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Libraries in Culture and Public Information; measurement issues for UNESCO

Explore the role of libraries in preserving culture, measuring information access, and statistical challenges faced by UNESCO. Discover how libraries contribute to cultural exchange, education, and information literacy globally.

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Libraries in Culture and Public Information; measurement issues for UNESCO

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  1. Libraries in Culture and Public Information; measurement issues for UNESCO Simon Ellis

  2. Outline • Introduction • UNESCO multisectoral interests • UIS UNESCO’s official stats agency • Policy drivers • Library stats • Emerging statistical standards • Data collections including joint library work with IFLA/ISO

  3. UNESCO & Libraries • Education; school textbooks, lifelong learning, Education for All [not examined in depth today] • Communication and Information; Information for All, digitisation, archiving • Culture; diversity of cultural expressions, immaterial heritage

  4. CI:WSIS and Knowledge Societies • WSIS Action lines • C3. Access to information and knowledge • C7. ICT Applications; e-learning • C8. Cultural diversity and identity, linguistic diversity and local content • C9. Media • Digital production • Publishing and Archiving • Access to information and use of ICTs • Information literacy • Public access

  5. CLT; diversity and preservation • Convention on diversity of cultural expressions • Role of libraries in cultural exchange • Dialogue of civilizations • Tangible and intangible heritage • Role of libraries in preserving culture

  6. Crafts & Heritage; Uganda • Cultural assets • Tombs of the Buganda Kings • How to value? • CV techniques • Ranking • Traditional knowledge • Craftsmanship • food and nutrition • dress- • medicine • tools, instruments • ritual music

  7. UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) • The official UN arm for statistics in UNESCO’s mandate • Objective; production of data for EVERY country in the world • Data used to show progress of countries towards global objectives (eg WSIS, EFA, MDGs) • Independent Governing Board

  8. UIS wants to capture the changing role of libraries • Diversity of information sources • Digital archives • Downloads (‘print’, music, DVD) • Internet access • ‘events’ • Education • Community and citizenship • Information literacy

  9. A good location for collecting statistics? Libraries are • A good data collection point • perhaps the only recognisable local community institution > comparability • Potential to reach local households • Key role in public information (especially in rural areas) • location for internet access • supply of ‘literacy material’ • Education and cultural dialogue; training and exhibitions

  10. BUT some major statistical problems • Publishers data incomplete • How to measure downloads? • National data only covers major libraries • Need to link to poverty & literacy including digital divide • Need improved statistical coverage; developing countries especially rural areas • Standards for developing countries (adapt ISO?)

  11. Statistical standards • UIS trying to find data that will eventually be provided by EVERY country • international comparability • Few resources for dedicated data collections • But not always lowest common denominator

  12. Standards 1; ISO libraries • Libraries; type of institution • Collections; • books & serials; manuscripts, microforms, cartography, music, audiovisual, graphics, patents, • eBooks, computer files, databases, current serials, internet • (additions/withdrawals of above) • Usage; • users, loans, in-house use, reservations, info requests, copying, interlibrary lending (national/international), events, visits, training • Access and facilities • Opening hours, days open, seats, public workstations, catalogues, copiers, space • Expenditure; operating, capital • Staff; professional, specialist volunteers, training

  13. Standards 2; UIS Culture

  14. Standards 3; information literacy • Often seen as a skill/competency • Complexity of skills assessment at international level • Basic literacy starting point for developing countries • PISA, IALS, PIAAC, and LAMP • Supply, access and usage • Capabilites approach (Amartya Sen) • Proxy responses in Census and Labour Force Survey • IFAB and IFLA?

  15. UIS Actions • Data release press and broadcast 2007/8 • Pilot library survey with IFLA 2007 • Adopt new cultural statistics framework 2008-9

  16. UIS Press & Broadcast surveys • Drivers • information for all WSIS C3 • poverty reduction • Use of ‘older’ technologies • Indicators

  17. UIS/IFLA/ISO library survey; comments on adaptations • Conforms to ISO and IFLA principals & standards • Seats or space? • Electronic services • Internet access; critical role in developing countries • Resources; ebooks, databases • website • Events; broader usage • Literacy and education; the place of the library • Finance • How to integrate data from local libraries?

  18. Issues/questions • Coverage; publishers & libraries • Culture in Africa • Information literacy standards • Role of older technologies in developing countries, eg radio in libraries?

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