[governance] Dynamic Coalition on Public Access in Libraries

Tue Mar 6 06:49:04 EST 2012

Great job Stuart! I am sure some people in my network will want to join!
Best
Divina 

Divina Frau-Meigs
Professor, Sorbonne nouvelle University

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06

Le 06/03/12 12:37, « Salanieta T. Tamanikaiwaimaro »
<salanieta.tamanikaiwaimaro at gmail.com> a écrit :

> Congratulations Stuart!!!
> 
> On Mon, Mar 5, 2012 at 10:40 PM, Baudouin Schombe <baudouin.schombe at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>> Hello Stuart, 
>> 
>> This is a very good information because our structure is facing difficulties
>> to implement community access centers with libraries, despite the need felt
>> and expressed. 
>> 
>> We accept and join to this platform
>> 
>> Baudouin
>> 
>> 2012/3/5 Stuart Hamilton <Stuart.Hamilton at ifla.org>
>>> Dear Colleagues
>>>  
>>> I am pleased to inform you of a new Dynamic Coalition on Public Access in
>>> Libraries which has been approved by the IGF Secretariat. The International
>>> Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) and Electronic
>>> Information for Libraries (EIFL) are the organisers of this coalition and,
>>> as is traditional, we are now seeking further interested members who are
>>> interested in the topic and wish to be kept informed of the DC¹s activities,
>>> discussions and progress. This email gives some background on the DC, and
>>> further information is available on request.
>>>  
>>> Background
>>>  
>>> At the IGF 2011, Electronic Information for Libraries (EIFL) organised a
>>> workshop to discuss the findings of a recent study of perceptions of public
>>> libraries by policy makers in six countries in Africa. The study revealed
>>> that policy makers still think of libraries in terms of printed media, and
>>> not as spaces for catalysing internet access and use. Evidence was presented
>>> that public libraries that offer innovative and ICT enabled services based
>>> on free public access to the Internet can contribute to positive change in
>>> their communities and support development goals in vital areas including
>>> health, agriculture, employment, education and children and youth at risk.
>>> The lively workshop discussion underlined the need for a shared vision and
>>> dialogue by policy makers, civil society, private industry and librarians,
>>> on how Internet-enabled public libraries can contribute to achieving the
>>> Millennium Development Goals. The workshop discussion finished with an
>>> agreement between participants to move ahead with the creation of a Dynamic
>>> Coalition on Public Access in Libraries to explore these issues further in
>>> an IGF setting.
>>>  
>>> Necessity
>>>  
>>> While the number of Internet users worldwide now tops two billion, it is
>>> important to remember that a significant percentage will not have their own
>>> network connection. Instead, hundreds of millions of people utilise the
>>> Internet through shared connections, or through providers of public access
>>> to the Internet such as libraries. It will not be possible to maintain or
>>> increase the number of worldwide users without continued support for public
>>> access to the Internet  something that is even more important in times of
>>> financial austerity when the role of public libraries, and the gateways they
>>> offer to free or low-cost Internet access, becomes even more crucial to
>>> people¹s opportunities in areas such as employment, education and health.
>>>  
>>> However, libraries still remain largely overlooked as community development
>>> partners. Within the context of the IGF, no arena currently exists for the
>>> discussion of Internet governance issues relating to public access
>>> intermediaries such as public libraries. Public access to the Internet is
>>> tackled in a cross-programme sense, but the sheer reach of libraries  there
>>> are over one billion registered library users on the planet  demands that
>>> special attention be paid to the challenges and opportunities faced and
>>> offered by these crucial institutions. Everyday libraries face challenges
>>> offered by serving disparate user groups  children and young people, the
>>> unemployed, the elderly, the disabled and many other mainstream and
>>> marginalised groups. They may be the only places in communities that allow
>>> access to social media or Internet telephony, or provide gateways to
>>> e-government services. Public library staff must be aware of and able to
>>> serve the needs of users, while at the same time remaining aware of privacy
>>> and human rights issues.
>>>  
>>> The formation of a new Dynamic Coalition on Public Access in Libraries
>>> creates a space within the IGF to address the Internet governance issues
>>> relating to public access, and will enable a discussion to take place about
>>> how the existing expertise, networks and infrastructure offered by public
>>> libraries can contribute to the goals and spirit of the WSIS process. This
>>> discussion would be truly multi-stakeholder  public libraries are funded by
>>> the taxpayer and embedded in government infrastructure, they are frequented
>>> by members of civil society and the entrepreneurs behind SMEs, and they
>>> frequently partner with the private sector to provide buildings and
>>> services. A Dynamic Coalition on Public Access in Libraries would benefit
>>> from the participation of representatives from all these groups.
>>>  
>>> Objectives
>>>  
>>> ·         To place public access to the Internet through public libraries on
>>> the agenda of the IGF as a cross-cutting issue on a number of IGF key themes
>>> e.g. Internet Governance and Development; Access and Diversity; Security,
>>> Openness and Privacy; Youth.
>>> 
>>>  
>>> ·         To ensure that representatives of libraries and their users are
>>> consulted on issues of Internet Governance within, and outside of, the
>>> context of the IGF.
>>> 
>>>  
>>> ·         To create a dialogue between library representatives and policy
>>> makers on the potential of public libraries in major policy areas such as
>>> social cohesion, education, employment, community development, health and
>>> agriculture,  in pursuit of sustainable funding and favourable policies
>>> towards libraries.
>>> 
>>>  
>>> ·         To feed in IGF-related activities to existing EIFL and IFLA work
>>> programmes for ICTD in 2012 and beyond, such as the Beyond Access Campaign
>>> on libraries and development, European Union activities on e-Inclusion and
>>> the IFLA World Library and Information Congress (WLIC) in Helsinki in August
>>> 2012.
>>> 
>>>  
>>> Interested Members?
>>>  
>>> We are seeking interested organisations and individuals from all stakeholder
>>> groups to contribute to the work of the Dynamic Coalition. As with other
>>> coalitions, collaboration can range from following and participating in
>>> discussions on the DC mailing list, to active participation in workshops and
>>> events at the main IGF and related regional/national IGFs. IFLA and EIFL
>>> already plan to participate at the EuroDIG, and those interested in this
>>> topic may also be interested in the forthcoming Beyond Access Campaign
>>> (http://www.beyondaccesscampaign.org/) which works to promote the role of
>>> public libraries in delivering development goals. Please send me
>>> (stuart.hamilton at ifla.org)  an email with your/your organisation¹s details
>>> if you are interested in being a member of this DC.
>>>  
>>>  
>>> I apologise for the long email but I hope that this background information
>>> is useful. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you require any further
>>> information.
>>>  
>>> Kind regards,
>>>  
>>> Stuart
>>>  
>>>  
>>> Stuart Hamilton
>>> Director of Policy and Advocacy
>>> International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA)
>>> P.O. Box 95312
>>> 2509 CH The Hague
>>> Netherlands
>>>  
>>> 00 31 70 314 0884 <tel:00%2031%2070%20314%200884>
>>>  
>>> Twitter: @iflaspa
>>>  
>>> 
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>> 
>> 

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