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Libraries in Culture and Public Information; measurement issues for UNESCO

Libraries in Culture and Public Information; measurement issues for UNESCO. Simon Ellis. Outline. Introduction UNESCO multisectoral interests UIS UNESCO’s official stats agency Policy drivers Library stats Emerging statistical standards

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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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