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Libraries as Catalysts: Driving Equitable and Innovative Action — Transcript

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0:07All right. Hello everyone and welcome to
0:10tonight's presentation, Libraries as
0:12Catalysts driving equitable and
0:14innovative action presented by ALA's
0:17International Relations Committee and UN
0:20Sustainable Development Goals
0:21Subcommittee in partnership with us here
0:23at the New York Public Library and the
0:25Stavos New York Foundation Library. My
0:28name is Jackie Trus and I am a member of
0:29the programs team here at SNFL. Whoops.
0:32Uh before we start, I would like to
0:34thank the Stavros Naros Foundation for
0:36making so much programming here at SNFL
0:38possible. I would also like to remind
0:40you that if you do not have a library
0:42card, it is easy to get one by visiting
0:44any information desk in this building.
0:46Finally, I would like to encourage you
0:48to visit MPL's website and take a look
0:50at other events we have coming up like
0:51this one in person and online. We would
0:54love to have you join us again soon.
0:57This evening, our distinguished panel
0:59will explore how libraries contribute to
1:01resilient communities, digital
1:03inclusion, informed decision-making,
1:06sustainability, and global collaboration
1:08across local, national, and
1:10international contexts. Um, tonight our
1:13moderator is and former ALA president as
1:17well as chair of the ALA IRC UN uh SDG
1:22subcommittee, Lloyd Garcia Fabo um will
1:25be moderating this conversation tonight
1:26and so it's my pleasure to turn things
1:28over to her to introduce our full panel.
1:30Thank you.
1:38>> Thank you and welcome. Good evening
1:41everyone.
1:43Welcome and thank you for joining us for
1:46libraries as catalyst driving equitable
1:50and innovative action for the
1:52sustainable development goals.
1:56Welcome to the different um library
2:00leadership that I see here from New York
2:03and um also from different uh countries
2:05and regions around the world. Thank you
2:07so much. My name is Lloyd Garcia Fibo. I
2:10am a past president of the American
2:12Library Association and I am the new
2:15chair of the ALA International Relations
2:18Committee. I'm also um very happy to
2:21share that I'm a member of the ELA
2:23governing um of the governing board of
2:26the International Federation of Library
2:28Associations and Institutions known as
2:32ELA. I'm very honored to welcome you on
2:35be on behalf of the American Library
2:38Association and our wonderful partners
2:40at the New York Public Libraries Stabros
2:43NARas Foundation Library. Thank you so
2:45much to everyone working hard to make
2:48this happen and hello to many of you
2:51that are online. So whether you are here
2:55uh with us in New York or joining us
2:58online from around the world, thank you
3:00for being part of this important
3:03conversation.
3:04This week has been an [clears throat]
3:06inspiring one. The American Library
3:08Association participated in the United
3:11Nations high level political forum on
3:14sustainable development together with
3:16the international federation of library
3:19associations and institutions
3:22with which we are delighted to
3:24collaborate. This week, governments,
3:28UN agencies, civil society
3:30organizations, researchers, and
3:33international partners have all been
3:36working towards one shared goal.
3:39Creating a more sustainable, equitable,
3:42and resilient future for everyone.
3:45Through discussions, one message has
3:48been repeated in many different ways.
3:51Sustainable development happens locally.
3:54It happens in our neighborhoods, our
3:56schools, our cities, and our
3:59communities. It happens when people have
4:02access to information, education,
4:05digital opportunities, culture, and
4:08trusted institutions that help them
4:10participate fully in society. And that
4:14is precisely where libraries make a
4:16difference. Libraries transform global
4:19aspirations into local action. So every
4:24day they help people learn new skills,
4:27access reliable information, connect to
4:30technology, preserve culture,
4:32participate in civil life, and improve
4:35their opportunities.
4:38And today that work is more important
4:41than ever.
4:42Over the past week at the high level
4:44political forum, we have heard about
4:47complex glo global challenges. Growing
4:50inequalities, energy security, poverty,
4:54water and sanitation, digital
4:56transformation, environmental
4:58sustainability, and the need for
5:01stronger partnerships across sectors and
5:04borders.
5:07And that is why today's program is so
5:10meaningful.
5:11This event brings together distinguished
5:14library leaders, educators, and
5:17international experts and advocates who
5:20will share perspectives from different
5:22regions of the world while highlighting
5:24the many ways libraries are contributing
5:27to resilient communities, informing
5:29decision making, innovation, and
5:31sustainable development. And we are
5:34honored to welcome Dr. Maria McCaulay,
5:37president of the American Library
5:39Association and director of the
5:41Cambridge Public Library.
5:44Leslie Weir, president of the
5:47International Federation of Library
5:48Associations and Institutions and
5:50Librarian and Archavist of Canada.
5:55Dr. Corinthia Price, member of the ALA
5:58Executive Board and President of the
6:00International Association of School
6:03Librarianship. Dr. Anthony Chowo,
6:06director of the um
6:09director of the San Jose State
6:10University High School in many aspects
6:13and professor and past president of the
6:15California Library Association um and
6:19president of the Chinese Americans
6:21Librarians Association and I'm sure he
6:23can clarify many of these roles and Dr.
6:27Heba Muhammad Ishmael, libraries
6:29technical manager at Egypt's Society for
6:32Culture and Development and past
6:35president and current chair of the
6:37training and education committee of the
6:39Arab Federation for Libraries and
6:42Information all the way here from Egypt.
6:45Wonderful. Thank you all for sharing
6:47your expertise with us this evening.
6:51This event is also an opportunity to
6:53strengthen collaborations among
6:54libraries, international organizations
6:57and hopefully civil society. And I am
7:00especially uh pleased that both ALA and
7:04ELA have brought um delegations and the
7:08um different uh colleagues and library
7:11advocates to the United Nations this
7:14week. By participating in these global
7:17conversations and bringing what we learn
7:20back to our local communities, we
7:23strengthen advocacy, exchange promising
7:27practices, and demonstrate the
7:29extraordinary impact libraries have
7:32across the world. And now, let's begin
7:34our program. I'm pleased to welcome Dr.
7:38Maria McCaulay, president of the
7:40American Library Association.
7:49Thank you so much, Lita. Good evening,
7:52everyone.
7:55I want to share how it felt to walk
7:58through the doors of the United Nations.
8:01It was my fir I've lived in the United
8:03States since I was a baby. I was born in
8:06Korea and came over soon thereafter. And
8:10but this was my I've been to New York
8:12City, the Big Apple, many times, but
8:15this was the very first time that I was
8:18invited to participate and to walk
8:22through those doors. And I
8:26it was I I was just in Chicago and I
8:29went to the Obama Center and I almost
8:32like it reminded me like Obama Center on
8:35a national level of this place of hope
8:39and of bringing people together and
8:42thinking about the possibilities of what
8:44we can do with our global connections or
8:48our national connections at the Obama
8:50Center. And then to come here and walk
8:54through those doors at the United
8:55Nations and to see the General Assembly
8:58and to think, wow, every all of the
9:02world's leaders convene here to work
9:07through issues and uh to um think about
9:13you know how to make a better world
9:16together. And I also think I thought
9:18about uh um my board chair is Jim
9:22Roosevelt, the grandson of Franklin
9:25Delanor Roosevelt and Eleanor Roosevelt.
9:27And to see her picture on the wall of
9:31females who helped us shape the UN uh
9:34was also just um you know very inspiring
9:38and very moving. Um, so it's very
9:41special for me to be here with the
9:44delegation from both IFla and the
9:46American Library Association.
9:51Today we're discussing the crucial role
9:54that libraries place in driving
9:57equitable and innovative action to
10:00achieve the United Nations sustainable
10:02development goals. And as we all know,
10:06our libraries contribute to all 17
10:11sustainable development goals through
10:14services such as literacy and learning,
10:17digital access, workforce development,
10:20cultural heritage, civic participation,
10:25food and wellness programs,
10:28sustainability efforts, and so much
10:31more. Our libraries support our living,
10:37learning, and flourishing in our
10:40communities. Our libraries promote
10:43literacy, preserve culture, and ensure
10:47access to information.
10:51Our libraries empower individuals and
10:54strengthen the human connection. All of
10:58these are key to sustainable development
11:03and global exchange is part of our work.
11:07We are stronger when we work together
11:10and learn together and learn from each
11:13other's strengths, perspectives, and
11:16innovations. I've had the great pleasure
11:18as president uh of the American Library
11:21Association in my president-elect role
11:23because I just became president to visit
11:26six countries and to go to be able to go
11:30and to learn from colleagues from around
11:33the world and to hear about their
11:36perspectives and how they build
11:38community and how they offer these
11:41sustaining supports that the library
11:43their libraries provide. um has been so
11:47meaningful.
11:50And when we share these ideas together
11:52and build the partnerships and learn and
11:56bring these back as Lloyd said to our
11:59local communities for action and
12:03implementation,
12:04we expand what is possible for our
12:07communities and across the globe. I'm so
12:10excited to discuss this further this
12:12evening and to explore equity and
12:14innovation in libraries with these
12:17esteemed panelists and to expand what is
12:20possible together.
12:24>> Thanks.
12:27[applause]
12:30Thank you Maria. Now, it's also my
12:32pleasure to welcome the president of
12:35ELA, Leslie Weir.
12:44>> Thank you so much, Lloyda. I'm thrilled
12:46to be here with you this evening. As was
12:49mentioned, uh I'm the president of Ila,
12:52the International Federation of Library
12:54Associations and Institutions. I began
12:56my role in August and I'll be leading
13:00ILA through its centenery in 2027.
13:04I have to tell you that I has come from
13:07Libraries and Archives Canada and it's
13:10important for me to acknowledge that at
13:12Libraries and Archives Canada we hold
13:14the stories of the First Nations, Inuit
13:17and Matei people from across the
13:20northern part of Turtle Island which is
13:22now known as Canada. And we believe
13:26sincerely that without truth there can
13:29never be reconciliation and that this is
13:31a moment that Canada is facing its
13:33future together working hand in hand
13:36with the indigenous peoples of our
13:38country.
13:40Uh we are thrilled to be partnering with
13:42the American Library Association here at
13:45this very key moment in terms of uh the
13:49United Nations high level political
13:51forum on sustainable development. If LA
13:55has been involved with the United
13:57Nations for decades
14:00and we like to feel that we did have a
14:03certain influence in the development of
14:06the original sustain sustainable
14:08development goals, but we are really
14:11keen to be working in collaboration with
14:13key associations like the American
14:15Library Association to ensure that
14:18culture and libraries shine through as
14:22we look at post 2030 and the directions
14:26that the sustainable development goals
14:29are going to be
14:31taking over the next few years.
14:35I think Lloyd really captured the whole
14:38concept that local is critical.
14:41Libraries are community-led in our
14:44modern world and libraries are living in
14:48a very volatile geopolitical situation.
14:53There are economic challenges. There are
14:56social challenges. But libraries have
14:59always supported their communities. And
15:02as David Lankees from the University of
15:04Texas says, we need to go one step
15:07further. Now is the moment when we need
15:09to help save our communities. And I
15:12think that libraries are up to it. I
15:15think we can have impact and influence.
15:18I think it's critical that we're at the
15:20table where the key part of that journey
15:23and I am confident with the influencers
15:27that we have in the library community
15:30that we're actually going to have that
15:32impact. It was certainly a thrill for me
15:35today to meet with the uh Canadian
15:37ambassador to the United Nations and he
15:40is an extremely keen supporter of
15:43libraries.
15:44uh we look forward to him engaging as we
15:48look at the friends of libraries that
15:50will be supporting libraries going
15:52forward working with the United Nations
15:55and I think that tonight's discussion
15:58will just add um nuance flavor dynism um
16:04many of you know that uh my predecessor
16:07Vicky McDonald uh her theme for her
16:10presidency was stronger together and I
16:13think We all truly believe that
16:15libraries are stronger together. Whether
16:18it's public together with academic and
16:21school libraries and every other flavor
16:23of library, whether it is state,
16:26regional, national or international that
16:30when we work together, we will have more
16:33influence and impact. And as we move
16:36forward, I would like to just promote my
16:39my uh theme at IFLA because I think it's
16:42a moment for us to be stronger and be
16:45bold together. So I look forward to the
16:48debate and discussion uh this evening
16:51and um I will say Maria did steal one of
16:55my stories because this was my first
16:57time at the United Nations too. Um, and
17:00I was kind of amazed to, you know,
17:02actually walk into the buildings that I
17:04have seen since childhood. Uh, and it
17:08was quite a moving moment and it was
17:10thrilling to be able to meet with the
17:12members of the team of the United
17:14Nations Library because they're also
17:16partners working together with ALA and
17:20with ILA. And uh, so looking forward to
17:23the debate and discussion this evening
17:25and I'll turn things back to our
17:26moderator
17:33Wonderful. We're going to move now to
17:35the part of the program where we're
17:38we're going to have a conversation.
17:52All right. I Every time I look at the
17:54audience and I see a new person, it's
17:56great again. And hello to everyone
17:59online.
18:01All right, I would like us to start um
18:05from the basics and let's go back to to
18:09share with our uh colleagues and uh
18:12different stakeholders
18:14um why libraries matter to the SDGs
18:19and um I would like to start with uh
18:22Corinthia here and then we'll move
18:25around uh the panel.
18:28Well, school libraries are where the
18:312030 agenda begins. Not as policy, but
18:35as practice. Every day, school
18:38librarians are teaching students to ask
18:41better questions
18:43and evaluate evidence. In many schools,
18:46particularly in underresourced
18:48communities, the school library is the
18:51only space where a child, regardless of
18:54background, has equal access to
18:57information, technology, and a trusted
19:01adult who guides their intellectual
19:03development. That is the foundational
19:07foundational infrastructure for
19:09sustainable development. This is where
19:12it begins.
19:14>> Beautiful. Let's continue.
19:16>> Yeah, I love that. Thank you. Um,
19:18excellent. So, um, I agree. And, uh, I
19:22think where what I want to talk about is
19:25that human connection, the human
19:28centered way that libraries convene
19:31people and that that includes uh,
19:34virtually as well. But there is
19:36something so special about being able to
19:40walk into a library, be greeted by
19:42friendly library staff members, to know
19:45that you're seen in your community and
19:48that anything any question that you
19:51might have is addressed. And uh so I
19:56think that that connects with wellness.
19:59It connects with um learning because if
20:03you don't feel supported, you might not
20:06um have the um you know will to learn.
20:10So feeling supported and being able to
20:14explore in your library. I think that
20:17that's very foundational to um to our
20:21work as connected with our SGS and it's
20:24really foundational to libraries as
20:27equitable learning places as hubs of our
20:31communities.
20:35So
20:37I think what libraries
20:40contribute or perhaps animate about the
20:44STGS
20:45is the importance of belonging
20:48that everyone is welcomed into libraries
20:51and they should feel that their stories
20:55can be found there and that others can
21:00understand
21:01about their experience. audiences.
21:04It's so important that we don't become
21:07polarized and that in fact we we we
21:11understand each other's stories.
21:13>> And I think um an example that we've
21:15just been through uh in Canada is um
21:192023 was uh the um 100th anniversary of
21:23the Chinese Exclusion Act. And this is a
21:27tragic, devastating part of our history
21:30where we for a a number of decades did
21:34not allow uh Chinese immigration into
21:37Canada. So, we've partnered with the
21:41Chinese uh Canadian community um and
21:44with the library community, the museum
21:47community to be able to tell those and
21:49in fact a digital artist who's a creator
21:52and residents at Libraries and Archives
21:54Canada to actually be able to use the
21:58library materials and the archives to
22:01put names and faces onto a terrible part
22:06of our history. but to give credibility
22:09to people's stories and to make sure
22:12that people inside the community know
22:14what happened, but also people who were
22:17not part of the community and had no
22:19idea and they didn't know why
22:22communities have history that they're
22:26dealing with. So [snorts] I think
22:28libraries are the places that bring
22:30people together and create an
22:32opportunity to really leverage the SDGs
22:36in a way that makes them alive. It makes
22:40them real and libraries can show paths
22:44forward for people to come together and
22:47to belong.
22:49>> Yes. Yes. For libraries.
22:52>> It's always intimidating following such
22:54distinguished speakers. Um, three quick
22:56points. One, uh, libraries are the
22:58perfect messenger for STGS. Um, they're
23:02everywhere. There's a local and global
23:05ecosystem of existing libraries. A
23:07county manager once told me libraries
23:09are really the only public place and
23:11space that people actually like and
23:14trust.
23:15Two is that libraries are very high
23:18return on investment.
23:20People use libraries from across their
23:23lifespan. And if you invest in
23:25libraries, you're you're talking at the
23:27minimum $4 dollars per every dollar, but
23:29oftentimes 10 plus dollars. So it's an
23:31extremely high return on investment. And
23:34then the last one is literacy, reading
23:37literacy,
23:38early children's literacy, and then most
23:41importantly these days emerging tech and
23:43digital literacy. So
23:48>> uh well um I believe libraries are not
23:50simply um an institution that support
23:53sustainable development. They are
23:56essential infrastructures for achieving
23:58it. Um I can see libraries that uh are
24:02the missing link in 2030 agenda because
24:05they translate global goals into local
24:08tangible actions. In Egypt and the
24:11Middle East, libraries serve um um as
24:15essential hubs for literacy, education,
24:18and digital inclusion, which are
24:20necessities for every other SDGs. And I
24:23totally agree with you that libraries
24:25are an investment, not an an expense.
24:29Their impact extend far beyond books.
24:32They improve educational outcomes,
24:34strength digital resilience, promote
24:37social inclusion and help communities
24:39navigate crisis.
24:41Beautiful. So now we have the basics,
24:43right? Why libraries are important to
24:46STGS? What are we bringing?
24:50Now let's go to a hot topic and and um
24:53we are going to yes, we're going to go
24:55there. We're going to talk about
24:57technology and um we've seen it
25:00everywhere, right? So, as artificial
25:03intelligence and digital technologies
25:06are reshaping how people access
25:09information, learn and participate in
25:12society. What is the role that libraries
25:16play in ensuring that innovation remains
25:20equitable and inclusive? And um I'd like
25:25to um start with Anthony and then we can
25:28move around maybe uh hea after that.
25:32Wonderful.
25:32>> So in my spare time I'm the director of
25:34the library technology integration lab
25:36at San Jose State University. Um
25:40and what is clear to me is looking into
25:43the future information access is now
25:46also information experience. And when we
25:49look at uh extended realities,
25:52virtual reality, mixed reality, um and
25:54augmented reality, we look at AI. Um
25:58libraries now will be able to provide
26:00information experiences for their
26:02community. So um let's go to the video
26:05real quick and and I promise Lloyd only
26:07a couple of seconds of that, but we are
26:10developing a virtual reality environment
26:12to educate and provide resources to uh
26:16sustainable development goals. And that
26:18includes an AI conversational agent
26:21which you can converse with that will
26:23educate you on all 17 STGS and how
26:26libraries can support those. But to
26:28spend a couple of about 20 seconds.
26:34Welcome to our virtual reality discovery
26:36hall where our team is building an
26:38immersive space for visitors to learn
26:40about the United Nations sustainable
26:42development goals. [music]
26:43This space explores the question, how
26:46can virtual reality enhance learning?
26:50This is our welcome nexus where visitors
26:52can teleport to any goal they wish to
26:54learn more about. [music] When visitors
26:56step into the goal hubs, United Nations
26:58goal descriptions, data, and supportive
27:01projects [music]
27:01become an immersive environment you walk
27:03through instead of a page you scroll
27:05past. Here, [music] users who want to
27:08learn about quality education can
27:10quickly take in graphs, projects, and
27:12other just for the sake of time but
27:14thank you.
27:17So
27:18>> yes,
27:20>> okay,
27:21>> going back to the regular. Here we are.
27:23>> And as we're going, I just wanted to
27:25reiterate that part of the role of LS
27:27education to teach future librarians
27:29these type of skills, right? Just
27:31expanding the horizon.
27:33>> Yes, it's it's important to bring the
27:36element of uh library schools and
27:38education for librarians. uh you know
27:40capacity training they're all in the
27:44same area and we very much need it.
27:48So um artificial intelligence offers
27:51tremendous opportunities but it also
27:53risk widening existing inequalities if
27:56access uh skills and escal use are not
28:00addressed through the Middle East. Many
28:03um uh people are encount encountering um
28:07AI without adequate digital literacy.
28:10Libraries can bridge this gap by helping
28:13citizen understood how AI works, how to
28:16evaluate AI generated information
28:18critically and how to use this
28:20technology responsibility. In Egypt, the
28:23national AI strategy emphasized capacity
28:26building to ensure the digital era
28:29benefits all citizen. Libraries must act
28:32as a primary engines for the this
28:35inclusion. Uh for myself, I have um
28:38personally witnessed growing interest
28:40among librarians across the Arab region
28:42in integrating AI into library services
28:46through professional training programs
28:48and regional collaboration. Librarians
28:51are learning how AI can improve
28:53reference service, knowledge
28:54organization, research support, and
28:57digital content management. The
28:59libraries rule um we are moving beyond
29:02more internet access to literacy
29:05libraries should provide safe supervised
29:09environments where user learn to
29:12navigate AI tools understand um um use
29:17this technologies for self-development
29:20by embedding AI readiness into our
29:22service we ensure that technology
29:25technological advancement doesn't being
29:28deepen uh the existing digital divide
29:32>> and um I am I'm passing the slides as
29:35Hiba is um talking because there is
29:37something very important here.
29:39>> Yes, this is the Egyptian national
29:41strategy uh that we have um till 2013
29:46and this is uh the URL.
29:50So um as we can see uh before we
29:53continue this conversation uh for our
29:56perhaps our attendees those are watching
29:58online or future liaries are important
30:02to include in all these different
30:05national plans and they have been
30:08included in a number of countries.
30:10Perhaps uh Leslie uh from the ELA uh um
30:14point of view of things u can also
30:17contribute to this part of the
30:19conversation.
30:21Well, Ila has a great deal of expertise
30:24amongst our members and volunteers and
30:26of course like in every other venue
30:31artificial intelligence is a focal point
30:34of discussion and it's extremely
30:37important that we build capacity that we
30:40support people working in the library
30:42and information sector globally uh in
30:46their countries in their regions to
30:49actually have the toolkit that they need
30:51to support them in being able to support
30:54their communities. And certainly tech
30:58and AI literacy are critical at this
31:01point in time. And we can learn from the
31:04experiences because some countries are
31:07ahead of others in terms of implementing
31:11uh tools that leverage technologies like
31:14artificial intelligence. And it creates
31:17a great opportunity to bring people
31:19together and to share experiences and
31:22then be able to take best practice back
31:24but then shape it into something that
31:28serves your country. Um and I would like
31:31to give a shout out to the U Canada
31:33released its artificial intelligence
31:35strategy uh in June and in fact um
31:39libraries are specifically mentioned as
31:42playing a critical role in ensuring that
31:45we have an AI literate and confident
31:49population who also understand the risks
31:53and the threats that are linked to those
31:56kind of tools. And so I'm gonna share
31:59that with my colleagues at IFla.
32:02>> Back to you, Lloyd.
32:03>> We we need those very inspiring
32:06examples. There are perhaps many
32:08librarians, many people from different
32:11companies, uh different governments that
32:15I hope can um you know get spark of
32:18ideas and inspiration to continue
32:22working together and also considering
32:24libraries as essentials partners and I
32:27will continue with ALA.
32:30>> Oh, thank you so much. So, um I actually
32:32wanted to give a local example and then
32:34to talk a little bit about ALA too. So,
32:37um
32:45access to technology
32:48and the skills building opportunities to
32:52learn how to use technology I in my mind
32:56that's digital equity work that is so
32:59important in society and it's been
33:02really interesting being a part of a
33:04regional strategy around digital equity
33:07where um locally in Cambridge we had uh
33:12a handful of digital equity specialists
33:15through some uh funding from the state
33:18and national funding as well. And then
33:20we worked as part of a regional network
33:23of um of digital equity specialists who
33:27were hired from their communities but
33:29got trained up through a cohort
33:32experience.
33:33And the impact that these digital equity
33:38specialists had during this grant period
33:41uh was uh really profound and um it was
33:46challenging because it was happening
33:48just as some federal funds were drying
33:50up and not being available. Um and so um
33:55what we saw though was like this bright
33:57light of where we were truly making a
34:01difference in for example um uh
34:05residencies where people um didn't have
34:08many resources
34:10um for people who were um elders in
34:14their comm their communities for job
34:17seekers for we had so many positive
34:20impact stories about how access to
34:23technology and then the opportunities
34:25working with a compassionate person who
34:28was very patient with individuals and in
34:30small groups um helped people to truly
34:34thrive to apply for jobs to um get
34:38resource support to get services. You
34:41have to do that in a digital world. And
34:44so um our work I would say in tech
34:49learning generally and access to
34:51technology is so important and our
34:53libraries provide that. And then in
34:55terms of AI, I agree with Leslie that it
34:59is really important for library workers
35:02to be knowledgeable about AI, both the
35:06um the risks as well as the
35:09opportunities, for example, for
35:11accessibility and to be able to have
35:14know what the guard rails are that we
35:16should be thinking about as we all
35:19grapple with, you know, how to work with
35:22AI. And the American Library Association
35:26just put out uh um ALA Council
35:30just passed these guidance on AI and so
35:34that's another document that folks can
35:36go to. It's available online.
35:39Thank you. You see, we're trying to
35:41include different aspects of
35:42librarianship uh to address these
35:45different matters and we are all working
35:48together all types of libraries and
35:50associations
35:51uh to bring this information to the
35:53public because we want to collaborate
35:55with the different stakeholders and I
35:57would like to close this uh section
35:59about technology and AI with school
36:01librarians.
36:03Well, school libraries
36:05should serve as digital equity hubs,
36:08places where students learn beyond just
36:12using AI tools. When I teach AI, I I
36:15teach the students start questioning
36:18uh who developed this AI systems.
36:22What data is being used for training?
36:26Whose knowledge is being prioritized and
36:29whose is absent? Who is these these
36:32companies that's using AI and we're
36:34using it in school? Where is the data
36:36going? So I question and I ask my
36:39students it's good to use AI but we
36:41should start questioning where all this
36:44information is going and it's part of
36:46the digital equity because some
36:48communities are left out in AI studies
36:52and we should have all communities be um
36:55included in AI and in AI studies as
36:59well.
37:01>> That's wonderful. I like to touch a
37:03little bit. We we are I'm watching the
37:05time, but I think it's important to talk
37:08about building resilient communities.
37:11Um, you know, how are libraries helping
37:14communities
37:16become more resilient and what lessons
37:19policy makers can learn from those um
37:23efforts? And so I know we had to be a
37:26little brief, but I think it's
37:28important. And um I'd like to um start
37:31with Maria.
37:33Yeah, sure. Uh so um an informed and
37:36connected community is a resilient
37:39community and libraries play in
37:42invaluable role in resiliency as
37:46community hubs and as knowledge hubs and
37:50I wanted to give one example of a
37:53library in the United States um who is
37:56doing this work microphone
37:57>> and I think um who is doing this work
38:00and I think what's important here is
38:01that this is a small and rural library.
38:04The Jesse McCaulay Memorial Library in
38:07Dixon, Missouri,
38:10um has focused on resilience through
38:13accessibility.
38:15And so through a small and rural
38:17communities grant that they received,
38:19they um um gathered community input
38:24and uh they um it began as an idea to
38:28upgrade their mobile internet and home
38:30delivery services for older adults. And
38:33it truly transformed into providing
38:36library services to address the needs of
38:40disabled u the needs of patrons with
38:44disabilities and with a neuro
38:47divergence.
38:49And uh I think that what is important
38:51what they learned is that by
38:54improving the accessibility in its
38:57library that they were able to improve
38:59the library experience for all of their
39:02residents.
39:04>> Yes, we are I I often hear people don't
39:06want to learn to be resilient anymore.
39:09We kind of have enough. But um libraries
39:13are here to help communities in the
39:16different settings, the different
39:17communities they serve. So I'd like to
39:19continue with the school libraries and
39:21then kind of go to education and more
39:25international.
39:26>> Sure. So when a community uh faces
39:29disruption,
39:30who do they turn to? Can someone tell
39:33me?
39:36>> Their libraries.
39:37>> School librarians. [laughter]
39:41The school librarian is often the person
39:43who creates resources on coping,
39:46connects families to services and
39:48maintain continuality of learning. Prime
39:51example during the COVID pandemic, it
39:53was the school librarians
39:56who fostered uh partnerships with
40:00teachers. We were delivering lessons to
40:02students. We was giving books out. We
40:06were the hub during the COVID pandemic.
40:09We was giving out laptops. We was giving
40:12out lessons. I can't tell you the amount
40:14of work that we did it when it we are
40:17the hub of the school. And it was the
40:19school librarians who allow these
40:22students to learn during the year and a
40:24half they was out of school. So, yay.
40:27Yay. Yay to school librarians.
40:30[laughter]
40:31Wonderful. That's the that's the spirit
40:33we're Yes. Um and um so how that is how
40:38that will look for educators Anthony
40:42because you are in the group that is
40:44preparing the future librarians.
40:48>> Yeah. I think libraries again meet the
40:52needs of users and people from across
40:55the lifespan. And so what that means is
40:57really anticipating what their needs are
41:00before they get there. My mother is 88
41:02and she still goes to the public
41:04library, you know, as her tradition and
41:07she's she's done that for most of her
41:08life. So from an educational standpoint,
41:11we have to work with communities, work
41:14with the practitioners to understand
41:17what the needs are and what the future
41:19LS worker must be prepared for. and
41:21certainly AI
41:23emerging technology and we use the word
41:26equity
41:27um because it's so critical that um
41:31people have a place where uh you can
41:34equalize the playing field right really
41:36if libraries aren't providing those
41:38needs and those resources there's a
41:40significant have and have nots uh that's
41:43truly I think unacceptable in our
41:45society
41:47>> yes let's continue now with the
41:48international
41:50area.
41:51>> Uh well, libraries contribute to
41:53resilience by ensuring continuous access
41:56to to trusted information, digital
41:58resources, education, and community
42:01community support.
42:08In Egypt, for example, libraries serve
42:11uh serve uh children, youth, families,
42:14and lifelong learners through
42:15educational activities, digital
42:18training, culture programs, and
42:20community engagement. This service
42:23strengthens social cohesion while
42:26preparing people for changing economic
42:28and technological realities. Across the
42:31Middle East, libraries have demonstrated
42:33resilience despite economic pressures
42:36and rapid digital transformation. Many
42:39have expanded online service, digital
42:41collection, remote learning
42:43opportunities and community partnership.
42:46I think what one important lesson for
42:48policy maker is that resilience begin
42:51before crisis occur.
42:54Investing in libraries build a stronger,
42:56more informed communities that are
42:59better prepared for future challenges.
43:03Valuable to collaborate with librarians
43:05and bring them in. I'm sure Leslie gets
43:08to talk to so many people around the
43:10world about these themes.
43:14>> I have had the privilege to visit
43:16libraries in quite a number of countries
43:19uh just since August in fact. Uh and
43:22what I'll say is I think libraries
43:25in every country that I've visited and
43:29I'll give some examples but I think that
43:32they're brilliant in working with
43:35allies. I think the way they leverage
43:37those community partnerships is uh what
43:42brings resilience to communities. They
43:45identify the needs of the community and
43:48then they look at who their strategic
43:50partners would be. So whether it's
43:53working with public health around
43:55wellness, whether it's looking at um
43:59working with educators around literacy,
44:01whether it's uh uh working with
44:03nutritionists because maybe people are
44:06having some health issues based on head
44:09nutrition. It's really quite amazing to
44:12see how a library in a community can can
44:18ascertain what the key supports that
44:20community needs. And if it's not
44:23something that's directly within their
44:25expertise and experience, then they look
44:28at finding strategic partners. I have to
44:31say um in my opportunities to travel, I
44:34was uh uh very privileged to go to Saudi
44:37Arabia uh in December and had an
44:40incredible opportunity to visit um with
44:44the cultural houses that are being
44:47developed in the public libraries. um
44:50bringing people together. uh creating
44:54programs that really uh create community
44:58where um uh all ages are together,
45:02different genders are together, people
45:04that are Saudi citizens, people that are
45:06foreign workers, um children, uh being
45:10able to connect with elderly, just
45:12really creating
45:14um great relationships that I think
45:17bring resilience. At the same time, I
45:20had an opportunity when I was in China
45:22in May to visit some school libraries.
45:27And I will say there's nothing more
45:30amazing than having a tour of a school
45:34library where the tour guides, all 12 of
45:38them, were between grades three and six,
45:42and were explaining to me about their
45:44collections, their services, how they
45:47use artificial intelligence in a
45:51equitable and sustainable and ethical
45:53way.
45:55um and in fact how they create activity
45:59that engages with every student in the
46:03school so that they feel part of that
46:07school library. So there are many
46:09stories. I think you can go to countries
46:11all around the world and discover
46:14these kind of experiences. But I would
46:17say that libraries are about supporting
46:22the individuals in their community to be
46:23resilient. And in terms of decision
46:26makers, what is key is when you're
46:30having discussions about the future of
46:33society, about the future of economy,
46:37about artificial intelligence and the
46:39way your country is going to approach
46:41it. You need to have the library voice
46:44at the table.
46:46>> Yes. Yes. Yes.
46:50and we are waiting to hear from you but
46:54we will also connect with you. So um um
46:58let's talk now in and this this is very
47:01important um we are now looking towards
47:042030 and so we started um understanding
47:09the sustainable development goals how
47:10libraries contribute to that we uh cover
47:14a hot topic AI technology and then we
47:17talked about resilience because there
47:19are so many different man-made and
47:22nature uh made crisis in the world so we
47:25have been listening about resilience for
47:27some years now. And now we're going to
47:31um kind of like concluding the the um
47:34our session today with this look towards
47:38what comes next, right? And so as we are
47:41looking towards two 2030, what is one
47:44action that government, international
47:48organizations, funders or community
47:52leaders should take to better recognize
47:55and support libraries as catalyst for
47:59equitable and sustainable development.
48:01And this is our sort of hint right for
48:04our our collaborator future uh or
48:06potential partner stakeholders to um um
48:10listen right where we can uh contribute
48:13and how we can partner and I would like
48:15to um go back to Leslie because of the
48:18uh view that she brings in and then
48:22we'll start with this global and then we
48:24go to local.
48:27So I would say it's it's extremely
48:30important that there's actual
48:32recognition for the impact and the
48:36importance of of of culture and the role
48:39that libraries play in relation to
48:42culture. Culture can be polarizing
48:45or it can actually bring people
48:47together. And I think it's wonderful
48:51that culture is seen as being woven into
48:54the fabric of the STGS and into all of
48:58them. But I think it's also important in
49:01the world we live in today that we
49:04really put a spotlight on culture and
49:06the importance that it plays in our
49:08communities and in society and the fact
49:12that libraries underpin
49:15culture. They they they help preserve uh
49:20people's music, their their their
49:22language, their stories,
49:25and they let people know see themselves
49:30in their society and know that they're
49:32valued and that they're important. And I
49:35think that that is what I would like to
49:37see in 2030, that we would see a focus
49:41on culture with libraries as a key
49:44pillar.
49:45Libraries are definitely crucial for to
49:48preserving culture and now in our world
49:51also digital culture preservation is
49:55very important as well. So important to
49:57champion that um I would like to um go
50:02through HEBA in that sense because I
50:05know in the region there's there's a lot
50:07big effort around digital cultural
50:10preservation but there's also other
50:12aspects that we would like to hear
50:13about. Well, um for Egypt, uh there is
50:17of course a lot of effort that um uh was
50:21exerted um in um the issue concerning
50:25preservation and mostly uh from the Wika
50:30Alexandrina
50:33and also uh our national library. Um let
50:37me give me you um a brief about uh uh
50:40this project that was implemented by
50:44Alexandrina.
50:56Well, uh this example as as I mentioned
50:58from Alexandrina's work in digitizing
51:01the memory of modern Egypt uh digital
51:04archives and this is a perfect uh
51:06example of partnership between culture
51:09institutions, government and private
51:12tech uh entities to uh preserve
51:15intellectual heritage and make it
51:17globally accessible.
51:19>> [snorts]
51:19>> Uh this is this is one of the uh the
51:22project from uh Bib Alex but there is a
51:26lot of um projects that are currently
51:28running uh in concerning the national
51:31libraries and also in biblical
51:33Alexandria in preserving our um history
51:36and heritage. So that's a beautiful um
51:39example of what Leslie uh was um
51:42mentioning right and I mean that's one
51:44example libraries are so rich and we can
51:47partner collaborate many areas and um
51:50I'll move to the um education part and
51:52then come home here with our two
51:55colleagues
51:57>> so I guess I'll um [clears throat]
52:00I will challenge all of us and I think
52:03for 2030 I still believe and this is an
52:06educator view that literacy is a
52:08superpower that we must target. So my
52:11challenge to everyone listening and to
52:14governments that may be listening is
52:16that it really should be a focus on 100%
52:19literacy by third grade. 90% of our
52:23brain development occurs by five, 95%
52:27brain development by eight. And if we
52:29want to have the highest return on
52:31investment and we want to lead to the
52:33success of our individual citizens, I
52:36think it has to be literacy.
52:40>> These aspects are interlin. They go hand
52:42in hand, Maria.
52:45>> Yes. Uh so I want to build off of what
52:48was already shared. I think in order for
52:51our communities, our um countries to be
52:56stronger
52:58and um
53:01and for the world to be to thrive and be
53:03um a healthier and happier place, it's
53:05going to take governments and decision
53:08makers and policy makers to make sure
53:11that everyone is included. So my theme
53:15here is inclusivity
53:18and that includes educating everybody.
53:20That includes all the cultures. That
53:22includes being able to facilitate
53:25conversations with uh the diversity of
53:28your community, of our communities, our
53:31and our world. And um that
53:35in order to um truly be inclusive
53:39places, I would suggest people to look
53:42to their libraries because our libraries
53:45are those places where everybody in a
53:48community comes in and everybody is
53:51included and libraries help to level the
53:54playing field.
53:57>> Yes. And and Corinthia school libraries.
54:00>> I have two things. first make school
54:03libraries um consistently visible in the
54:06national SG data. So I was doing my
54:10research and fewer than half of the
54:12voluntary national review mentions
54:15libraries at all and school library
54:18references when they do appear are often
54:22incidental rather than tied to a
54:24specific commitment or measurable
54:26indicators. I would like to see
54:28libraries mentioned in the national um
54:33voluntary national review. Two have
54:36certified school librarians in every
54:41school. Uh my colleague talked about um
54:45literacy.
54:46Yes, we have the technology but our
54:48students reading scores and literary lit
54:51literacy scores are low. We need to go
54:55back to the basics. And here in the
54:57states, um, Chromebooks, technology, I
55:00think certain states now pass laws where
55:03students cannot be in front of a
55:05Chromebook or technology until third
55:07grade. I am so happy with this because
55:10we're dealing with a group of students
55:12now during the pandemic who can't read.
55:15They're they don't know how to hold a
55:18book, read a story. I can't even sit
55:20through two pages of a story because
55:22they don't have the attention span. the
55:24literacy rate is low
55:28and also investment in school libraries.
55:31We need school certified school
55:34librarians in every school.
55:38Yes.
55:41And we can see uh the different aspects
55:44right from international to local. And
55:46this is important because each one of
55:48our I will say each one of our countries
55:50now speaking right to the wider
55:52audience. We have different um needs and
55:55different um issues and opportunities
55:58and libraries are still at the center to
56:01collaborate and partner in those
56:03different areas. And now we have to
56:05conclude our session but we're going to
56:08open for questions in a moment. And I
56:10would like to just go kind of a rapid
56:13round here um for uh for our speakers to
56:18remind us what unique role can libraries
56:22play in supported informed decision
56:25making and civic participation
56:28and I'll start with Heba and then move
56:31forward here.
56:35I guess um um um at a time when
56:38misinformation spread faster than facts,
56:42uh libraries provide something
56:43increasingly valuable, trusted
56:45information, uh professional guidance
56:48and neutral spaces for respectable
56:51dialogue which serve as a powerful um um
56:55antitude antidote to misinformation and
56:59empower citizen to make decision based
57:02on facts uh rather than um uh rhetoric.
57:06This is especially important um in in
57:09the age of AI um where distinguishing
57:12reliable information from fabricated
57:15content has become more challenging.
57:18Libraries uh don't tell people what to
57:21think. They help people learn how to
57:23think, critically evaluate evidence,
57:26recognize bias and make informed
57:28decision. Uh I guess that rule um is
57:32fundamental to democracy, live learning
57:34and sustainable development.
57:37>> Beautiful. There is a role there as
57:39Leslie was uh mentioning earlier
57:41important to work with the policy makers
57:44um in this in this aspects. Anthony
57:48>> uh President Clinton once said famously
57:51that if you want peace and you want
57:53democratic societies, you have to invest
57:55in education. And I'll add the word
57:58libraries to that. Uh I think uh
58:01governments need to I think view
58:03investment in libraries as an investment
58:05in their people.
58:08>> Very true.
58:11>> So I'm going to go back to the trust
58:12question because I think uh trust is
58:15being renegotiated.
58:17I think we're seeing um the value of
58:21expertise uh over the last 20 to 25
58:24years is being systematically kind of
58:27downgraded
58:28and uh recent research shows that
58:32librarians are still in the top three
58:35most trusted professions in the world.
58:39Um the first most trusted is a pilot and
58:42of course they're holding your life in
58:44their hands. The second is nurses, not
58:48doctors but nurses. They are also
58:51holding your lives in their hands. And
58:54the third most trusted is librarians.
58:57And I think that people feel that in
59:00fact librarians are holding people's
59:02lives in their hands in supporting them
59:06to have joyful, successful and fruitful
59:10lives. And so I would say trust
59:16I want to talk about the knowledge
59:18economy and um how we build better
59:21societies. We need critical thinkers. We
59:25need people who are literate. We need
59:27people who uh create knowledge in our
59:30libraries. We support the infrastructure
59:33is there through our resources and
59:35services and collections and expert
59:38staff to support knowledge creation
59:42every day. We are vibrant hubs of
59:45knowledge creation and we support
59:48directly our knowledge
59:52right there.
59:54>> I'm going to say investment in school
59:56libraries and school librarians.
59:59And to piggyback off of what Leslie say,
1:00:01a school librarian should be at the seat
1:00:05at the table where at policies on the
1:00:07state level and local level. We are the
1:00:10one of the areas where we are not
1:00:11represented on that level and there
1:00:14should be a school librarian on every
1:00:16policy educational policy that's out
1:00:20there. We should be represented because
1:00:22we see all students. We are one of the
1:00:25specialists. I'm a specialist considered
1:00:27in school. I see all of the students. I
1:00:30have such valuable information on the
1:00:33students but they don't listen to school
1:00:36librarians. We should be sitting at the
1:00:38table where the decisions are being
1:00:40made.
1:00:41>> An investment. Invest in education and
1:00:45in school libraries. You can't I I can
1:00:49go off. I cannot order books with
1:00:53$5,000. What can I buy with $5,000? Some
1:00:57districts only have $1,000. What can you
1:01:00buy for $1,000? But this is the budget
1:01:03that they give us for a class. Not a
1:01:06class, a school of 2,000 children.
1:01:09Can you imagine what can you buy?
1:01:12Investment, investment, investment.
1:01:15>> And I just wanted to piggy back off of
1:01:17that as an educator. What highquality
1:01:20university does not have a high quality
1:01:23library?
1:01:24And somehow we've excused at the K12 K
1:01:28through 12 level that very close
1:01:31relationship. It's I'm always still
1:01:33puzzled with that. What high quality
1:01:35university does not have a high quality
1:01:37library?
1:01:38>> We can see there's a variety of
1:01:41perspectives, but they're all very true
1:01:43because they, as you can, you know, we
1:01:46we heard tonight um from global to
1:01:49local. And um there are so um many uh
1:01:53rich uh stories and perspective here
1:01:55today. And the local it's what um has
1:02:00been the theme of this high level
1:02:02political forum. how we can shift um to
1:02:06and we you know this is the UN different
1:02:09stakeholder um talking about the
1:02:13importance of strengthening
1:02:15relationships organizations
1:02:18um um community places like libraries um
1:02:23at the local level because the global
1:02:26will reflect the strength of those uh
1:02:29local efforts. And so we can see um here
1:02:33tonight about the different um examples
1:02:36that our steam speakers have shared. Um
1:02:40and now I would like to open this before
1:02:43um concluding to any questions from our
1:02:47attendees and also from the online
1:02:51um attendees if we have questions.
1:02:57Yes,
1:03:00>> there's a question. There's a question
1:03:01here in the front.
1:03:08>> I wanted to know if um [cough]
1:03:10I know back when the uh internet first
1:03:12started that there were partnerships. Um
1:03:15I can give an example of New York Public
1:03:19Library partnered with the uh US Army
1:03:22and St. John's University
1:03:24um to train and also um the stock
1:03:28exchange um to train uh librarians on
1:03:33the use of the internet where they
1:03:35didn't then then turn key to other
1:03:37librarians and then um to the community.
1:03:40Do we have any partnerships like that
1:03:42currently in in regards to um AI?
1:03:46>> I will I will start on that and then
1:03:48maybe other colleagues have examples. Uh
1:03:51New York City Department of Schools um
1:03:54that manage all the school libraries for
1:03:57for the city has a program where they
1:04:00are training and providing education to
1:04:03the school librarians on AI and
1:04:05different technologies and they have a
1:04:07website. they have um publications for
1:04:10the the school librarians to receive um
1:04:13education in that aspect and then they
1:04:15will also go back to their schools and
1:04:18and um share the information and train
1:04:21others so that there is that that one
1:04:24effort perhaps others have other
1:04:26examples.
1:04:27>> Yeah, maybe I'll jump in. Uh the
1:04:30National Association in the United
1:04:32Kingdom has a collaboration that they're
1:04:35actually doing with Google where they're
1:04:37they have a superarcher pro program to
1:04:40train people in libraries to become
1:04:44train the trainer for artificial
1:04:47intelligence. So they're developing
1:04:49these super searchers who can then
1:04:52support other people in the libraries to
1:04:54be able to develop training programs to
1:04:56be able to work directly with the
1:04:58public. And in fact uh Toronto Public
1:05:00Library in Canada is also working with
1:05:03Google. Um and Google has other programs
1:05:06that reach beyond the library where they
1:05:08work with uh uh faculty where they work
1:05:12um with uh with teachers and in fact
1:05:15where they work with parents who would
1:05:17like to be able to uh support their
1:05:20their children in their use of
1:05:22artificial intelligence.
1:05:24Well, um for the Arab Federation for
1:05:27Libraries and Information, we are
1:05:28currently um partnering with uh have an
1:05:32agreement with the library juice academy
1:05:35and they offer um uh training courses
1:05:38for librarians on AI. So, we began this
1:05:41agreement and maybe we'll have like um
1:05:44uh for librarian from the Middle East
1:05:46and North Africa courses that will be uh
1:05:50implemented next August.
1:05:53Um MIT has an excellent program for
1:05:56training school librarians and teachers
1:05:58in AI and I highly recommend it to
1:06:01anyone who needs training. MIT has an
1:06:04excellent program and um I know we have
1:06:07uh some uh staff here from New York
1:06:09Public Library and they have now talking
1:06:12about the services they provide to
1:06:14patrons. there are a number of options
1:06:18that I've seen on the flyers on the
1:06:20first floor about the different classes
1:06:22they provide and so um I don't know if
1:06:25one of the staff would like to share
1:06:27anything like that at this time but the
1:06:29flyers are there I saw them when I
1:06:31walked in and so those are options not
1:06:34only what is happening for librarians
1:06:36but also for patrons for the community
1:06:38at large
1:06:40any other question yes Stephen
1:06:47Thank you. So it it's two two questions
1:06:50bringing out a little bit um some of the
1:06:52topics that you covered during um your
1:06:55interventions. I I think a first one and
1:06:58I think Heb touched on it a little bit
1:07:01in the STGS the sustainable development
1:07:04goals as they are now the treatment of
1:07:07knowledge is scattered. There's not a
1:07:09single knowledge goal. There's a bit
1:07:11under health, a bit under agriculture, a
1:07:13bit under education here, there. Do you
1:07:17think that we are in a different place
1:07:19now that we're in a world where there's
1:07:22a greater appreciation of the need for a
1:07:27concerted coherent strategic approach to
1:07:31knowledge in order to achieve broader
1:07:35policy goals? That's the first one. I'm
1:07:37going to give you a second one so you
1:07:38have time to think about it. the the
1:07:40other question we've talked a lot about
1:07:42I know the value of libraries all the
1:07:44things that libraries do I'd really be
1:07:47interested to hear from each of you one
1:07:50thing that is a bit of unique value
1:07:52added because in many of the areas we're
1:07:54active there's also civil society doing
1:07:57things there'll be I don't know
1:07:59associations there'll be some other
1:08:00service offering things what is the
1:08:03unique thing that libraries offer
1:08:08>> uh I could tell you in the schools. It's
1:08:11a safe haven.
1:08:12Children come to the library. They come
1:08:15in um tents,
1:08:18agitated,
1:08:21the world is on their back
1:08:23and they come into the library and it's
1:08:25peace, you know, they sit with their
1:08:27blankets. I have um pillows where they
1:08:30can lay down on the floor. I have soft
1:08:32music. I have aroma therapy. It's a safe
1:08:36haven because once they leave out of
1:08:38this is this is a very stressful world
1:08:40we're living in now and once they walk
1:08:42out of their doors you don't know what
1:08:43they're going home to but they need a
1:08:46place of refuge and that's what I
1:08:48provide and that's what school libraries
1:08:51should be providing in today's society I
1:08:54provide comfort sometimes I'm their
1:08:57mother I'm I'm their psychologist I'm
1:09:00the doctor I'm everything but they come
1:09:03to the library for help. They asked for
1:09:06numerous topics from grief to divorce.
1:09:10Um, it's numerous school shootings. I
1:09:13mean, that's that's that's my reality.
1:09:18And so, they come into the library for
1:09:20refuge and for peace. And that's what I
1:09:22provide in today's world.
1:09:25>> I love these questions. I I think a
1:09:28knowledge SG makes a lot of sense. And
1:09:32um I would say that what library is an
1:09:35added value proposition is that
1:09:38libraries provide a way for individuals
1:09:41to know more about themselves. They are
1:09:43portals to another world and they
1:09:46improve the good of society.
1:09:51Well, for me, I guess it's lifelong
1:09:53learning because libraries offer many uh
1:09:57training programs and many activities
1:10:00that um um involve different ages uh
1:10:04from children. I I I'm talking about uh
1:10:08public library because this is my
1:10:10background. So, uh they are providing
1:10:14many programs for children and library.
1:10:16And concerning your your first question,
1:10:18I I guess we we are uh we are in
1:10:22progress because um being here uh this
1:10:25week and um talking to um our ministries
1:10:30about involving libraries in the VNR, I
1:10:33guess this is this is an amazing uh and
1:10:36opportunity that um maybe I we couldn't
1:10:40achieve while we were in um in Egypt. it
1:10:44it was difficult to connect with them
1:10:46but here in um the United Nation high
1:10:50level political forums it was a great
1:10:52opportunity
1:10:54and I just wanted to say I think it's a
1:10:56great idea Stephen I think in from an
1:10:58educational standpoint whenever you
1:10:59develop a curriculum you identify
1:11:02outcomes and I think in particular um if
1:11:06we had a knowledge SCG libraries would
1:11:08play a very significant role um what I
1:11:11also like about a knowledge um focus is
1:11:14that often times knowledge we we maybe
1:11:18overac make it too academic. I think in
1:11:21some ways what Stephen is saying is this
1:11:22knowledge about a healthy life um uh a
1:11:26healthy society. What are the core
1:11:28knowledge competencies that your
1:11:29citizens should know? So that's very
1:11:31good. And then really quickly on the
1:11:33other one um it's a one-stop shop. I
1:11:36mean I remember when I was a young
1:11:38father with three kids and Walmart first
1:11:40came out. I can grocery shop and get my
1:11:42car fixed at the same time without
1:11:44having, you know, take my kid out of the
1:11:45car seat just once. But I think
1:11:47libraries also serve that role. Um, and
1:11:50when you think about that's why it's
1:11:51called a great equalizer. If you don't
1:11:53have something, you can go to the
1:11:54library and you then and they'll provide
1:11:57it. So,
1:11:59>> so I tend to agree that we do need a
1:12:01knowledge uh SDG.
1:12:05This really is the century of knowledge.
1:12:07I think I think that's going to be
1:12:08proven over and over again and
1:12:10especially when we're dealing with the
1:12:13challenges around mis disinformation
1:12:16uh and where where knowledge and
1:12:19information becomes a weapon. Uh I think
1:12:22it's critical that that's knowledge and
1:12:25access to information has to be ba a
1:12:28basic human right and and I think that
1:12:30it would be served by having that uh in
1:12:33the SGS and I'm going to say the unique
1:12:36proposition for libraries
1:12:39um I think it's around I think it's
1:12:40around respect
1:12:42because I don't know where respect has
1:12:44gone but you don't see a lot of it these
1:12:47days
1:12:48>> [clears throat]
1:12:48>> um uh and and I I think uh libraries in
1:12:54the way they approach being
1:12:56community-led,
1:12:57they're demonstrating their respect for
1:12:59each individual person who comes in. And
1:13:03when I look at some of the technical
1:13:04work that we're doing, um, national
1:13:07libraries are rewriting subject headings
1:13:11so that the way people are described is
1:13:15the way people a a community wants to be
1:13:18described, not the way some external
1:13:20force decides that they should be
1:13:23described. And so that comes into
1:13:26respectful terminology and working with
1:13:29communities at uh the library and
1:13:31archives Canada, we've changed more than
1:13:33900 subject headings over the last three
1:13:36years in many many different areas. Um
1:13:41and you know any of those areas may be
1:13:44contentious for certain people in terms
1:13:46of the way they think of others. Um, but
1:13:49I would say I think it's extremely
1:13:52important that people in communities
1:13:55have influence over the way others
1:13:58perceive them and the way they're
1:13:59described.
1:14:01>> Wonderful. And I would like to also
1:14:03provide um some information here for
1:14:07this question and I'm going to kind of
1:14:09sort of merge um a unique proposition
1:14:12for libraries and also an aspect about
1:14:15knowledge. Um during this high level
1:14:17political forum I was able to connect
1:14:21with the regional commission's office of
1:14:24the United Nations and they have uh
1:14:28different regional offices. I connected
1:14:31with the office in New York and um and
1:14:34they said to me, "Oh, libraries, I love
1:14:37to read." And so I and then she asked
1:14:41me, "What are you doing now that
1:14:43everybody's online?" And I said, well,
1:14:45let me share with you that we are also
1:14:48online and and reading is also done
1:14:51through um audio books and but we are
1:14:54also in the area of open access and
1:14:58copyright legal matters and policym
1:15:01around those areas. And so I I had
1:15:04opportunity to expand a little bit on
1:15:07those areas that are part of what you
1:15:10know the core of what libraries are
1:15:12about, right? and relate to knowledge.
1:15:15Uh you know Stephen was mentioning it
1:15:19and so expanding on that uh kind of
1:15:22linking that to a unique uh thing about
1:15:25libraries. I was thinking about the time
1:15:28of the pandemic and how important was to
1:15:32make sure that uh certain provisions
1:15:35related to copyright were in place or
1:15:38were um in a way that were kind of
1:15:40flexible. to um the researchers and
1:15:44people that were working in innovation
1:15:47for different aspects whether it's
1:15:49vacines or or or different technology
1:15:51and computer programs etc uh to help the
1:15:55world in that time um had access to the
1:16:00information they needed and so there
1:16:02were some things that were kind of
1:16:03locked in and certain copyright uh
1:16:05licenses and things like that um and we
1:16:08often don't think about that but that is
1:16:10also part of uh the important work that
1:16:14libraries do and that um being at the
1:16:17decision- making tables and and working
1:16:20towards different uh policies that can
1:16:23impact those aspects can help move the
1:16:26world forward so to speak, right? We can
1:16:28have innovation. We can create things
1:16:30that can help people with health and
1:16:33health conditions or or you know improve
1:16:37airplanes or different things. And so
1:16:39libraries are involved in all those
1:16:43aspects of our modern world and regular
1:16:47so to speak a more uh traditional ways
1:16:49of living. They are very important uh
1:16:52access to information is interlin to all
1:16:55the SDGs the 17 of them and without that
1:17:00right with the knowledge on on accessing
1:17:02it. Yes. but learning or or teaching
1:17:06from our end how to use that information
1:17:10and uh reuse it for the benefit of our
1:17:14world. Um right that that will be kind
1:17:16of like the our very unique role and so
1:17:20we can each one of us um uh talk a
1:17:23little bit more or a lot more about
1:17:26these but we are going to see if there's
1:17:29another question from the audience. I do
1:17:32just have one from online. Yes. Um so um
1:17:35one of our viewers online is asking um I
1:17:38think this is for the whole panel. Can
1:17:39you leave us with a specific action uh
1:17:43tonight that can help us communicate the
1:17:46importance of libraries to and they give
1:17:49a few stakeholders to schools to
1:17:51communities to decision makers um and
1:17:54action to communicate the importance of
1:17:56libraries.
1:17:57Go to your local school board meetings.
1:18:02That's where the decisions are being
1:18:04made when they want to cut school
1:18:07libraries and school librarians. Attend
1:18:10your local school board meetings. That's
1:18:13very important. Thank you. Um, can I do
1:18:17two quick ones? One is get your library
1:18:19card. If you don't have your library
1:18:20card, you will find you will discover
1:18:23something more about your library that
1:18:25you did not know. And then the other is
1:18:27about -ay in the United States. So if
1:18:30you live in the United States, please
1:18:31contact your legislators. -
1:18:35bulk of libraries in the United States
1:18:38get discounts for providing broadband to
1:18:42their communities. And this especially
1:18:44impacts small rural communities and
1:18:46urban communities. It is essential. It's
1:18:49essential that the 30-year -ate program
1:18:51continues. Please contact your
1:18:53legislators and say please keep at -ate
1:18:57is vital to connectivity in for for
1:19:01United States residents.
1:19:05I would say that um in the library
1:19:07community we we we are really good at
1:19:12advocating amongst ourselves
1:19:15and we're really good about sharing our
1:19:18successes and uh blowing our horn in
1:19:22terms of our wonderful accomplishments
1:19:24at home in the libraries at the library
1:19:28conferences. Um, what we need to do is
1:19:31find out figure out who the influencers
1:19:34are as well as the decision makers and
1:19:37speak their language.
1:19:40Don't think they're going to learn our
1:19:43language.
1:19:44And the shorter your message, the
1:19:46better. So, if you want someone to
1:19:50remember what you are advocating for,
1:19:53don't give them 20 ideas. Never give
1:19:56more than three. and maybe focus on one
1:19:59if there's one that's really important.
1:20:02>> So true.
1:20:05[laughter]
1:20:06>> So I've got two as well. I don't know
1:20:08how much to follow that. Um but one uh
1:20:11let your decision makers know libraries
1:20:13are being used more not less. The
1:20:15digital
1:20:17uh age has made libraries much more
1:20:19approachable and reachable and and
1:20:21libraries are being used more. Uh the
1:20:23other is is ask or yeah look look in
1:20:25your community and see if there are book
1:20:29deserts.
1:20:31So as part of this panel I was doing
1:20:33research um about the relationship
1:20:35between literacy and quality of life.
1:20:38It's almost a onetoone correlation. The
1:20:40more literate your community the higher
1:20:42quality of life. The longer they live
1:20:45the higher the income etc etc. So I
1:20:48would say look in your community and ask
1:20:50yourself are there book deserts and if
1:20:52there are book deserts which means the
1:20:54children do not have access to books
1:20:56they do not have books in their home I
1:20:59think you need to stop that
1:21:01>> well for me it's um let um the voice of
1:21:05the library be heard and you can do that
1:21:09by um collaborating with different
1:21:11entity um with stakeholders with
1:21:15international organization local organ
1:21:17organization. So by doing this effort um
1:21:21uh and you will be heard, the libraries
1:21:24will be heard, the voice of the
1:21:26libraries will be heard. Thank you so
1:21:28much. Um we are very fortunate. This was
1:21:33a treat um from uh global perspectives,
1:21:37local perspective, educational as well.
1:21:40Um and so we hope that everyone lives
1:21:43here um with uh many ideas and very
1:21:47inspired also to join your communities
1:21:51different stakeholders and uh share this
1:21:54uh different examples right the power of
1:21:56the story it's very important so thank
1:21:58you to our speakers for sharing their
1:22:01expertise to our partners the Stavos
1:22:04Nearos Foundation Library and ELA for
1:22:07making this event possible and to each
1:22:10one of you for investing your time in
1:22:12this conversation.
1:22:14Together, we can continue building a
1:22:17future where libraries are recognized
1:22:20not simply as places that provide books,
1:22:23but as trusted partners in sustainable
1:22:27development, democratic participation,
1:22:30lifelong learning, and stronger
1:22:32communities for all. So, thank you for
1:22:34being here. Good night.

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