Thursday, 12th August 2010

New: Facts, Stats & Much More About Libraries and "Library Issues" From Around the Globe in "IFLA World Report 2010" (Interactive)

Earlier today at the World Library and Information Congress: 76th IFLA (International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions) General Conference and Assembly the organization released the IFLA World Report 2010.

For those interested in statistical information about libraries around the world along with several related "library issues" including freedom of information, digital divide, open access, privacy, and others, this is an essential report. The "new way" of accessing the data has just a small learning curve and provides options to customize results.

This time the report is accessed interactively using Google Maps and material is accessed using one or two maps located on this page.

Map 1

Access Country Reports By Selecting the Country or Countries

After you click on a pin, a box appears asking if you want to access the complete report or create a customized report. You can also select the "add to list" link and when you've selected the countries you can download and view the various reports at one time. You'll have to formatting options. We found it easiest to select your first country and then move around the map to choose more by dragging and zooming-in and out.

Also, if you select one country, near the top of the page you'll see a "view complete report" link. Instead of having to select various data point you can get all the info in a single click.

The data is divided into several sections. If you build a customized report you'll expand and check/tick various data points.

Here are most of the top-level data categories that can be expanded.

+ Country statistics, introduction and responding institution
+ Estimated Number of Libraries
+ National Library Info
+ Estimated number of research libraries in country
+ Libraries and the Internet
+ Digital Divide
+ Filtering and blocking of information
+ Financial barriers
+ Open Access
+ Legal Issues
+ Copyright laws
+ Laws Guaranteeing FAIFE Principles
+ User Privacy and Anti-terror Legislation
+ Violations of Intellectual Freedom
+ HIV/AIDS Awareness (Library Programs)
+ Women and Freedom of Access to Information
+ The disabled and Freedom of Access to Information
+ Senior citizens and Freedom of Access to Information
+ Libraries and the provision of universal primary education
+ Libraries and environmental sustainability
+ The IFLA Internet Manifesto?
+ The IFLA Glasgow Declaration?
+ The IFLA Manifesto on Transparency, Good Governance and Freedom from Corruption?

Finally, you'll note an option to view data either per country or in a comparative table.

Map 2

This is the "question-oriented" interface. Here you can access the same information you do with the map interface but after you select the statistic/data point you're interested in, the result is visualized on a map. You can also select a link and view the raw data.

Finally, no unique URL for a personalized map is provided (as far as we can see). Your best bet is to take a screen shot, upload, get a unique URL and share.

Direct to Analysis and Conclusions (PDF).

Access and Download previous reports here.

Source: IFLA

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