Monthly Archives: June 2015

5 Years Working Together

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The ALIA Australian Public Library Alliance has published a comprehensive report covering its achievements, as the peak body for public libraries in Australia, for the five years from 2010 to 2015.

The report provides an outstanding example of local government collaborating nationally, and shows how public library services in every state and territory have worked together on co-funded ventures to achieve the very best outcomes for councils and library users across Australia.

These joint initiatives include the National Year of Reading in 2012, which saw more than 4,000 events involving in excess of 200,000 people of all ages; national standards and guidelines for public libraries; promotion of Australian books and authors; support for libraries’ expansion into ebooks and eSmart Libraries, helping to keep children safe online.

How Public Libraries Help Development

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Earlier this year IFLA asked its Sections to look closer on how their profession furthers development and how the work they do supports the principles set out in the Lyon Declaration. The responses received clearly show the essential role libraries play in furthering development on every level.

These are now available on the IFLA web site.

In our response the Public Libraries Section drew on examples from 11 countries across 5 continents to demonstrate the role that public libraries play in supporting development through access to information.

Take the time to look at our response and those of other IFLA Sections and stay abreast of this important conversation.

 

 

Gift a Book and Change a Life

imagesCAABFM1VAre you coming to the IFLA Congress in Cape Town this August? If so make a little more room in your suitcase and bring a book to change a life.

Delegates are being asked to share the joy of reading and discovery through books with Cape Town’s children and youth! The Cape Town Book Project that will culminate at the IFLA  congress.

The American Library Association-International Relations Committee Africa Subcommittee, in partnership with the Library and Information Association of South Africa (LIASA) and the IFLA Section Libraries for Children and Young Adults, call for books to be gifted to Cape Town’s children and youth.  They  are asking each delegate to either :
• bring along a book
• purchase a book upon arrival at a local book store
• or make an advance online purchase

Before the end of the IFLA Congress, the collection will be handed over to LIASA for distribution to public libraries, schools and community centres in the Cape Town area.

What a FABULOUS idea. Please share it with your colleagues.
 

Early Bird Registration Closes on 12 June

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If you’re considering attending the Public Libraries satellite Public Libraries at the Crossroads in Cape Town 13-14 August you’ll need to be quick. Early bird registration closes on Friday 12 June.

Public library services around the world have reached the cross-roads. Collection formats and community needs continue to evolve at a rapid pace. Technology plays a major role providing people with access to information; bringing library staff out from behind the desk to engage with users and delivering programs and activities, to suit the local community.

  • How do Public Libraries cope with these changes?
  • How do we plan and adapt our spaces to incorporate these changes?
  • How do we reorganise our service models?

These are the questions we will explore through our exciting and very practical program. We will be adopting  a multi-pronged approach with a combination of keynote speakers, targeted papers and workshop sessions.

Our dynamic speakers bring perspectives and experiences from around the world including Australia, Denmark, Japan, South Africa, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland and the USA.

The conference will be hosted by the City of Cape Town Library Service and the Western Cape Provincial Library Service in partnership with IFLA’s Public Libraries Section.

Delegates will have the opportunity to workshop solutions for service delivery options with their professional colleagues and to share and learn from others’ experiences.  Public library colleagues from around the world have already indicated their intention of attending and will bring with them a wealth of experience that will lead to stimulating discussions.

If you’re thinking of attending you’ll need to be quick as places are limited.

We look forward to meeting you in South Africa

15 Days Until Entries Close!

Craigieburn Library, Winner of the 2014 Public Library of the Year Award.

Craigieburn Library, Winner of the 2014 Public Library of the Year Award.

Only 15 days remain until entries in the 2015,  Systematic Public Library of the Year Award  close on 15 June 2015.

The prize will be awarded to a library that has been newly constructed or designed for a building that has not previously been used as a library during the period 1 January 2013 through 15 June 2015, and which meets the criteria for the Model Programme for Public Libraries.

The Award will be presented at the IFLA World Library and Information Congress in Cape Town,  South Africa on 16 August in cooperation with the IFLA´s Public Libraries Section.

Not only is there a great prize (US$5,000 ), the kudos and exposure that comes from winning is considerable – just ask last year’s winners, Craigieburn Library in Melbourne, Australia.