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December 26, 2006
Public libraries in the 21st century
The Spanish publising house Trea has launched the book La biblioteca pública del siglo XXI: atendiendo clientes, movilizando personas (Public libraries in the 21st century: dealing with clients, mobilizing people), by Roser Lozano, manager of the Public Library in Tarragona. This new title will be a point of reference for librarians, as it deals with all the aspects that should be taken into account in the management of a modern public library. Roser Lozano has put in practice this contents in the library that she manages. Some of the themes in this monograph are change management, strategic planning, users or the quality of services. The book can be considered as a practical guide about libraries management as it gives information about how to give services, deal with users, or make tools like services lists or procedure guides.
Permanent link: P.URL | Category: Public libraries | Published: December 26, 2006
December 21, 2006
IFLA/UNESCO Internet Manifesto Guidelines
IFLA/UNESCO Internet Manifesto Guidelines have been recently published (as well as their translation to spanish) by the Committee on Free Access to Information and Freedom of Expression (FAIFE). The Guidelines specify general principles held on the Manifesto by giving suggestions that try to help professionals of libraries and politicians. Its objective is to establish policies and practices for public access to information in public libraries. The contents of the Guidelines are arranged in 9 chapters: Principles of public access, Public libraries and other public access points, Users, Content, E-services, e-governance and e-democracy, Technological choices, Barriers, User training and Internet use policies.
Permanent link: P.URL | Category: Public libraries | Published: December 21, 2006
December 15, 2006
III Public Libraries National Meeting
The Spanish Department of Culture, through its Dirección General del Libro, Archivos y Bibliotecas (Department of Books, Archives and Libraries), in collaboration with the Autonomous Regions, Federación Española de Municipios y Provincias (Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Counties) and several foundations and professional associations, has organized the III Public Libraries National Meeting, that has been held in Murcia on November the 29th and 30th and December the 1st, with the slogan “the public Library, a citizen’s space”. The programme has been organized in three working sessions: “Public library, a sphere of learning”, “Public library, new spheres, emerging services”, and “Public library and the digital environment” where different papers, round table conferences, and experiences, both national and international, have been presented. Current themes on public libraries like information literacy, innovative architecture, the emerging services or the digital age have been discussed. Conclusions can be downloaded from the Department of Culture web site Travesía.
Permanent link: P.URL | Category: Public libraries | Published: December 15, 2006
December 11, 2006
Lulu.com, a new notion of publishing
The new company Lulu.com, set up in 2002 by Bob Young (one of the fathers of the successful Red Hat), reached Spain some months ago. Devoted to the publishing, buying and selling of digital products (books, music, pictures, and films), Lulu suggests a new model for the intermediaries to be removed in favour of the authors, who could choose the kind of licence and the final price for their work. The company will get a benefit of 20% over the profits. The initial expenditure for the author will be none. The previous evaluation of the contents and the censorship are dismissed as they consider that it is the market that determine the success or the failure of a work. The buying of this publications must be done through the web site.
Permanent link: P.URL | Category: Internet | Published: December 11, 2006
December 05, 2006
Balearic Libraries Law
The Balearic Islands, which didn't have an specific legislation for libraries before, have already a Libraries Law. The Law 19/2006 of November the 23rd for the library system in Balearic Islands covers the gap and establishes the basis for the creation and operation of the Balearic Libraries Network. The second title is devoted to Balearic Libraries System, integrated by Illes Balears Library, the Public Reading System, educational centers libraries (non-universities), university libraries, specialized libraries, and information centers. In the third title the Public Reading System is developed according to the Balearic Public Reading Map, island central libraries, city central libraries, reading rooms and public reading support services. Another important point in this law is the obligation for municipalities over 2,000 inhabitants to support a library.
Permanent link: P.URL | Category: Public libraries | Published: December 05, 2006
