EBLIDA Newsletter February 2016

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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Issue No. 2. February 2016

Forward

The President’s Editorial

Dear Readers,

During the third week of January, EBLIDA took part in the final ELINET conference in Amsterdam.
EBLIDA representatives attended the full event and actively contributed to it (see article further down).

Last week, together with several of my fellow library advocates, I took part in the Library Advocacy 4EU Event. It was jointly organised by EBLIDA and LBB (Latvia), with the support of the Reading and Writing Foundation through its Public Libraries 2020 programme.

I was amazed by how fluid the process was and am still struck how positive the atmosphere was between colleagues. The atmosphere at the event while relaxed, was also focused and busy. I was delighted that a group of relative strangers bonded so well and clearly seemed to benefit from and enjoy networking as much as I did.

On the organisation side, I feel I really must give special thanks: to LBB for their absolute wonderful travel and accommodation organisations, and to the EBLIDA team and the facilitator Uldis Pavuls for the content of the programme and its completion.
This shows that library organisations that cooperate and work together, get stronger together! Further down you can read about the event in more detail.

I’m delighted now to hand you over to the FOBID board, our host in The Hague who is co-organising the 2016 Conference Empowering Europe! Libraries opening up new perspectives and is inviting all delegates to the event on the 10^thof May 2016:

“As the local host of the EBLIDA/NAPLE events 2016, FOBID Netherlands Library Forum welcomes you cordially. We appreciate your keen interest in libraries and the role they can play to empower people.

This is true democracy: skilled and informed participation with open access to sources of information and knowledge, including culture and science. That is what empowers people, that is what will empower Europe.

Can we as libraries open up new perspectives?
The Hague, World Library Capital

Yes! And we are right at the heart of it: the initiatives under the Dutch presidency of the EU, the flavour of The Hague as residence of government and parliament, and the many international library activities in the Hague, form an excellent inspirational setting for our meetings and conference.

"Welcome to The Hague - World Library Capital!"

I would like to thank FOBID for their excellent support and I am equally happy in announcing you that the registration for the upcoming conference, is now open.

As you have read in our previous issue, the keynote speaker confirmed his attendance.

We are still in the process of finalising the whole programme and organising the work sessions, but you can already have a look online to get a clear overview on the content.

We recommend that you register as soon as possible and also please book your hotel since The Hague is a quite busy location in May especially in the context of the Dutch EU Presidency and hotel can be expensive.

Next week, a letter of invitation will be despatched to members with more information, including hotel recommendations.

Yours Sincerely,
Jukka Relander
EBLIDA President

Inside Brussels

European Parliament Breakfast debate on "Access of vulnerable people to the information society"

On 27 January, the European Internet Forum and MEP Julie Ward hosted a breakfast debate on “access of vulnerable people to the information society”. The debate welcomed speakers from across Europe, discussing current proposals and best practices of inclusion in the information society, ranging from cyber security to digital inclusion and accessible e-books. Podcasts of the speakers can be found here.

Information kindly provided by PL2020.

EP – Lunch Event: Public Domain Day Celebration
(25 Januray – 12:30-14:00 – Members Salon)

On 25 January, MEP Julia Reda (Greens/EFA, DE) hosted a lunch in the European Parliament’s Members Salon to celebrate the public domain day together with COMMUNIA.

Speakers included MEP Reda, Alek Tarkowski (Centrum Cyfrowe), Paul Keller (Kennisland).

By celebrating Public Domain Day, COMMUNIA attempts to highlight the value of the public domain and the importance of balance within the copyright framework.

On the occasion of this year's Public Domain Day COMMUNIA presented a list of 7 issues aimed at strengthening the Public Domain that should be addressed as part of the upcoming revision of the EU copyright framework.

For more information see http://www.communia-association.org/2016/01/27/public-domain-day-2016-at-the-european-parliament/

Information kindly provided by Paul Keller, Kennisland.

EP – The Future of Creativity in the Online Environment: Authors & Consumers in Dialogue

(27 January, 16.00-18.00 – JAN 2Q2)

On 27 January, MEP Pavel Svoboda (EPP, CZ) organised an event titled ‘The future of creativity in the online environment: authors & consumers in dialogue’.

The debate focussed on key issues including copyright law and freedom of expression, the right to information and to access culture, authors’ remuneration, online intermediaries and the copyright value chain.

Co-organisers were BEUC (the European Consumer Organisation), ECSA (the European Composer and Songwriter Alliance), FERA (the Federation of European Film directors), FEP (the European Federation of Journalists), the Federation of Screenwriters in Europe, and the European Writers' Council.

The discussions highlighted that in general, from the creator’s side there was a call for fair remuneration and contracts as well as better author’s rights and tools to use them.
From the consumer’s side, a claim for greater legal certainty and more affordable legal offers, with a copyright system that ensures proper remuneration, access to cultural diversity and stimulating creation.

A better system doesn’t mean adding rights to the existing ones, but ensuring that the current ones work properly.

Consumers call for legislation that is fit for today’s technological purposes and ensures remuneration for authors’ rights. At the same time, they very much regret the current situation and request for a status quo on the legislation from too many stakeholders

Information kindly provided by C4C.

Inside EBLIDA

ELINET is a wrap! The project has almost come to a close…

Successful European Literacy Conference in Amsterdam

From 20 to 22 January 2016, the ELINET, European Literacy Conference 2016 took place in Amsterdam with international experts from different fields of literacy. In our previous issue we already made reference to the programme (accessible here).

For three days, partners from over thirty European countries discussed the results of the two-year project during workshops, sessions and networking opportunities.

EBLIDA representatives included Vincent Bonnet and Majella Cunnane from the office and Marian Koren (EGCIS) who participated in the plenary sessions and several workshops.

ELINET has over the past two years examined both the state of illiteracy and the causes. Collected methods, examples of good practice, fact sheets and well-stocked toolboxes have been developed and among the deliverables, allowing everyone in Europe to get to work to increase awareness about low literacy across Europe.

The Literacy Conference served both ELINET Partners and other interested people and offered access to new research and good practices in all areas of literacy.

The conference workshops addressed the following themes:

Country Reports (special topics: Teacher Education; Libraries; Adult Education)
Good Practices (special focus: Reaching struggling literacy learners)
Fundraising and Awareness Raising Tools; Indicators of good practice
The Concept of Literacy / Literacy Terminology
ELINET Present and Future
Cross-Cutting Themes: Digital Literacy, Reading for Pleasure.

During a workshop entitled “The Library E-pack”, EBLIDA, the only European library organisation involved in the project together with the Libraries Development’s section of Dublin’s Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) from Ireland, explained how libraries can be used as a primary channel through which literacy skills can be improved among those with literacy challenges.

EBLIDA Director, Vincent Bonnet, presented the “Library E-pack” to the gathering for the workshop, explaining that it is an information pack compiled by EBLIDA and LGMA Ireland and it will be disseminated to library network contacts after the project.

The Library E-pack contains information about the ELINET project of relevance to libraries along with useful material and references based on the work of ELINET teams.

After the presentation, participants gave examples of awareness raising activities in their respective countries, with some especially inspiring examples including that of the UK, where celebrity football players were asked to become involved in activities to motivate young boys especially, to read for pleasure. This was a highly successful campaign in the UK where direct positive results were seen.

The audience then began a discussion about libraries in general, exchanging ideas and discussing the effects of cutbacks, the idea of the virtual library and reduced hours in libraries.

The workshop ended with a group photo. (Photos courtesy of Marian Koren)
ELINET Workshop

EBLIDA representatives participated to several workshops such as Digital Literacy, Media Literacy and Fundraising.

The Keynote speakers in plenary featured author Abdelkader Benali and H.R.H Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands, UNESCO Special Envoy on Literacy for Development and well-known from the Library audience. The conference ended with the session Toward a literate future in Europe, announcing possible next steps following-up the ELINET project

Lieflong Learning Programme
.

EBLIDA LBB PL2020 Library Advocacy for EU Event, Brussels 1-3 February, 2016

On 1 – 3 February 2016, EBLIDA, together with the Latvian Library Association and Public Libraries 2020, is proud to organise its Library Advocacy 4 EU event in Brussels, entitled “Increase the power of your influence: individually and collectively.”

Jukka Relander

The event gathered 26 people from 19 countries in Europe, including Library Association Presidents, Directors or Public Library Directors.
The objective of the event was to equip representatives of library associations at national level with improved advocacy skills while supporting EBLIDA’s work at European level.

Photo courtesy of Jean-Marie Reding

We are happy to testify that through their active contribution and commitment, participants more than reached their objective.

Throughout the full 2-day training, taking many forms such as group work, self-reflection, stretching exercises and discussions on libraries evolving roles, the participants increased their professional power of influence and tasted (if it wasn’t already the case) the enjoyment of becoming Library advocates.

Topics discussed throughout the days were copyright of course, but also social value of libraries, data collection, digital literacy, e-reading and reading as well as many other subjects.

Thanks to the excellent team spirit and the relaxed atmosphere brought about by the trainer and the location, participation was lively and there were lots of networking opportunities.
Library Advocacy 4 EU Participants

Photo courtesy of A. Kurutyte/PL2020

To be continued…

Executive Committee Meeting

The next EBLIDA Executive Committee Meeting will be held in Valencia, Spain, on 22^nd and 23^rd February 2016.

Save the Date:
24^th EBLIDA Annual Council and EBLIDA-NAPLE Conference

The Hague, The Netherlands
9 - 10 May 2016

Programme Overview

Together with our local host FOBID Netherlands Library Forum we are continuing with the preparations to make it an unforgettable programme.

Day 1 – Monday May 9^th 2016

EBLIDA Council Meeting (for EBLIDA members only)

Time: 13.30 – 16.30 hrs. (incl. coffee); welcome 13.00 hrs.
Venue: The Hague Public Library, Haagse Lobby,10^th floor

NAPLE General Assembly (for NAPLE members only)

Time: 09.30 – 16.30 hrs. (incl. coffee)
Venue: National Library of the Netherlands, room B

Reception
Time: 17.00 – 18.00 (included in the Conference fee)
Venue: The Hague Public Library, 10^th floor
Offered by The Hague Public Library

Conference Dinner
Time: 19.30 hrs
Venue: Scheveningen (location tba)
Optional – Fee: € 40

Day 2 – Tuesday May 10^th 2016

2016 Conference:
“Empowering Europe! Libraries opening up new perspectives”

Conference registration: 9.00 – 9.30*
                Conference: 9.30 – 16.00* (lunch/coffee included)
Place: National Library of The Netherlands
                * time subject to change

Inspired by the EU-presidency themes, especially the Union’s aim to empower and protect all citizens, the programme accommodates libraries’ actual topics and concerns about opening up libraries to the outside world.

Inspiring keynote speeches and round-table will precede interactive work sessions on cutting-edge issues such as Open Access (data, government, etc.) from different perspectives, Skills and lifelong-learning (highlighting the role of libraries), Advocacy for libraries (from national to global level with a case study on e-Lending and among others, the question of copyright).

The work sessions will be followed by a wrap-up and a new perspective on the future.

Detailed programme:

10.00     Opening: Empowering Europe!

Annette Kelly, NAPLE chair
Official representative, The Netherlands (TBA)
Bert Mulder, day chair

10.15 Keynote: Libraries opening up new perspectives

Dimitris Protopsaltou, Chief Operating Officer (COO) at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Sector, Greece

11.00 Coffee break

11.30 Panel discussion by Bert Mulder, including a.o.

Dimitris Protopsaltou, COO at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Sector, Greece
Annette Kelly, NAPLE chair
Jukka Relander, EBLIDA President.

12.15 Lunch

13.30 Work sessions

Civic participation in libraries – Chair Annette Kelly

Bert Mulder (tba)

The Butterfly effect: library advocacy (from country specific to global level) – Chair Jean-Marie Reding
- E-Lending in Denmark, Mikkel Christoffersen
- Library advocacy at EU level: the joint EBLIDA-LBB project, Kristine Paberza and co-referent: Diego Gracia, NAPLE
- Global messaging at WIPO, (tba)

The work session will help to get an overview of the opportunities and practices on library advocacy from national to global level and how the butterfly effect can be used and developed by library organisation in their advocacy and lobbying work.

Participants will exchange ideas and viewpoints from e.g. government policy, European and international policy, relationship with publishers and other stakeholders.
It will also build on the outcomes of the Library Advocacy 4 EU event held in Brussels in February 2016.

Open Access and libraries – Chair Astrid van Wesenbeeck, National Library NL

Mapping Open Access, a publisher’s perspective, Raluca Pop, Accucoms (tba)
Dutch and European situation - View on Open Science Policies, Ron Dekker, Project Leader Open Access, Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, The Netherlands
Access 2 Research for all, Ciara Eastell, President Society of Chief Librarians, UK

In this session you will learn about the current state of the open access movement, with extra attention for development in the publishing industry, the European landscape and the output of the EU Open Science Conference 4-5 April.

To make possibilities and opportunities for libraries more concrete, the experiences of the Access to Research Project in the UK will be shared with us. This will doubtlessly give food for discussion about what different stakeholders such as libraries and publishers can do to build bridges between scientific information and the wider audience.

15.00 Coffee Break

15.30 Closing session
Wrap up by Bert Mulder, day chair
On the Road to next year: Jukka Relander, EBLIDA President

The Conference website is now up and running and will be progressively fed with updated information.
Please be sure to keep an eye on it, and don’t hesitate to contact us, should you have any question.

Early registration fee (before 31st March)
- EBLIDA or NAPLE members: € 60
- non members: € 70
- students : € 30

Standard registration fee (from 1st April):
- EBLIDA or NAPLE members: € 75
- non members: € 85
- students : € 35

EBLIDA-LIST is a general mailing list intended to foster communications between EBLIDA, its membership and members of the European library community. The goal is to facilitate information exchange as well as professional communication and development within the EBLIDA community. Subsribe today!

Events and Dates

February

February 10 – 13, IFLA Management & Marketing Section Mid-Term Meeting
Place: Madrid, Spain
Sponsor/Organizer: IFLA Management & Marketing Section
URL: http://www.iflamm.ie.edu/

February 15 – 16, Researcher-to-Reader Conference (R2RConf, formerly Association of Subscription Agents and Intermediaries (ASA) Conference)
Place: London, UK
Sponsor/Organizer: Organizing Committee
URL: http://r2rconf.com/

February 17, Using Open Source in Your Institution (NISO Virtual Conference)
Place: Online only
Sponsor/Organizer: National Information Standards Organization (NISO)
URL: http://www.niso.org/news/events/2016/virtual_conference/feb17_virtualconf/

February 18 – 22, Brussels Book Fair (Foire du Livre)
Place: Brussels, Belgium
Sponsor/Organizer: Exhibition Management
URL: http://flb.be/en/book-fair/

February 21 – 23, International Conference on Bioinformatics Models, Methods and Algorithms (BIOINFORMATICS 2016)
Place: Rome, Italy
Sponsor/Organizer: Institute for Systems and Technologies of Information, Control and Communication(INSTICC)
URL: http://www.bioinformatics.biostec.org/Home.aspx

February 21 – 23, 9th International Conference on Health Informatics (HEALTHINFORMATICS 2016)
Place: Rome, Italy
Sponsor/Organizer: Institute for Systems and Technologies of Information, Control and Communication(INSTICC)
URL: http://www.healthinf.biostec.org/

February 22, IFLA Rare Books and Special Collections Section (RBSCS) Mid-Term Meeting: "A common international standard for rare materials cataloguing? Why? And how?"
Place: Lisbon, Portugal
Sponsor/Organizer: IFLA Rare Books and Special Collections Section (RBSCS)
URL: http://www.ifla.org/node/10025

February 22 – 25, 11th International Digital Curation Conference
Place: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Sponsor/Organizer: Digital Curation Centre (DCC)
URL: http://www.dcc.ac.uk/events/idcc16

February 23, Introduction to Journals Publishing
Place: London, UK
Sponsor/Organizer: Association of Learned & Professional Society Publishers (ALPSP)
URL: http://www.alpsp.org/Events-Training/Introduction-to-Journals-Publishing/30626

February 23 – 24, Streaming Forum 2016
Place: London, UK
Sponsor/Organizer: Information Today, Inc.
URL: http://www.streaming-forum.com/2016/default.aspx

February 25 – 28, 17th international Vilnius Book Fair
Place: Vilnius, Lithuania
Sponsor/Organizer: Lithuanian Exhibition Centre “Litexpo”
URL: http://vilniausknygumuge.lt/en

February 27 – 29, 7th International Conference on Information Visualization Theory and Applications (IVAPP 2016)
Place: Rome, Italy
Sponsor/Organizer: Institute for Systems and Technologies of Information, Control and Communication (INSTICC)
URL: http://www.ivapp.visigrapp.org/

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