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The EBLIDA Newsletter is published monthly on European library & information society issues, programmes, news and events of interest to the library, archive and cultural heritage community.
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EBLIDA Newsletter

Issue No. 2. February 2021
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1. President’s Editorial
Ton van Vlimmeren, PresidentDear Colleagues,

I often say that working in the library involves first and foremost people, not only books or other media. People flowing in change library identities, just as books and media do; it is why the process of running and changing the library is often joyful and fruitful. I would like to describe a library as trifold, like a clover leaf. The most important is the value the library adds to society and to the people in the community. Second is the library as an organization that produces value by its services, activities and programs that are conducted by competent staff. And third are the venues, mostly library buildings, that need to facilitate these activities. Buildings are never a goal, but always a means.

I strongly believe in the role of libraries adding value to society and their values are almost identical to those of Sustainable Development Goals: equal opportunities, no discrimination, lifelong learning, an inclusive society, free access to information, freedom of speech; to mention but a few. This is the reason why, under my Presidency, I strongly supported the idea that the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development should become central to EBLIDA activities.
 
It is with extreme pleasure that I see that the EBLIDA commitment to the implementation of SDGs in European libraries is unfolding at a quick pace and that involved countries are starting to be numerous. After France, in Netherlands, Latvia and Greece. The Netherlands had its TTU workshop on 25th January; and Greece on the 8th of February. Latvia is holding theirs on 22nd February. All seminars have been well prepared and open up new horizons.
 
What will happen next?
 
The first new fact is the creation of the Expert Group European Libraries and Sustainable Development Implementation and Assessment (ELSIA), which gathers thirteen experts from 11 countries. ELSIA will provide new impulsion to SDG activities and will also delve into the evaluation of the agenda 2030 in European libraries by scrutinizing more salient experiences and provide insights in relation to them.
 
ELSIA will also be decisive in the organisation of national Think The Unthinkable workshops in more countries in collaboration with EBLIDA members. There is no single model; in the countries where workshops were organised, it was apparent that SDGs are interpreted in libraries in a variety of ways which are closely dependent on national library systems.
 
The third direction concerns the role of EBLIDA itself. We are now offering assistance in the organisation of seminars. One step further is consultancy work in the preparation of the projects to be filed under the framework of European Structural and Investment Funds. Once applications are filed and projects start, EBLIDA may also play a role in the internationalisation of projects, both for the exchange of best practices and the visibility of local projects at European level.
 
The EBLIDA Secretariat has chosen not to run projects on their own and to decouple EBLIDA’s own mission from services provided to members. We have preferred to follow a bottom-up scheme, with EBLIDA members being prioritised and libraries in Europe considered as “structurally” important for national societies and economies. We wish stronger libraries in a stronger Europe, with EBLIDA being instrumental in reaching this ultimate goal.

Yours sincerely,

Ton van Vlimmeren
EBLIDA President 

2. EBLIDA sponsoring “Think The Unthinkable” workshops around Europe
EBLIDA National WorkshopsLibrary associations members of EBLIDA are quickly grasping the opportunity of organising Think The Unthinkable workshops and initiatives. After the French, the Dutch and the Greek workshops, other library associations or library-related organisations are embarking upon similar experiences in Latvia and Italy. More countries are in the pipeline.


The reasons why EBLIDA selected European Structural and Investment Funds as a preferred area for fundraising are listed as follows:
  • Unlike many of the programmes directly managed by the European Commission, the R&D requirement in ESIF projects is not essential; therefore, projects can encompass small and poorly equipped libraries as well as big and technologically advanced libraries;
  • programmes are administered at national level; therefore, there is no need to resort to the construction of complex networks at European level;
  • libraries, and in particular public libraries, are strongly connected with local communities; ESI Funds which operate at regional or local level, are therefore an ideal framework for their development;
  • ESIF normally accounts for one third of the whole EU budget.
Access to ESI Funds requires a broader library framework which embraces the concepts of social inclusion and digital services. The COVID crisis has stressed the importance of the “social” and the digital libraries; SDG-oriented library projects may also be seen as an opportunity to re-think the scope of a library and to re-design library services as a whole.
 
In their meetings with national partners, the EBLIDA Secretariat is not following a top-down approach. The departure point is the Think The Unthinkable (TTU) report, which has been, or is being, translated into six languages. The TTU report provides ideas and policies for possible library projects meeting SDGs likely to be funded through ESI Funds. It is only the first step.
 
Usually, after a first meeting, partners start drafting a possible strategy for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in libraries with the selection of SDGs which may be relevant in their context. The next step is to match library strategies, relevant SDGs and ESI Funds’ specific objectives. This exercise is partly desk research, partly a manifold conversation involving officials working for the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Economic Development or Prime Minister’s office, as well as regional and local offices in charge of implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. As a result of these conversations, original plans may be revised or further adjusted.
 
The final step of the exercise may be the preparation of tables illustrating library plans at national level, like the one prepared by the Greek Library Association included in the current Newsletter issue. In other countries, workshops were aimed at creating awareness about the link existing between SDGs and ESI Funds. This was the case for France, where special agencies working at regional level have been established to provide administrative support and assist ESIF would-be applicants in project preparation.
 
Therefore, workshops are the result of an intense collaboration between the EBLIDA Secretariat and the EBLIDA Member.
 
For instance, no less than six meetings were necessary to give shape to the Greek workshop; each of these meetings, however, was extremely useful in exploring ESI funding opportunities in Greece through contacts with the authorities managing ESI Funds. 
 
We are only at the outset of the distribution of ESI Funds in European countries; libraries have the advantage of choosing their own strategy and how they can best intercept the allocation of funds at local level.
 
During their venture, EBLIDA Members will get the best service and assistance EBLIDA can offer to them.

3. Think The Unthinkable workshop in the Netherlands
(25th January 2021)
"Think the Unthinkable" Workshop NederlandTogether with 24 public libraries in the Netherlands, we made a fascinating journey over the vast territories of the European Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development.
 
The aim of the webinar was to inspire public libraries to work with the European 2030 Agenda in a practical way.
 
First, the program focused on the presentation of SDGs. The experiences of the public Libraries of Utrecht and Assen (DNK) were shared, which emphasised how strategic SDGs are for cooperation and integration with the (European) society. 

The second part of the program, jointly organised by EBLIDA and the members of the Expedition NL project,  was focused on access to European funding, their opportunities and possible strategies. Giuseppe Vitiello, EBLIDA Director, guided the participants through a “business” travel throughout the EBLIDA Matrix. He showed the five sections of the Matrix and how to use them best. Robert Adrichem, Expedition official, gave an overview of the European 2021-2027 funds with a particular focus on European Structural and Investment Funds in the Netherlands.
 
The new 'expedition NL' project was presented too. This project is an initiative undertaken by a group of Dutch libraries, The Alignment House and EBLIDA. The main goal of the Expeditie project is to detail possibilities and access to European, national and local funding for libraries. Expeditie will organise a broad list of activities, going from webinars and trainings to coaching. A knowledge portal has been created and will be enhanced as long as the Expeditie moves forward. It is an initiative for Dutch public libraries, but of interest also to other public libraries all over Europe. 

4. Think The Unthinkable workshop in Greece
(8 February 2021)
"Funding via European Structural and Investment Funds"
by Antonios Mourikis
Greek experts meeting on funding through ESFThe association of Greek Librarians (Association of Greek Librarians and Information Scientists – AGLIS) and EBLIDA are organising a special meeting on February, 8th bringing together Greek public libraries that have been funded either by private initiatives or by the Greek state. The purpose of the meeting for the libraries is twofold; from the one hand to testify their previous experiences on the funding and the projects that have developed and on the other hand to identify possible future activities in order to meet and cover their communities’ needs.

The Association of Greek Librarians and Information Scientists, established in 1968, is the only recognised PanHellenic scientific association for the Greek librarians. As a member of the most significant international organizations such as IFLA, EBLIDA and NAPLE forum, has been striving to strengthen the libraries’ recognition and promote the role of the librarian in the community. In that sense, the Greek librarian community has been following international standards and good practices in order to keep up with the developments and to promote the development and modernisation of libraries in Greece so that they can meet the demands of today’s community.

AGLIS and EBLIDA in close cooperation are seeking the possibility for the Greek public libraries to be funded by the ESF for the period 2021 – 2027, covering two main conditions: meeting the UN Agenda 2020 – 2030 for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and ensuring that the possible projects meet the needs of the communities supported by the libraries. For this reason, six preparatory meetings have so far been carried out between EBLIDA and the Greek Association of Librarians in order to determine an action framework with the ultimate target an official “Greek Proposal” to be submitted to the Greek authorities.

As the Greek state realizes the importance of the UN initiative, not only has adopted the SDGs but has also set out a plan to make sure that Greece follows the international community, acting in a coordinated manner, and cooperates with the public and private sector, the research and technological institutions of the country and the academic and scientific community and civil society, among others. The Ministry of Digital Strategy has described not only the running projects but also those that have already been approved. These projects come to meet all of the UN SDGs covering every single sector of the economy.
 
Following the UN SDGs, there are social fields to which the Greek public libraries can contribute in the years to come so as to assist their communities in achieving the UN SDGs. Certainly we are in the very first steps of this procedure but we strongly believe that an ongoing and fruitful dialogue between the librarian community and the Greek state should start so that priorities can be set and action taken.  In the following table there is a short illustration of the proposed actions.
 
SDGs (recommended by the Greek Association) Possible library projects Possible outcomes ESF
Goal 1 : No poverty
 Free access to information & resources,
 
Opportunity to new skills, Second Chance Schools (Audience wish to reach),
 
Closing the gap between secondary and higher education.
 		 Enhancing the effectiveness of labour markets and access to quality employment through developing social innovation and infrastructure.
 
Increasing the socio-economic integration of marginalised communities, migrants and disadvantaged groups, through integrated measures including housing and social services;		 annex 1/goal 1 (003, 005, 006, 009, 010, 011,  012, 021, 022)
Goal 2: No hunger
 
 		 Free access to research in new agricultural methods,
 
Mediterraneannutrition programs.		 Enhancing biodiversity, green infrastructure in the urban environment, and reducing pollution annex 1/goal 5 (130, 131,
Goal 3:  Good Health & Well Being
 		 Inclusive education for all special needs,
 
Health policies,
 
Hospital libraries.		 Ensuring equal access to health care through developing infrastructure, including primary care. annex 1/goal 4 (092, 093, 094, 095)
 
annex 1/goal 1 (013)
Goal 4: Quality Education
 		 Digital services & skills/digitalization
 
Connectivity, growth
 
Empower
 
Employment/Continuing education programs and material for distance learning,
 
Providing hardware		 Reaping the benefits of digitisation for citizens, companies and governments
 
Improving access to inclusive and quality services in education, training and lifelong learning through developing infrastructure
 		 annex 1/goal 1 (003, 005, 006, 009, 011,  012, 021, 022)
Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities
 		 Minorities,
 
Immigrants,
 
Participation.		 Promoting socio-economic integration of third country nationals and of marginalised communities such as the Roma. annex 1/goal 4 (085, 086, 087, 088, 091, 096, 097, 098, 099, 101, 108, 109, 111, 112, 113, 114, 117, 119,
Goal 16: Peace Justice & Strong Institutions
 		 Fighting fake news,
 
Media literacy.
 		 Improving access to inclusive and quality services in education, training and lifelong learning through developing infrastructure
 		 annex 1/goal 1 (011, 012)
 
annex 1/goal 4 (085, 086, 087, 088, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115)
Goal 17: Partnerships for the Goals
 		 Synergies between libraries -
Interregional activities, possible synergies with neighbouring countries.		 Modernising labour market institutions and services to assess and anticipate skills needs and ensure timely and tailor-made assistance and support to labour market matching, transitions and mobility; annex 1/goal 3 (051, 053, 054, 133)

5. Think The Unthinkable workshop in Latvia
(22 February 2021)
"European Structural and Investment Funds in 2021–2027: funding opportunities for libraries"
by Katrīna Kukaine
EBLIDA, the Library Association of Latvia and the National Library of Latvia, in cooperation with the Latvian Ministry of Culture, is organising a Zoom webinar on 22 February 2021 to discuss the experience of Latvian libraries in managing European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) funding as well as opportunities for libraries in the 2021–2027 funding planning period.

The webinar will be held in Latvian and English with simultaneous interpretation.

EBLIDA President Ton van Vlimmeren and Director Giuseppe Vitiello will take part in the webinar to report on the EBLIDA study "Think the Unthinkable" which focuses on the opportunities of libraries, post-Covid, to apply for ESIF funding in the context of achieving sustainable development goals.
 
Regarding ESIF in Latvia, an operational program draft has been developed for the European Union Structural Funds and Cohesion Fund Operational Programme for the 2021–2027 planning period, which will still be discussed and clarified at the national level with May, 2021 as the indicative time frame for starting the conciliation procedure with the European Commission. Approval of the Operational Programme is planned for the second half of 2021 or possibly the end of the year. At the same time at the national level, work is continuing on the Cultural Policy Guidelines and the Library Sector Strategy.
 
Latvian libraries have experience in managing ESIF funding in various programmes in previous planning periods. Libraries have also been the beneficiaries in ESIF projects that have been implemented by municipal councils and tertiary institutions. Libraries have primarily been partners in INTERREG cross border projects, the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) Latvian Rural Development Programme or ERASMUS programmes but some individual libraries have experience in managing European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and European Social Fund (ESF) funding, incl. in the National Library of Latvia.
 
As preparation for the webinar, a small survey was conducted in libraries in Latvia and within the frame of the projects, particularly in public libraries, it emerged that the activities implemented were connected with the European Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The role of library systems is important in the national context in Latvia and it could be seen to be growing as a result of increasing trends in society – in matters regarding the trustworthiness of information, in the sphere of educational activities, as well as the growing importance of the digital environment, especially during the global pandemic. The role of the library network is emphasised not only in culture and cultural heritage development planning documents but also in policy planning in other sectors: education, science, social integration, municipal affairs and social welfare, as well as the development of the information and communications technology sector. The role of the National Library of Latvia is increasing at national level – this is being enhanced by the transformation of society, especially in the digital sphere.
 
At a local level, libraries have emphasised that they are a place for the provision of e-services, as well as traditional book lending, as well as a venue for events and educational and life-long learning for the local community. At national level libraries are places where different community groups can receive and access information (not only in the form of books but also in the use of e-resources). Libraries, especially academic and specialised libraries, see their role in the integration of educational, research and innovation processes and supporting information and media awareness.
 
The libraries surveyed do not think that SDGs would re-orient their role, but would more likely extend and deepen it and create more extensive, multifaceted operational opportunities. Libraries could become a place to learn how to work with information, so people would be educated – and logical, critical thinkers. Those surveyed stressed that it would be good if libraries were not only information providers but – in the eyes of the community and municipalities – institutions that one can trust and their role as a centre for community education would not be doubted.
 
In the Report to UN on Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals in Latvia (2018) the priorities included – cross sectoral cooperation and responsibility, the role and responsibility of the individual and civic society, education and involvement –, libraries view this to a large extent, as strengthening the role of libraries and provides impetus for improvements to library operations.
 
Unfortunately, many of the libraries surveyed do not know or are not informed of SDG-oriented policies at local or urban level, however they do understand that SDGs are integrated at all levels in national planning documents, from the National Development Plan to the municipal sustainable development strategy. With regard to Latvian public libraries, this has also depended on the approach of each municipal council – whether local libraries have been involved in developing planning documents as well as on the libraries themselves – their awareness and interest in being involved in planning processes when they are underway.
 
These matters will be discussed during the webinar, as well as specific examples of Latvian libraries managing ESIF funding and the responsible authorities in Latvia at national level are invited to outline ESIF opportunities to Latvian libraries from 2021–2027 to encourage them to make use of the funding opportunities, at the same time continuing to achieve SDGs in Latvian society with libraries in the intermediary role.
 
Registration
(Open until 15 February)

6. Living libraries, the House of the community around the world, an e-book

Download a free copy of the book (in PDF or ePub format) In December 2020, Ton van Vlimmeren, retired as director of the Public Library of Utrecht in The Netherlands.

With the publication of the book “Living Libraries”, what is a recurrent event in the personal life of an individual has turned into a marvellous opportunity to reflect about the role of libraries all over the world.

Ton, who is currently the EBLIDA President, has been involved in international library affairs for at least twenty years. His fellow travellers were numerous in responding to the invitation to write an article about their library experiences at local, regional or national level.

In the book, thirty-four contributors illustrate library work in five continents. Almost all of them emphasised the concept of the library as a third place, an informal public gathering alongside the home and workplace. Libraries as a “third place” are important for the good functioning of civil society, democracy, and civic engagement, and this explains the book sub-title, where libraries are touted as a home for the community.

In some cases libraries played an important role after natural disasters, such as the Nepal and the Haiti earthquakes as well as bushfires in Australia. In these countries, they offered relief and recovery services or helped to further in-depth discussion on climate change. In Latin American countries, Bulgaria and the United States, in addition to services providing access to literature, culture, and knowledge, libraries are used for education and the educational integration of children from minority groups; in the Philadelphia region, literacy programs together with cooking lessons are offered to 550,000 adults with low literacy rates.
 
Book launch In some parts of the world, libraries enjoy fresh, new attention. In Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste, Fiji and New Caledonia, national or local governments have provided impetus for major developments in setting up new libraries and new library services, with reading resources, furniture and training as well as software. Libraries in South Africa are providing ICT services through unemployed ICT graduates, who are recruited and trained to provide ICT support throughout the country. With its coherent, contemporary and digital offering, the National Library of Qatar has been essential for the development of all libraries at national level. The general trend of falling library users and decreasing book loans was reversed by the 26 public libraries in Singapore.
 
Libraries around the world are fostering democracy and the participation of all people. Active engagement and face-to-face communication between people is a distinctive feature of the Cologne public library in Germany. Libraries are also at the forefront of the fight against 'fake news' in Canadian libraries; in Aarhus (Denmark), libraries play an essential part in community building, with democracy development as a framework.
 
New buildings are sometimes essential in demonstrating the nature of libraries as community “hubs”. The new Oodi library in Helsinki was developed with the involvement of users in order to promote active citizenship. These new constructions have influenced also the way cities develop. Within libraries themselves, the focus was moved from collection to connection and from product to user-orientation: the current equation assigns 70 per cent of the space to the users and 30 per cent to the collection; it was the opposite in former times.
 
Librarians discover that the value they provide to the community, is in the community itself. Since Covid-19, the role of the public library becomes even more critical in creating a positive civic environment. In a world where digitisation, cost efficiency, and social impact have become key concepts, and where competition from social media, the internet, and leisure activities is fierce, every day libraries must fight to remain visible. This implies a change in librarians’ skills, since universally available information is no longer a library monopoly. Librarians are less the 'owners' than ‘intermediaries’ of information; for this reason, also individuals without formal library education can be successful public library directors.
The emphasis on modern library education should turn towards those seemingly 'neutral' algorithms that hold assumptions and biases and it is important that libraries create alternatives to them. In North European countries, public library legislation explicitly mandates libraries to initiate democratic discourse and debate.
 
By removing fines for overdue items the Chicago public library levelled the playing field for its users. Facilitating access to users in all ways is of absolute importance for libraries, since technological giants and information service providers have taken over their monopoly of free access to information. Libraries as 'third place' are designed to be exciting, to stimulate the curiosity and attract people. To do this, library advocacy should promote the role of libraries at the heart of community-led democracies. The Covid-19 crisis has increased online access to collections, but also made possible the organisation of webinars and story times and the delivery of e-resources to adults and children, which will influence future service planning and delivery.
 
This book is worth reading, watching and assimilating. It shows that libraries are more than useful tools for individuals; they are a fundamental essence of people’s experience.

According to David Lankes the book is a “must read for all librarians”!
 
If you want to download a free copy of the book (in PDF or ePub format) or want to order a printed copy please go to: https://www.bibliotheekutrecht.nl/living-libraries.html

Revisit the book launch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/RMu1PeCwkLk
Please look at the Four good reasons to become EBLIDA member and at the membership fee which varies according to the organisation’s turnover and the status of the organisation wishing to join EBLIDA: Full or Associate Member.
For the registration form please fill out the Membership Enquiry Form or contact the Secretariat: eblida@eblida.org

Events and Dates
Febuary 17-19
Open Science Conference 2021
Place: Online event
Organizer: ZBW – Leibniz Information Centre for Economics and the Leibniz Research Alliance Open Science

February 18-19
IRCDL 2021: 17th Italian Research Conference on Digital Libraries
Place: Online event
Organizer: Università Degli Studi di Padova

February 22
TTU Latvia Workshop: The possibilities of acquiring European structural and investment funds for libraries in 2021–2027
Place: Online event
Organizer: EBLIDA, Latvian Librarians' Association and Latvian National Library

February 24
UKSG webinar - The importance and use of digital primary sources in teaching and research
Place: Online event
Organizer: UKSG

About the Newsletter

Responsible for the Newsletter: Giuseppe Vitiello
[contact him by email: g.vitiello at eblida.orgl]
Editors: Unless otherwise specified, all articles are written by the EBLIDA Secretariat.

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