The%20Impact%20of%20Globalization%20on%20Libraries%20and%20the%20Role%20of%20IFLA

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The Impact of Globalization on Libraries and
the Role of IFLA

• Claudia Lux
• SILF 2006

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History of Globalization

• Liberalisation of Trade from 1850 -
• Rise of multinational Companies and Banks
  (Imperialism)
• Crisis in the late 1920th
• Cold War, divided markets1950 -1990
• Global Impact (Neo-Liberalism)

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Globalization Different Views 1

• Pro
• Freedom and ability of individuals and firms to
  initiate voluntary economic transactions with
  residents of other countries (World Bank)

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Globalization Different Views 2

• Contra
• Globalization is the present worldwide drive
  toward a globalized economic system dominated by
  supranational corporate trade and banking
  institutions that are not accountable to
  democratic processes or national governments.
  (International Forum of Globalization)

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Globalization leads to

• Political Change
• Market Change
• Technology Change

6
Globalization leads to

• Environmental Change
• Society Change
• Cultural Change
• Are librarians prepared for the
• challenges of a globalized world?

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IFLA - a global voice for Library and
Information Services

• International Federation of Library
• Associations and Institutions
• 1700 members in 150 countries
• gt 500.000 internet connections in libraries
• 2.5 billion registered library users

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Main Aspects of Globalization

• General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (promotion
  of free trade) - GATT
• General Agreement on Trade in Services,
  (reduction of state influence, privatisation) -
  GATS

• World Trade Organization (150 members) WTO
• Harmonisation of intellectual property
  restrictions --gt more restrictions
• IFLA on WTO
• and GATS

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Balanced Instruments?

• GATS / WTO / WIPO
• Standardisation
• Free Market in Education and Culture
• Political Restriction
• Protection for Profit

• UN / UNESCO / IFLA
• Digital Divide
• Lifelong Learning
• Cultural Diversity
• Free Access to Information
• Fair Use

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Impact on Libraries - Questions 1

• Are tax or government supported library services
  a threat to the free market?
• Will libraries become a part of the education
  market, when they support lifelong learning?

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Impact on Libraries - Questions 2

• Will libraries be able to manage different
  cultures and multi-lingualism?
• Will libraries be able to digitize their
  collections and give access to it?
• Will libraries be able to be an open window to
  the world of knowledge any longer?
• ...

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World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS)

• UN ---gt ITU (International Telecommunication
  Union)
• IFLA Advocacy at WSIS
• Libraries _at_ the heart of the Information Society
  (Geneva 2003)
• Freedom of Information and Internet Governance
• Libraries the Information Society in Action
  (Alexandria 2005)

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Alexandria 2006

• IFLA The Information Society in Action
• Digital LIbrary
• Information Literacy
• Libraries Success Stories
• Political Need of LIbraries

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Digital Library

• Digitization,
• Libraries and Google, World Digital Library,
  etc.
• Digital Library in a global view
• Portals for Open Access
• World Cat and Databases
• Standards and best practice

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Information Literacy / Teaching Library

• Information literacy
• Beyond literacy, beyond ICT skills
• Teaching Library
• Role of librarians and information specialists in
  Knowledge Society
• IFLAs rolein education and training,
• Standards and exchange of best practice

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WSIS at Tunis 2006

• Libraries - part of the digital Infrastructure
• Libraries bridge the digital divide
• Libraries provide content, culture, education
• Presentation of Success Stories Database

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Use Globalization to..

• Train staff and patrons in information literacy
  (IFLA/Unesco)
• Provide access to the information of the world
  (IFLA/CLM)
• Defend human rights (IFLA/FAIFE)

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Use Globalization to..

• Exchange experience with the libraries of the
  world (WLIC - IFLA)
• Strenghten the role of libraries (IFLA president
  elect theme Libraries on the Agenda)

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Libraries on the Agenda

• Claudia Lux Presidential theme
• Advocacy at all levels
• International by IFLA
• National Library associations
• Regional Library associations
• Local all libraries
• Each librarian

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Libraries on the Agenda

• All issues
• education, culture
• it planning, city planning, migration, ...
• We have to involve - and we have to be involved
• how to do?
• personal development

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React and act and...

• ...join IFLA !
• the International Federation of Library
  Associations and Institutions
• ............and let us change together the
  negative impact of globalization into an
  inclusive and modern library world.

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Thank you

• Claudia Lux
• President Elect, International Federation of
  Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA)
• P O Box 95312
• The Hague 2509CH
• The Netherlands
• ifla_at_ifla. org
• http//www.ifla.org