Visibility of public library objectives in national legislation and policies

Today I'm at the 17th EBLIDA Annual Council Meeting and conference "A Library Policy for Europe", in Wien.

EBLIDA is the European Bureau of Library, Information and Documentation Associations. We are an independent umbrella association of national library, information, documentation and archive associations and institutions in Europe.

Specifically one speech was interesting. It was from Jens Thorhauge, Director general of the Danish Agency for Libraries and Media about “Visibility of public library objectives in national legislation and policies”

His main point was

A policy should guide us between two extremes

• UTOPIA
– ICT is exploited to create
the ultimate library:
integrated access to
knowledge, culture and
support in the daily lives of
all citizens…

• DYSTOPIA
– Libraries cannot pay prices
on download of copyrighted
material – access becomes
restricted along with digital
monopolies. Digital divide
widdens and social tension
grow

There is a route – but it is stony
• We should avoid Dystopia and fight for Utopia
• Develop a vision for the ’new public library’
• Create strategies on a local, national and European level
• Run projects with new services
• Present the library where people are
• Build partnerships and
• Become part of ’new public service’

See all the PowerPoint:
http://www.conference.bvoe.at/presentations/Thorhauge.pdf

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