PRACTICING INTERNATIONAL LIBRARIANSHIP AT THE WORLD BANK GROUP Presented by Marion A. Richards Head, World Bank Group Library Washington, DC Inter-Agency Meeting of the UN Library and Information Network for Knowledge Sharing (UN-LINKS) Paris, France November 28-30, 2011
Why the Topic Initially an update of my presentation in Delft two years ago 2009 World Bank Group Library s support to operational staff. Relationship (internal & external): International Monetary Fund; others. Recent Events New perspectives on our work as members of development agencies. Video on international librarianship for an online course at Kent State University. It is the nature of our work.
WBG Library Library & Archives of Development(LAD) One of 3 units. Archives+ Internal Documents Unit + Library 60 staff globally, including Kenya. Library Network One of 5 libraries in the Library Network serving WBG and the IMF Board Resource Center; Joint Bank-Fund Library; Law Resource Center (WB); Law Library (IMF) and World Bank Group Library Each library focuses on a particular sector of the organizations business.
Mission of WBG Library Support the information and research needs of the institution by providing quality and reliable resources at multiple points of access. enabling staff to carry out Bank Group s business with minimal reputational risk to the organization or its clients. Realign our strategy with the priorities of the organization.
What is International Librarianship Some perspectives of International Librarianship Library profession practiced in other countries. The standardization of Chinese bibliography; University libraries in West Africa; Public libraries in Nigeria; Library and information services in Bermuda; Indonesian university libraries and their reference services; Rebuilding efforts in Haiti. Activities carried out among or between governmental or non-governmental institutions, organizations, groups or individuals of two or more nations, to promote, establish, develop, maintain and evaluate library, documentation and allied services: librarianship and the library profession generally, in any part of the world. Providing librarians around the world with a forum for exchanging ideas, promoting international cooperation, research and development in all field of library activity (IFLA). We are all international librarians!
Int l Librarianship & WBG Library Capacity in the Library Network Skills, knowledge and capacity to deliver programs that will have meaningful impact in client countries. Locally Recruited Staff Benefits of outpost librarians aligning the library s strategy to that of the parent institution. increased service across time zones. operational savings/cost efficiencies.
Enabling Infrastructure Hiring staff in country offices contributes to capacity building. Currently there is one in Nairobi, Kenya and we are in the process of recruiting two more in Delhi, India. The librarian in Cambodia recently relocated to HQ. Advantages of language skills and local knowledge of the community. Leverage access to hard to find resources. Penetrate networks and get access to materials published in the country or region. Eventually build a rich and unique collection contributing to the global knowledgebase of the World Bank. Librarians have a role in project work- interactions with project managers and Task Team Leaders. Presence of locally recruited staff (LRS) could be an enabler for project participation.
Our Offerings! Delivering training on the Bank s external resources Since 2000 visited 20+ countries and delivered sessions to external information professionals. Knowledge sharing. Discussion of memoranda of understanding and service level agreements with Hellen Nyabera. Invitation to Nairobi Bank Librarian to work with her on the Nairobi Slum Libraries project. Participation in workshops jointly organized by the UN and other agencies for library professionals in the country. Training on the Bank s open access, especially the Open Data Initiative. Bank hosted the 16th UN-HABITAT Workshop in September. Diaspora analogy
External Training provided Over 20 countries visited - some repeats. Azerbaijan (Baku) Russia (Moscow) Cambodia (Phnom Penh), Cameroon (Yaoundé) China (Beijing) Democratic Republic of Congo Egypt (Cairo, and Alexandria) Egypt Ghana (Accra) Honduras (Tegucigalpa) India (New Delhi) Kenya (Nairobi) Mexico (Mexico City) Philippines (Manila) Rwanda (Kigali) South Africa (Pretoria) Tanzania (Dar as Salam ) Thailand (Bangkok), Uganda (Kampala) Vietnam (Hanoi & Ho Chi Minh City)
Testing the Waters in Project Work Librarian in Cambodia approached by the Supreme National Economic Council (SNEC) in Cambodia for Technical Assistance to develop a 2 3 year library strategy for: i) raising capacity building ii) ensuring users access to the right information resources for informed decision making iii) leveraging increased use of the library by researchers and staff in all branches of the Ministry of Economic Affairs Draft proposal to World BanK. Librarian secured $20,000 from a Trust Fund for the project. Purchase of books selected by the SNEC librarians for $10,000. 2 SNEC library staff will receive basic library training at the Royal University of Phnom Penh. Additional funding to complete project. In depth study with future development of SNEC. Procurement of equipment, databases, furniture and further staff training.
Requests from Country Offices April 13, videoconference with Bank staff in the Juba Country Office. Outreach, knowledge sharing, and information needs seeking event to see what we could offer to the new nation of South Sudan. Insights/validation Disparity in information access between industrialized nations and developing countries and this is exacerbated with reference to fragile and conflict states. Sometimes electronic materials are an obstacle rather than a help. Request: WBG Library should commit to starting a dialogue with local libraries such as universities to see how we can contribute to capacity in this area, following years of conflict and war. We came away with a better sense of how to serve this client base.
Library for Timor Leste Country Manager for Timor Leste There is an extreme scarcity of books and written material. We have been considering in making our Public Information Center a small library open to the public. Can you offer any advice on how to do this? My staff at the PIC are very committed but very young Timorese with limited experience. We had two approaches: Expand the existing Public Information Center into a Library. Develop a strategy for information management in Timor Leste. Preference is for an enhanced PIC.
PIC/Library Objective: Enhance the PIC in the Dilli, WB office to be more accessible and useful to the public. Time Frame: To be completed by June 2012. Actions: Assess current situation of PIC and its services. Determine if library should hold only WBG collections or include other development institutions. Write project proposal with 2-3 options. Seek /confirm budget (CM to find resources based on options ). Implement project including training PIC staff. Team: Marion, Eliza, Claire and PIC staff. Funding: $15-20K.
Int l Library Community in Washington Meet & Greet April 13 P.M. (International Special Librarians' Day ) for international agency librarians in the Washington Metropolitan area. Representatives from: IADB, OPIC, USAID, US State Dept and Peace Corps. Also Library of Congress IMF. Meeting was knowledge sharing and it generated interest on future collaboration. Springboard discuss partnership World Bank Institute (WBI) to help new nations like South Sudan. The department is interested in our initiatives but have no funding to support us. They encouraged us to find external partners and suggested we submit a proposal with a Community of Practice component. They could develop video stories to help establish a web presence to their thematic audiences. Leveraging on this would give us exposure and access to potential partners.
Checklist of Progress How are We Doing So Far? Activities carried out among or between government, or non-governmental institutions, organizations, group. Librarianship and the library profession generally in any part of the world. Promoting, establishing, developing, maintaining and evaluating libraries.
Potential Partners World Bank Institute. Collaboration with other organizations especially on information management in South Sudan. International Development Agencies in Washington. INASP (International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications). INASP coordinator in Nairobi will involve Bank librarian in future activities. Research4Life visited LAD early this year.
Next Steps/Wish List What Else Should We Be Doing More training on Bank s external resources in client countries. Revisit the Cambodia project and make a case to include it in the country office PFM (Public Financial Management)Reform Program. Host internships and share knowledge with librarians from developing countries. Kudos to the Joint Bank Fund Library of the International Monetary Funding for organizing the Central Bank Librarians Workshop.
Footnote Consultant, Guy St.Claire conducting a study. Final report expected January 2012. The purpose of the study is to establish a clear focus for the Library & Archives of Development and its functions in order to have a library/archive of the future. And to map out a way forward for the 21 st Century.
World Bank Group Library Contact: LADevelopment@worldbank.org Telephone: 202-473-200 Skype: lad.ird.desk.1