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Newspapers Section

Strategic Plan
2008-2009

Mission

The Newspapers Section is concerned with all issues relating to newspapers in libraries and archives, including acquisition and collection development; intellectual and physical access; storage and handling; preservation of newspapers and their contents; preservation of microfilm of newspapers; interlibrary lending; and the impact of digital technologies on all of these.

Goals

1. Gather and disseminate information on international newspaper collections, procedures and practices, and develop mechanisms for communication and interchange of knowledge between the major newspaper collections of the world.

Pillars: Society, and Profession

IFLA Professional Priorities: (a) Supporting the role of libraries in society; (b) Defending the principle of freedom of information; (c) Promoting literacy and reading; (d) Providing unrestricted access to information; (e) Balancing the intellectual property rights of authors with the needs of users; (f) Promoting resource sharing; (g) Preserving our intellectual heritage; (h) Developing library professionals; (i) Promoting standards, guidelines and best practice; (k) Representing libraries in the technological marketplace

Actions

1.1 Update and expand the information available in the Directory of Institutions reporting national newspaper collections. (Work to be carried out in 2007 and 2008.)

1.2 Complete in 2006 analysis of questionnaires sent to libraries on Africa, regarding their newspaper collections and their use. Carry out further survey of newspapers on microfilm in sub-Saharan African countries. Seek funds for taking the project forward.

1.3 2008: Hold Programmes 1) at the IFLA General Conference, Quebec, August 2008 2) In Spring 2008, co-organise a Newspapers Conference at the National Library of Singapore. [For details see: http://blogs.nlb.gov.sg/newspaper_conf08/?page_id=10]

1.4 2009: 1) Investigate the holding of a satellite meeting in Spring 2009 in Moscow, Russia. 2) develop Open Session for 75th IFLA General Conference and Council Milan, Italy, August 2009.

2. Encourage the development and adoption of international standards in newspaper preservation, microfilming, and digitisation programmes.

Pillars: Profession

IFLA Professional Priorities: (g) Preserving our intellectual heritage; (i) Promoting standards, guidelines and best practice

Actions

2.1 Prepare and arrange for publication of Spanish translation of the Newspapers Section Guidelines for the preservation microfilming of newspapers… in preparation for possible future digitisation, and mount of the IFLANET. (Planned for 2008)

2.2 Prepare a supplement to the above Guidelines… on the best practice for microfilming of newspapers in preparation for possible future digitisation. The ISO standards for film density which affect digitisation will be reviewed. Revision of these Guidelines... will be worked on in 2008 by the British Library, the Bibliotheque nationale de France, the National Library of Spain, and Berkeley University, USA.

3. Monitor technological developments arising from and affecting newspaper production, distribution, archiving and access, and assess their implications for library practices.

Pillars: Society

IFLA Professional Priorities: (b) Defending the Principle of Freedom of Information; (c) Promoting Literacy, Reading, and Lifelong Learning; (d) Providing Unrestricted Access to Information; (k) Representing libraries in the technological marketplace

Actions

3.1 Developments in electronic access to newspapers will be monitored.

3.2 Exploration of the linking of a list of newspaper electronic sources (see: http://www.collectionscanada.ca/8/16/r16-214-e.html
and: http://www.bl.uk/collections/newspapers.html#Electronic) with the Directory of Newspapers.

3.3 Look at using an "email alert" system to notify members of developments

3.4 A summary of Website developments for newspapers will be provided on the IFLANET.

4. Explore opportunities for co-operative approaches to the provision of newspapers in libraries and archives.

Pillars: Society, and Profession

IFLA Professional Priorities: (f) Promoting resource sharing

Actions

4.1 Develop closer working relationship with ICON (International Coalition on Newspapers) on the co-operative acquisition and preservation of, and access to, global newspapers. (Full report submitted to 24th Business Meeting in May 2006.) See: http://icon.crl.edu/

5. Evaluate existing guidelines for bibliographic control of newspapers and explore complementary and / or alternative means of intellectual access.

Pillars: Profession

IFLA Professional Priorities: (c) Promoting literacy and reading

Actions

5.1 Plan revision of IFLA Guidelines for Newspaper Cataloguing. Contact will be made with IFLA Cataloguing Section to see how the development of Resource Description and Access (RDA) may affect an y future version of the Newspaper Cataloguing Guidelines.

6. Explore opportunities for communication and exchange of information with organisations engaged in the production and preservation of newspapers.

Pillars: Society

ILFA Professional Priorities: (d) Providing unrestricted access to information)

Actions

6.1 To re-examine contacts that can be made with publishers' associations, other professional bodies and national libraries, to enhance the profile of libraries in providing access to newspapers.

6.2 Digital Repositories: Gather information about digital newspaper repositories and make links to these on IFLANET.