Tietolinja

Tietolinja
News 1/1999


EDITORIAL

ARTICLES


Now We Have a Basis for Library Strategy in Europe

Mirja Ryynänen


The European Parliament adopted the first library policy paper in the European Union on 23rd October 1998. There have been some earlier reports and resolutions, but they have concentrated more in single topics as computerising libraries. The most significant of the reports led to founding the Telematics for Libraries programme in 1991.

This report is stressing, that the status and the financing of libraries must be re-thought in the information society (IS). If we see, that information and knowledge will be the most important resources, we have to put information skills and access to information into focus. To maintain democracy and to avoid the dualism between the information rich and the information poor some equal level in these must be granted to all citizens.

Libraries will here be parallel to schools and media. When the basic skills shall be teached in schools, and the daily information and knowledge flow is available via media, the library is there to answer individual questions. In the IS libraries will be more central than they were in the industrial society.

When libraries are getting more and more significant role in information access, they do not loose their interest towards their cultural role. In opposite: to be capable in the information society a human being/person needs to understand and there a.o. literature, fiction, music etc. is essential.

The report has two main political messages. First, the new role of libraries must be taken in consideration in the IS strategies and budgets, too, both on European, national and local level! Secondly, the voice of users must also be heard when deciding finally about the European Union draft directive on harmonising copyright. The report stresses that the balance between interests must be maintained. It also notices the cumulating nature of knowledge, compared with physical objects: to create something new the author must know what has been created before him/her. This connection must not be cut by too tight copyright rules.

For the first time this report is considering, what could be done in library matters on the European level. Some examples of the decisions: Possibilities to found a library institute to educate professionals and to co-ordinate co-operation must be cleared up. It also suggests to open the EU information and culture budget to libraries. Several decisions about library projects in the 5th framework programme were made. These include different forms of co-operation in e.g. licensing matters, standardisation, permanent paper, networking between European libraries etc.

Recommendations to the member states were made, too. Among these there were digitising the most precious literature, pictures etc, to maintain and promote national culture and recommendation about chargeless library services in public libraries in the spirit of the UNESCO Library Manifesto. A hot political discussion about access to important public information via libraries is touched: a recommendation was made about this. It was recommended to cheek if electronic and network forms would be the most advantageous.

What are the next steps? According to the answer by the European, Commission it will Continue from this report directly to a Communication. This seems to men that that the Green Paper on the Role of Libraries in the Information Society will remain unfinished. It was said that the discussion after my report has already fulfilled the need which the Green Paper would have served. A Communication means more detailed and concrete actions. It is already under work in the General Directorate XM.

As to the future role of European Parliament and the reception of this report I am convinced that now them is much greater consciousness of the great potential of libraries in the Information Society. The great majority of the interventions and reactions by the members during the process have been very positive and constructive. The few doubts concern the role of the EU. The opponents of the EU want to have library issues only dealt with at the national level and don't want the EU have any role not even in the form of recommendations. Personally 1 am very convinced of urgent need and the great possibilities of the European co-operation in this field has only been strengthened during the process.

Mrs. Mirja Ryynänen,
Member of European Parliament
Email: e-mail MRyynanen@europarl.au.int


REPORT on the Green Paper on the Role of Libraries in the Modern World. Committee on Culture, Youth, Education and the Media. Rapporteur: Mrs Mirja Ryynänen. 25.6.1998 A4-0248/98.
http://www.lib.hel.fi/syke/english/publications/report.htm

Tietolinja News 1/1999