Addressing persistent digital divides remains a key priority in internet governance policy dialogues and initiatives. Libraries bring valuable solutions, practices and lessons learned to this discussion – and the Dynamic Coalition on Public Access in Libraries (DC-PAL) continues to facilitate this learning and exchange within the Internet Governance Forum platforms. Read More
The 2021 Internet Governance Forum (IGF) took place in the week of 6 December. As always, this annual event offered libraries an opportunity to take part, listen in and contribute to crucial discussions shaping today’s digital environment. IFLA at the 2021 IGF As a member of the Dynamic Coalition on… Read More
A new working draft by IFLA and Electronic Information for Libraries (EIFL) explores insights about the uses and benefits of public access in libraries, emerging from recent reports and studies from different parts of the world, and the methodologies available for assessing these. Over the past decades, public access to… Read More
From digital inclusion to media literacy, libraries have long worked to help build a more equitable digital ecosystem that everyone could access and benefit from. Libraries’ expertise can offer valuable insights to today’s internet governance and policy discussions – and more and more informational professionals are joining these dialogues and platforms. Read More
Between 25 and 29 November 2019, IFLA participated in the 14th annual Internet Governance Forum meeting in Berlin. The key messages IFLA emphasised were the importance of policy support for public access in libraries, the role of libraries in enabling meaningful connectivity, and in generating meaningful internet content through digitisation efforts. Read More
Connecting libraries offers a great way of bringing more people online, and providing a space where they can develop the skills and confidence necessary to get the most out of the Internet. The new Public Access Policy Toolkit looks at the different policy areas where libraries may need to advocate to make this happen. Read More
The Public Access Policy Toolkit looks at the different policy areas where libraries may need to advocate to ensure that all our institutions can provide internet access to their users. With much progress still needed to ensure that all libraries are connected to the internet, IFLA has… Read More
The need to preserve the benefits of an open internet while finding means to address concerns about the way it works was high on the agenda at the 13th Internet Governance Forum, held in Paris from 12-14 November. IFLA was active, underlining how libraries do not only bring connectivity and training, but also essential values and skills to the discussion. Read More
With half the world's population still offline, the need for meaningful solutions to ensure that everyone has the possibility to connect is as high as ever. While traditional commercial provision will have a role, alternatives must also be mobilised, not least libraries. This was the message of an event co-organised by IFLA in the margins of the Internet Governance Forum in Paris on 13 November. Read More
IFLA will be attending this year's global Internet Governance Forum in Geneva, Switzerland, highlighting the role of libraries not only in giving people access to the Internet, but also in helping them build the skills and confidence to get the most out of it. Read More