1. Flemish Parliament Act of 6 july 2012 on local cultural policy May 14, 2013 New library legislation in Flanders

2. Retrospective view 1921 First Belgian public library legislation Subsidising and ordening 1978 Flemish competence Norms and standards Professionalisation 2001 Responsibility of municipalities Integrated local cultural policy May 14, 2013

3. Cooperation between Flemish and local authorities Operational autonomy for local authorities The abolition of the separate sectoral policy plans, including the cultural policy plan Integrated multi-annual plan Flemish policy priorities May 14, 2013

4. Flemish Parliament Act of 6 July 2012 on Local Cultural Policy Implementation on 1 January 2014More responsibilities and freedom to local administrationsFocus on objectives and effects No more conditions regarding library staff or financial regulations (free use and lending of printed materials; no membership fee for children and youngsters; the presence of high educated library staff) May 14, 2013

5. Flemish policy priorities on local cultural policy Municipalities commit themselves to pursue a qualitative and sustainable local cultural policy to organize a low-threshold library to establish a cultural centre. Flanders holds on to a strategy of an integrated cultural policy, whereby public libraries gear their activities to the other cultural actors in the municipality. May 14, 2013

6. Flemish policy priority public library municipalities should operate a library which: stimulates cultural education and reading motivation; focuses on the promotion of e-inclusion among target groups that are difficult to reach and on the increase of information literacy and media literacy; invests in an adapted service provision for the disabled and for target groups that are difficult to reach in the cultural, educational and socio-economic field; promotes cooperation with education institutions. May 14, 2013

7. Subsidies public libraries No commitment to Flemish policy priorities = no subsidies from Flemish Government less than 10,000 inhabitants: subsidy of 56,000 euro per year 10,000+ inhabitants: 6.5 euro per inhabitant per year May 14, 2013

8. www.sociaalcultureel.be May 14, 2013