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IFLA Convenes in Oslo as New National Library OpensAgainst the backdrop of the inauguration of the newly expanded and renovated National Library of Norway, the 71st World Library and Information Congress of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions convened in Oslo August 14–18. The IFLA annual conference and council attracted some 3,200 delegates from 113 countries, including more than 300 Americans, to the Scandinavian capital, slightly higher than last year’s attendance in Buenos Aires.IFLA-goers watched on an outdoor screen as Norwegian King Harald V and other dignitaries toured the newly remodeled facility, which consists of a 1913 original and 1933 addition—both of which have been restored to their original condition—and a new addition containing underground storage vaults and offices. National Librarian Vigdis Moe Skarstein told American Libraries that the main objective of the renovation was “a balance between the building as part of Norway’s cultural heritage and the modern equipment required in a contemporary library.” King Harald also appeared at the Spektrum convention center for the opening ceremonies, keynoted by Francis Sejerstedt, professor of economic and social history at the University of Oslo, who warned of the threats to freedom of information in a modern, technologically advanced society. The IFLA conference served as a showcase for the Norwegian intellectual and cultural elite. Åse Kleveland of the Swedish Film Institute and Board of Scandinavian Films wove Norwegian history into her moving speech about the human aspects of librarianship in a global context. Describing libraries as great repositories of knowledge, she also emphasized the librarian’s role in sharing that knowledge. “Content is king,” she joked, “but distribution is King Kong.” Also among the IFLA plenary session speakers was Upali Amarasiri, national librarian of Sri Lanka, who gave a horrifying account of the devastation to libraries in his country caused by the Indian Ocean tsunami of December 26, 2004. During the conference, the IFLA Committee on Free Access to Information and Freedom of Expression announced the publication of Libraries, National Security, Freedom of Information Laws, and Social Responsibilities, the 2005 edition of its world report on intellectual freedom and libraries. A full report on the IFLA conference is scheduled for the October issue of American Libraries. Posted August 19, 2005. |
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