Libraries and the UN Sustainable Development Goals: The past, present, and future
OCLC1
01 Oct 2020-Vol. 57, Iss: 1
TL;DR: The OCLC Global Council has selected the SDGs as its area of focus for 2020 and is formulating a research program that will identify and advocate for the ways that libraries can help further the sustainable development goals (SDGs) as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: This paper presents initial research from a broader project about the impact of libraries on the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In 2015, the UN launched the SDGs, a set of 17 goals for global development by the year 2030. Librarians helped shape the inclusion of access to information in these goals and are involved in furthering them through providing access to information. The OCLC Global Council has selected the SDGs as its area of focus for 2020 and is formulating a research program that will identify and advocate for the ways that libraries can help further the SDGs. This paper details the history of the SDGs and the role that librarians played in shaping them. It shows examples of ways that librarians and library initiatives have helped further them through providing access to information and information literacy skills. Finally, it offers suggestions for ways that library leaders could structure their information activates around the SDGs, based on data from a survey of OCLC Global Council delegates.
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TL;DR: In this article , the authors explored the role of academic libraries in the achievement of quality education as a sustainable development goal and developed a framework to guide librarians and academic libraries.
Abstract: PurposeThis study explored the role of academic libraries in the achievement of quality education as a Sustainable Development Goal.Design/methodology/approachThe study adopted a qualitative research approach and descriptive case study design. This study focuses on academic libraries from four universities in Ghana. From each university, the researchers purposely selected four respondents, comprising the heads of the libraries, deputies, and two assistant librarians or library assistants. Primary data were collected through semi-structured interviews, observations and document reviews. The results were analyzed and presented in descriptive and interpretive forms.FindingsThe study established that the majority of the library staff were aware of the sustainable development goal, SDG 4. The libraries provided relevant materials to support students’ learning, organize training on information literacy and engage library patrons in periodic information literacy programs to create awareness of the SDG 4. Since the libraries do not have their own internally developed policies on the SDG 4, they depend on the general United Nations (UN) document on the SDG and SDG 4 as a guide in information delivery; and the general policies on information delivery, teaching and quality assurance of the universities in general and the libraries in particular. The study concluded with a framework to guide the successful accomplishment of the SDG 4 in libraries.Research limitations/implicationsThe study focused on academic libraries in Ghana and adopted the purposive sampling technique which makes it assume a weak power of generalization.Practical implicationsThe study has implications for academic libraries and librarians in Ghana in achieving the SDG 4. It will guide librarians and academic libraries in formulating policies to guide them in their activities. The framework developed as a result of the findings will equally guide the librarians in their quest to provide information to achieve the SDG 4.Originality/valueThis study's originality lies in its articulation of academic libraries' initiatives in the actualization of the SDG 4 in Ghana with a developed framework to guide librarians and academic libraries. Academic libraries and librarians who are eager to contribute their quota to the achievement of the SDG 4 will find this study useful.
2 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors made an attempt to understand the level of South Korean librarians' awareness of the United Nations' sustainable development goals (SDGs) and IFLA's support strategy for the SDGs, the degree of implementation of the UN's SDGs support strategy by individual libraries, and how much the librarian agree with IFLAs support strategy.
Abstract: This study made an attempt to understand the level of South Korean librarians’ awareness of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and IFLA’s support strategy for the SDGs, the degree of implementation of the UN’s SDGs support strategy by individual libraries, and how much the librarians agree with IFLA’s support strategy. As a result, first, this study revealed that public librarians had little knowledge of the UN SDGs 2030 agenda or the fact that IFLA has proposed support strategies for the UN’s SDGs. Second, this study found a high level of agreement among librarians with IFLA’s support strategies set for libraries to achieve the UN SDGs . Reflecting the two results above, it can be understood that librarians, though they were not well aware of the agenda of the UN SDGs 2030 or the library’s support strategies set by IFLA for the agenda, highly agree that the library’s support strategies suggested by IFLA are the role of libraries. Therefore, widely promoting the library’s support strategies proposed by IFLA for the UN SDGs 2030 is highly likely to encourage many librarians to participate actively.
1 citations
TL;DR: A survey of more than 1700 library staff worldwide identified how libraries contribute to five of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals as mentioned in this paper , and the similarities between academic and public libraries adopt, contribute, and use of the sustainable development goals are reported.
Abstract: A survey of more than 1700 library staff worldwide identifies how libraries contribute to five of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The similarities between academic and public libraries’ adoption, contribution, and use of the Sustainable Development Goals are reported. The results indicate that library staff do substantial work around all five of the selected Sustainable Development Goals. Sometimes the activities are a result of integrating the Sustainable Development Goals into strategic planning, but at other times the activities are a result of programming that library staff undertake as part of their mission. The majority of the respondents have not incorporated the Sustainable Development Goals into their strategic planning. However, the libraries’ support of the Sustainable Development Goals is demonstrated by the activities the library staff are engaged with and the respondents’ comments. The activities identified here can be used to inform library strategic planning and to help library staff maximize their library’s impact on sustainable development.
TL;DR: A systematic review of social responsibility in libraries adopted between 2010 and 2021 is presented in this article to offer an understanding of the future direction of library social responsibility, and to bridge the knowledge gap regarding research patterns and trends in social responsibility of libraries.
Abstract: Abstract A review of library social responsibility is presented in this study to offer an understanding of the future direction of library social responsibility, and to bridge the knowledge gap regarding research patterns and trends in social responsibility of libraries. The purpose of this review was to provide a systematic review of social responsibility in libraries adopted between 2010 and 2021. Searches were conducted on databases in English and Arabic. An analysis of the papers revealed four themes of library social responsibility: workplace and employees, stakeholders, environment, and community. Themes had different levels of attention. The results of this study may contribute to future research. Further highlighting the gaps in the literature could be valuable for future research. In-depth qualitative empirical studies of library social responsibility are recommended.
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TL;DR: The content of the SDGs should focus on two considerations: global priorities that need active worldwide public participation, political focus, and quantitative measurement; and lessons from the MDGs, especially the reasons for their successes, and corrections of some of their most important shortcomings.
Abstract: The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) mark a historic and eff ective method of global mobilisation to achieve a set of important social priorities worldwide. They express widespread public concern about poverty, hunger, disease, unmet schooling, gender inequality, and environmental degradation. By packaging these priorities into an easily understandable set of eight goals, and by establishing measurable and timebound objectives, the MDGs help to promote global awareness, political accountability, improved metrics, social feedback, and public pressures. As described by Bill Gates, the MDGs have become a type of global report card for the fi ght against poverty for the 15 years from 2000 to 2015. As with most report cards, they generate incentives to improve performance, even if not quite enough incentives for both rich and poor countries to produce a global class of straight-A students. Developing countries have made substantial progress towards achievement of the MDGs, although the progress is highly variable across goals, countries, and regions. Mainly because of startling economic growth in China, developing countries as a whole have cut the poverty rate by half between 1990 and 2010. Some countries will achieve all or most of the MDGs, whereas others will achieve very few. By 2015, most countries will have made meaningful progress towards most of the goals. Moreover, for more than a decade, the MDGs have remained a focus of global policy debates and national policy planning. They have become incorporated into the work of non-governmental organisations and civil society more generally, and are taught to students at all levels of education. The probable shortfall in achievement of the MDGs is indeed serious, regrettable, and deeply painful for people with low income. The shortfall represents a set of operational failures that implicate many stakeholders, in both poor and rich countries. Promises of offi cial development assistance by rich countries, for example, have not been kept. Nonetheless, there is widespread feeling among policy makers and civil society that progress against poverty, hunger, and disease is notable; that the MDGs have played an important part in securing that progress; and that globally agreed goals to fi ght poverty should continue beyond 2015. In a world already undergoing dangerous climate change and other serious environmental ills, there is also widespread understanding that worldwide environmental objectives need a higher profi le alongside the poverty-reduction objectives. For these reasons, the world’s governments seem poised to adopt a new round of global goals to follow the 15 year MDG period. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon’s high-level global sustainability panel, appointed in the lead-up to the Rio+20 summit in June, 2012, has issued a report recommending that the world adopt a set of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This spring, Secretary-General Ban indicated that after the Rio+20 summit he plans to appoint a high-level panel to consider the details of post-2015 goals, with UK Prime Minister David Cameron, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, and Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf as co-chairs. One scenario is that the Rio+20 summit will endorse the idea of the SDGs, and world leaders will adopt them at a special session of the UN General Assembly to review the MDGs in September, 2013. The SDGs are an important idea, and could help fi nally to move the world to a sustainable trajectory. The detailed content of the SDGs, if indeed they do emerge in upcoming diplomatic processes, is very much up for discussion and debate. Their content, I believe, should focus on two considerations: global priorities that need active worldwide public participation, political focus, and quantitative measurement; and lessons from the MDGs, especially the reasons for their successes, and corrections of some of their most important shortcomings. I have served Secretaries-General Kofi Annan and Ban Ki-Moon as Special Advisor on the MDGs, and look forward to contributing to the SDGs as well. The following suggestions, which I make solely in my personal capacity, include priorities for the SDGs and the best ways to build on the MDG successes and lessons.
1,088 citations
TL;DR: Reports from programs • Reviewed and responded to the following reports from accredited programs and programs with Candidacy or Precandidacy status: 64 annual statistical data reports, 26 biennial narrative reports, and three special reports.
Abstract: Reports from programs • Reviewed and responded to the following reports from accredited programs and programs with Candidacy or Precandidacy status: 64 annual statistical data reports, 26 biennial narrative reports, one Candidacy status annual progress report, one Precandidacy status annual progress report, and three special reports. • Denied the requests from two programs for postponement of their comprehensive reviews.
348 citations
29 Oct 2019
4 citations
"Libraries and the UN Sustainable De..." refers background in this paper
...For example, in the United States, librarians have provided information and educational resources for community members directly affected by the opioid crisis (Allen et al., 2020)....
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TL;DR: Springer Nature has committed to offering researchers a route to publishing open access in Nature and most Nature-branded journals from 2021 as mentioned in this paper, and most of these journals will be open access.
Abstract: Springer Nature says it commits to offering researchers a route to publishing open access in Nature and most Nature-branded journals from 2021. Springer Nature says it commits to offering researchers a route to publishing open access in Nature and most Nature-branded journals from 2021.
4 citations
"Libraries and the UN Sustainable De..." refers background in this paper
...Libraries also have been involved in the conversation around Plan S, which will mandate that all nationallyfunded research from 12 European countries will be available in open journals (Van Noorden, 2020)....
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