Library cooperation between four countries in the north, Barents Euro-Arctic region IFLA WLIC 2012 Satellite Conference Lappeenranta Susanna Parikka Library Director Lapland University Consortium Library, Finland
Lapland University Consortium (LUC) - Co-operation of three institutions of higher education: o University of Lapland o Rovaniemi University of Applied Sciences o Kemi-Tornio University of Applied Sciences -A common library: Lapland University Consortium Library (LUC Library) >
Outline 1. Barents area 2. Libraries 3. Future
1. Barents area
The Barents Euro-Arctic region Extends over northernmost parts of four countries: -Norway -Sweden -Finland -Northwest Russia
Willem Barents (c.1550 – 1597) Barents‘s ship among the arctic ice by Gerard de Veer 1598
Barents region 1/2 -Vast region of km² -Population 5,5 million -Low population density: 3,4 inhabitants per km² -Long distances -Wilderness -Boreal forest zones but tundra in the north -Rural areas, just a few cities -Many natural resources (forests, fish, minerals, diamonds, oil and gas)
Barents region 2/2 -Many languages Norwegian Swedish Finnish Russian Nine Sami languages Kven language Torne Valley Finnish Karelian language -Indigenous peoples e.g. Saami, Nenets, Vepsians, Komi
Torne river boundary river between Finland and Sweden
2. Libraries
-to improve library services with the help and inspiration of the cross-border co-operation -to intensify and rationalize library operations with the help of international colleagues from libraries with similar conditions Goals of co-operation
- common meetings - acquisitions (e.g. acquiring of other countries’ literature both as originals and as translations, exchanging special collections) - information exchange between libraries - staff exchange between libraries - PR work - interlibrary lending Forms of co-operation
Co-operation since the 60’s North Calotte Week in Piteå (Sweden) North Calotte Libray meeting in Rovaniemi (Finland) -Many meetings under 1960’s, 1970’s and 1980’s under different names also Russian librarians took part in the meeting in Kirkenes (Norway) first conference in Russia (Murmansk)
Some results of co-operation -Mutual benefits for all participating libraries -Many common projects: -Building networks of library people -Many kinds of work with collections, newest being digitizing materials -Common Sami bibliography -Common updating education, Barents Library School (finished) -Staff exchange -Northern information service Lapponica on the Internet &ulang=eng
Barents Library Conference 2011, Rovaniemi, Finland
Photo Salla Erho Rovaniemi City Library, Finland
LUC Library, University of Lapland
Photo Harri Tarvainen LUC Library, Kemi-Tornio UAS Digipolis
Photo Jenni Lintula Umeå University Library, Sweden
Troms City Library, Norway
Main Public Library in Petrozavodsk, Russia
3. Future
Succesful cross-border co-operation -To be based on - local needs - common challenges - mutual co-operation -A grass-root connection - Open attitude
Rovaniemi in Autumn, Finland
Future -Great challenges in the future for the area -Libraries? -More co-operation in disseminating information, also scientific information -Making local people’s voices heard -New forms of co-operation
Frozen river, Rovaniemi, Finland
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