Libraries have an incredible breadth of expertise and action.
As has been said before in this series, when someone walks through the door of a library (or visits a library website!), it can be for a huge variety of reasons.
In each of these areas, libraries bring important expertise to bear, both in terms of the role of information, and in how to respond to the needs of users.
For example, they can be well placed to explain how users find and interact with information, community programming, and the specific needs of people in a local area.
This can make a major contribution to the goals of different groups and processes. But too often, libraries are forgotten or ignored!
So for our 88th 10-Minute International Librarian exercise, think of a process where libraries should be included.
For example, groups or committees on public health could gain from libraries’ knowledge of, and role in, providing information about eating better and doing more exercise.
Lifelong learning initiatives miss a opportunity when they don’t involve libraries, as venues for training, access points for online learning, and portals to further courses.
And it is hard to imagine open science strategies fulfilling their potential without library understanding of promoting preservation and discoverability.
A particular example is around the Sustainable Development Goals, where there are often civil society or official groups or networks.
What examples do you have of processes which would gain from engaging libraries better? Share them in the comments below!
Good luck!
This idea relates to the IFLA Strategy! Key Initiative 1.3: Work with library associations and libraries to identify key legal and funding challenges to their work, and advocate for action
As we publish more ideas, you will be able to view these using the #10MinuteInternationalLibrarian tag on this blog, and of course on IFLA’s Ideas Store! Do also share your ideas in the comments box below!
Librarians should be involved in the process of launching the government public welfare schemes. The public administrators can of course take lead in the strategic planning and drafting the policies. In the pre-launch stage the public administrative authorities can organize trainings or workshops for the regional librarians, briefing them the target communities, benefits, guidance for availing the welfare schemes. In the post-launching stage, librarians may organize awareness sessions, talks, as part of promotional activities in person/social media helping the target communities to enjoy the benefit of the scheme.
When we look for ways to engage communities whose first language is not the dominant language of the community, libraries can offer resources in various languages, connections to local community groups, opportunities to access more resources as needed, community library/donation sources for children’s and other books in dominant languages to support developing literacy, and more.