[LIS-Forum] IFLA President in the hindu metoplus

Sun Mar 23 15:56:32 IST 2008

 *Beyond words *

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  Claudia Lux talks to SANGEETA BAROOAH PISHAROTY about how to make a
roomful of books vibrant

   Photos: V.V. Krishnan

*Of untapped potential International Federation of Library Associations
President Claudia Lux in New Delhi *

 How many of us go to a public library these days? Honestly, not many. If
you ask yourself why, the answer might vary from shortage of time for such
luxuries, to easy accessibility of the Internet for information, to how such
libraries are often full of only old books, many of which might be sitting
on the shelves for years as someone tore off their vital pages.

And then, there are the better run private libraries to rummage through or
say those run with excellent facilities run by the likes of The British
Council, The American Center, Max Mueller Bhavan, etc. Plus the convenience
of having specialised libraries these days, some even digitalised, with
multiple services for members with an interest in medicine, arts, culture,
and so on.
Stemming the tide

 Claudia Lux, President, International Federation of Library Associations,
understands the times the public libraries are going through the world over
in the age of immediate responses, specialisation and the IT revolution. But
Lux also knows how this tide can be stemmed. "What you need first is a
positive attitude," she says. And that is what, adds the German native, "I
have told the delegates here." Lux is in New Delhi to take part in
"Libraries on the Agenda!", an international seminar on library advocacy,
organised by Max Mueller Bhavan this past week. The seminar emerged from the
National Knowledge Commission's recommendations to turn our libraries into
resource centres to help India become a knowledge hub.

The NKC's list of recommendations also includes a library commission.

"Such a body to look into library affairs can be useful, but what is also
required is the coming together of library operators, private and public, to
send out one voice to the commission to usher in changes," she feels.

Talking about possibilities, she cites the Parliamentary library in Buenos
Aires which has 24 hours free Internet facility for the public.

"It has got four awards for creating possibilities for citizen
participation."

Then, there is a small library in one of the remotest corners of Malaysia
with no phone connection. "With the help of the regional library, it now has
Internet facility for the villagers besides providing information to farmers
about special crops, market prices, etc."

The possibilities are many, she says. "You can do a lot by connecting rural
libraries to the regional ones."

Though India has a culture of community libraries as in Kerala, "one needs
more of that. Finally, all you need is Rs.60,000 to set up a good community
library and Rs.30,000 annually to maintain it."

On her second trip to India after a gap of over three decades, Lux has
visited some city libraries.

"The specialised libraries here have excellent competence," she feels,
referring to the digitised library at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for
the Arts. She liked the Parliamentary library too. "Do you know, it has a
children's corner too?" she asks excitedly. But what she saw in the Delhi
Public Library was far from satisfactory.

"Its children's corner particularly needs a change. It is too dark, has too
many old books. Also as a central library, it is very small," she comments,
adding, "It however has just started an Internet facility."

Lux sums up with a clincher. "To make public libraries popular, more than
policy designers, we need dynamic heads of libraries."

*Libraries on the Agenda*

*Stefan Dreyer, Regional Director, Max Mueller Bhavan *

"The National Knowledge Commission's emphasis on making India a knowledge
resource is extremely interesting. Taking this as a cue, we thought of
providing a platform for exchange of ideas and also to bring perspectives on
library advocacy from Europe. What followed is the international seminar on
library advocacy, "Libraries on the Agenda". We hope to have created a new
network, and maybe there will be follow-ups on the ideas discussed here."

*Getting it right *

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  Germany's Wurzburg public library director on how a promotional strategy
restored its popularity

   Photo: V.V. Krishnan

*The strategist Hannelore Vogt in New Delhi *

 Hannelore Vogt doesn't have that typical look of a staid librarian sitting
behind an old table at a dank public library, with the hum of a lazy ceiling
fan for company. She has a spring in her step, a wide grin on her cherry red
lips, and a success story to relate. A story that many public libraries can
learn from. If at all those who man them want to take the pains to make
people see a library as much more than a mere house of old books.

A bubbly Vogt, sitting on the lawns of New Delhi's Max Mueller Bhavan, takes
out a file of computer printouts to illustrate her tale — how she, as the
director of Germany's Wurzburg public library, turned it around.

"We could have put our hands up and requested the Government to help us. But
this would have given an impression to the public that it is an old library
of no use. So we took the reins in our hands," says Vogt, here to share her
experience at an international seminar on library advocacy.

Brainstorming sessions with her staff led to an effective marketing
strategy, to bring the public back to the once-popular library.
Companies and cash

 Flipping the pages, she shows what that strategy was. "We went to some
local companies. That included a popular roast chicken outlet and a
well-known winery. When it comes to giving cash, companies often cringe, but
they love to give their products," explains Vogt.

So what worked out is this: "The winery pasted a picture of our library on a
Riesling wine bottle, and we got 25 cents from every bottle that sold.
Wurzburg is a tourist destination and it helped our cause, as people liked
the picture of that place's library to take back home."

The 25-cent strategy worked with the chicken outlet too.

"We roped in the city mayor, and the local newspapers carried her picture
selling chicken for the library." Children's events were also organised, and
the prize was a night stay at the library. "We didn't have money, so we
thought of that and made it exciting with activities like storytelling,
etc." Also, a company made bags for plays that were mounted in the local
theatres.

With such schemes, Vogt and her staff turned a forgotten library into a
public hub. "We used the money to give people more and more facilities. The
continuous activities kept us in news," she states.

So, it was only natural the Wurzburg public library was given the German
Library of the Year Award in 2003. And became for the staid public
libraries, a much-needed example.

  S.B.P

-- 
Shihabudeen Kunju. S
# 21, A-24, Patel  Chest
Universtiy of Delhi
Delhi-7

mob: 09911928321

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