[InetBib] IFLA Vorkonferenz "The Homeless and the Libraries -The Right to Information and Knowledge For All"

[Elke Greifeneder <greifeneder@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Liebe Kollegen und Kolleginnen,

Die IFLA-Sektion » Library Services to People with Special Needs« möchte 
Sie hiermit zu ihrer Vorkonferenz zur IFLA 2012 zum Thema "The Homeless 
and the Libraries - The Right to Information and Knowledge For All" 
einladen. Die Vorkonferenz findet in der Tallinn Central Library am 10. 
August 2012 statt. Mit der Fähre kommt man von Helsinki problemlos in 
zwei Stunden nach Tallinn.

Mit freundlichen Grüßen
Elke Greifeneder
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Program Announcement: Please share with colleagues and please forgive 
duplicate postings.

Colleagues from around the world are invited to participate in the 
Satellite Program sponsored by IFLA's Library Services to People with 
Special Needs (LSN) Section and Tallinn Central Library in Tallinn, Estonia.

In 1990 the American Library Association approved Policy #61, Library 
Services to the Poor. This policy was created based on the belief that 
“it is crucial that libraries recognize their role in enabling poor 
people to participate fully in a democratic society, by utilizing a wide 
variety of available resources and strategies.” The policy, overseen by 
ALA’s Office for Literacy and Outreach Services, includes sixteen 
objectives to accomplish this goal, from promoting food drives to 
eliminating fees for those who can’t afford to pay them, as well as 
creating low-income programs and services.

The “Poor People’s Policy,” as Policy #61 is called, is a statement of 
belief and a list of general tenets that all libraries are encouraged to 
adopt, similar to the Library Bill of Rights. However, as Sanford Berman 
described in a 2006 article in "Street Spirit," the Poor People’s Policy 
has not been accepted as widely as that older document. Berman’s 
observations on the tension between library ideals and reality are an 
insightful and passionate reflection of our profession’s unintentional 
hypocrisy. Library services, in general, serve the haves and exclude the 
have-nots, a circumstance he labels “classism.” Examples of classism 
include the small number of libraries carrying major serials on homeless 
issues; the fact that libraries in the lowest income areas are often 
open the fewest hours; and policies and laws banning “offensive body 
odor,” bathing, or sleeping.

How do librarians measure the impact of what they do?  What have we 
learned about evaluation and assessing impact the homeless may gain 
through active participation at their local public library. Libraries, 
especially public libraries, can play a major role in initiating, 
partnering and/or seeking out new ways to support the homeless in their 
community. Libraries can actively experiment with a variety of 
approaches and adjusting services and programs based on the feedback 
they receive. Libraries can take the lead within communities in building 
an environment of sensitivity and accommodation, to embrace the Poor 
People’s Policy and serve as model examples of a library-community 
agency partnership created for the benefit of the homeless in their 
areas.  Come to this full day IFLA Satellite Program and learn how your 
colleagues in libraries around the world are addressing homelessness.

COST TO PARTICIPATE:  25 Euros payable at the door (Sorry, no credit 
cards or checks).  IFLA Registration is not required.
PROGRAM DETAILS AT: https://liberty.wpunj.edu/library/IFLA
CONTACT:  Veronica L C Stevenson-Moudamane at vlcsmoudamane@xxxxxxxxx 
<mailto:vlcsmoudamane@xxxxxxxxx>

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Wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiterin
Institut für Bibliotheks- und Informationswissenschaft

Co-Editor
Library Hi Tech

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