The information and knowledge society has today reached the entire Europe, even the new democracies. But the new techniques demand high ability of people to find, read and understand the proper information. It is even harder to convert it into knowledge creating a base for own opinions. One of the main EU ideas is that piece and democratic rights will be maintained if we increase the European integration and co-operation. Therefore, it is important to facilitate for people to freely seek information, education and employment in any country wherever in Europe. The public libraries could - with our competence in information techniques, our spreading and our multified supplies - be the very key that opens new possibilities for people to influence their everyday life.
Our mission is to create a model that facilitates for public libraries all around Europe to offer library user trainings. Through these training sessions people will be better at seeking, sorting and utilizing information at Internet, in databases and other newer information techniques. It will be adapted to the specific needs of the society the library is serving and we will also discuss the competences needed to offer result-oriented pedagogic services. A web site will make it possible for European librarians to discuss everyday library matters, get to know how other public libraries solve common problems or just for exchange of ideas. The model will be tested by putting it into practise, as we will offer it to selected target groups. At the end of the project we will analyse our experiences at a seminar where representants from European libraries and cultural authorities will attend.
The main basic idea of the public libraries is to promote democratic rights by encouraging everyone to build their own opinions, to get freedom to make their own choices and to get possibilities to education. This amibition is immense and boundless – it is valid for all public libraries wherever they are situated. A model for library user trainings will facilitate for public libraries all over Europe to actively support people in their lifelong learning. The public libraries will regain the role as the important factor for the social and economic development we were meant to be.
In most of the newer democracies libraries are quite recently established or
re-established. For older democracies, such as Sweden and Denmark, it is
refreshing to meet the enthusiasm, energy and entrepreneurial spirit of the
library in Toledo, based on their experience that libraries not are a matter of
course. At the same time they find it valuable to share our experiences from 150
years of public library services. We have already learnt two important things:
When we are working together with libraries in other societies and cultures we
review our own activities with new eyes, not so uptightened to our traditional
point of view. And furthermore: culture is not only a matter of origin. It could
also be a male-female matter, such as the comprehension of the word “diary”.
But as we are a flexible team, we from now on will call it notes and journal to
make our common understanding complete. And in fact, we are sure of that it is
this kind of flexibility together with our mutual respect and enthusiasm that
makes our mission possible.
Elisabeth Aldstedt & Lillemor Groth
Stadsbiblioteket, Helsingborg, Sweden
26th Oct 2004
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