Author Archives: richards

A Corto di libri

The IFLA Section on Metropolitan Libraries (MetLib)has the pleasure to announce the 2nd IFLA Metropolitan Libraries Short Film Award for 2017, sponsored by the Free Library of Philadelphia.

The award is part of “A Corto di libri”, a contest for short films about libraries and librarians, organized by Associazione Italiana Biblioteche (AIB). The contest has three Sections (Fiction, Documentary and Advertising).

The IFLA Metropolitan Libraries Short Film Award is given to the best short film about public libraries in large cities and metropolitan areas, among all the submitted films.

Everyone, as an individual or an institution, is eligible to apply.

The short films competing for the 2017 IFLA Metropolitan Libraries Short Film Award will be projected and voted by the participants of the IFLA MetLib Conference in Montréal, Canada (April 30 – May 5). In addition, the Chair of the Section on Metropolitan Libraries’ Standing Committee and a member of the Standing Committee of the Section on Public Libraries have the right to vote.

The winner of the IFLA Metropolitan Libraries Short Film Award will receive:

  • if a library, € 500 as a contribution to travel expenses to the IFLA World Library and Information Congress in Wroclaw (August 19-25, 2017);
  •  if an individual film-maker, € 500 in film-making equipment.

The winner will be announced and awarded at the IFLA World Library and Information Congress in Wrocław (August 19-25). An event is planned to be organized at a local public library branch during the Congress.

Read the complete Submission Rules for “A Corto di Libri”.

Applications must be submitted before 23 April 2017 to the following email: [email protected]

 

For all the infos contact me or send an e-mail to: [email protected]

Stream STEAM into Sydney

Sail not STEAM!

Thank you all for your interest in STEAM into Sydney, the seminar offered as part of the IFLA Public Libraries Standing Committee’s mid-term meeting in Sydney next week.

We were overwhelmed with the response from the public library community worldwide to present at this seminar and also to be part of it.

Sadly many of you missed the opportunity to be in the Metcalf Auditorium at the State Library of New South Wales but it’s not all bad news! As promised we will be streaming the sessions so you can sit in the comfort of your office or lounge room and follow the proceedings. We’ll also be putting them on the Section’s You Tube Channel so you can watch them later.

A copy of the final Program, which includes the streaming links is now available. Please note that the sessions will be streamed in blocks, not by individual presenters and the link is at the bottom of the relevant session.

 

Check me out! Human libraries and unique circulating collections, from art to technology petting zoos

IFLA’s Section on Acquisition and Collection Development, Section on Metropolitan Libraries and Section on Public Libraries invite you to submit a proposal for their joint programme at the 83rd IFLA World Library and Information Congress to be held in Wrocław, Poland, 19-25 August 2017.

The Sections intend to explore a new trend in public libraries which is not very much known in the library professional community. This trend is related to libraries with circulating collections of musical instruments, kitchen tools, seeds, e-book devices, etc. Some even manage people with an interesting experience to share (“living books”).

We are seeking 6-7 short lightning talks (presentations of 6 minutes each), addressing the organizational details of storage, circulation, policies, critical issues, and discussing if these practices are consistent with the public libraries mission and produce important outcomes.

For more information visit the Congress website

Libraries’ democratic role

 

 

 

 

This year it there will be five Library Conferences in Sweden and the topic of libraries democratic role will be on the agenda at all of them.

Our society has changed over the past year and of course the role of public libraries also.

The political map of the world is changing and in Europe a huge amount of refugees are on the run because of all wars and conflicts. In this situation you can clearly see the lack of democratic rights to information in several countries.Polarization, ignorance and lack of participation characterize and public debate which highlights the need of neutral and accessible place for discussions and debate is important. The public library addresses these issues.

Never before has the has the importance and the role of the LIBRARIES been so needed.

The political map in Sweden is  also changing this year and nobody knows what changes will affect to the libraries I can only guess.In the Swedish Library law we have this paragraph:

§ 2 The libraries in the public library system will work for the democratic development of society by contributing to the dissemination of knowledge and freedom of opinion. The libraries in the public library system to promote the position of literature and interest in education, information, training and research, and cultural activities in general. Librarianship will be available to all.

So why have I been engaged in IFLA ? Here is my answer:

” In a troubled world is it so important for collegues from hole the world , independent to religion, gender or countries government can meet , change information, create strategies and common goals for Library work and cooperation.Hopefully this will lead to strengthen the right to freedom of informationen in the world.”

So all IFLA friends , let us keep together and fight for the libraries’ right to spread knowledge and information to help people to develop and hopeful some will get a better life. I think IFLA is one of the organizations to do this.

Anette Mjöberg
Library Director
Hässleholms Public Library, Sweden
anette. [email protected]

 

 

 

 

Hi, I have been a Library Director in Hässleholm’s municipality,Sweden now, for over 3 years now. I have many times been thinking about these questions:

  • How long time does it take to prepare for making big changes or development in a Library organization?
  • What do you think? What kind of experience do you have from your Library?

In all manuals or organizations theories and good advice from the consultants, shall and will changes take time. Of course have I been to impatient sometimes.

Since I begin to work in Hässleholm I have been waiting, preparing and working for 3 things:

  • Reorganizing the staff into teams
  • Start a Makerspace both in a room and also as a  mobile
  • Introduce a self- service Library in the municipality

And this year my goals will be obtained more or less.

The staff 24 people, is now divided in three teams which they could choose by themselves. The teamleader  has responsibility for developing the activities in all our libraries .I can already see the difference in the work and a new power in the work in the Library . One of the group works with remaking a room to a Makerspace ( Skaparbibblan ) . We have bought a 3D printer to start with and this week we are going to open it.Yippeee !

Our first 3D item

 

Last week we signed the agreement for the first Library with self-service in one of my Branches.Looking forward to report about it.

Best wishes from Hässleholm and Sweden / Anette. Mjöberg.

Nordic News

 

 

 

 

Here comes blog number 2 from Sweden or shall I say from Scandinavia (Norway, Denmark and Sweden ). One advantage of speaking Swedish and live in Scandinavia is that you can understand and read Norwegian and Danish if you really want to do it. Of course the Swedish talking people in Finland also can do that. The Nordic countries includes also Finland, Iceland and Faroes Islands and Greenland and Åland .

It´s a long tradition between the Nordic Countries and their libraries to co-operate.

My friend Peter Alsbjer works as a Regional Library Director in Örebro county but is also a blogger. In his blogs (mostly in Swedish) you can follow impulse from the libraries around the world. I choose to present Peter Alsbjer as a guest blogger today.

Please read and enjoy

Anette Mjöberg
ibrary Director
Hässleholms Public Library
Sweden

 

Meanwhile in Scandinavia: Winter 2016   

 

Here are some recent postings and news connected to Scandinavian libraries etc.:

Denmark:

Finland:

 

Links and blogs (in English):

 

Public libraries as place makers in today’s cities: urban development, resiliency and social equity

IFLA’s Metropolitan Libraries Section (MetLib) is seeking submissions for its main program at the 83rd IFLA World Library and Information Congress to be held in Wrocław, Poland, 19-25 August 2017 with the theme Public libraries as place makers in today’s cities: urban development, resiliency and social equity.

The Section intends to explore how public libraries of large urban areas all over the world are contributing to ‘placemaking’, to place identity and to the design of public spaces which promote the wellbeing and happiness of a community.We are seeking papers addressing how public libraries:

  • contribute to urban planning and design, as one the main assets of a lively neighborhood;
  • attract people as interesting places
  • innovate in environmental sustainability issues
  • contribute to local economic regeneration
  • provide services for the homeless, the poor and other disadvantaged users
  • manage crisis during disasters (flooding, earthquakes, etc.) and changing conditions
  • engage communities in planning services
  • contribute to the city’s diversity and intergenerational equity
  • contribute to the local community’s learning capacity

MetLib  provides an international platform for professional communication and understanding of topics related to libraries of cities and urban areas of more than 400.000 inhabitants.

The deadline for submitting a detailed abstract is 28 February 2017. Further details can be found on the IFLA WLIC 2017 website.