Category Archives: General

Desperately Seeking!

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Earlier this year y Bournemouth Libraries in Dorset, UK,  launched a booklet The Library Flame out to the world of public libraries with a request for each library to add its stamp and pass it on. It was conceived as part of the Holocaust Memorial Day 2014 and reflects this year’s theme of ‘Journeys’. Those who received the book were asked to let Bournemouth Library know where it was.

The last known whereabouts of The Library Flame was  in South Eastern Australia.

Bournemouth are anxious to have it back in time for their Holocaust Ceremony at the end of January. If you know of its whereabouts or if it’s passed through your hands can you please let us know? [email protected]

Fingers crossed – please share this message through your networks.

The Sieghart Report on Public Libraries Released

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The long awaited Sieghart Report was officially released today. CILIP are calling the work a ‘convincing roadmap’ as the report outlines a detailed strategy for reinvigorating English public libraries. William Sieghart and panel have three ‘major’ recommendations that form the crux of their proposal:

  1. The provision of national digital resources for libraries, to be delivered in partnership with local authorities.
  2. The setting up of a task and finish force, led by local government, in partnership with other bodies involved in the library sector, to provide a strategic framework for England, and to help in implementing the following.
  3. The task force, to work with local authorities, to help them improve, revitalise and if necessary, change their local library service, while encouraging, appropriate to each library, increased community involvement.

Alongside decisive recommendations for the future, the Independent Library Report for England advocates the value of public libraries: ‘The library does more than simply loan books. It underpins every community. It is not just a place for self-improvement, but the supplier of an infrastructure for life and learning’. The Sieghart Report is an exciting development in the current library climate, reminding us all that change can mean positive developments.

For a look at what CILIP have to say on the matter visit their site. You might also be interested in what David Lankes has to say in Coffee, Wifi, and the Loo: Reactions to The Sieghart Report.

 

 

Technology facilitating access to information- Call for Papers

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IFLA’s Information Technology, Public Libraries and  Asia and Oceania Sections together with the Library and Research Services for Parliaments Section are seeking proposals for papers to be presented at a session during the IFLA World Library and Information Congress in Cape Town, South Africa 15-21, August 2015.

Libraries (and research centres) play a central role in facilitating access to information, particularly in supporting community-based solutions to meet the information needs around development. We are seeking papers that illustrate significant information technology projects that realize the principles of the Lyon Declaration in:
• Helping citizens exercise their civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights
• Ensuring accountability and transparency and good governance and empowerment
• Illustrating practical application of technology supported by libraries in fostering development goals through access to information
• Measuring progress on public and private commitments on sustainable development.
• Information technology enabling citizens to communicate and exchange information with government

The Lyon Declaration was launched at the IFLA congress in Lyon in August 2014.  This session provides an opportunity to share information technology projects that support the goals of this declaration.

Papers presenting innovative projects, experience, initiatives or services with a strong collaborative cross-border or international dimension are preferred.   Papers should reflect the conference theme, “Dynamic Libraries: Access, Development and Transformation”.

The program will feature up to five presentations of 15-20 minutes each with additional time for questions.

 

So much choice!

CapeTown

The IFLA Professional Committee has just released details of the approved programs for the 81st IFLA General Conference and Assembly in Cape Town next August.

The Public Libraries Section is partnering with:

  • Library Service for People with Special Needs to present Public Library Service to the Socially Isolated:  Homeless, Incarcerated, Mentally Ill 
  • Continuing Professional Development and Workplace Learning to present Learning across borders – a workshop
  • Information Technology to present Technology facilitating access to information : libraries supporting development

We’ll also be supporting our colleagues in MetLib and their session “No-one left behind”. Reading, information, digital, media literacies and curation for inclusion in large urban areas plus the great programs being developed by Libraries for Children and Young Adults, Literacy, Management and Marketing …

IFLA has reported that there were many submissions this year so it promises to be a full and exciting week.

 

MetLib 2015

Zurich

Our friends in the IFLA Metropolitan Libraries Section has announced that the 47th MetLib Conference,  will take place at the Pestalozzi-Library in Zurich, Switzerland, from May 3 to May 8, 2015. They say:

Public Libraries are places that provide us with knowledge and information. Very often, we find ourselves limited in what we would like to offer and what we are able to offer our customers.

Limits of financial means or limited personnel force us to rethink and look for new solutions to old problems. Ideally, we can go beyond mere coping and excel what arose out of necessity. In this way, we are crossing borders, looking for new ways, new alliances, co-operations and inventions.

The conference will be about sharing advances in practical knowledge and about how libraries cope with these challenges. Our program will to not only allow you to exchange ideas with fellow librarians, but will also offer you an opportunity to crossing the borders into other fields.

Do come and accompany us on this exciting journey across borders. We will be happy to welcome you!

 

 

Learning across boundaries – a call for papers

Planning by the two sections in Lyon

Planning by the two sections in Lyon

IFLA’s Continuing Professional Development and Workplace Learning and Public Libraries Sections invite you to consider submitting a proposal for the joint session being planned for the 81st IFLA General Conference and Assembly  to be held in Cape Town South Africa 15-21 August 2015. (Program dependent on acceptance of Joint Session proposal by IFLA)

Theme:   Learning across boundaries: a workshop
Date: 15-21 August 2015
Venue:  Cape Town South Africa
Web site: http://conference.ifla.org/ifla81

Session theme and focus
The session will be developed as an Idea Café (Workshop?). Although the planning team is interested in a broad range of concepts, preference will be given to papers that reflect one or more of the following themes:
1. Diversity and Inclusion:  Creating an effective learning and working environment for people from other cultures and people at risk with a focus on customers’ colleagues.
2. Cross Border Collaboration or Exchange:  Facilitating global partnerships to support projects and or ongoing work
3. Cross Sector Collaboration:  Facilitating strong relationships with different types of libraries
4. Engaging staff :  Creating rich learning and development opportunities for the wide spectrum of staff employed in 21st century libraries – both professional and non-professional.
5. New Roles:  Preparing the next generation of staff and managers for new skills and competencies
One spot is available for an emerging author who requires mentorship.

Submission Guidelines:
Proposals should include
• Title of the presentation
• Abstract of no more than 400 words
• Author(s) name, professional affiliation, postal address, e-mail address
• A brief biographical statement of no more than 50 words

Proposals should be sent before 22 November 2014 via email to:  [email protected]

Submissions will be reviewed by the Program Committee with successful proposals identified and announced by 22 January 2015. Successful applicants will have until 22 February 2015 to confirm acceptance of the offer.

To provide for dynamic content, full text papers in draft form should be submitted in a Word file by 22 May 2015. Papers should be 3-20 pages long and must include an abstract and an appendix with practical recommendations derived from the paper. Final versions of the paper, incorporating new insights gained during the presentation, must be submitted for publication shortly after the conference. These will be published on IFLA Library.  An abbreviated version of the paper will be published on the CPDWL and Public Libraries section websites.

The length of oral presentations will be 10minutes. Presenters should be prepared to pose discussion questions to engage the audience in their work as part of the Idea Cafe. The full written paper is not to be read.

Language for abstracts:  English.
Language for presentations: English

The planning team reserves the right to ask applicants to make small adjustments to the shape of their papers to support the needs of the program.
Key Dates:

 

Date Action
22 November 2014 Closing date for call for papers. Brief abstract required
22 January 1915 Applicants will be informed as to whether their paper has been accepted
22 February , 2015 Applicants to confirm their acceptance of the offer
22 May 2015 Full papers must be submitted to the planning team

 

Registration:
All expenses, including registration for the conference, travel, accommodation etc., are the responsibility of the authors/presenters.

The importance of public libraries for digital inclusion

The European Parliament Committee on Culture and Education (CULT) on March 18, 2014 adopted an own-initiative report on new technologies and open educational resources. The report was drafted by rapporteur Cătălin Sorin Ivan (S&D/RO) in response to the European Commission’s communication ‘Opening up Education’. Among others, the report (item 36) mentions the important role public libraries play in this field, both by providing free internet access and ICT skills training for citizens.

The Commission’s communication sets out a European agenda for stimulating high quality, innovative ways of learning and teaching through new technologies and digital content. The communication discusses in depth access to open education resources (OER) in general, including massive online open courses (MOOCs). As the report points out, many Europeans do not have the ICT skills or Internet access needed to take advantage of these new resources. By providing people with access to free Internet and opportunities to take ICT training classes, as well as helping individual visitors, public libraries contribute considerably to the EU 2020 objectives in digital inclusion.