Libraries Driving Access to Knowledge

As a life member of LAS (Library Association of Singapore), I received the invitation from NLB and registered for the following talk:

"Libraries Driving Access to Knowledge"

Speaker: Ms Ellen Remona Tise,
President-Elect of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) & Senior Director, Library and Information Services at University of Stellenbosch, South Africa
Date : 23 February 2009 (Monday)
Time : 3.00 pm - 4.30 pm
Venue : Visitor Briefing Room, Level 1, National Library Building


It is always good to hear other's view about library world and library trends. Here are some points I like:

Dictionary definition: access means availability or support.

Access to libraries = mean that “ the library is available, with some limitations, to anyone who wants to use it”.

Access to information is a more complex concept.
As the term is used in our profession, we usually mean making information available.

The concept of freedom of access to information is perhaps most clearly outlined in Article 19 of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights. According to this, all human beings have the fundamental right to have access to all expressions of knowledge, creativity and intellectual activity, and to express their thoughts in public.

Access to knowledge is critical for the development and growth of society.

Implicit role in theme is that of social inclusion and librarians becoming active change agents in society.

Libraries: gateways to knowledge.

Access alone: not enough.
Extending our services, methods, practices

Some Barriers to Access to Knowledge
*Lack of significant usage access
*Non availability of content
*Costs
*Copyright legislation
*Librarians

How can libraries drive access to knowledge?
*Libraries fundamental role to play in building knowledge societies
*Librarians expertise to transform ‘digital divide into digital opportunities’
*Librarians value in researching, assessing, organising, describing, managing information
*Remain at forefront, library buildings and services to be redesigned to reach the user
*Innovative approaches to quarantee free and universal access to relevant knowledge

Summary
*Ensure that the world’s citizenry have access to the world’s knowledge
*Dismantle barriers to access
*Urgency for libraries to drive access to knowledge
*Active librarianship to support development
*Ensure that libraries stay on the agenda
*Libraries continue to travel beyond borders

Libraries Driving Access to Knowledge
Encompasses IFLA’s three major advocacy themes:
*Freedom: Freedom of access to information and freedom of expression
*Equity:Fair and sustainable legal and economic relationships between the creators, intermediaries and users of information
*Inclusion: the role of the library in the Information Society and the role of the library as an agency of social inclusion


Source of information:

PPT from the talk and PPT from
http://72.14.235.132/search?q=cache:QyHfDZ1a1aAJ:www.liasa.org.za/conferences/conference2008/presentations/conference2008_session_17_Tise.pps+Libraries+Driving+Access+to+Knowledge&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=2&gl=sg

Libraries Driving Access to Knowledge: a discussion paper
IFLA Journal, Vol. 34, No. 4, 341-346 (2008)
http://ifl.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/34/4/341


Professional Development Scheme (PDS) Points

LAS Professional Development Scheme points: 46

(Only applicable to librarians who are participants of the scheme)


Notes: Eligible for PDS Points

Each of these activities attract 46 points under the Industry Knowledge Development (ID) category."Participate in library related talks, forums, discussion sessions and business meetings (e.g. AGM, Council & Committee meetings) organized by LAS or other libraries (provided they are open to LAS members or other librarians)"