Section on Library and Research Services for Parliaments

10.45-12.45: Section Informal Meeting

16.00-18.00: Opening session (afternoon) and Opening party (evening)


18 August (Tuesday)

8.30-10.50 Section Open Meeting: The following papers will be presented:

The modernisation project of the Chilean Library of Congress - Mrs. Marialyse Delano
The role of committees of Members in provision of library and information services - Ms. Katalin Haraszti
Research and analytical services for national legislatures: - some preliminary thoughts - Mr William H. Robinson

Section Workshop in the Hague (Second Chamber of the Netherlands Parliament)

08.30: Coaches will leave from the hotels in Amsterdam.
16.30: The workshop ends and coaches will return to Amsterdam.

PROGRAM

• Workshop of the Government Information and Official Publications Section on "Use of the Internet to access government information and information about governments"

• Workshop of the National Libraries on "Legal Deposit of electronic materials"

• Section Dinner. The Section dinner will be by invitation of the Second Chamber. All section members and their partners are invited. We had planned a buffet on a boat touring the canals, but party boats can not have more than 50 guests, so we have arranged a boat trip on the canals followed by a dinner in an Amsterdam restaurant.

• Study tours and library visits (all day)

• [library receptions (evening)]

08.00-9.50 Section Standing Committee II (All Section Members encouraged to attend)

In the appendix you will find registration forms for the conference and hotels. Most of the Section Members have booked in the Park Hotel or TerDam hotel where we had block bookings till the first of May. Please send your Conference and Hotel registration forms to Congrex. The registration form for the workshop in the Second Chamber should be sent to Jan Keukens.

If you arrive at Amsterdam Central Station by train, you can take tram no 1 or 2 to Park or TerDam hotels, leaving the tram at Leidseplein or Stadhouderskade. The tram from Central Station to either hotel will take 15 minutes. A cab will cost somewhere between 20 and 25 guilders.

If you arrive at Schiphol Airport you can take the train to Amsterdam Central Station. They run at about 10 minute intervals and the trip will take about 20 minutes

You will find more information on the conference on http://www.ifla.org/IV/ifla64/64intro.htm

4. Annual Report, September 1996-August 1997 - Section on Library and Research Services for Parliaments

Scope Statement:

The Section on Library and Research Services for Parliaments recognises the central role that information must play in the effective functioning of a democratic legislature. In some cases, the parliamentary library includes a research service; in others there is a separate department which provides research and analysis for legislatures. Moreover these services are provided to national legislatures in unitary states, and to both national and regional legislatures in countries with a federal system of government. The activities undertaken by those who provide library and research services for parliaments range from the identification, location, interpretation, synthesis, and timely delivery of information to in-depth analysis and development of choices for the legislature.

In addition to the library skills of acquisition, indexing, reference work and the use of information technology, there is often a need for subject and disciplinary expertise, significant presentational skills and an understanding of legislative procedures and official publications. The concept of service to members of the legislature, the primary clientele, is fundamental to parliamentary libraries and research services.

Membership:

The membership of the Section in July 1997 was 104 compared with 102 in July 1996. The 104 members comprised 73 parliamentary libraries, 3 associations of parliamentary libraries (APLA, APLIC, and NCSL - US National Conference of State Legislatures), 3 national libraries (that are not also parliamentary libraries), 13 library associations, 2 international organisations (IPU and UN), 7 individuals, 2 university libraries and one other organisation

Officers:

The 13^th Annual International Conference of Parliamentary Librarians was held in Stockholm on 27 and 28 August 1997. For details see under "Other events" below.

The Section conducted the following meetings during the Copenhagen Conference:
Standing Committee I (37 attendees, 26 countries) and II, (54 attendees, 33 countries);
Special Meeting on Research (47 attendees from 31 countries);
Open Meeting (73 attendees from 47 countries);
Informal Meeting, including reports from regional associations - 58 attendees, 36 countries
Full Day Workshop (104 attendees)
Participation in joint forum on "Copyright and Electronic Data".

Projects:

Four projects, all related to publications, are currently being completed by the Section.

a. Parliamentary Libraries in Latin America, the Caribbean, and Iberia.
This publication is based on papers presented at the pre-meeting in Costa Rica and subsequently updated and extended. All the chapters are now complete and the Spanish version is expected to be published in 1998 by either the Parliament of Mexico or the Parliament of Costa Rica. An English translation is planned for later publication in 1998.

b. Parliamentary Libraries and Research Services of Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union.
The text of this publication is complete except for the overview and summary table. Saur will publish it in the autumn of 1998.

c. Translations of Guidelines for Legislative Libraries
An updated and extended version of this publication is available in 5 languages:

Spanish: published in the IFA professional series in Sept/Oct 1997;
French: in the same series;
Russian: will be published by the Duma in 1998;
German: published by the Bundestag, which also provided the translation;
Arabic: published by the King Fahd National Library of Saudi Arabia.

It is anticipated that a new English edition, with the same updating and additional information, will be published in 1998, perhaps by Saur.

d. Parliamentary Libraries of Asia and the Pacific.
This publication edited by Rob Brian, (N.S.W., Australia) from the papers prepared for the Beijing Conference, has been published by Saur.

Publications:
Apart from the publications mentioned elsewhere in this report, the Section has two international directories, The World Directory of National Parliamentary Libraries, currently in its 6th edition, and the World Directory of Parliamentary Libraries of Federated States and Autonomous Territories, of which one edition has been published. Marga Coing (German Bundestag) published the current edition of these in an electronic format on the Internet at the end of 1997. This will allow online updating.
The location is http://www.bundestag.de/btengver/library/wd.htm
One of the members of the Standing Committee will arrange to print a limited number of hard copy directories for the benefit of countries not linked to the Internet.

Parliamentary libraries and information services of Asia and the Pacific: papers prepared for the 62nd IFLA conference Beijing, China August 25 -31, 1996/ Ed. by Rob Brian under the auspices of the Section of Libraries and Research Services for Parliaments.- München: Saur, 1997. - 106 p. (IFLA publications; 83) ISBN 3-598-21808-7.

Guide practique a l'usage des bibliotheques législatives : version francaise, mise a jour, de Guidelines for legislative libraries edité par Dermot Englefield / Traduction par Guy Archambault. Editeur: Ernst Kohl. - La Haye : Federation Internationale des Associations de Bibliothecaires et des Bibliotheques, 1997. -XVI, 145 p. (IFLA professional reports ; 51) ISBN 90-70916-61-4

Leitfaden für Parlamentsbibliotheken: mit einem Anhang über die Wissenschaftlichen Fachdienste von Parlamenten/beareitet und hrsg. von Ernst Kohl, Internationaler Verband der bibliothekarischen Vereine und Institutionen.- Bonn. Deutscher Bundestag, Wissenschaftliche Dienste, 1997 - XXIV, 228p. ISBN 3-89372-016-2

Lineamientos para bibliotecas legislativas / Editor: Ernst Kohl. Traduccion a cargo de Dulce Maria Liahut Baldomar. - La Haya: Secretariado de la IFLA, 1997. - XVIII, 136 p., 30 cm. (Informes profesionales de IFLA: 53) Titulo de la version en Ingles: Guidelines for legislative libraries / ed. by Dermot Englefield.- Munchen; New Providence; London; Paris: K.G. Saur, 1993. - (IFLA Publications; 64) ISBN 90-70916-63-0

'Idara al maktabat al barlamanya. Arabic version of the Guidelines published by the King Fahd National Library of Saudi Arabia.

The Section Publishes a Circular Newsletter each May and November, edited by the Secretary.

New Section Brochures in four languages and in colour were prepared for the 1997 Conference to update information about the section for the benefit of members and IFLA attendees.

Conference Programmes:

Open Meeting:

The papers for the Open Meeting were all published in IFLA Booklet No I and have been available in English, French, German and Spanish on the Section Home Page on the Internet http://www.citec.com.au/iflaparl since before the Conference.

1. The Parliament's need for free access to information: possible barriers and practical solutions by Rob Brian, Parliament of the State of New South Wales, Australia (IFLA Ref 003-PAR-1-E)

Rob Brian gave an electronic presentation of his paper. His slides included discussion on the "Legislator's Requirements" which he listed as access to information, access to research and the attributes that this information and research should be free, relevant, accurate, timely and impartial. His "Barriers" slide included lack of adequate staff, lack of an adequate collection, and lack of adequate equipment. "Solutions" were adequate funding, attracting highly qualified and experienced librarians, attracting highly qualified research staff, training and development, collection development (subdivided into books, journals, CD-ROMs and databases), legal deposit (of printed material, microforms, audiovisual/multimedia material, computer disks, CD-ROMs and on-line databases) and copyright law, where he advocated special provision for parliamentarians such as no limits on photocopying and the right to copy from TV and radio. He then discussed the use of the Internet which requires a personal computer, a printer, a modem, a telephone line and a service provider. Publishing on the Net can cover parliamentary debates, legislation, the daily business of the parliament and the "Votes and Proceedings". The two key benefits of good access to information are first, better informed legislators who make better laws, who need to make fewer corrections, who save money and who get re-elected; and also a better informed electorate who are then more likely to elect a good Government. Finally he suggested that the role of parliamentary librarians was to work tirelessly to obtain the necessary resources, to value their staff, to set goals, to negotiate a Guarantee of Service, to produce a Corporate Plan and to deliver.

2. New Developments in Library Services and Technology: Modernisation of Information Services of the Parliamentary Library of the Czech Republic by Karel Sosna, Parliamentary Library, Parliament of the Czech Republic (IFLA Ref 077-PAR-2-E)

During Karel Sosna's presentation he gave details of the project to create an electronic library for the Czech Republic. One of the stages of the project was to send a questionnaire to 37 parliamentary libraries of which 22 replied. Questions following the presentation included retrospective cataloguing, relations with other libraries in the Czech Republic, especially the National Library and science libraries, and the effect of being a UN deposit library.

3. New developments in Parliamentary research services and technology by Jacek Michalowski and Ewa Nawrocka, Research and Analysis Office, Senate of Poland (IFLA Ref 091-PAR-3-E)
This presentation was made by Ewa Nawrocka and included material obtained from a comparative study of 11 countries. Following this presentation there were questions on the use of outside consultants, return of material and dealing with "classified" material.

Workshop:

The Workshop was held in the Folketing, the Danish Parliament, on 4th September 1997. Topics covered included:

The Danish Parliament Library, Archives and Information Service: Annelise Quirstoff;
A Member's use of the Library: Ms Birthe Ronn Hornbech, MP of the Folketing
The Library's service to MPs: Ms Hanne Rasmussen;
Future plans for the Library of the Folketing: Elise Holt;
The website of the Folketing: Benny Hoyer;
Home Page, Section on Library and Research Services for Parliaments: Nick Bannenberg
Legislative Web Sites: Bruce Davidson;
Digitising the Video Tape Archive, Queensland Parliamentary Library: Nick Bannenberg;
A Parliamentarian's use of the Internet: Mr Uffe Ellemann-Jensen, MP

Other events:

13th ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF PARLIAMENTARY LIBRARIANS, STOCKHOLM 27-28 August 1997

The Conference, held in the Riksdag, was attended by 85 delegates from 45 countries, and opened by Ms Birgit Friggebo, Member of the Riksdag and Chairman of the Standing Committee on the Constitution.

Papers and presentations over the two days included:

The Administration of the Swedish Parliament;
The Division for Library and Research Services;
The Research Service;
Information Policy and Activities and Presentation of the Home Page;
Presentation of the Finnish Library and Research Service;
Presentation of the ECPRD Home Page;
The Icelandic Library and Information Service;
The Norwegian Library and Research Services;
75th Anniversary of the Cooperation of the Nordic Parliamentary Libraries;
The ELVIL project;
International IDEA (International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance)

Authors:
William Robinson and Jennifer Tanfield, Section Chairs.

Date:
5^th February 1998.

5. Publications

This section gives an overview of new relevant publications:

"The Guidelines for legislative libraries" has been published in Spanish with the title: Lineamentos para Bibliothecas Legislativas. The publication has been edited by Ernst Kohl and the translation is done by Dulce María Liahut Baldomar from the Paliamentary Library of Mexico. The publication is no 53 in the IFLA Professional Report Series.

Lineamentos para bibliotecas legislativas / Editor: Ernst Kohl. Traducción a cargo de Dulce María Liahut Baldomar.- la Haya: Secretariado de la IFLA, 1997. - XVIII, 136 p., 30 cm. (Informes Professionales de IFLA; 53) ISBN 90-70916-63-0 ISSN 0168-1931

The Arabic version of the Guidelines for Legislative Libraries has also been published. Edited by Ernst Kohl and published by the King Fahd National Library of Saudi Arabia. This means that we have the guidelines in 5 languages now: English, German, French, Spanish and Arabic. The Russian version is coming up.

Bill Robinson informed us that the World Encyclopedia of Parliaments and Legislatures has been published. The editor is George Thomas Kurian and the publisher is CQ Congressional Quarterly Incorporated in Washington. It is intended to be a basic reference source with chapters done by noted experts around the world. This 2-volume reference set has information on legislatures of 193 countries, as well as thematic essays on the European Parliament, Legislative Committees, Parliamentary Libraries, Parliaments for Central Europe etc. The price of the set is $ 289 plus $ 20 for shipping and handling. You may order the set by calling 1-800-638-1710 toll-free and requesting instructions or by sending an e-mail to the following address: bookhelp@cqalert.com.

Another standard work that has been published is Die Reichstagbibliothek zu Berlin: ein Spiegel deutscher Geschichte written by G. Hahn and published by Droste Verlag in Duesseldorf 1997. The book is over 700 pages and costs DM 198.

Everybody should be aware that the World Directory of National Parliamentary Libraries and the World Directory of Parliamentary Libraries of Federated States and Autonomous Territories has made available in electronic format by the German Bundestag: The URL is: http://www.bundestag.de//library/wd.htm

Update of the entries should be made by all Section members. Jennifer Tanfield has proposed in a message on the IFLAPARL listserv that each member of the Standing Committee should take on the responsibility for getting the entries of a geographical group of parliamentary libraries updated by the end of 1998. All reactions were in favour of Jennifer's proposal.

Most of the Research Papers of the House of Commons Library are now available on the Internet. To find the papers go to http://www.parliament.uk/commons/lib/research/rpintro.htm

Papers from January 1998 onwards will appear on this site within a few days of publication at Westminster. It may occasionally be necessary to withhold or delay Internet publication for copyright or other reasons, but subject to these exceptions, the collection will be comprehensive. It is expected that Internet publication will replace the international mailing of research papers.

List of recent publications from the United Kingdom Study of Parliament Group Westminster and Europe, P Giddings and G Drewry eds (1996), Macmillan, ISBN 033364980X

Parliamentary Accountability, P Giddings ed (1994), Macmillan, ISBN 033363201X
The House of Lords at Work, D Shell and D Beamish eds (1993), Oxford University Press, ISBN 019-827762-8
Parliamentary Questions, M Franklin and P Norton eds (1993), Oxford University Press, ISBN 019-827317-7
Parliament and International Relations, C Carstairs and R Ware eds (1991), Open University Press, ISBN 0335096980
Parliament and Pressure Politics, M Rush ed (1990), Oxford University Press, ISBN 019-827576-5
The Study of Parliament Group: The First Twenty-One Years, D Englefield (1985), Study of Parliament Group, ISBN 0 9510485 0 3

Publication on Parliamentary Libraries and Information Services of Western Europe
Jennifer Tanfield has taken the initiative to produce an up-to-date book on parliamentary libraries and information services in Western European Countries. The Nordic countries are being covered by a separate publication and Central and Eastern Europe is covered by the book to be published by Saur shortly. The ECPRD has given permission for the update of its publication "Parliamentary Libraries and Information Services" which was published by the Italian Camera dei Deputati for ECPRD in 1990. The Camera dei Deputati have offered to publish the new edition in English, French and Italian as before. If any colleague is prepared to take responsibility for translation into an additional IFLA language, particularly German and Spanish, Jennifer will undertake to find a publisher for the additional version or versions. Western European Parliamentary Libraries were advised of the project on 2nd March and asked to provide updated information. Texts are to be forwarded to Jennifer Tanfield by the end of June 1998.

6. Announcements

Ian Matheson retired from the position of New Zealand Parliamentary Librarian on 17 April after 27 years of service in that library. His farewell reception was attended by over 100 people from Parliament, and he received personal messages from over 20 Parliamentary Library colleagues. All colleagues who met Ian at IFLA conferences from 1982 will remember his professional skills, his contribution to the discussions and his kind and modest personality. We will all miss him. Ruth MacEachern, who you will remember from the Copenhagen Conference is Acting Parliamentary Librarian. Pleasance Purser who represented New Zealand in Beijing, will attend the conference and pre conference in Amsterdam and Brussels.

Christine Geirsottes has been appointed the new Parliamentary Librarian in Iceland. We hope that she will be able to attend the Pre-Conference in Brussels.

7. STANDING COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND CORRESPONDING MEMBERS

8. E-MAIL (and FAX) ADDRESSES

IFLA HQ, The Hague the Netherlands IFLA.HQ@ifla.nl fax: 31-70-3834827

The following is an alphabetical list of colleagues who have attended recent Conferences. The information is included to assist continuing contact. Most will also appear under the country listing on the Section's Home Page. If you are able to correct or update any of these entries, please send an e-mail or fax to Jan Keukens.

9. Appendices

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