Session
Digital Divides & Inclusion
Skills Building for Basic and Advanced Technologies (Meaningful Access)
International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA)
Stephen Wyber, Maria De Brasdefer, IFLA, Civil Society, WEOG Damilare Oyedele, Library Aid Africa, Civil Society, Africa Winston Roberts, National Library of New Zealand, Government, Asia-Pacific
Winston Roberts, National Library of New Zealand
Nina Nakaora, International School Suva, Fiji, Civil Society, Asia-Pacific
Misako Nomura, Assistive Technology Development Organization, Japan, Technical Community
Rei Iwasaki, Notre Dame University, Japan, Academia, Asia-Pacific
Woro Salikin, National Library of Indonesia, Government, Asia-Pacific
Yasuyo Inoue, Dokkyo University (Japan), Academia
Maria De Brasdefer, IFLA, Civil Society
Stephen Wyber, IFLA, Civil Society, WEOG
Targets: 11.3: One key area of focus is the role of libraries in place making, in particular in the context of the disruption in the urban landscape created by digital, and the need both to promote inclusion and make the most of the possibilities digital creates 9.5, 17.6: Libraries are also key to ensuring that the potential of the internet to facilitate and accelerate the spread of scientific information is realised, as well as to maintain an overview of how this is happening in order to maximise equity 11.4: The internet creates huge possibilities to enjoy cultural rights and participate in cultural life, but again this risks being a dead letter without institutions to support sharing and create curiosity 16.10: as a chapeau for the above, it is this target that highlights the right of access to information, which underpins the rest here
'Barcamp' style event where after a short number of 'witness' statements to set the scene, we will be led by the issues raise by the audience, with the goal of identifying key themes to explore further around the place of libraries in the internet we want, as well as practical tools to realise the potential that they have.
The world’s libraries, collectively, are arguably the precursor to the internet, supporting and enabling information flows, access and use for many centuries. Through this, they have built up a rich experience of how to approach questions around information governance through the prism of a mission to maximize access to information for all. Clearly, the internet has compelled libraries to update the way they fulfil this mission, but the mission remains as essential as ever. Indeed, and despite the stereotypes of libraries that many still hold, there have been a wealth of innovative ideas and approaches which have contributed to a more inclusive internet. In the context of the updating of IFLA’s own Internet Manifesto, this Day 0 event will look therefore at the types of roles that libraries are playing - notably in partnership with others - in ensuring that the internet fulfils its potential to inform everyone, and create the conditions for the fulfilment of development goals. Prepared speakers will bring in particular ideas with a view to stimulating discussion focused on building a shared understanding of what libraries can do, and what is needed to deliver successful partnerships for internet inclusion with libraries. A key goal of the session will be to bring together librarians from Kyoto and elsewhere in Japan with people involved in the internet governance space, allowing not only for an exchange between Japan and the world, but also between representatives of libraries and their (potential) partners. In terms of results, we hope to gather key evidence for the update of IFLA’s own Internet Manifesto, most recently revised in 2014, and which represents a key reference point for the world’s >2.5M libraries in engaging with internet governance processes. We hope too to be able to develop a list of key pointers and ideas for broader internet governance stakeholders to use in order to think about how they can integrate libraries into their own planning and operations.
We will organize the session relatively informally in order to allow participants the time and space to explore ideas, both online and off, as well as drawing on both in-person and online prepared interventions. To break up the time, we will also use inputs via Mentimeter to allow participants in both settings to share ideas, in particular those who are less confident about speaking, especially in response to prepared interventions. We will also set aside time for online participation.
Please note that there will be English-Japanese interpretation available at this session.