Section on Library Buildings and Equipment

Annual Report 2000

Scope Statement

The Section considers all matters concerning the design and construction for all types of libraries in all parts of the world, and their furnishing and equipment. The Section aims to collect and disseminate knowledge about buildings and equipment in order to increase this knowledge among librarians. It also aims to establish better contacts between librarians and architects by creating the conditions under which it will be possible for each of them to understand the other's language, by promoting an exchange of experiences between librarians and architects.

Membership

The Section has a membership of 142.

Standing Committee

Mr. Jean-Marie Arnoult, France
Ms. Marie-Françoise-Bisbrouck, France
Mr. Barton M. Clark, USA
Ms. Joan F. de Beer, South Africa
Ms. Sharon Gause, USA
Ms. Olga N. Kulish, Russian Federation
Mr. Andrew McDonald, United Kingdom
Ms. Maria José Moura, Portugal
Ms. Hellen Niegaard, Denmark
Mr. Sven Nilsson, Sweden
Ms. Barbara Schneider-Esslinger, Germany
Mr. C. David Warren, USA

Officers

Mr. Barton M. Clark, Chair and Treasurer (2000- )
Ms. Joan F. de Beer, Secretary (1999- )
Mr. David Warren, Chair (1999-2000)
Ms. Marie-Françoise-Bisbrouck, Treasurer (1999-2000)

Standing Committee Meetings

The Committee met twice at the Jerusalem Conference, August 12th and 18th, 2000. At the August 12th meeting, Ross Shimmon, Secretary-General of IFLA, opened the meeting and welcomed all. Ross Shimmon explained that it had been a difficult and unfortunate year for the Section on Library Buildings and Equipment, with the resignation of the Chairman (C. David Warren) and the Treasurer (Marie-Françoise Bisbrouck).

Ross Shimmon asked that those present at the meeting nominate a treasurer and chairman or chairman/treasurer for election. Barton Clark was elected to serve as Chairman/Treasurer for the rest of the term, until after the Boston conference and to arrange the pre-conference seminar.

Barton Clark informed the members that the last Newsletter of the Section had been issued in 1997 and suggested that the Newsletter should be resumed. Helen Niegaard agreed to edit the Newsletter.

At the August 18th meeting Barton welcomed everyone and reported that the Section's money had been partly handed over to IFLA Headquarters. The money, which was still outstanding, had been invested and would be turned over to IFLA Headquarters as soon as it became available. Barton Clark reported that he had spoken to IFLA Headquarters and asked for some flexibility with the money of the Section in the light of the problems that had been experienced.

The Boston Programme

It was determined that Security in Library Buildings would be the theme for the Open Session at the Boston Conference.

In spite of the late start, the Committee decided to go ahead with the 12th Buildings Seminar. Both Boston and New York were discussed as possible sites. The theme of the Seminar is to be "Future Places: Reinventing Libraries in the Digital Age." The proposal developed by the Committee is as follows:

As libraries move into the digital age, their role is constantly being challenged. Obviously, the digital revolution is seriously affecting library facilities: both existing and proposed. Library space will need to be designed to accommodate computer workstations, scanning equipment, and other user-driven technologies, as well as accommodate network servers, and other storage and delivery technologies required to provide access to digital information. However, other forces of change must be considered in library facility planning. Many new services, such as distance learning are affecting library facility needs, and the role of the library as cultural center and icon is becoming more prevalent. In the midst of these changes, traditional library services remain and continue to place demands upon library space. Facilities must be able to accommodate these traditional elements, which are associated with paper format resources, as this format will continue to play a significant role in library collections for the next several decades. The digital promise has not removed the need for planning the housing for ever-expanding paper format collections. It is necessary for traditional elements to coexist peacefully with those resources created by advances in technology. The essential element in this transition to planning for the digital age is flexibility of space. This seminar will examine the impacts of new and traditional services upon the library facility within the contexts of new buildings and the renovation of older facilities.

Conference Program in Jerusalem, 2000

The Conference Program was developed and chaired by Hellen Niegaard.

"Libraries for the 21st Century: How to Transform Planning Visions and Building Programmes into Successful Libraries, Useful for both Users and Staff"

"Transforming a National Library for a Wider World", Erland Kolding Nielsen (Royal Library, Copenhagen, Denmark)
"Bodibeng: to Quench the People's Thirst from the Lake of Knowledge: Creating Bodibeng Community Library in Soshanguve, South Africa," Louise Mayer (Library and Information Services, Northern Pretoria Metropolitan Substructure, South Africa)
"Portuguese Public Libraries: a Silent Revolution," Ana Runkel (Public Library of Oeiras, Oeiras, Portugal)

Publications

Intelligent Library Buildings: Proceedings of the Tenth Seminar of the Ifla Section on Library Buildings and Equipment. Edited by Marie-Françoise-Bisbrouck and Marc Chauveinc.

The manuscript for the Proceedings of the 11th Seminar of the Ifla Section on Library Buildings and Equipment, as of the Jerusalem Conference, has been submitted to Headquarters for publication.

Latest Revision: May 14, 2001