   
Section on Government Information and Official PublicationsIFLA Annual Report, September 1999 through August 2000ScopeThe Section promotes the discovery, collection, bibliographic control, preservation and dissemination of information from and about governments, inter-governmental organizations and public non-governmental organizations.MembershipThe Section has 20 standing committee members and 2 corresponding members.Section membership stands at approximately 120 members. Officers
Information CoordinatorJane M. Wu, Information Coordinator, (1999-2002)Chief Librarian, David Lubin Memorial Library Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Viale delle Terme di Caracalla 00100 Rome ITALY Tel 39 06 5705 3703 Fax 39 06 5705 2002 Email: jane.wu@fao.org MeetingsThe Standing Committee held two meetings at the Annual Conference in Jerusalem. Fifteen committee members attended the meeting. Several subcommittees, including the Conferences Subcommittee, Publications Subcommittee, Seminars Subcommittee, and the Eastern European Development Subcommittee met separately during the course of the conference. Committee work centered on outstanding projects and planning for the Boston 2001 conference.ProjectsProjects completed
Several projects are ongoing.
PublicationsScientific and Practical Seminar. The Role of Libraries in Ensuring Public Access to Official Publications and Government Information. 24-27 May, 1999, Russian State Library, Moscow, Russian Federation Published electronically and available on the Russian State Library web site at URL: http://www.rsl.ru/e_new1_8.htm.
GIOPS Position Paper, as Approved by GIOPS, Jerusalem, 2000. Newsletter, October 2000. It will be posted on IFLANet. Conference ProgramsOpen Session: The Section's program theme in Jerusalem was "2000 Years of Government Information." It was well attended and generated a significant amount of discussion among the attendees. Four papers were given.
Abstract Israel does not have a long tradition or commitment to ensure access to government information. Historically, the contrary has always been true: no policy plan, no legislation, and no public discourse were created to encourage access to government information. Ministries and government agencies, such as the State Archive, always perceived the information gathered within their institution as their own. The first legislative steps to assure access government information came in 1981 in the form of the Privacy Protection Law, but implementation of the law was practically nonexistent until recently, and even now it is deficient. In such a reality the population never created a demand for information. The public was submissive to this approach, and no objections were voiced against censorship in the press of against withholding of information by the government. The 1990s saw an increased demand for a more comprehensive information policy and to enhanced access to government information. This can be attributed to several factors, among them the Oslo Peace Accords, signed in 1993, the lobbying efforts of the Coalition of Freedom of Information, which brought to the passing of the Freedom of Information Law in 1998, and by the desire to join the international community and comply with standards set in international treaties. As a result, the 1990s have seen an abundance of committees, reports, web sites, and legislation meant to regulate government information. Israel is now seriously considering for the first time, the need for a comprehensive information policy, and is coping with principles of freedom of information and with government controlled databases. A lot still needs to be done, and many areas are being overlooked, among them the vital role of libraries as a channel between Government and the public. 2. Controlling government: the people and the rule of law. Le contrôle du gouvernement : le peuple et l'autorité de la loi. ROBERTA I. SHAFFER (Graduate School of Library and Information Science, University of Texas, Austin, Texas, USA). URL: http://www.ifla.org/IV/ifla66/papers/046-160e.htm Abstract This paper will briefly review how various cultures-ancient and modern-have used the power of publication, and the methods that they have employed in the context of the technology available to them and the ability of their people to understand the laws as promulgated. It will take a brief look at selected jurisdictions to compare and contrast how government information transformed or stymied innovation and social change. 3. The World Bank: partner and provider of development information. La Banque Mondiale: Partenaire et producteur d'information pour le développement. PAMELA TRIPP-MELBY (Joint Bank Fund Library of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, Washington DC, USA) URL: http://www.ifla.org/IV/ifla66/papers/019-160e.htm Abstract The World Bank Group is a non-profit international organization founded in 1945 which provides loans, grants, and development assistance to developing countries. Through a new concept, the Comprehensive Development Framework, the World Bank seeks to make a wide variety of people and groups in borrowing countries full partners in the design of projects in order to enhance development aid effectiveness. The World Bank seeks further to involve partners in the launching of a new Internet portal site, The Global Development Gateway, which would bring together collaborators on the best of development knowledge. Other information initiatives underway to share the World Bank's global development expertise include the Archives of Development project, the World Development Sources, and others available via the organization's web site. 4. Judaic law in an Internet world. La loi a l'age de l'Internet. ROBIN TREISTMAN (Knesset Website, Knesset Library, Hakirya, Jerusalem). URL: http://www.ifla.org/IV/ifla66/papers/020-160e.htm Abstract As the Internet becomes more central in the daily life of the individual, the question arises how have various sociological groups adapted to this change. Specifically, this paper will deal with how those adhering to "ancient Jewish law" relate to the Internet and its related issues. What will be covered is a summary of the development of Judaic law, how it views something considered "neutral", and how various groups of observant Jews use or prohibit the use of the Internet. Workshop: The Section also sponsored a very well received half-day, hands-on workshop on "Government Information on the Web." The Graduate School of Library Science at Hebrew University graciously provided outstanding facilities, technical support, and refreshments for the workshop attendees. Topics covered included a basic introduction to the World Wide Web, a lesson in search engines, and a tour of Web sites of governments, parliaments and international organizations. Time was allowed for individual exploration of the sites. The section developed a web site for the workshop, Government Information on the Internet: a Primer, which is available at http://www.libraries.psu.edu/crsweb/docs/ifla/internet/primer.htm. Author
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