The Bibliothèque Nationale de Luxembourg (BNL) is currently participating in the annual convention of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), taking place this year from 15 to 21 August 2015 in Cape Town, South Africa.
The BNL is being represented by Manager of BNL Digitisation Projects Yves Maurer at the conference, which this year is centred around the topic "Dynamic Libraries: Access, Development and Transformation". Yves Maurer presents an appropriate representative of Luxembourg in this particular subject matter, due to the recent redevelopment of the BNL's a-z.lu digital library. In addition, Mr. Maurer is the newly-appointed committee member of the 'News Media' section of IFLA, illustrating the international recognition of the skills developed by BnL in press digitisation.
The IFLA, which this year brought together over 3,500 library professionals at its international conference, represents the leading association involved in the interests of library and information services and their users. Although founded in Edinburgh in 1927, current headquarters of the IFLA are at the National Library of the Netherlands in The Hague.
The principle activities of the IFLA, in the context of its role as a global spokesman for libraries and related institutions, are dedicated to standardisation in the library sector and to meeting the challenge of digital literacy in the promotion of knowledge and culture.
The 'News Media' section of the IFLA, at which Luxembourg's national library is now represented by Yves Maurer, reflects an expansion in purpose and scope of the IFLA 'Newspaper Section'. The aim of the 'News Media' branch is to exchange 'best practices' and library management techniques of published information, irregardless of the publication medium. The 'News Media' group however pay particular attention to digital technologies and the subsequent long-term preservation of libraries in the 21st century, as well as their collaborations with producers, suppliers and information distributors.
The IFLA collaborates with various international organisations, including UNESCO, the International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU) and the International Publishers Association (IPA), among other. Last year the IFLA, together with the majority of its members including BnL, signed the Declaration of Lyon, a document stating that information and library access are of utmost importance in sustainable development.
This concept ties in with recent statements expressed by Luxembourg government officials, including Minister of Culture Maggy Nagel who earlier this month stressed the importance of cultural heritage as an instrument of knowledge and development in front of delegations including UNESCO and the Council of Europe at the Expo2015 Milan conference.
The IFLA hopes to emphasise this concept in the Sustainable Development Goals to be adopted by UN member countries this autumn 2015. Sustainable development and democracy would therefore be seen to recognise the right of people to access information and data, whilst respection the right to privacy protection.
Photo by BNL
