IFLA Global Vision Online Voting Open

August 21, 2017

IFLA, the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions, today launched its Global Vision online voting platform.

Until September 30, 2017, members of the international library community can vote on six key questions to help create a global library roadmap for the future. The answers are based on outcomes of the Global Vision kick-off meeting and six regional workshops organized by IFLA between April and July 2017. The meetings gathered library leaders from more than 140 countries, who were expressing their views on the issues included in the questions.

The results of the voting and the regional and local workshops will analysed by IFLA to provide a basis for the IFLA Global Vision report which will be published in early 2018. Based on the report, the library field will develop concrete work plans on how to put our collective vision of the future into practice.

IFLA Global Vision Key Questions

– Vote –

What are the core values of libraries?

• Protection of cultural heritage and memory‎
• Equal and free access to information and knowledge‎
• Commitment to dissemination of information and knowledge‎
• Spirit of collaboration‎
• Dedication to learning‎
• Professionalism and ethical conduct‎
• Freedom of expression‎
• Embracing the shift to digital‎
• Diversity and inclusion‎
• Commitment to community engagement and empowerment‎

What are libraries exceptionally good at?

• Providing access to and supporting the use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT)‎
• Preservation and conservation of cultural heritage and memory‎
• Disseminating and sharing information and knowledge‎
• Supporting learning, literacy and reading‎
• Developing and delivering inclusive services‎
• Providing opportunities for access to information and knowledge‎
• Contributing to the economic development‎
• Organising information and knowledge‎
• Offering non-commercial, safe spaces for individuals and communities‎
• Fostering research and innovation‎

What should libraries do more of?

• Community engagement‎
• Supporting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the current social needs‎
• Training and development of staff and leaders‎
• Foster research and innovation‎
• Promotion and marketing‎
• Partnership and collaboration‎
• Advocacy‎
• Support learning, literacy and reading‎
• Measure impact‎
• Embrace digital innovation‎

What should libraries do less of?

• Complaining‎
• Working in isolation‎
• Resisting and fearing change‎
• Maintaining outdated services and collections‎
• Being shy and humble‎
• Being inflexible, bureaucratic and implementing too many restrictions‎
• Having a passive approach‎
• Decision-making based on assumptions‎
• Relying on collections instead of community needs‎
• Duplicating‎

What are the main challenges to libraries?

• Ongoing technological changes‎
• Inadequate legal environment‎
• Lack of leadership capacity‎
• Value of libraries not understood by funders and stakeholders‎
• Lack of skilled staff‎
• Inadequate infrastructure‎
• Insufficient library funding and investment‎
• Ever increasing user-expectations‎
• Image and status of libraries‎
• Managing change‎

What would be the characteristics of a united library field?

• Effective and efficient use and sharing of resources and technologies‎
• Commitment to quality Library Information Science (LIS) education and development‎
• No silos‎
• A united voice for strong advocacy actions‎
• A Global Vision dynamically connected with local strategies‎
• Motivated staff‎
• Powerful partnerships and collaboration‎
• Empowered libraries build more informed, literate and participative societies‎
• Strong leadership at all levels‎
• Drawing on the strengths of all‎