Library Map of the World 2018 update

As we move forward with the Library Map of the World development, we would like to inform you about the upcoming activities in which we are going to need your engagement.

Data Submission Survey

Library Map of the World (LMW) 2018 Data Submission Survey will be open shortly and the LMW team will reach out to existing contributors and new countries with invitations to submit and update a country’s library data. In 2017, we were able to gather country-level basic library statistics from 105 countries across the world. In just six months since the launch, the LMW website has been visited by users from 183 countries. It is a remarkable success; however, we are looking forward to improving the quantity and quality of data, especially on the number of libraries as well as library service points providing Internet access. Reliable data on those two very basic library statistics is our priority as we start using the LMW website as the representative source of information for library advocacy, especially when demonstrating contribution of libraries to free access of information, technology and skills.

SDG Storytelling Manual

To provide guidance on how to tell compelling stories about library activities, project and programmes and their impact on communities and people’s lives, and to support sharing of stories that demonstrate contribution of libraries in achieving the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through the LMW SDG Stories platform, the LMW team worked together with IFLA’s International Advocacy Programme (IAP) and Associates of IFLA’s International Leaders Programme (ILP), to prepare the SDG Storytelling Manual. During the next couple of weeks, the Manual will be released, and an electronic submission form will be opened to facilitate the submission of SDG stories for publication on the LMW website. We will then be looking forward to receiving at least one SDG story from each IAP participant country as well as will welcome librarians and library advocates from all countries to submit their stories for the LMW website. We are aiming at having more stories from more countries online to support our joint library advocacy within the UN 2030 Agenda.

LMW Country Pages

The next big step in the LMW development is the opening of the LMW Country Pages in August this year, during the IFLA WLIC 2018 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Each country will have its separate country page that will include information about libraries and the library field in the respective country. During the next couple of months, the LMW team will reach out to existing contributors and new countries with invitation to submit the necessary information for their country pages, e.g. brief description of the library field, list of organisations, information about the library legislation, and LIS education. There will be an interim deadline for submission of this data at the end of June for those countries who would want to see their country page fully populated with information at the launch during WLIC 2018.

More information will follow from the LMW team and we look forward to working with you this year as we are developing the LMW website to be a truly representative source of basic library statistics around the world, as well as powerful advocacy tool at all levels.

Gerald Leitner
IFLA Secretary General