IFLA, along with Electronic Information for Libraries (eIFL) and UNESCO, held an Interactive Facilitation Meeting on Open Access in Geneva, Switzerland on May 19th, as part of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Forum 2011. The meeting looked at the current achievements of… Read More
​ With the internet playing an increasing role in our economic, social and cultural lives, the importance of it being inclusive grows. IFLA’s new brief explains a new tool for assessing whether this is the case. UNESCO has recently published produced a set… 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
​ The Internet Governance Forum (IGF) is an important gathering for discussing how the internet works. Its multistakeholder approach allows for open discussion between civil society organizations from all over the world, businesses and government representatives. This year, IFLA is organising two events on… Read More
The Asia-Pacific regional Internet Governance Forum (APrIGF) is a key opportunity for stakeholders across Asia-Pacific to debate and look for consensus on issues around how the Internet works. The conference this year is being held in Vanuatu. This is the first time it will have come… Read More
WiFi4EU is an initiative of the European Commission which promises to expand significantly access to public WiFi around the European Union, with a budget of €120 million. Libraries are explicitly mentioned as beneficiaries. In order to ensure that the library field in… Read More
For around half of the world’s population, Internet connectivity is not a reality. Often, this is simply because there are no cables, or a good enough mobile signal, where they live. Cut off from information about jobs, education or healthcare, the lack of access risks compounding their marginalisation. A conference in Tempe, United States, looked at how library initiatives to provide 'offline Internet' can better help people bridge the information divide. Read More
Libraries guarantees people access to knowledge through literacy, innovation and creativity. Through the work of libraries, users young and old are empowered to discover, better their lives and stay safe online. They guarantee a strong and democratic society and they enable an open and informed citizenry. Read More