"Libraries and the fight against HIV/AIDS, poverty and corruption" takes up some of the big issues and major challenges facing the world today: the HIV/AIDS pandemic, poverty and corruption. Authors from Africa, Asia, Central America and the Caribbean, and Eastern Europe explore the role and responsibilities of libraries and information services, and how they can contribute to this fight.

 

The authors advocate the engagement of libraries in strong education efforts, implementation of information laws, awareness of the consequences of poverty and corruption, advocating transparency; and enhancing libraries’ position in society; and thus increasing the abilities of libraries’ successful participation in the fight for equal opportunities, transparency and better public health. In regard to all three themes, the authors draw our attention to the need to identify new responsibilities and values for the library profession.

 

The IFLA/FAIFE Theme Report 2006 tries to answer the question of why libraries and information services should place stronger emphasis on issues concerning the condition and constraint of the environment in which they are operating, and by doing so recognize their social responsibilities and their role as advocates of intellectual freedom and equal participation in an inclusive information and knowledge society.

 

The most important messages are that, libraries do indeed have a commitment to engage in the fight against HIV/AIDS, poverty and corruption; and information access and dissemination is a crucial factor in this fight. Information is the only vaccine that helps prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS; literacy is fundamental to the advancement of peoples’ lives, and transparency and access to information are vital factors in the control of corruption. Thus by facilitating freedom of access to information libraries contribute to making the world more equal.

 

This year’s report clearly demonstrates the need for libraries’ active involvement and support in the fight against HIV/AIDS, poverty and corruption.