Extend the Social Forum to the Public Libraries!

1. The World Social Forum needs to deposit its information in libraries. Let the depositary library of the WSF be the public library system.
   National libraries are usually the deposits for the books and journals of the nation. Some international bodies also have designated depositary libraries. An example is The Kenya National Library Service (KNLS), which functions as a depository library for publications of the World Bank, the United Nations and the International Labour Organization.
   
   
   
2. The librarians and the libraries can help the WSF to get rooted in ever wider circles while at the same time defending and developing their own important public service in cooperation with the global justice movement.
   Historically, the public libraries and the social movements grew together, in cooperation. They need to reconnect with each others.
   Today, the public library system is threatened by the neoliberal globalisation, The librarians are becoming aware of the dangerous implications of the GATS and TRIPS agreements. The WSF process can help the libraries to fight the threat.
   
   
   
3. Translators have started the BABELS. Librarians ought to establish the BIBELS. They should collect, organise, present, disseminate and preserve the information that is produced by the WSF-process globally, regionally, nationally and locally.
   "Librarians should see themselves as researchers whose duty is to collect knowledge and store it for posterity. Not for modern libraries should be the role to just collect and organize data, but they should also be involved in the generation of that information."
   [quoted from Kgomotso H. Moahi: Providing Library services in the digital era: Opportunities and threats for libraries in Africa. World Library and Information Congress: 69th IFLA General Conference and Council 1-9 August 2003, Berlin]
   
   
   
4. Social Forum and Libraries, Unite!
   
   
   

Nairobi 19 March 2006
Mikael Böök
book@kaapeli.fi
Background, see www.nigd.org/libraries/bamako-nairobi