Workshop 1: How to best articulate and share our achievements ALIA ASIA-PACIFIC SDG SUMMIT FOR LIBRARY AND INFORMATION PROFESSIONALS Workshop 1: How to best articulate and share our achievements

These workshop materials were developed by the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) for the ALIA Asia-Pacific Sustainable Development Goals Summit, held on the Gold Coast, Australia, on 29 July 2018. The ALIA SDG Summit was part of a program of activities coordinated by ALIA to support the take up and delivery of the SDGs in Australia and the Asia-Pacific Region. The program was made possible through funding from the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) International Advocacy Programme. The workshop materials are licenced under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial 4.0 International Licence. Contact: events@alia.org.au

Our goals for today’s workshop To give you the time and opportunity to think about what all the new information you have received today means to you in your own libraries and communities To establish new connections and partnerships across the library community To help you develop some practical strategies to take back to your workplace and share with your colleagues To encourage you to distill some of the high-level ideas into useful and pragmatic activities that will add value to the work libraries are already involved in

Learning objectives To enable you to share and discuss your ideas, to: Gain national and international perspectives on the SDGs Be better informed about ways of progressing the SDG agenda Develop a clear understanding of how the SDGs can be embedded in your own organisation Be equipped with the information you need to spread the message in your own communities and through your professional networks

Workshop overview: the context The UN 2030 Agenda 17 SDGs 169 targets 230+ indicators National development plans Why the UN 2030 Agenda is an important issue for libraries at the local, national and regional levels Why libraries are important to the UN 2030 Agenda Insights into what some libraries are already doing Very importantly, one size does not fit all: the immediate political, economic, social and environmental contexts are critical SDGs Libraries

Workshop overview: the focus How can we best articulate and share your achievements? The importance of telling convincing stories: About the activities, projects and/or programs your library is involved in About how this has had a real impact on the development needs that have been identified in your community What evidence will you need to present? How can you best present your story?

Workshop overview: the activities A series of scaffolded activities to bring together the context and the focus of the workshop Activity 1: Which SDGs are the most relevant? Activity 2: In terms of one SDG, which targets are the most relevant? Activity 3: How do your programs and services already contribute to the SDGs? Activity 4: How can you demonstrate impact? What stories can you tell? What evidence can you present?

Workshop overview: the players All of you! You come from different countries You represent different library sectors You bring quite different levels of knowledge and experience to the table

Introduction The SDGs provide a valuable framework for library advocacy They take us to different places They start new conversations They demonstrate the dynamism of libraries You need to be able to communicate the value and the impact of your library services within: Your own organisation The wider community Significantly, libraries already contribute in various ways to the full range of SDGs Collectively, we need to be able to build our case by: Determining the real impact that libraries make Telling interesting and engaging stories to articulate this impact to key influencers and decision makers Ensuring we present the right evidence to support our arguments

What are libraries already doing to support progress towards the SDGs? Access and opportunity for all: How libraries contribute towards the UN 2030 Agenda Share your stories with the world: Victorian public libraries and the UN SDGs

IFLA: focus on Goal 16 Goal 16.10 Ensure public access to information and protect fundamental freedoms, in accordance with national legislation and international agreements 

Libraries facilitate access to information Access to information supports: Eradication of poverty Agriculture Quality education Health and wellness Public access to ICT Rich cultural life Economic growth Strong civil societies … Access to information underpins the achievement of all SDGs https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdgs

In the context of the SDGs, library staff… Promote the information rights of citizens Believe in the importance of digital inclusion Develop relevant collections and facilitate access to resources Support access to government information, in all media Focus on the importance of open access Ensure they are key players in terms of literacy, digital and media literacy and lifelong learning Sit at the heart of the academic and research communities Play a central to the preservation of culture and heritage Model high standards of information ethics Work confidently with NGOs that are seeking to ensure transparency in society ….

A few examples of the different ways libraries make a contribution Goal 2: Zero hunger Romania: librarians helped farmers access agricultural subsidies Goal 3: Good health and well-being Uganda: academic librarians repackage and distribute valuable health information to 1500 hospitals and health services via the Ugandan Health Information Digest Goal 4: Quality education Singapore: librarians with the National Library and public libraries demonstrate a special focus on providing collections and services to people who lack mobility Goal 7: Affordable and clean energy UK: librarians support the community by lending energy monitors to identify where real savings can be made

More broadly Goal 5B: Enhance the use of ICT to empower all women and girls Libraries partner with not-for-profit agencies to support migrant and refugee women STEM programs run by libraries develop girls’ problem solving skills in science, engineering and technology Goal 9C: Increase access to ICT and strive to provide universal access to the Internet Free or low-cost access to the Internet is fundamental, also wifi-enabled mobile libraries Goal 11.4: Protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage Outreach programs to Indigenous communities Local and community history services

Libraries and the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda Individual countries prepare a national development plan While the SDGs are universal goals, each country will be responsible for developing and implementing national strategies to achieve them, and will be expected to track and report its own progress toward each target Access to information is a core dimension of strong national development plans Libraries must now show that they can drive progress across the SDGs and make an important contribution to the national development plan Advocacy is needed to ensure that national, regional and local policy makers understand that libraries and access to information must be included as part of national development plans (IFLA Toolkit, p.1)

National/regional/local development plans National development plans are shaping many government spending and programme priorities Social development plans Education plans Health and wellness plans ICT infrastructure plans … The priorities will be different in different countries, regions and localities This will impact on the reality of government funding

Libraries need to be in the mix When governments are discussing funding priorities, it is imperative that libraries are recognised By promoting the leading role that they play in national, regional and local development, there are new opportunities for the funding of libraries, especially public libraries The UN 2030 Agenda offers the library sector new opportunities to challenge existing assumptions about libraries – and therefore also about how libraries are funded The SDGs provide libraries with a real opportunity for advocacy

A definition of ‘advocacy’ The term ‘advocacy’ is interpreted differently in different languages and cultures One helpful way to look at the concept is that ‘advocacy’ refers to: “the actions individuals or organizations undertake to influence decision making at the local, regional, state, national, and international levels that help create a desired policy or funding change in support of [public] libraries” Global Libraries Advocacy Guide (2011), p.2

This all means that library staff… Need to have a good understanding of the UN 2030 Agenda and what is happening in their own communities Need to recognise how specific SDGs are aligned with their organisation’s own goals and strategies Need to increase awareness – at all levels of society – about the critical contribution libraries can make Need very clear statements of the role(s) that libraries can play in the development arena Need to have clear examples of good practice to illustrate and provide evidence of the impact libraries make Need to believe that they can make a difference: they need true conviction and real commitment

Activity 1. Which SDGs are the most relevant? In your groups, please take a look at the 17 SDGs Just at the ‘top level’, think about the topics of the individual SDGs… Which do you feel are the most important ones for your country, region or locality, and why? Write your ideas on sticky notes (one sticky note for each idea) https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdgs

What ideas did you have?

Activity 2. Which targets are the most relevant? Now focus on one SDG which you feel is really important in your country, region or locality Please explore a bit further and try to determine which individual targets are the most relevant Again, please use sticky notes to capture your ideas, using a new sticky note for each idea You can do this as a larger group, or work in pairs or small groups

What insights can you share?

Activity 3. How do your programs and services already contribute to the SDGs? In your groups, consider some of the programs and services offered by your libraries How do these programs and services already contribute to the achievement of some of the SDGs? Is there one program or service that stands out in terms of its potential impact within the context of a specific SDG target?

Let’s tap into some of your thoughts

In the context of this workshop, we specifically want to focus on the impact libraries make Once you are aware of the fact that your programs and services are actually already making a contribution towards the achievement of the SDGs – what next? How do you measure – and articulate – the real impact of the services you provide? How can you tell compelling stories about what your library is achieving? What evidence can you present to support the stories you tell?

The value of stories “ Stories ignite our imagination; they let us build bridges across time and space. Stories affirm who we are and allow us to experience the similarities between ourselves and others. Stories help us find meaning in our lives. IFLA (2018). Libraries and the Sustainable Development Goals: a storytelling manual

The value of storytelling “ Storytelling is all about engagement, using the power of words to create empathy, loyalty and aspiration. By telling stories, based on solid evidence, we can win over hearts and minds, and encourage people – and in particular politicians, funders and other decision makers and influencers – to give us their support.

The value of digital storytelling “ Digital storytelling is the contemporary expression of the ancient art of storytelling. It combines the best of two worlds: the ‘old world’ of telling stories, and the ‘new world’ of digital technologies, which allow us to combine text with videos, photographs, art, music, narration and other multimedia components.

IFLA: Library Map of the World The Library Map of the World provides librarians with unique digital space to share their stories about: Their library’s activities, projects and programs Their impact on their community How that all contributes to the achievement of the SDGs By sharing your story, you can engage and empower libraries all over the world

How to tell your story: elements of compelling evidence-based storytelling A catchy title To grab the attention of the reader A strong opening Your first paragraph is the hook to draw your reader in Effective scene-setting Make the reader understand why library action was necessary A clear narrative A description of what the library did A meaningful ending How did the library action make a real, provable difference? PLUS great images – pictures and video – to bring your story to life

Tips and tricks for your story The title Recommended number of words: maximum 10 words Narrative Recommended number of words: 350 (max 500) words Introductory paragraph: 25-30 words To ensure your reader wants to read on, to get into the story and find out what happens Supporting resources Seven point story structure: the hook Five secret tips to writing a successful short story

Your story must provide answers to the following questions: Why? This presents the description of a problem or challenge in the community that this activity, project or programme was designed to address Who did what, how and when? This provides a brief overview of the activity, project or programme So what? Here you describe the impact of the library activities on the community, with evidence of the contribution made to local, regional or national development needs

Why? This is really important to make sure the reader: Understands your immediate community Grasps the issues that are really important to you Can picture themselves in the picture you are presenting Has a clear grasp of the problem or challenge in your community that your library activity, project or programme aimed to address You need to think about: The demographics and socio-economic aspects of the community The particular problems or issues in the community and how the library contributes to resolving these The real changes you want to see in the community Remember to contextualise all of this within the development agenda, e.g. in policy documents and/or development plans

Who did what, how and when? You need to keep this concise! Who was involved and how? What did they learn or gain from participating? What did you do that no-one else did, or could have done? Include some relevant details What other organisations were involved? Describe the partnerships Provide brief information about the timelines Provide a snapshot of the numbers of people who were involved in and benefitted from the activities Use a critical friend (perhaps from outside the library) to read your text to consider the fluency and impact

A meaningful ending The ending has to have a real meaning: you need to focus on the change has happened as a result of your innovative practice and the outcomes you have achieved The most important part of the story is to tell what actually happened as a result of your activity, project or programme WHAT WAS THE IMPACT? You need to present strong evidence about your impact: How has this made a real difference to individuals and to the community? What changes have happened? Changes in policy? Changes in practice? Changes in behaviour?

To collect the evidence… You need to have data that reflects the improvements made over time What data do you currently collect – especially where is there a good fit with the activity, project or programme you are running? What could/should you measure, but you currently don’t? Can you analyse the data collected over a period of time to demonstrate trends – and then set future goals and targets, aligned with the UN 2030 Agenda?

How can you provide evidence of your impact? Quantitative data …. Qualitative data

Activity 4. How can you demonstrate impact. What stories can you tell Activity 4. How can you demonstrate impact? What stories can you tell? What evidence? Together in your groups, focus on one specific library program or service that really stands out – this might be at the local, national or regional level Discuss the actual impact this program or service might have on an SDG target at the national, regional or local level What stories could you tell that would interest and engage key influencers and decision makers? What types of evidence could you gather to demonstrate the impact the library has towards the achievement of the SDG target?

How can you share some of your stories? Local? … National? Global?

Summary and wrap up The SDGs and libraries; libraries and the SDGs How can you take your ideas back to your own libraries? IFLA’s priorities for 2019 Goal 4: Quality education Goal 8: Decent work and economic growth Goal 16: Access to information Important issues for Australia: Goal 9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure Goal 11: Sustainable communities Goal 17: Partnerships for the goals Other countries in the region: Other goals may be more relevant It is essential to raise awareness about the SDGs and demonstrate leadership within and beyond the sector…

Supporting resources Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (2011). Global Libraries advocacy guide. https://onedrive.live.com/?authkey=%21AE7zcm5eCCcPauk&cid=69D9A1EBA DFCA884&id=69D9A1EBADFCA884%21321&parId=69D9A1EBADFCA884%211 18&o=OneUp IFLA (2018). Libraries and the Sustainable Development Goals: a storytelling manual. https://www.ifla.org/publications/libraries-and-the-sustainable-development- goals-a-storytelling-manual Open Societies Foundation (2010). An introductory guide to successful advocacy. https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/sites/default/files/guide-to- successful-advocacy-20100101.pdf Image credits for icons: microscope, activities, discussion: https://www.flaticon.com/authors/Freepik players: https://www.flaticon.com/authors/gregor-cresnar