Working Internationally for Libraries Virtual Conference 2021: A free, virtual conference for Public Libraries in the UK and across the world

CILIP’s Working Internationally Project has brought together libraries from across the world, building bridges and sharing knowledge through international partnerships. This summer a free virtual conference will take place, allowing participants to share their experiences to a wider audience. Here Rabeea Arif, CILIP’s Projects and Programmes Manager, looks ahead to the conference.

Public library services around the world have been confronting massive global challenges while embracing innovation and new opportunities. Many innovations and solutions build on the experience and expertise of others. Opening conversations with people beyond borders presents new perspectives that are often the starting point for successful interventions.

In a survey conducted in 2019 by CILIP, 52 public library services in England shared their opinion on the importance of collaborative international working and the need for confronting insularity by opening doors and building new connections. Annabel Gittins from Shropshire Libraries highlighted the importance of collaborating in the face of global challenges, saying: “We are all working within the same global arena and are facing the same challenges. We can all learn from each other and find a cohesive response to these challenges which keeps our profession at the heart of progress.”

Another survey respondent reflected that: “Being aware of what is going internationally is exceptionally useful for the public library sector for a couple of reasons: One, to gain an idea of best practice and innovation in the world, including seeing how countries deal with trends that are hitting them first. Most issues the UK library scene explores are also being discussed overseas and insufficient attention is paid to the discussions happening beyond these islands. Two, look for advocacy ideas and how best to campaign to keep libraries funded and active.”

The 2021 Working Internationally for Libraries conference, funded by Arts Council England is CILIP’s initiative to draw on these ideas by bringing global voices together and promoting the brilliant work of public libraries at a challenging time in global history.

The conference will take place virtually on 25 June 2021 and will provide a space for sharing good practices, learning new skills, and building bridges for international collaboration in the sector. A unique programme of panel sessions, keynote presentations and hands-on workshops will draw on speakers from a diverse range of countries, including UK, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East to share best practice, spotlight new ideas and showcase successful examples of international working projects – all explored within the framework of public libraries’ response to the pandemic and recovery.

Topics explored will include international collaboration opportunities, community space design and transnational best practice for a more informed approach to cultural inclusion.

The conference will feature inspirational international speakers sharing inspirational stories and expertise from around the world. Programme includes keynote presentations by Eman Bushulaibi, Director Sharjah Public Libraries and Andreas Mittrowann, founder of -“Nachvorndenken.de” Germany, as well as reflections on international working by the Minister of State for Digital and Culture, Caroline Dinenage MP, and CEO Arts Council England, Darren Henley.

A key outcome of the conference is to provide practical solutions to the challenges faced by public library staff at all levels. A set of workshops on topics including ‘How to initiate successful international partnerships’ and ‘Fundraising for international projects’ will provide hands-on ideas and resources for public librarians to take back to their services and implement with the help of newly-formed connections developed during the day-long virtual event.

The conference is open to all UK and international public library staff as well as all librarians interested in global matters. This is an excellent opportunity to network with international colleagues and to take home resources and ideas for bidding for international project funds and disseminating global knowledge.

Jane Everiss, Gloucestershire Libraries & Information, said: “We currently only get exposure to International speakers at the Libraries Connected yearly seminar. This sparks ideas and creativity that is sometimes difficult to follow up. I think it is crucial for UK public libraries to get an opportunity to have wider international exposure.”

Save the Date!

Working Internationally Conference 2021 will take place online on 25 June 2020 (10.00-17.00 GMT). You can join us from your home anywhere in the world! Register your interest.

Benefits of attending

When setting out to design an international library conference, members of the Working Internationally project board believed that the programme should provide benefit to the work of public library staff who have few opportunities to attend international conferences. The conference planning team represented by Sarah Mears from Libraries Connected, Marcie Hopkins from the British Library, Jamie Finch from CILIP’s International Libraries & Information Group and Jacqueline Widdowson from Public & Mobile Libraries Group focused on designing a conference that provides high-value content while keeping it accessible and affordable for public library staff. Some of the key benefits of attending the free, virtual conference include:

• Good practice and thought leadership that would benefit local authorities and library services in finding solutions to funding and delivery challenges, forming partnerships, and introducing innovation that could support local communities.
• Practical problem solving with take-away ideas that delegates could test or implement in their own services.
• Opportunity to hear from Inspirational and high-profile international keynote speakers and national policy makers about the role and perception of libraries.

Sarah Mears, Programme Manager, Libraries Connected, said: “After a year when life has become very localised and isolated, we are so excited to be working together to offer public library staff the opportunity to take part in an international conference that will connect them to public library services across the world. This conference will inspire new ideas and ways of working and showcase creative solutions to shared challenges. We hope that all those attending will leave feeling proud to be part of a public library movement that is resilient, innovative and committed to delivering services that improve the lives of their communities.”

Professor Judy Broady-Preston, Immediate Past-President CILIP, and H.E Mr Ahmed Al Amri, President Sharjah Book Authority, sign an agreement to engage in activities on the digital agenda and shared knowledge infrastructure across the two regions

The ‘What’ and ‘Why’ of Working Internationally for Libraries

‘Working Internationally for Libraries’ is CILIP’s initiative to promote collaboration and partnership between public libraries in England and their international counterparts. The project is funded by Arts Council England, and runs in partnership with the British Library, British Council, Libraries Connected, and Carnegie UK Trust. In its first phase, the project focused on scoping the opportunities and challenges of international working for public libraries in England, and helped in delivering collaborative international projects through grants and support from CILIP and ACE.

An early outcome of the programme is a new long-term partnership with AfLIA, the African Library and Information Association, which will enable CILIP to engage partners across Africa in discussions on the digital agenda and shared knowledge infrastructure. A similar partnership with Sharjah Public Libraries will bring collaborative opportunities with a focus on digital innovation and cultural exchange.

The project has also been vital in supporting international collaboration between libraries by offering grants of £7,000-£20,000 each to four public libraries in England. Projects currently ongoing under the ‘Building Bridges’ grant programme include

• Virtual storytelling project for marginalised youth – partnership between Oxfordshire Libraries with Bergen Libraries, Norway;
• Collaborative children’s makerspaces – partnership between Vision Redbridge Libraries in the UK and two libraries in Kerala, India: PKV Vanitha Library and The Quilon Public Library and Research Centre;
• A research-based guidance on ‘Open Library Technology’ in public libraries – partnership Barnet Libraries and Copenhagen libraries, Denmark;
• New Residents Toolkit for migrant communities – partnership between Oldham Libraries and Cologne, Hamburg & Bremen libraries in Germany.

Project leads from the four English public libraries will present their projects during the Working Internationally Conference, with an opportunity for conference delegates to ask questions about their work.

According to a survey conducted by CILIP for the project, one third of English Public Library Authorities already have some form of collaboration with counterparts overseas. Some examples of international collaborations in UK public libraries include

International authors and book promotion activities by EUROLIS (a consortium of European librarians in the UK);

Over 100 UK libraries’ participation in American Library Association’s International Games Week since 2012;

Partnership between school libraries in Staffordshire and Egypt under The Reading Agency and British Council’s Chatterbooks reading groups;

Twinning training for librarians and archivists each year between City of York Council, England and Munster Council in Ireland;

Participation in several IFLA events and projects, including the Sister Libraries project run by IFLA Children and Young Adults Section.

While this paints an excellent picture of librarians working together as a global community of practitioners, it also amplifies the need for a platform for global activity in the sector. CILIP’s long-term plans for international working include providing support, funding, and infrastructure for such activity. CILIP aims to work together with IFLA and international library associations to align efforts under the UN Sustainable Development Goals, support libraries in their work with communities in the face of global issues like Covid-19 pandemic and climate change, utilise the role of libraries in cultural diplomacy and align it with the Government’s ambitions for International Development.

For more information about the project, resources, and stories of global collaboration, visit www.cilip.org.uk/workinginternationally.

Information

Working Internationally for Libraries is CILIP’s initiative to promote collaboration and partnership between public libraries in England and their international counterparts.

The project is funded by Arts Council England and will run in partnership with the British Library, British Council, and Libraries Connected. In its first phase, the project will focus on English public libraries to develop a programme of activities including grants & travel bursaries, an international conference, and a showcase of successful international projects.

Header photo: Ayub Khan leads CILIP’s Presidential Commission survey on developing an international policy (Dec 2018); The UK Caucus at IFLA WLIC (Aug 2019); Marcie Hopkins from the British Library chairs the international session at CILIP Conference (Oct 2020). Bottom, from left: MoA signing between CILIP and AfLIA (Jan, 2020); ‘Come and Code’ mentors and ninjas from Vision Redbridge Libraries, PKV Vanitha Library and The Quilon Public Library and Research Centre (2021).