cult. 2008. Ljubljana is the tenth city to The Director-General of UNESCO be designated World Book Capital, The Selection Committee was made has appointed Melbourne as the after Madrid (2001), Alexandria up of José M. Gomez, representing City of Literature to the UNESCO (2002), New Delhi (2003), Antwerp the International Publishers Asso- Creative Cities Network. This (2004), Montreal (2005), Turin ciation (IPA), Françoise Dubruille, Australian city will be joining Edin- (2006), Bogotá (2007), Amsterdam representing the International Book- burgh as the 2nd city of literature in (2008) and Beirut (2009). sellers Federation (IBF) and Peter the network. 391 Other Publications

Melbourne, Australia’s second larg- Festival, the Overload Poetry Festi- has also increased its fi nancial sup- est city and the capital of the State val, the Alfred Deakin Innovation port for projects such as the estab- of Victoria, is widely acknowledged Lectures and the Emerging Writers’ lishment of a Centre for Books, Writ- as Australia’s cultural capital. Festival. ing and Ideas and the expansion of From the times the State Library the Melbourne Writers’ Festival. of Victoria was founded in 1854 as With its new title and status, the city the fi rst major cultural institution aims to increase its international There are currently 12 cities ap- in the city till today, Melbourne profi le by increasing its commitment pointed to the Network – Aswan, continues its long cherished literary to literary life. It expects to draw new Santa Fe in Crafts and Folk Art; tradition. It is foremost recognized audiences and participation, local Berlin, Buenos Aires, Montreal in for its rich literary culture, history and international, in the variety of Design; Popayan in Gastronomy; and creative talent. The city boasts literary activities and create new Edinburgh and Melbourne in the largest literary publishing sec- partnership initiatives across pub- Literature; Bologna, Seville and tor in Australia, showcased by more lic, private and civil society sectors Glasgow in Music; Lyon in media bookshops and readers than any- as well as in cooperation with the arts. where else in the country. It hosts other member cities of the network. a wide range of literary festivals, As a part of its bid to be a UNESCO More information: www.unesco. including the Melbourne Writers’ City, the Victorian Government org/culture/en/creativecities

Other Publications

easy access to information. How- Springer Survey on eBooks ever, difficulty of reading books New Journal on Digital from a screen and preference for Libraries A survey conducted by Science + traditional print books were cited Business Media (www.springer. as the primary disadvantages. The first issue of World Digital com), in conjunction with ﬁ ve lead- Libraries: an international journal ing academic institutions, highlights Participating university libraries has just been published. The con- prominent research and academic included: University of Illinois at tents can be found at http://book usage of eBooks. The survey was con- Urbana-Champaign; University of store.teriin.org/journal_inside. ducted to better understand the adop- Turku, Finland; Centre for Mathe- php?material_id=477&qty=1. tion of eBooks, the use of eBooks, matics and Computer Science (CWI) and user perception of eBook ad- Amsterdam, the Netherlands; The aim of the journal is to advance vantages and disadvantages. University of Muenster, Germany; the theory and practice of acqui- and the JRD Tata Memorial sition, organization, management The new survey revealed that, de- Library, Indian Institute of Science, and dissemination of digital infor- spite the recent emergence of Bangalore, India. mation on a sustainable basis. The eBooks, most users were already journal will seek quality research aware of their existence and had In 2007 Springer Science+Business papers that present original theor- used them at least once, whether Media commissioned a survey etical approaches as well as experi- through libraries or other sources. which revealed that the Springer mental case studies related to digital The study also found that most eBook program was widely accepted library development and mainten- users access eBooks for research and among librarians. ance. In doing so, the journal will study purposes and that the types keep readers abreast with the cur- of eBooks frequently used were The full-text PDF of the white rent developments in the ﬁ eld. The reference works and textbooks. paper, “eBooks – The End User journal will include articles, re- Perspective” can be found at: www. views, current developments, and The survey also focused on some springer.com/ebooks. case studies . of the perceived advantages of eBooks, citing the ability to gain Contact: renate.bayaz@springer. Further information: Debal C Kar, 24/7 access for multiple users, con- com, Springer Corporate Com- Editor. E-mail [email protected] venient full-text searchability, and munications, +49 6221-487-8531

392 Personal News

Personal News

at one of the spring graduation professor in the Department of Peter Lor Receives ceremonies of the University. Information Science. Honorary Doctorate He received the degree for the exceptional leadership role he Theo Bothma. E-mail tbothma@up. played in the LIS profession in ac.za Professor Dr Peter Johan Lor, out- South Africa and internationally going Secretary General of IFLA and for his outstanding research Kelly Moore and extraordinary professor in the contributions to this ﬁ eld. Professor Department of Information Science Lor is an alumnus of the University at the University of Pretoria, has of Pretoria – he received both Kelly Moore, IFLA Membership received an honorary doctorate, his MBibl degree (1978, with Manager, has been appointed as DPhil (honoris causa), from the distinction) and his DPhil (1990) Executive Director of the Canadian University of Pretoria. The degree from this University. From 1998 Library Association. She may be con- was conferred on 4 September 2008 to date he is also extraordinary tacted at: [email protected]

393 International Calendar

INTERNATIONAL CALENDAR

May 25–30, 2009, Dubrovnik and WCCE 2009: 9th IFIP World 2009 Zadar, Croatia. Conference on Computers in Libraries in the Digital Age Education. January 20–22, 2009. Sydney (LIDA) 2009. Themes: REFLEC- Further information: Prof. Rosa Australia. TIONS: Changes brought by Vicari, Instituto de Informática, Information Online 2009. and in digital libraries in the Universidade Federal do Rio Further information: Conference last decade; HERITAGE and Grande do Sul, Campus do Vale – website: www.information-online. digital libraries – digitization, Instituto de Informática – Bloco IV, com.au preservation, access. Av. Bento Gonçalves, 9500 – Full information at: http:// Bairro Agronomia, Caixa February 19–20, 2009. Berlin, www.ffos.hr/lida/ E-mail: lida@ Postal 15064, 91501-970 Porto Germany. ffos.hr Alegre, RS, Brazil. Telephone: Access to Knowledge Infra- +55 (0xx)51 3316 6801. Fax: structures: Networking through June 22–25, 2009. Aberdeen, +55 (0xx)51 3316 7308. E-mail: Libraries. Third International Scotland. [email protected] Meeting on ‘Libraries on the 2nd Information: Interactions Conference website: http://www. Agenda’. and Impact (i3) International wcce2009.org/ Further information: http:// Conference. www.ifla-deutschland.de/de/ Further information: Dorothy August 17–20, 2009. Belgium. ifla_praesidentschaft/2009_ Williams, i3 Conference Director. IFLA Libraries for the Blind 3pm_en.html E-mail: i3information@rgu. Section Conference. Theme: ac.uk. Partnerships for print disabled February 3–5, 2009. Bielefeld, people: publishers and public Germany. June 29–July 3 2009. Stockholm, libraries. 9th International Bielefeld Sweden. Further information: Helen Brazier Conference 2009. 5th International Evidence [email protected] Further information: http:// Based Library and Information conference.ub.uni-bielefeld.de/ Practice (EBLIP5) Conference. August 18–20, 2009. Bologna, Theme: Bridging the gap. Italy. March 11–13, 2009. Valencia, Spain. Contacts: Andrew Booth & David IFLA Satellite Conference: 9th Conference of the ISKO Herron (Co-Chairs – International Continuing Professional [International Society for Programme Committee –EBLIP5). Development and Workplace Knowledge Organisation] E-mail: [email protected] Learning Section and the New Spanish Chapter. Conference web site: http://blogs. Professionals Discussion Group. Contact Information: Secretaría kib.ki.se/eblip5/welcome.html Theme: Moving in, moving up, del Congreso, Grupo de Investi- See the Conference Video at: and moving on: Strategies for gación CALSI, Instituto de Diseño http://www.youtube.com/ regenerating the library and y Fabricación, Universidad watch?v=b-5nf2eEZPw information profession. Politécnica de Valencia, Camino Further information: Loida Garcia- de Vera s/n C.P. 46022, Valencia, July 5–10, 2009. Amsterdam, Febo, Assistant Coordinator, Spe- Spain. Tel. 963877000 Ext. 88924 Netherlands. cial Services, Queens Library, International Association of 89–11 Merrick Blvd., Jamaica, April 20–23, 2009. Hanoi, Vietnam. Music Libraries, Archives and NY 11432, USA. E-mail: loida CONSAL XIV General Con- Documentation Centres (IAML). [email protected] ference 2009. Theme: Towards Annual Conference. dynamic libraries and information Further information: http:// or services in Southeast Asian www.iaml.info/en/activities/ countries. conferences or e-mail Roger Roisin Gwyer, Associate Univer- Contact: http://consal14.vn/ Flury, AML Secretary General at: sity Librarian, The University index.php?option=com_conten roger.ﬂ [email protected] Library, University of Portsmouth, t&task=blogcategory&id=34&I Cambridge Road, Portsmouth, temid=34 July 27–31, 2009. Bento Gonçalves, PO1 2ST, England UK. E-mail: Conference website: http://www. RS – Brazil. [NOTE CHANGE [email protected] consal14.vn/ OF VENUE]

Copyright © 2008 International Federation of Library Associations & IFLA Institutions (www.iﬂ a.org). IFLA Journal 34(4): 394–395. 394 ISSN: 0340-0352. DOI: 10.1177/0340035208099277 International Calendar

August 23–27, 2009. Milan, Italy. Information regarding the 77th IFLA World Library and 2010 IFLA General Conference and Information Congress: 75th Council will be available at a later IFLA General Conference June 27–July 2, 2010. Moscow, date from IFLA Headquarters, and Council. Theme: Libraries Russia. PO Box 95312, 2509 CH The create futures: building on digital International Association of Hague, The Netherlands. Phone: heritage. Music Libraries, Archives and +31 70 314 0884. Fax: +31 70 383 Further information: IFLA 2009 Documentation Centres (IAML). 4827. E-mail: ifl a@ifl a.org. Secretariat, 4B, 50 Speirs Wharf, Annual Conference. Port Dundas, Glasgow G4 9th, Further information: http:// 24–29 July.2011. Dublin, Ireland. Scotland, UK. Tel: +44(0)141 331 www.iaml.info/en/activities/ International Association of 0123. Fax: +44(0)207 117 4561. conferences or e-mail Roger Music Libraries, Archives and E-mail: ifl [email protected] Flury, AML Secretary General at: Documentation Centres (IAML). Conference website: http://www. roger.fl [email protected] Annual Conference. ifla.org/IV/ifla75/1st-ann2009- Further information: http:// en.pdf August, 2010. Brisbane, Australia. www.iaml.info/en/activities/ IFLA World Library and conferences or e-mail Roger or Information Congress: 76th Flury, AML Secretary General at: IFLA General Conference and roger.fl [email protected] Milan City National Committee, Council. Theme: Engaging, IFLA 2009 Milan, Italy, Asso- Embracing, Empowering. ciazione Italiana Biblioteche. Information regarding the 76th 2012–2015 E-mail: [email protected] IFLA General Conference and Website: www.aib.it Council will be available on the International Association IFLANET website at a later date: of Music Libraries, Archives 20–22 October 2009. Hanover, http://www.ifla.org/IV/ifla76/ and Documentation Centres Germany. index.htm (IAML). Further forthcoming 11th Interlending and Further information: IFLA conferences: Document Supply Conference. Headquarters, PO Box 95312,

Theme: Strategic alliances and 2509 CH The Hague, The 2012 Canada partnerships in interlending and Netherlands. Phone: +31 70 2013 Denmark, Århus document supply. 314 0884. Fax: +31 70 383 4827. 2014 Austria, Vienna Further information: Kim Baker, E-mail: ifl a@ifl a.org. Programme Executive: Document 2015 USA, New York Supply and Information Ser- Further information: http:// vices and Cape Town Campus 2011 Coordinator, National Library of www.iaml.info/en/activities/ South Africa, PO Box 496, Cape conferences or e-mail Roger Town, 8000, South Africa. Tel: Puerto Rico. Flury, AML Secretary General at: +27 21 487 5604. Fax: +27 21 423 IFLA World Library and Informa- roger.fl [email protected] 3359. E-mail: kbaker.nlsa@gmail. tion Congress: 77th IFLA General com Conference and Council.

395 Sommaires

SOMMAIRES

James Bartleman. Libraries and Access to Knowledge: a discussion Umunna N. Opara. The Public the First Nations People of paper. [Les bibliothèques comme Library in Contemporary Nigeria: Canada. [Les bibliothèques et les moyen d’accès aux connaissances: challenges and the way forward. membres des premières nations un document de travail.] [La bibliothèque publique dans le du Canada.] IFLA Journal 34 (2008) No. 4. Nigeria contemporain: les défi s et IFLA Journal 34 (2008) No. 4. pp. 341–346 les progrès à faire.] pp. 337–340 IFLA Journal 34 (2008) No. 4. Les bibliothèques contribuent pp. 349–358 Discours prononcé lors de la séance considérablement à générer les plénière au Congrès mondial des connaissances. Cet article examine Cet article examine la situation bibliothèques et de l’information : brièvement l’évolution des biblio- des bibliothèques publiques au 74 e Congrès et Assemblée générale thèques et leur contribution à l’alpha- Nigéria. Il constate que le rythme de de l’IFLA, 14 août 2008, Ville de bétisation, à la mise à disposition développement des bibliothèques Québec, Canada. L’article relate d’informations et à l’accès à ces publiques du pays au cours des l’enfance de l’auteur, lui-même informations. Cependant, le mode années immédiatement après membre des premières nations du d’accès a considérablement changé, l’Indépendance et la guerre civile Canada, et sa découverte de la valeur ce qui a entraîné l’apparition de nigériane n’a pas pu être maintenu des livres et des bibliothèques. Il nouveaux défi s, avec notamment par manque de soutien fi nancier décrit la condition social des jeunes la suppression des obstacles et de la part des autorités fondatrices. gens vivant dans des communautés l’accès à une ère de surabondance L’article signale un financement pauvres des premières nations du en matière d’informations, ainsi que inadéquat, un personnel démoralisé Canada et ses propres efforts pour l’obligation morale de permettre et en nombre insuffisant, des créer des bibliothèques, des camps l’accès aux connaissances et aux équipements médiocres, etc., de vacances consacrés à la lecture, informations. Cet article était à comme étant les défi s auxquels les des clubs de lecture et des prix l’origine un document de travail bibliothèques sont actuellement récompensant la création littéraire pour la session de brainstorming confrontées. Il propose de remédier et destinés aux enfants et aux jeunes lors de l’élection du Président à ces circonstances pour faire de ces communautés. au récent Congrès mondial des progresser la situation. bibliothèques et de l’information qui Ellen R. Tise, Reggie Raju, and s’est tenu dans la ville de Québec au Charles Masango. Libraries Driving Canada le 12 août 2008.

ZUSAMMENFASSUNGEN

James Bartleman. Libraries and Bibliotheken, Sommercamps zum Bibliotheken sowie deren Beitrag the First Nations People of Thema Lesen, Literaturclubs und zur Lese- und Schreibkompetenz Canada. [Bibliotheken und die zur Vergabe von Literaturpreisen und zur Bereitstellung von Infor- Ureinwohner Kanadas.] im kreativen Schreiben für Kinder mationen in Kombination mit dem IFLA Journal 34 (2008) No. 4., und Jugendliche, die in solchen entsprechenden Zugriff auf diese pp. 337–340 Gemeinschaften aufwachsen. Informationen. Die Zugriffsmethoden haben sich jedoch ganz erheblich Plenarvortrag zum Weltkongress Ellen R. Tise, Reggie Raju, und geändert, somit ergeben sich heute Bibliothek und Information: 74. Charles Masango. Libraries Driving ganz andere Herausforderungen – IFLA Generalkonferenz und Rats- Access to Knowledge: a discussion beispielsweise das Verschwinden versammlung am 14. August 2008 paper. [Bibliotheken stimulieren der Zugriffsbarrieren in einem in Québec City, Kanada. Der Autor den Zugriff auf das Wissen – ein Zeitalter der Informationsexplosion; beschreibt seine eigene Kindheit als Diskussionsbeitrag.] daraus ergibt sich eine moralische Ureinwohner Kanadas und seine IFLA Journal 34 (2008) No. 4., Verpflichtung zur Erweiterung Entdeckung der Welt der Bücher und pp. 341–346 der Zugangsmöglichkeiten zu den Bibliotheken. Dabei geht er auch auf vorhandenen Kenntnissen und die sozialen Hintergründe junger Die Bibliotheken liefern einen Informationen. Dieser Beitrag war Leute aus finanziell schwachen kritischen Beitrag zur Schaffung als Diskussionsdokument für das Ureinwohnersiedlungen in Kanada von Wissen. Dieser Artikel bietet Brainstorming zur Präsidentsc ein, und er beschreibt seine eigenen einen kurzen Einblick in die haftswahlcampagne anlässlich Bemühungen zur Einrichtung von Entstehung und Entwicklung der des letzten IFLA-Weltkongresses

Bibliothek und Information in Dieser Beitrag analysiert den Status mit Problemen konfrontiert, zu Québec City in Kanada am 12. der öffentlichen Bibliotheken in denen u.a. die unzureichenden August 2008 verfasst worden. Nigeria. Er stellt fest, dass das Ent- ﬁ nanziellen Mittel, zermürbtes und wicklungstempo der öffentlichen knappes Personal sowie inadäqu- Umunna N. Opara. The Public nigerianischen Bibliotheken im ate Räumlichkeiten beitragen. Library in Contemporary Lauf der ersten Jahre nach der Un- Vorzuschlagen wäre gemäß diesem Nigeria: challenges und the abhängigkeit des Landes und nach Beitrag eine Verbesserung der way forward. [Die öffentlichen dem Bürgerkrieg in Nigeria aufgrund bestehenden Situation, um einen Bibliotheken im Nigeria von fehlender ﬁ nanzieller Unterstützung entschiedenen Weg nach vorn heute: Herausforderungen und der seitens der Gründungsautoritäten einschlagen zu können. Weg nach vorn.] nicht aufrechterhalten werden IFLA Journal 34 (2008) No. 4., konnte. Nach Auffassung des Autors pp. 349–358 werden diese Bibliotheken zurzeit

RESÚMENES

James Bartleman. Libraries and the al conocimiento: documento de Umunna N. Opara. The Public First Nations People of Canada. debate.] Library in Contemporary Nigeria: [Las bibliotecas y el First Nations IFLA Journal 34 (2008) No. 4, challenges und the way forward. People de Canada.] pp. 341–346 [La biblioteca pública en la Nigeria IFLA Journal 34 (2008) No. 4, contemporánea: retos y camino a pp. 337–340 Las bibliotecas son elementos cru- seguir.] ciales para generar conocimiento. IFLA Journal 34 (2008) No. 4, Conferencia plenaria ofrecida en el El documento ofrece un breve pp. 349–358 Congreso Mundial de Bibliotecas examen de la evolución de las e Información: 74ª Conferencia y bibliotecas y la contribución de Este documento examina el estado Consejo General de IFLA, 10-14 de las mismas a la alfabetización y de las bibliotecas públicas en agosto de 2008, Québec, Canadá. el suministro de información, así Nigeria. En él se señala que el ritmo El trabajo describe la infancia del como de los medios para facilitar de desarrollo de las bibliotecas autor como miembro el First Nations el acceso a dicha información. públicas del país en los años in- People of Canada y cómo descubrió No obstante, el modo de acceso mediatamente posteriores a la inde- el valor de los libros y las bibliotecas. ha cambiado sustancialmente, pendencia, y después de la guerra Asimismo, explica las condiciones trayendo consigo una serie de retos civil en Nigeria, no pudo mantenerse sociales de los jóvenes que viven diferentes, entre los que se incluyen debido a un apoyo financiero en las comunidades First Nation el desmantelamiento de las barreras inadecuado por parte de las nuevas en Canadá, y sus esfuerzos por de acceso en una era de explosión autoridades. El documento iden- crear bibliotecas, campamentos de informativa, y la obligación moral tiﬁ ca la ﬁ nanciación inadecuada, lectura en verano, clubes de lectura de impulsar el acceso al conocimi- la desmoralizada y poco formada y premios de escritura literaria ento y la información. Este texto fue fuerza de trabajo, condiciones creativa para los niños y jóvenes de elaborado como documento de alojamiento inadecuadas de, etc. dichas comunidades. debate para la Sesión de lluvia de como los retos a los que se enfrentan ideas con el presidente electo, que dichas bibliotecas actualmente. Ellen R. Tise, Reggie Raju y Charles se celebró en el reciente Congreso Como camino a seguir, propone Masango. Libraries Driving Access Mundial de Bibliotecas e Información que se ponga remedio a dichas to Knowledge: a discussion paper. de IFLA que tuvo lugar en Québec, condiciones. [Las bibliotecas impulsan el acceso Canadá, el 12 de agosto de 2008.

Pефераты статей

Джеймс Бартельман. Libraries and Выступление на пленарном заседании детство автора как члена общины the First Nations People of Canada. в рамках Всемирного библиотечного канадских аборигенов и его открытие [Библиотеки и люди «первой нации» и информационного конгресса: для себя ценности книг и библиотек. (аборигены) Канады.] 74-ая Генеральная конференция и Описываются социальные условия IFLA Journal 34 (2008) No. 4. Совет ИФЛА (10-14 августа 2008 жизни молодых людей из бедных pp. 337–340 г., г.Квебек, Канада). Описывается коммун «первой нации» (аборигенов) 397 Pефераты статей

Канады и его усилия по созданию однако, на существенное изменение IFLA Journal 34 (2008) No. 4. библиотек, летних читательских в режимах доступа, что повлекло pp. 349–358 лагерей, клубов читателей и за собой возникновения другого литературных наград для детей набора насущных задач, которые В статье рассматривается положение и юношества из этих коммун за включают, помимо прочего, с публичными библиотеками креативное сочинительство. разрушение барьеров на пути к в Нигерии. Отмечается, что доступу в эпоху «информационного непосредственно после обретения Эллен Р. Тайз, Регги Раджу и Чарльз взрыва» и моральное обязательство Нигерией независимости и Мазанго. Libraries Driving Access стимулировать доступ к знаниям завершения гражданской войны to Knowledge: a discussion paper. и информации. Эта статья была темп развития публичных библиотек [Библиотеки как стимулирующий подготовлена для избранного в стране не мог поддерживаться фактор доступа к знаниям: Президента в качестве выносимого должным образом из-за недостатка дискуссионная статья.] им для «мозгового штурма» финансовых средств, выделяемых IFLA Journal 34 (2008) No. 4. дискуссионного документа на новым правительством. В статье pp. 341–346 заседание 12 августа 2008 г. в рамках называются такие стоящие перед прошедшего недавно в г.Квебеке, нынешними библиотеками проблемы, Библиотеки являются критически Канада Всемирного библиотечного и как неадекватное финансирование, важным фактором для обретения информационного конгресса ИФЛА. деморализованная и малочисленная знаний. В статье в краткой форме рабочая сила, отсутствие адекватных исследуется эволюция библиотек Умунна Н. Опара. The Public Library строений и т.д. Для того чтобы и их вклад в распространение in Contemporary Nigeria: challenges идти вперед, как отмечается в грамотности, предоставление and the way forward. [Публичная статье, необходимо исправление информации и обеспечение доступа библиотека в современной Нигерии: существующего положения. к этой информации. Указывается, вызовы и перспективы.]

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