Tag Archives: access to information

World Day of Social Justice: Libraries for decent work and opportunities for all

The pandemic has had a profound impact on work and employment worldwide. A 2021 Call to Action by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) outlines the vast scope of these impacts:

“… increased unemployment, underemployment and inactivity; losses in labour and business income, especially in the most impacted sectors; enterprise closures and bankruptcies, particularly for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises; supply chain disruptions; informality and insecurity of work and income; new challenges to health, safety and rights at work; and exacerbated poverty and economic and social inequality.”

The 2022 World Day of Social Justice sees a strong call for continued efforts to address these challenges – focusing on the overarching theme “Achieving Social Justice through Formal Employment”.

Why this theme?

As an introduction to the 2022 Social Justice Day by the United Nations highlights, more than 60% of people employed around the world operate in the informal economy. Their position is often that of significantly more vulnerability, with workers likely to earn less and have less access to employment benefits or social protection.

The ILO Director-General’s message points to the ‘great divergence’ and exacerbated socioeconomic inequalities, with those who were already more vulnerable before the pandemic experiencing the strongest adverse impacts – including women, young people, migrant workers, those in the informal sector, and small enterprises.

This, of course, directly shapes and impacts the needs of the communities which libraries serve. Employment support is a task libraries have taken on in different ways over the years – by providing access to information, training and connectivity, support for entrepreneurs and job-seekers, networking opportunities, and more. So how are users’ employment needs and situations – and library responses – evolving today?

Evolving trends and challenges

The 2022 World Employment and Social Outlook ILO flagship report summarises some of the key recent trends in the global labour market, including:

  • During the pandemic, declines in employment and working hours have led to losses in income. As countries resume economic activities, the global labour market’s progress towards recovery has been asymmetric, taking place significantly faster in higher-income countries.
  • Inequalities within countries persist as well, with particularly pronounced adverse impacts on women’s and young people’s employment rates. To date, formal wage workers appear to have returned to employment at a higher rate than informal wage workers – and some evidence suggests that more people have moved towards informal self-employment or family-owned activities.
  • There is an expansion of gig-based employment. In some sectors, the share of temporary work within total employment has risen as well (while the overall incidence of temporary jobs has remained fairly stable, it’s also worth noting that a sizeable share of temporary workers in 2021 had previously held non-temporary jobs).

It goes without saying, however, that these broad macro-level trends also vary greatly within and across regions. Overall, ILO projections suggest that, in 2022, the working-hour deficit caused by the pandemic will be substantially smaller than in 2021, but still significant. In light of these developments, it is therefore important to consider both the quantitative rates of working hours and employment – and the quality of work and working conditions.

Libraries for decent work and employment

In their day-to-day work, libraries of course also see the way different employment situations and possible vulnerabilities shape user needs. A 2020 patron survey in three Resource Centers in public libraries in Namibia, for example, helped estimate how many of their users had access to a computer or a fixed internet connection at home – and showed significant differences between user groups with different employment situations (employed, self-employed, job seeker).

At the same time, when it comes to developing specialised offers, the diversity of library approaches to employment support throughout the pandemic shows how these services can be leveraged and adapted to specific user needs or local circumstances:

The US, for instance, has seen new examples of library employment support offers tailored to specific community groups (e.g. local Black and Latinx entrepreneurs, and users from lower-income backgrounds) – and to particular in-demand jobs and fields.

Such considerations are echoed, for example, in the collaboration between the National Library of Sri Lanka and Commonwealth of Learning (COL) – Coursera Workforce Recovery Initiative. ‘Skills Online Sri Lanka – Employed for the Unemployed’ brought together different stakeholders to enable job-seekers to follow online upskilling and re-skilling courses through the COL platform. The initiative emphasised skills-building for in-demand jobs which help meet current industry needs, as well as an outreach drive to involve more women, young participants and differently-abled people. In South Africa, the City of Johannesburg Library and Information Services has recently re-launched an e-learning online platform which features, inter alia, links to online digitla skills courses offered by several tech companies – including certification possibilities and links to job opportunities.

In Zimbabwe, Community Study Circles in Edward Ndlovu Community Libraries focus on helping rural residents start and build up commercial income-generating projects. The Circles have worked to help maintain these initiatives throughout the pandemic (including, for example, meetings to discuss how to tackle the challenges COVID-19 has caused to the projects).

In Nepal, the READ Centers were able to offer no-interest microloans to families who had lost their main sources of income during lockdowns. This offer included not only seed money, but also guidance and support on how to use these resources to develop a reliable new source of income (e.g. by assisting grant recipients with business plans and network connections).

Part of a bigger puzzle

Clearly, meeting the employment needs of communities and addressing the inequalities exacerbated by the pandemic requires sustained and multidimensional efforts – and we are also seeing new and evolving partnerships between libraries and various other stakeholders to help achieve this. In fact, some of the examples above were realised through such collaborations!

There are different valuable contributions that libraries and information professionals can bring to the table in such partnerships. One is access to information and content – for example, in their collaboration with vocational training centers, Libraries Without Borders provided Ideas Cube kits with additional teaching and learning digital resources tailored to the local context of each center.

Other invaluable resources include a library’s network, infrastructure, and position at the heart of its community. These can help power outreach and make sure that more people can benefit from existing employment support offers. An example here would be, of course, collaborations between libraries and employment agencies.

Finally, it is also worth noting how broader public policy efforts seek to engage libraries in the push for employment support during the pandemic and eventual recovery. One example comes from New Zealand, where one of the key goals of a 4-year funding package for libraries is to enable them to “provide extra assistance to jobseekers and to people wanting to improve their reading and digital literacy skills”. Another example comes from the US, where the American Rescue Plan Act has made it possible to fund more library-based job training, employment and professional development offers – for example, by the California State Library.

All in all, a transition towards employment formalisation and, more broadly, towards decent employment for all is an urgent policy priority which requires integrated solutions – ones which are suitable for local circumstances. Libraries can offer valuable tools and support – through standalone initiatives, partnerships, and as part of comprehensive policy approaches to job market support. We look forward to seeing more fruitful and innovative interventions that can help shape a more just and equitable recovery!

EuroDIG 2021: Takeaway messages for libraries

The 2021 edition of the European Dialogue on Internet Governance offers an opportunity to take stock of recent developments in the policies and practices within the digital ecosystem which can be of interest and impact libraries in Europe – and around the world.

1)    Moving ahead to champion Open Science

Open Science, particularly its digital dimensions, was among the key topics of interest in this year’s EuroDIG. Noting the many helpful local, regional and international (e.g. discipline-specific) open science initiatives, UNESCO and other stakeholders discussed the value of developing a comprehensive shared definition and normative approach; and UNESCO itself offered an update on its draft Recommendation on Open Science.

Here, a summary of key points raised by various stakeholders and Member States during the UNESCO consultation (to which IFLA also contributed) included references to the importance of infrastructure (e.g. internet connectivity), of Open Science monitoring, and of non-profit and sustainable services and infrastructures to support Open Science in light of the risks of commercial monopolisation. In November 2021, the draft Recommendations are due to be submitted to the UNESCO Geneva Conference with a view to their adoption, followed by anticipated adoption among Member States.

Open Data. A closely related topic which may be interesting for libraries working in this area is open data – particularly how to open and share data which is more sensitive and requires further safeguards. Noting the current legal provisions which govern the lifecycles and usage of such data (e.g. laws such as the General Data Protection Regulation), the speakers pointed out some of the existing and possible approaches which can help enable such data-sharing to take place securely in practice. These include, for example, various licensing models, or setting out rules on access to such sensitive data – e.g. for specific purposes, or to limited types of stakeholders.

This discussion also pointed to the importance of investing in infrastructural support, education, and awareness-raising, to help researchers navigate the questions around opening sensitive data. These discussions are of course highly relevant for libraries offering support or training on research data management, licensing or copyright for their institutions.

2)    Online learning: where do we stand today?

Digital divides and inequalities. The 2021 EuroDIG also offered an opportunity to reflect on the lessons learned from the rapid shift to digital in learning and education, which has taken place in many parts of the world over the past year. One of the most prominent challenges here is, of course, the widely-noted digital divide – inequalities in access to suitable connectivity or devices (or even suitable spaces) for learners, and the ability to use them effectively.

The social element. The social dimension of learning is another consideration – with concerns expressed over the possible impacts of all-digital learning on students’ social interactions and wellbeing. Some survey data suggests, for example, that parents reported positive impacts of remote learning for students’ math and reading competencies – but see it as having a more negative impact on their social skills. This raises the question of whether it is possible to leverage existing (and develop new) applications and digital mediums to further promote meaningful interaction and wellbeing.

These points relate to the questions many libraries themselves have been grappling with since they introduced virtual programming to support learning and social interaction for children – from storytimes to creative workshops or clubs.

Platforms, walled gardens, educational content discoverability. Another part of the discussion focused on digital learning platforms and tools themselves. Here, stakeholders noted that it is crucial for platforms to not only optimise learning – but to also take fully into account learners’ digital autonomy, digital self-determination, privacy and ethics.

Another consideration is the  “walled gardens” of some commercial learning platforms – those characterised by limited interoperability and a lack of access to their learning materials from outside of the platform (e.g with access cut off once a course ends). For libraries, this latter point relates to their own concerns over equity and availability of access to digital learning materials. One of the draft take-away messages also highlights the importance of tools that increase the discoverability of educational content across the various available platforms.

3)    Privacy and data protection – not an obstacle to productivity

Built-in privacy. Another well-noted impact of rapid digitalisation is the immense increase in the amount of data being generated and collected in the process. Naturally, this puts into the spotlight questions around data privacy (especially for personal data) and data protection.

This echoes some of the questions libraries themselves had to answer during the pandemic – which platform can be used for virtual programming? How to minimise data collection? What initiatives targeting particular user groups are possible?

Some of the suggested measures to address these concerns included clear internal policies and processes which build in privacy at the outset, increased transparency and accountability, and, importantly, actively promoting the idea that “data protection is not an obstacle to productivity and innovation”.

Digital skills. Another element that can help preserve privacy and data security is, of course, learning – both for staff members (to help guide internal processes) and users (to help understand and navigate their own use of the internet – e.g. online financial services). This will be familiar to many in the library field who are increasingly focused on supporting digital literacy and confidence within their communities.

4)    Paths towards a greener digital future

The complexity of the relationship between the ongoing digital transformation and environment and sustainability is, of course, well-noted. Technology has immense potential to help track and mitigate today’s environmental challenges. Yet it also contributes to these challenges in various ways, from energy consumption and resource extraction to e-waste.

A part of the EuroDIG discussions dedicated to environmental sustainability focused on a broader public perspective: the impacts of lifestyles and consumption patterns around technology.

As such, one of the key needed changes the participants highlighted were policies, practices and infrastructure facilitating the reuse and repair of technology. Another important element was raising public awareness and education, to enable communities to make sustainable choices – which also requires access to quality information and transparency about technology.

Such questions are of course of interest for libraries: from public procurement, to repair workshops held in libraries, to raising awareness about sustainable consumption patterns.

A related point focused on the link between sustainability and equality of access. Here, it can be worthwhile also to examine models of access that support equitable digital inclusion while keeping the number of new devices entering circulation lower (whether it is distributing refurbished technology, free public access to ICT, and others).

These are just some of the discussions from the 2021 EuroDIG which can be worthwhile and interesting for libraries to keep track of – with more sessions exploring questions around freedom of expression and content moderation practices online, formal and informal media literacy learning practices, and more.

You can take a look at the draft EuroDIG2021 takeaway messages, access all session recordings, and stay engaged with internet governance discussions to share insights, perspectives and good practices from across the global library field!

International Archives Day: together for transparency, accountability and access to information

9 June marks International Archives Day – falling in the middle of a week dedicated to celebrating and highlighting the work of the archive and record management sectors. We warmly congratulate our colleagues across many types of institutions – from national to community archives, and of course libraries carrying out archival activities. We stand in solidarity with them to continue building societies where preserving and ensuring access to information powers fundamental rights, wellbeing and development!

One of the key themes for this year’s celebrations is empowering accountability and transparency – how archives help people protect their rights and hold governments accountable through access to information.

This offers a good opportunity to reflect on where the global dialogue on transparency and accountability stands today – and how together libraries and archives can support and help drive progress.

The push for transparency in challenging times

The pandemic has, without a doubt, raised urgent questions about transparency and access to information, with many stakeholders highlighting the key role of universal access to government and public interest information. In particular at a time that governments are making decisions on an emergency basis, it helps ensure that people are well-informed about the situation, uphold accountability and build sustainable policies.

Transparency International, for example, pointed out that freedom of information rights gain additional urgency as pandemic responses impact people’s right to movement and assembly. The latter can also mean that opportunities for participatory democratic processes – and for media and civil society organisations to travel, gather and publish public interest information – are also severely reduced.

These discussions helped identify good practices and principles – e.g. proactive disclosure, building a robust digital infrastructure – which can help ensure that people’s fundamental right to information is upheld during this time of crisis.

Thinking to the future, the possibility for citizens to hold governments to account for the decisions and actions they have taken during the pandemic will depend on the possibility to access, rapidly and easily, relevant documentation.

As Freedom in the World 2021 Policy Recommendations highlight,

[…] Freedom House surveyed democracy and human rights experts working in over 100 countries, asking how democratic governments can help support democracy and human rights during the pandemic. Providing the public with access to fact-based information was a top response.

Powering a culture of transparency, accountability and access to information

In their work to support openness and transparency, archives, libraries, and information professionals have already identified many areas where their help can have a strong impact.

These include, for example, helping build accessible and user-friendly platforms for people to access public information, raising awareness about the public’s rights to information, offering engagement opportunities and helping their communities build up the skills needed to effectively use and leverage this information.

Such questions have been high on the agenda for IFLA over the past months. Principles and good practice examples have been outlined in IFLA’s recent Statement on Libraries and Open and Good Governance, our input to the UN Human Rights Office on Fostering Access to Information Held by Public Entities, and a briefing on libraries and open government.

The encouraging news is that libraries around the world continue to explore new and different ways to support these principles. For example, in the Netherlands, “digital government information points” are set up in more and more public libraries – with around 200 points set up since the initiative was launched in 2019!

They help people with many different questions – accessing e-government services, understanding legal terminology in official letters, referring people to NGos or government agencies that can best address their queries, and more.

In the USA, Indiana University Libraries received the U.S. Government Publishing Office’s 2020 “Library of the Year” title for the creative ways to connect people with government information. For example, their “Government Info Alerts” initiative offers people biweekly updates on new publications and development – tailored to their areas of interest on the basis of a short survey.

These examples reiterate that building a culture of transparency, accountability and access to information calls for multifaceted solutions on both supply (how information is offered) and demand (how people are encouraged and enabled to use it) sides.

Both archives and libraries are well placed to meet this need – ensuring long-term preservation of records, building user-friendly solutions for digital access, removing access restrictions, balancing the rights to access information with the rights to privacy, and more.

Of course, collaboration and exchange of good practices are a key ingredient to achieving these goals! This is well-reflected in another key point of the 2021 International Archive Day discussion – networking and collaboration.

So we want to once again congratulate our colleagues – and look forward to continuing working together to help power transparency, accountability and access to information!

World Information Society Day 2021: Adaptation, Innovation and Transformation

17 May marked the annual World Telecommunication and Information Society Day. This year’s theme, “Accelerating digital transformation in challenging times”, encourages libraries to reflect on their own digital journeys over the past year, and on the next steps in reaching global connectivity goals and ambitions.

For over a decade, libraries’ roles in the information society have been fairly well-established. The WSIS Tunis Agenda and the Geneva Plan of Action, as early as 2003-2005, sought to engage and support libraries as public access points, facilitators of digital skills learning, and champions of (cultural) content generation.

To this day, these elements reflect some of the key goals libraries pursue in their work to support meaningful digital inclusion. However, as the theme of this year’s WTIS Day highlights, the pandemic has accelerated the global digital transformation, and the past months have posed both a considerable challenge and an impetus for innovation as libraries shifted to digital.

Library innovation in challenging times

This included, of course, digitalising some of the core offers, such as expanding digital collections, introducing or broadening online reference services) and putting other traditional activities online (e.g. book clubs and storytime events).

But this year also saw libraries come up with creative ways to put forward diverse and expanded offers, such as virtual cooking and gymnastics events in libraries in Italy, or the ICT-enabled remote bibliotherapy and psychological support in libraries in Lithuania and Romania. There were various interesting ideas for digitally recreating various elements of library user experiences – for example, a “virtual study space” held by an academic library in Turkey through Zoom.

The sustained emphasis on using technologies as ‘a force for good’ also helps us think about the broader social impacts of such digital initiatives. For example, one approach to maximising libraries’ positive impact emphasised broadening their reach. There were many examples of libraries introducing or easing the process of digital membership applications and e-cards to make sure that more people can benefit from their services with the shift to digital. There have also been examples of libraries working to offer access to valuable materials without any restrictions on membership – like the Central Library in Tallinn setting up a digital access platform for ebooks available to all citizens.

Another way to understand the societal impacts is by focusing on how libraries worked to meet communities’ needs – for example, the many ways academic, school and public libraries supported the educational shift to digital. In Kenya, for instance, a community library set up a temporary multimedia studio which teachers used to conduct and livestream daily online classes.

Lessons learned and moving forward

The library actions listed above set out ways in which libraries are working to address the broader digital connectivity gap and inequalities that the pandemic has so sharply highlighted.

While examples such as these are inspiring and show the flexibility and adaptability of the global library field, all this of course depends on local circumstances and capacities. There were cases where the pandemic highlighted the need for library connectivity, better access to technologies, digital skills-building opportunities for librarians, or more supportive policy frameworks.

The need is great, and WTIS Day 2021 sets the goal not just of continuing, but rather of accelerating digital transformation. For libraries to play their part in more rapid progress towards meaningful digital inclusion, they will need to be properly recognised in national policies for meaningful digital inclusion. A good starting point is therefore the ITU’s own Connect 2030 Agenda – so what does it contain and what role can libraries play in helping realise it?

Libraries and the Connect 2030 Goals

The Agenda was developed by the International Telecommunications Union and its members to define the targets and transformations in the digital sphere needed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. It comprises 5 key goals – to power Growth, Inclusiveness, Sustainability, Innovation and Partnerships.

The first two goals contain indicators on digital inclusion and connectivity – both on the global scale and for developing countries and underserved user groups (i.e. women and people with disabilities) in particular.

Among these targets, there are areas where libraries already work to help their realisation – e.g. on the number of people using the internet, on the affordability of connectivity (which public access can help achieve), and digital skills.

The Agenda also sets out various targets focusing on digital policy frameworks, such as:

  • The “number of countries with a specific policy for ICT accessibility” (all countries by 2023);
  • “By 2023, all countries should have a National Emergency Telecommunication Plan as part of their national and local disaster risk reduction strategies”;
  • “By 2023, all countries should have policies/strategies fostering telecommunication/ICT-centric innovation”;
  • “By 2023, raise the percentage of countries with an e-waste legislation to 50%”

All these areas have already attracted interest and generated discussion within the library field. From the US, for example, we have insights on the role of libraries in crisis and natural disaster response – including their role in offering access to the internet, electricity, and in helping spread critical information during the crisis. Similarly, there are country-level case studies which outline the role libraries can play in supporting ICT innovation. For example, the ITU’s recent report on Moldova points out the contribution of the Novateca Libraries to helping build the soft (e.g. skills) and hard infrastructure which encourages innovation in the country.

As such, there are different ways libraries can contribute to these ambitions – and as more countries move to develop and adopt policies on accessibility, ICT innovation, e-waste and emergency telecommunication by 2023, it is well worth it for libraries to keep informed and engage with these policy dialogues in order to be recognised as partners in achieving success.

Five Ways That Libraries Offer Meaningful Connectivity

A guest blog by Teddy Woodhouse, research manager at the Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4AI).

Parking lot Wi-Fi hotspots in the United States, mobile vans in Ghana, and mobile phone lending in India. These are just some snapshots of how libraries have helped people stay connected through the Covid-19 pandemic.

Beyond just access, libraries can help offer meaningful connectivity – where internet access can advance personal, professional, or educational development. We at the Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4AI) have identified four factors of internet access that are important thresholds for connectivity to become meaningful: a 4G mobile connection; smartphone ownership; an unlimited broadband connection at home, work, or a place of study; and daily internet use. Libraries are part of this mission towards greater meaningful connectivity for the greatest number possible – and here’s five ways how.

  1. Libraries broaden the network of connectivity ‘oases’.

A key indicator for meaningful connectivity is daily access to an unlimited broadband connection. These points of high-capacity connectivity are a core part of people’s experiences with the internet. These might be found at home for many: however, libraries are unique in their ambition to offer this level of connectivity to anyone in their community.

Along with schools and places of work, libraries add to the constellation of access points that increase connectivity across a community and build the reliability of internet access as a regular part of someone’s life and as a way of learning and doing business.

  1. Libraries provide connectivity to the most vulnerable.

Libraries play an essential role in the access to ICT ecosystem, especially for low-income and first-time users who lack the financial means or digital skills basis to maintain their own private connection. Access through institutions like libraries also helps pool the cost burden among a wider number of users, make access more affordable in more remote or marginalised areas, and can, in ideal cases, also provide a basis for wider projects such as community networks.

Through this, libraries ensure that the digital divide does not become a simple copy of income inequality and that an individual’s wealth does not predetermine how meaningful their internet access will be.

  1. Libraries extend skills and safety along with connectivity.

Libraries are also trusted institutions. In a time of peak misinformation and greater social distrust, libraries have a unique trait in that people from all walks of life are more likely to trust them and the services they offer. The digital divide is not just about infrastructure – it is about the skills gap as well. This boundary – which disproportionately affects women – is one where libraries can be especially effective in providing trained staff and gender-inclusive spaces for learning that enables each individual to develop their skills and become digitally autonomous.

  1. Libraries help find and grow locally-relevant content.

Librarians help people find information that’s useful for them. This support system enables people to discover locally-relevant content in a way that global search engines cannot replace. It responds to the range of characteristics such as language, gender, or background, which can  influence what information is relevant to an individual. Through the trusted support of a librarian, more people are able to learn how to find the information that matters to them online.

In addition to finding locally-relevant content, libraries can help increase the presence of such content online. In a time where just over 60% of the web is in English, there are huge gaps in the world’s knowledge and what parts of that knowledge are available online to speakers of different languages. As connectivity grows in an area, so too does the amount of locally-relevant content. Libraries can support these initiatives through the digitisation of records, hosting Wikipedia edit-a-thons, and other activities.

  1. Libraries offer new equipment for users to try and to learn.

Many libraries also provide access to equipment that users would not be able to afford themselves. This can be as simple as a desktop computer or extend to specialist equipment such as cameras and 3D printers. While many of these devices would not be affordable for individuals to own and keep within their household, communal access through a library helps expand the possibilities of an individual to use and to build their digital skills around new ICT equipment.

As countries look to the digital economy as accelerators for their post-COVID recovery, skills-building and devices will play an essential part in the broader ecosystem of affordable and meaningful internet access.

 

Libraries are worldwide, but they need – and deserve – better support. The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) Library Map of the World counts 2.6 million libraries across six continents, but only 381,000 (⅔ of those reporting, and roughly 14% of the total) of those libraries say that they have internet access. Part of this challenge is the availability of data about libraries and their capacities: part of the challenge is connecting those that remain unconnected. If each library were connected to the internet, could expand the global footprint of such public access points nearly seven times over and could be transformational in the informational landscape for those who are currently unconnected or lack the financial means to buy their own connection.

Governments can do more to support libraries and their potential to expand meaningful connectivity. Libraries should be included in national broadband planning processes as stakeholders in consultations, as key institutions to include within targets for connectivity, and as priority opportunities to investment. This includes setting targets for meaningful connectivity. Governments can also sign the Every Community Connected pledge, which identifies libraries as essential to the post-Covid recovery.

Digital inclusion is the foundation of a scalable digital economy. At A4AI, we advocate for affordable and meaningful internet access for everyone precisely for this reason: without widespread access, the possibilities of the internet to help lift people out of poverty and for countries to reach the Sustainable Development Goals are inherently more limited. Realising this goal requires blending together different business models and investment strategies, including public access through libraries, to connect the world.

Teddy Woodhouse is a research manager at the Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4AI). A4AI is a non-profit organisation, based in the United States, that represents the largest, global multi-stakeholder coalition that tries to drive down the price of broadband through policy and regulatory reform.

World Information Society Day: The Case for Public Access in Libraries Beyond 2020

During the 2003 and 2005 sessions of the UN-based World Summit on the Information Society, representatives from 175 countries charted a roadmap towards a digital society which would be open and accessible to all. A series of documents – the Geneva Plan of Action, WSIS Action Lines, the Tunis Commitment and Agenda – lay out the agreements and measures to overcome the digital divide between and within countries.

One of the key WSIS targets was connecting all public libraries with ICTs: as repositories of crucial information, public internet access points and learning hubs, libraries were among the actors that could help build the information society WSIS envisioned. This year marks the WSIS+15 milestone: an opportunity to take stock and reflect on what public access in libraries means today.

Over the years, public libraries have brought many new users online – with millions having accessed the internet for the very first time in a library. However, public access can sometimes be seen as a stepping stone towards individual use and subscription/device ownership – a transitional measure on the way to a more universally available home access.

But is that the case? What value can public access solutions offer as a complement to individual home or mobile access, rather than a temporary substitute? What shapes could they take in a post-COVID world, as we work to overcome the persistent digital divides?

Digital skills learning opportunities

For libraries and similar facilities, an important part of the public internet offer has long been the digital skills learning opportunities and on-site support for their users. A lack of digital skills can prevent people from going online even if access is available.

But the need for ICT skills goes beyond the connected/unconnected binary: once a person becomes an internet user (which could, of course, entail getting an individual subscription and device), their digital skills continue to impact both how they make use of connectivity and what outcomes they can achieve.

A safety net

Even when home and individual access is prioritised, public access facilities can be highly valuable – and valued – when such access is temporarily unavailable (on an individual level – e.g. among people experiencing homelessness; or community level – e.g. anchor institutions offering internet connectivity and electricity during emergency or disaster situations).

It is also worth considering whether, as some of the societal adaptations from analog to digital may be here to stay; and a UN/DESA brief points out that governments and economies may want to speed up the adoption of digital innovations to boost future resilience. This could mean that the cost of staying offline – as more and more public and economic activities go digital – may continue to rise, and so the need for alternatives to assuming private access grows.

The complement: keeping the costs down

Globally, mobile-only internet use is on the rise, and new subscriptions for mobile broadband are growing at a significantly faster rate than fixed broadband. While mobile broadband subscriptions and access devices may be comparatively more affordable, many mobile broadband users remain cost-conscious and limit their data use to keep the costs down. As a 2019 Alliance for Affordable Internet report points out, in such cases users can combine public and individual internet access, relying on the former for most of the data-intensive tasks.

And of course, while at the moment some Internet Service Providers are lifting data caps or postponing price raises, once these temporary measures are lifted public internet access can offer a free/low-cost alternative in case future price raises make individual access less affordable – especially in light of potential poverty and unemployment rises – as well as providing a back-stop that prevents private providers from over-charging.

A robust individual network

There may also be benefits to having the opportunity to access the Internet from several locations. Reisdorf et al (2020), for example, suggest that a broader range of internet access modes (home, mobile, library, work, etc) may be able to support a broader range of online activities, because different types of access more easily lend themselves to different tasks and activities. Fernandez et al (2019) also mention that breadth of internet access points could be particularly important for vulnerable communities, where a single point may become restricted or temporarily unavailable.

The COVID pandemic also pushes us to further consider our online privacy and data security, and what could be the role of public internet access in a post-COVID world – especially in libraries, places dedicated to upholding the privacy of their users. It could offer a connection and workstation that can help separate your data from pervasive advertisement tracking, profiling and data collection – and learning opportunities on how to protect your security and privacy online.

Helping deliver end-user connections

Finally, some libraries have been able to use their connectivity to deliver internet access to patrons’ homes or other in-demand locations, bringing their experience closer to that of individual connectivity. From offering Wi-Fi through bookmobiles (or even parking bookmobiles in areas with known connectivity issues), to mobile hotspot loans, to using TV WhiteSpace to set up remote hotspots for their communities.

 

These are just a few ways that public access in libraries can complement and add to private and individual subscriptions. Over the last few weeks, the challenges of the digital divide have been amplified manifold by the ongoing pandemic as work, study and socialising all moved online – and many who lack reliable home access have been further isolated. We have seen examples of libraries working to adapt and continue offering internet access whenever possible: for example, through WiFi in their parking lots, or even by offering access to library workstations with a strict safety protocol.

The social distancing measures in some areas begin to gradually soften, but we still don’t know how and for how long it will continue to affect the world. However, the pandemic has already shown us in no uncertain terms the full urgency to overcome the digital divides as soon as possible. All tools need to be mobilised to help bring the remaining billions online – and public internet access is part of a comprehensive approach to ensure inclusion.

Intellectual Freedom in Turkey

Over the last few months, FAIFE marked the 20th anniversary of the IFLA Statement on Intellectual Freedom with a series of blogs outlining the debates on intellectual freedom in different countries. Today, Ahmet A. Sabancı – a freelance writer, journalist and social critic who focuses on issues surrounding freedom of expression, journalism and the internet – shares an essay about the threats to freedom of information that exist in Turkey.

The essay is based on a presentation he gave during the 2019 World Library and Information Congress session “20 Years of the IFLA Intellectual Freedom Statement: Constancy and Change”. You can find a recording of the session on the website of WLIC 2019.

 

The Many Faces of the Freedom of Information Threats in Turkey

Ahmet A. Sabancı – ahmet@ahmetasabanci.com

In recent years, the state of freedom of information in Turkey has become a well known and discussed topic all around the world. Government censorship and control over media becoming more ruthless every passing day, the situation in Turkey has become an example for many. Especially with the rise of similar developments in different parts of the world, understanding how it works in the countries where the situation is already a concern becomes more important.

To understand and analyze the current freedom of information situation in Turkey, I propose a three-layer explanation of the threats against this freedom. These three layers will both help us to understand the levels of the threats and how one type of threat intensifies another.

  1. Government Censorship and Control

Internet Censorship

Law 5651, the infamous law that regulates the Internet in Turkey, has been used actively to censor the Internet in Turkey. With the latest update in 2014, this law gives the government an unlimited power to censor the Internet and surveil Turkish internet users.

According to latest research, there are 245,825 websites blocked in Turkey. This number has increased even since. Some of the well-known websites blocked are Wikipedia; Imgur, an image sharing platform; Pastebin, a text file sharing platform for coders; and Tor Project, a tool for people to use the Internet anonymously. As well, many VPN services have been blocked in Turkey in recent years. This leaves many people without safe options to circumvent the censorship.

The list of censored websites also includes many political websites and news platforms. The most famous one is sendika.org, which is a labor-focused left-wing news site. The courts have ordered access to this site be blocked 63 times: the owners are now using the domain sendika63.org. There are many political news sites or alternative media projects that experience similar situations.

The Turkish government also sends take-down requests to platforms such as Twitter and Facebook. Turkey is usually at the top of their quarterly take down request lists. For example, Turkey sent 5014 removal requests, specifying 9155 accounts between July-December 2018. This puts Turkey on top of the list of countries that ask for content removal. In the same period, Russia comes after Turkey with 3344 requests for 3391 accounts. For comparison, during the same time period Germany sent only 42 requests with 44 accounts specified, and Canada sent 6 requests with 9 accounts specified.

There is also a new regulation that gives the governmental body that regulates television and radio new powers over Internet-based dissemination platforms such as Netflix and YouTube. Currently, Turkish television is heavily controlled and censored, and subjecting these platforms to similar controls might cause most of them to leave the country.

Censorship of Books and Journalism

The Turkish government uses Presidential decrees for censorship. Since the 2016 coup attempt, more than 30 book publishers and 100 news outlets have been shut down and all of their books have been collected. This has resulted in the removal of more than 135,000 books from Turkish libraries.

Journalism is also under heavy pressure in Turkey. Any journalist who writes news articles critical of the government risks arrest and imprisonment. The most-used excuses for the suppression of journalism are alleged links to terrorism or the revealing of government secrets. Right now, Turkey is the number-one jailer of journalists in the entire world. There are in addition ongoing incidents of violence against journalists, which usually comes from random groups because of what journalists have said or written.

  1. Media Ownership and Economic Control

One of the most important threats in Turkey to freedom of information is the concentration of media ownership. Most of the mainstream media, including book publishers and distributors, are owned by a small group of conglomerates which have close ties with the government. The current media ownership situation and its effects in Turkey can be read about in detail on the Media Ownership Monitor Turkey website.

This ownership relationship results in censorship, limiting readers’ access to only information produced by politically approved groups. This forces many minority or opposition groups to search for alternative means of disseminating information. It seriously limits their reach to the general public. The other current censorship mechanisms sit atop this limitation.

Already controlling mainstream media and information distribution through ownership, the government also uses other means of economic pressure over the opposition media, such as reducing advertising revenue. Many corporations buy advertising only from media organizations that are unofficially “approved.” The government also uses official announcements and press releases, distributed through Basın İlan Kurumu, which is an important revenue for print media, only to newspapers that are politically close to the government.

  1. Self-Censorship and Other Pressures on Intellectual Workers

These two layers of control have created an atmosphere in Turkey that results in self-censorship and an avoidance of “dangerous topics,” a widespread phenomenon. Self-censorship occurs in many ways. This can be publishers avoiding some content, libraries or bookstores not distributing books about “dangerous topics” or people afraid of talking about such issues. One of the main reasons for this situation is the legal pressure, mentioned as the first layer of censorship in this blogpost.

There is also the social pressure side of this, which can easily be manifested as people “doxing” (unauthorized online disseminating of identifying or personal information about someone) writers and journalists or reporting them to the police because of their work; or reporting teachers because of the books that they have recommended. This kind of pressure also forces many people to self-censor.

This social pressure is perceived by everyone. Whether they’re sharing something on a social media platform or talking with a group of friends, people feel the need to self-censor. This pressure even blocks the spread of information between small groups of people.

Can Libraries Help?

Unfortunately, the current situation of libraries is not good in Turkey either. Limited library budgets and shortage of library personnel leaves many libraries in a bad shape. There is also a serious lack of libraries in general across Turkey. In addition to these economic pressures, there is political pressure that affects librarians, inasmuch as a librarian might be demoted because of their support for an opposition candidate. Filling librarian positions with unqualified workers also weakens libraries.

Although the current situation seems bleak, librarians can help the public to fight back against the threats to the freedom of information. Promoting libraries and hosting events to help people to learn how to find more diverse information sources or how to navigate online when there are many untrusted sources can be an important mission for libraries. In these conditions finding, fact-checking and organizing information is vital for every person. Librarians can help people to learn how to do it.

In Conclusion

Freedom of information and intellectual freedoms in general are in a dire condition in Turkey. This is caused by different actors using diverse tools and tactics to restrict the information that the public can access. A fight against these pressures on the legal front continues, but its effects are unfortunately limited.

Because of this pressure, many people prefer to use the Internet for accessing information, but the Turkish people face new problems on that front. Internet censorship, blocking of access to privacy and anonymity tools and many people lacking Internet literacy leave people in a disadvantageous situation.

It is hard to say how and when this situation in Turkey is going to change, especially because we are seeing similar trends gaining traction elsewhere the world. Many people in Turkey just accept the situation and adjust their lives to it, instead of fighting back. Because we are living in a time in which we must struggle to defend the freedom to access information (and even information itself), the work of organizations such as IFLA becomes much more important and vital. Without our intellectual freedoms, we put everything we humans have created in danger.

Ahmet A. Sabancı is a freelance writer and journalist and a social critic who focuses on issues around internet, freedom of expression and information and technology. He’s also working to improve the situation of journalism in Turkey in the platform called NewsLabTurkey, of which he’s one of the co-founders and its Newsletter Editor.

Intellectual Freedom in Croatia

In 2019, FAIFE is marking the 20th anniversary of the Statement on Intellectual Freedom. Over the last few months, we have covered a series of contributions from FAIFE committee members highlighting various perspectives on intellectual freedom in different countries. Today, Davorka Pšenica – a Library Advisor at the Department of Croatian National Bibliography of the National and University Library in Zagreb – is presenting a perspective from Croatia.

1) What do you and your colleagues understand by ‘intellectual freedom’ in Croatia?

Intellectual freedom in the Republic of Croatia means the right to freedom of thought and expression, the freedom to promote ideas and beliefs, and the right of an individual to be informed.

The Constitution of the Republic of Croatia regulates the right to freedom of expression by the provision of Article 38 which reads: “Freedom of thought and expression shall be guaranteed. Freedom of expression shall particularly encompass freedom of the press and other media, freedom of speech and public opinion, and free establishment of all institutions of public communication. Censorship shall be forbidden. Journalists shall have the right to freedom of reporting and access to information. The right to access to information held by any public authority shall be guaranteed. Restrictions on the right to access to information must be proportionate to the nature of the need for such restriction in each individual case and necessary in a free and democratic society, as stipulate by law. The right to correction is guaranteed to anyone who constitutionally and legally established rights have been violated by public communication.”

2) How important an issue is it for libraries, and for the general population, in your country?

One of basic tasks of libraries in Croatia is to ensure free access to information to all citizens –this fundamental role is stated in all the main documents of the Croatian Library Association (CLA). It also underpins the activities of the CLA Committee for Free Access to Information and Freedom of Speech that for 20 years has organized roundtables on free access to information on International Human Rights Day.

At these roundtables, topics related to problems of free access to information, freedom of the media, freedom of speech and censorship, copyright, intellectual freedom and education, and transparency and openness of the organizational and socio-political system in Croatia have all been discussed at all levels.

It is important to highlight the efforts and involvement of the library community in a multi-year process of adopting the first Law on the Right of Access to Information in Croatia. The law was created due to encouragement of the academic community and civil society; its acceptance was preceded by a long-term public campaign led by a coalition of 17 non-governmental organizations, with the participation of the Croatian Library Association. The law has undergone a number of amendments and harmonization with relevant acts of the European Union and has been in force since 9 August 2015.

3) What have been the biggest questions and controversies in recent years?

In Croatia there is a problem of harmonization between, on the one hand, legal regulations concerning free access to information, freedom of the media and speech and regulations concerning free access to the internet, copyright protection, and on the other, a market-based, neoliberal economy that gives priority to capital and large companies. The neoliberal economy can, by introducing collection and citizens’ control systems, impair to a great extent free access to knowledge and information.

4) What do you think are the biggest challenges for intellectual freedom in the coming years?

The greatest challenges are those in the area of intellectual freedom protection, i.e. those relating to free access, accessibility and openness of information. More specifically, the business sector is not legally obliged to provide information to the public, that is, private companies and organizations are not subject to any legal obligation. Moreover, international institutions, such as the World Bank and other financial organizations, have their own rulebooks on providing information about their work.

The regulation of the right of access to information depends on individual national laws. For example, Freedom of Press Act of 1766 in the Kingdom of Sweden is regarded as the first law on the right of access to information. Acts introducing an obligation on public authorities to make their information available to the public mainly only date from the second half of the 20th century. The United Nations has encouraged drafting of the mentioned Acts on the grounds that the right to seek, receive and impart information also implies an obligation of states to allow access to information in their possession.

In Croatia the Right to Free Access to Information Act is a key anti-corruption tool requiring authorities, administration and the public sector to be responsible and report about their work to citizens, i.e. to report how they work, how much and what they spend public money for, how they make decisions, and who participates in this process.

This is how citizens and especially media and associations, as guardians of democracy and promoters of public interest, can hold the government and administration and make them remember they are here for citizens and for the public interest. Progress has been achieved at the level of the state administration, as the result, among other things, of bigger capacities to prepare, publish and provide information to the user. According to analyses, 60 to 80% of statutory information in Croatia is published, depending on the state institution.

The biggest problems appear in small municipalities, some of which continuously ignore citizens and fail to fulfill their legal obligations. This is a problem for public libraries too, because they depend on local authorities and therefore operate under harsh conditions in terms of limited procurement power, availability of library materials and information in the online environment. As a result of insufficient libraries funding and a lack of clearly expressed libraries policy, there is therefore a limit to the free flow of information flow more broadly.

5) What role do you see libraries playing in relation to intellectual freedom in 10 years’ time?

Librarians in Croatia are aware of the important role of libraries in promoting fundamental human rights such as intellectual freedom, freedom of thought and speech and the right to free access to information, but the state and local government’s support for, and understanding of, library programs and tasks is still insufficient.

That is why it is extremely important for the library community to take a proactive role in the society into the future, in terms of advocacy and lobbying for libraries and library programs as well as activities at all levels. This should include a focus on ensuring adequate funding for the acquisition of materials and equipment, and efforts to balance conditions under which different categories of users can use the library.

Librarians must actively and publicly advocate the defense of intellectual freedom whenever freedom is in danger of being limited or diminished. Intellectual freedom means the right to freedom of thought and expression, based on which the right of an individual to be informed is derived. The librarian must provide users with the information needed for communication about a topic and must actively prevent any attempt to obstruct a transfer of information to users.

 

You can read more about the work of Croatian libraries to promote access to information, intellectual freedom and other human rights in IFLA’s submission to the Universal Periodic Review in Croatia.

Right to Information Recognised in New European Court Rulings

Image: Group of scholars studying books. Text: A Right to Information: Finding a Good Balance with the Right to Be ForgottenTwo much anticipated rulings have come from the Court of Justice of the European Union. Both are ‘preliminary rulings’, effectively requests to the Court to offer clarification on what EU law – in this case the ‘right to be forgotten’ doctrine created by the Court in 2014 and placed in legislation in the General Data Protection Regulation of 2016.

As a reminder, the right to be forgotten refers to the right of individuals to ask that particular stories not be included in search results for their name. The idea is to ensure that there is a way of avoiding that search engines automatically give prominence to information that is unduly invasive of privacy.

IFLA has released a statement on the subject, underlining that the right to remove search results risks undermining access to information for internet users. While the IFLA statement notes that in some situations, a right to be forgotten may make sense, it argues strongly that this should be the exception, not the norm, and stresses concern about the impacts of leaving this choice to private actors.

The two cases in question come from France, and its Conseil national de l’informatique et des libertés (CNIL) – the national digital data protection authority. In the first (C-507/17), the CNIL itself was in dispute with Google about whether, once there had been a decision to award the right to be forgotten, this should only be applied within Europe, or whether Google should be obliged to apply it on all versions of its search engine, around the world.

The second (C-136/17) asked whether the ban on ‘processing’ (doing things with) certain types of personal data, such as that about religious beliefs or politics, should also apply to search engines.

 

The Right to Information

In the first case, the Court decided that there was no obligation to remove relevant links from search engines around the world, rather than just in France or the EU (global delisting). This is an important decision, and one that IFLA itself supported, given our own statement on the subject.

Significantly, the Court explores the question of the costs of global delisting: ‘However, it states that numerous third States do not recognise the right to dereferencing or have a different approach to that right. The Court adds that the right to the protection of personal data is not an absolute right, but must be considered in relation to its function in society and be balanced against other fundamental rights, in accordance with the principle of proportionality. In addition, the balance between the right to privacy and the protection of personal data, on the one hand, and the freedom of information of internet users, on the other, is likely to vary significantly around the world.’

This definitely a welcome point for libraries, and one that underpins the final decision of the European Court, given its explicit recognition of a right to information of internet users around the world.

In the second case, the Court does note that the bar on processing highly personal information applies also to search engines to the extent that they process it.

However, it also argues that the exceptions to this bar do too – in a case where including a link in search results is essential if a balance is to be found between the rights of individuals and of information seekers, then this can be OK.

Therefore, in cases where the subject of the information has a prominent role in public life, it may well be acceptable to maintain search results, in order to ‘protect[…] the freedom of information of internet users potentially interested in accessing that web page by means of such a search.

 

But No Resolution Yet

In both cases, the final decision rests with the French courts. The European Court has given guidance on how to take this, but leaves enough margin of appreciation the judges in Paris. As a result, in the case of global delisting, despite all of the arguments to suggest that this is a questionable move, the judgement still says that there’s nothing saying that this cannot still be requested.

Similarly, the judgement on highly personal data suggests that it is for the French judges to determine whether Google has taken sufficient care in working out whether it was necessary to include the relevant links in its search results. As a result, we will not know the final results for a while yet.

Clearly Google itself is a lightning rod. Its size and reputation make it a bogeyman for many. However, it is worth noting that the judgements apply not just to Google, but also to any other company or information service offering search functionality.

As seen in the Le Soir judgement in Belgium in 2016, the idea of the right to be forgotten can also be applied to a service offering search into digitised old newspapers.

Crucially, while Google may be in a position to apply the rules set out, it may be harder for others to do the same. For example, in the judgement on highly sensitive data, the Court argues that a search engine should be able to rearrange results about court judgements in order to ensure that the most recent information comes first.

If the rules around offering search services become more complicated, the risk is that it’s the smaller players who will fall foul of the rules, not Google, reducing the choice of information seeking tools available to users around the world.

 

Intellectual freedom in Syria

FAIFE is marking the 20th anniversary of the IFLA Statement on Intellectual Freedom. To understand where the debate on intellectual freedom stands today, we are talking with the members and expert advisors of the FAIFE Committee. Today, we’re getting the perspective from Inaam Charaf, originally from Syria, and who is now Assistant Regional Director at the Department of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour of New Brunswick, Canada. 

 

 

For us, as librarians, intellectual freedom (حرية التفكير والتعبير) is the right to access and receive information it without any restriction. In short, it’s freedom of expression, thinking, providing, reading and receiving knowledge, ideas and information.

Intellectual freedom in Syria is seen and interpreted in many ways, depending on someone’s  political, social and individual status or orientation. However, the importance of this issue has led the general Syrian public who, for decades was deprived of this right, to revolt against the dictatorship and claiming a democratic system where people have the right to autonomy as well as the right to self-governance.

For this cause, since March 2011, hundreds of thousands of people have lost their lives, hundreds of thousands more have lost their freedom and have been reported as cases of enforced disappearance, and have been either detained or died under torture and behind bars, in addition to the millions of Syrians who faced and suffered from forced migration, including myself and hundreds of other librarians.

For libraries, in a healthy and democratic country, intellectual freedom is a vital issue. In Syria, the level of awareness about the importance of this issue, is very high. However, on the practice front, libraries and librarians are deprived of the right to provide people with information and knowledge of all kinds, nature and intellectual content.

The biggest questions and controversies that librarians facing in Syria today are: “what is the future of Arab spring revolutions? What is the cost of intellectual freedom and how can libraries and librarians deal with these questions and controversies? How to be just a librarian?”

The answer to these questions, from a personal point of view and as a librarian, is to keep fighting for our profession and to deal with intellectual freedom as a vital historical process as well as a supreme goal to which we need to attend. Intellectual freedom has been associated, historically, with the claim to political freedom, and pursued with the aim of breaking the walls of intellectual exclusivity and other restrictions. The status of intellectual freedom was controlled by the state and the Church. These two authorities interfered in every aspect of life, faith, daily practices, art, science, etc.

“The Name of the Rose” by Umberto Eco is a novel which takes place in the 14th century, but which is somehow linked with our era, with all of its social and political events. That medieval library run by young novice librarians, and where many monks were found murdered in mysterious ways, is the perfect example of the status of intellectual freedom, libraries and librarians in Syria today, but in different forms and tools.

In the novel it turns out, at the end, that all those terrible crimes were committed for a supreme ethical and intellectual reason: the second part of the ”Poetics”, a manuscript by Aristotle containing his theory of comedy and laughter, thought to be lost, had been found in the library. Somebody was willing to do anything – even kill – to prevent the circulation of this manuscript.

The many and different events in ”The Name of the Rose” reflect in a way or another the contemporary Arab spring revolutions and the severe repression of those revolutionary movements. Authorities have been ready to go to any lengths to prevent the emergence and spread of ideas.

The biggest challenges for intellectual freedom in the coming years in Syria could be briefly described in the following statements:

– A peace plan for Syria to put a stop to the spread of violence

– A drive to help a whole generation of Syrian children who were forced to displace with their families and living today either in displacement camps or European countries to make up for the lost years of education and literacy

I believe that libraries have a key role and very strong relation to intellectual freedom. By providing all information resources, in all formats and methods, and equally to all users in all their categories, without any discrimination based on cultural, ethnic, religious or sexual background, libraries could play a vital role in changing the status of intellectual freedom in Syria, in the next 10 years.

Libraries can also lead awareness and social mobilization campaigns to defend intellectual freedom and freedom of expression, as well as to advocate for individual freedoms and for others’ freedom and privacy, to limit interference in individual and daily life, and respect for personal choices.