Voluntary National Reviews are a way for UN Member States to report on national progress towards the SDGs. They should be prepared in consultation with all actors, including civil society (and so libraries). They are an opportunity for libraries to highlight their contribution to development and build new relationships and… Read More
Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) can be a great way for libraries to engage in discussions around the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and to be recognised for their contributions. IFLA’s briefing on the process as a whole sets out why we have them,… Read More
The IFLA Strategy guided SET’s Action plan initiative with the Library Theory and Research Section (LTR) for Building Strong Library and Information Science Education (BSLISE). The map of global LIS education resulted from a worldwide survey, as did the proposed LIS education guidelines which are currently undergoing worldwide review. Both… Read More
The economic impact of COVID-19 pandemic has led to a sharp decrease in jobs worldwide – Sri Lanka is no exception. A Collaborative Effort In mid-2020, the National Library of Sri Lanka (NLSL) formed a partnership with Commonwealth of Learning (COL) - Coursera Workforce Recovery Initiative with the aim of helping job-seekers in Sri Lanka to upskill and reskill to enter the job market as well as reinforce job-related skills to regain employment. COL-Coursera Workforce Recovery Initiative offered learners unlimited and free access to 5,000 courses designed to skill and reskill them. In June 2020, the NLSL implemented the programme under the topical theme ‘Skills Online Sri Lanka – Employed for the Unemployed’. Read More
The Maldives is a small island developing state in the Indian Ocean that has a strong Information Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure comparative to many other countries in the South East Asia region. Being a popular tourist destination, and irrespective of the lack of natural resources other than white sandy beaches and ample fishing, the economy of the country is on a strong footing. At the same time, it is vulnerable to external shocks that disrupts the world economy or tourism sector inclusive of negative climate impact. Read More
Dear Colleagues and Friends, In the past few months, the global library community was engaged in the IFLA Elections 2021. We are pleased to see that the election for the IFLA Regional Division Asia and Oceania Committee had been successful. There are 20 elected members from 15 countries across the Asia and Oceania region. Read More
The IFLA/UNESCO Public Library Manifesto proclaims UNESCO's belief in the public library as a living force for education, culture and information, and as an essential agent for the fostering of peace and welfare through the minds of all people. Read More
In the third and final story in our series focusing on reviews of implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2021, we hear from libraries in four countries about their experience of engaging in this process. Read More
2021 has not just ben a record year for libraries in Voluntary National Reviews – it has also seen the highest share yet of Voluntary Local Reviews (VLRs) recognise the contribution of libraries to delivering the SDGs. We review these documents, and how they underline the breadth of library contributions to achieving the SDGs. Read More
The processes created for monitoring and supporting the delivery of the Sustainable Development Goals offer important opportunities for libraries to engage with decision-makers, gain recognition, and shape priorities. In the first of three pieces, we look at Voluntary National Reviews, with almost 44% of reports published referring to libraries – a new record. Read More