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 reveals 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, of Internet enabled public libraries that contribute to achieving the Millennium Development Goals.

The discussion focused on the public library as a trusted place for the community to learn about the world of digital information, how to harness ICT’s and the Internet for social well-being and economic livelihoods, the potential to reach out to poor and marginalised communities and help them bridge the digital divide through innovative library services, thus catalysing change.

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 people’s opportunities in areas such as employment, education and health.

However, libraries still remain largely overlooked as community development partners. Recent research in 6 African countries (Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe) shows that national and local government decision makers, as well as library users and non-users are ready to support public libraries. At the same time, there is overwhelming agreement that public libraries in Africa are under-funded and under resourced. Sustainability of library services and funding is needed to make sure that libraries meet existing community needs today and can continue to work to meet the changing needs of communities in the future.

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 and Libraries would make a space within the IGF to address the Internet governance issues relating to public access, and 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 multistakeholder – 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 and Libraries would benefit from the participation of representatives from all these groups.

Aims of the Dynamic Coalition

• 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 EIFL and IFLA, as 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 IREX conference on libraries and development in Washington DC, European Union activities on e-Inclusion and the World Library and Information Congress (WLIC) in Helsinki.

Action Plan:

• Engage with the national, regional and international IGFs, by
  • proposing a workshop on libraries and public access at IGF 2012 as well as speaking up about Internet access through public libraries in relevant IGF 2012 sessions
  • holding a meeting of the Dynamic Coalition at the IGF 2012
  • participating in one or more regional IGFs (EuroDIG and a regional IGF in a developing country)
  • mobilising EIFL and IFLA national members to engage with national IGF initiatives
  • Set up a website for the Dynamic Coalition and regularly post relevant news about public access to the Internet through public libraries
  • Expand the multi-stakeholder list of organizations belonging to the Dynamic Coalition and keep them up to date through the website and a mailing list, with the aim of bringing the debate about public access in public libraries to the different strands of the IGF forum 2012
  • Integrate IGF activities within the context of library activities during 2012, such as a major IREX libraries and development conference to be held in October, and by presenting learning from the Dynamic Coalition interactions and exchanges and leading discussions on ‘Public Access through public libraries’;
  • Creating the opportunity to lead discussion of Internet governance and public access through libraries at the World Library and Information Congress (WLIC) 2012 in Helsinki, based on the experiences of IGF 2011, EuroDIG 2012 and the setting up of the Dynamic Coalition.

Mailing List

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Contact person

This Dynamic Coalition is a joint effort between two major global library organisations, Electronic Information for Libraries (EIFL - www.eifl.net), and the international Federation of Library Associations (IFLA www.ifla.org). Between them these two organisations represent the interests of thousands of public libraries, and millions of users, in all countries of the globe. They also count on a vast network of partners – national and international funders, development and technology agencies, local and national authorities in developed and developing countries, publishers, related professional networks – which can be mobilised for this coalition.

EIFL: Monika Elbert, Senior Policy Advisor: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

IFLA: Stuart Hamilton, Director of Policy and Advocacy: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

7. Representatives from at least three stakeholder groups

Website

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8. Meeting Description and Report in 2012