IFLA/UNESCO Internet Manifesto

International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions. IFLA Internet Manifesto. 2002. Retrieved on August 11, 2009 at http://archive.ifla.org/III/misc/im-e.htm


ABSTRACT:

The IFLA Internet Manifesto is grounded / consistent with United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, focusing particularly to Article 19 which states that “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.” This stresses that library users have the right to expect the same degree of freedom of expression and freedom of access to information on the Internet as they do with print materials. With the changes and development continuously happening with the Internet, librarians are given the primary responsibility to train and educate users to effectively and efficiently access information on the Internet.

MY THOUGHTS / REFLECTION:

> The values of different cultures also had to be considered along with questions of cultural bias toward western liberal democratic values.

> The idea of the Internet as a tool to reduce social exclusion has gained credence, thanks to its ability to open access to government information and communication channels and libraries have contributed to this concept by making collections and catalogs available online for those unable to physically access library resources.

> Libraries should take citizens from awareness to empowerment.

Librarians should work collaboratively with the government in developing and implementing a clear policy on Internet use. IFLA Internet Manifesto emphasizes that access to information on the Internet should not be hindered by a person’s race, age, sex, gender, culture, etc. Simply put, “Internet is for all.” It unlocks barriers to information because it provides access anytime, anywhere. It connects people to all places around the world. But, Internet provides vast information which may cause a user to access inaccurate details. Librarians should provide trainings for Internet Literacy, they should clearly state to users the realities of Internet – that some of information from it may be misleading.

As a librarian with clients concentrated in the medical fields, I make sure that the Web sites I recommend for them to access really provide scholarly information. I do the selection through consultation with the Medical Research team of my department. It should be remembered that “Internet access is for everyone, but access should be coupled with responsibility.”

What is not available online is not worth reading?

Jamali, Hamid R. (2008).   "What is not available online is not worth reading?"   Webology, 5(4), Article 63. Retrieved: August 1, 2009 at http://www.webology.ir/2008/v5n4/a63.html

ABSTRACT:

Scientists and astronomers' quest for information is more reliant on online access. They rather want to have a PDF copy of an article and save / print it rather than go to a library and access the physical copy. In the survey conducted, most respondents had the library as the second option, but a number of respondents had this notion, "If an article is not available online, it's probably not worth the effort to obtain it."

MY THOUGHTS / REFLECTION:

> Physics and astronomy are among pioneer fields in scholarly communication and electronic publishing and the rate of online availability is very high.

> A pressure in publisher, information providers and librarians to make more and more information available in digital format.

> Ease of access and the principle of least effort play a part in the choice of information sources.

When the new technology was introduced and integrated in providing library services, librarians were faced with the challenge of coping and being familiar with it. Librarians were required to shift from a simple typewriter to a more interactive computer. Now, librarians are again faced with the challenge of providing not just books or journals but digital format of information as well. I often receive requests from my clients to make a PDF copy of the journal holdings of our library, but, there are issues and concerns (copyright, subscription, access, etc.) that I need to consider before I can actually say "yes" to this request. I guess there's nothing wrong with making journal articles available online / digitally as long as the respect and credit for creators and publishers remains. More importantly, I as a librarian should prove to my clients that this statement is not true, "What is not available online is not worth reading."