IFLA world report

Last week this email arrived from IFLA, alerting interested parties of the release of the 2010 World Report:

IFLA is pleased to announce the launch of its brand new World Report. For the first time, the World Report is being made available online in a fully searchable database, complete with graphical map interface. By clicking on a country’s marker, you can either select “View individual report” if you would like to view a single country’s report or “Add to report list” in order to view multiple countries in one report.

Screen shot 2010-08-21 at 6.34.27 AM

The report includes questions on:

  • Internet access in libraries
  • Copyright
  • Library initiatives for providing information to different categories of citizens (such as senior citizens, women, the disabled and visually impaired)
  • The role of libraries in universal primary education and environmental sustainability
  • And much more!

The report has been developed by a team at the University of Pretoria led by Professor Theo Bothma and contains details of the library environment in 122 countries. Users have the possibility to add comments to the report as a whole or to individual country reports. The analysis of the data shows on one hand that there are still many countries where violations of intellectual freedom occur – such incidents were reported in 109 of the 122 countries- and on the other that there are many positive aspects where individual libraries have implemented innovative projects to improve access to information. 

Full details of the report are available here.

In relation to the report, Helen Boelens has also sent the following information:

The IFLA World report has just been made available. In Section 5 of the report, the countries which sent information have been asked to provide information about the role of libraries in universal primary education. This information is of interest to many of us. I suggest that, if your country has submitted information to the report, you should look at the information which has been provided to the international community.

I have noticed that it is also possible to comment on the information which is contained in the report but have not checked this out yet. Please note that it very important to look at the name of the institution which submitted information to the World Report.

Please take the time to investigate this important report.

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