The conference on the Unesco Public Library Manifesto organised by the IFLA section for Latin America and the Caribbean in cooperation with the Section of Public Libraries and IFLA - ALP was held in the Public Library of the State of Bahia, Salvador, Brazil from 24th-27th March 1998. It was attended by 151 delegates from fifteen different countries many of whom were day visitors attending different parts of the programme. The State Public Library is a new building only opened officially the week before the conference and includes an excellent auditorium where the conference was held. The conference was welcomed by Paulo Gaudenzi, Secretary of Culture and Tourism of the State of Bahia. The programme had a very international flavour with contributions from Aziz Abid (Unesco) on the Memory of the World Programme, Birgitta Bergdahl (IFLA) on the work of the ALP programme and Philip Gill (IFLA Section of Public Libraries) on the creation and promotion of the Unesco Public Library Manifesto and the Section's plans for the future. A paper on the Marketing of Public Libraries by Darlene Weingand was presented in her absence as she was prevented from attending at the last minute. Maria Jose Moura (Portugal) made a presentation on the impressive development of public libraries in Portugal in the last ten years.

Philip Gill, Chair of the IFLA Section of Public Libraries

Representatives of each of the countries from Latin America and the Caribbean at the conference presented a report on public library development in their own country, which ranged in size from St. Maarten in the Dutch Antilles to Brazil, one of the largest countries in the world. There was also a poster session where delegates could present their services in more detail and it was apparent that in many parts of the region there are progressive public libraries which are providing a range and level of services to meet the needs of their local community. The Unesco Public Library Manifesto was clearly proving to be a valuable weapon in the fight to develop services. Many examples of exciting service development were presented and to take one example it was interesting to hear that the public library in Medellin(Colombia) which was one of the three original Unesco Pilot Libraries, opened in 1954, continues to provide a flourishing and wide-ranging public library service.

Jose Adolfo Rodriguez Gallardo (Mexico), Chairman of the Regional Section presented a report on its activities supported by Elizabet Ramos de Carvalho who reported on the work of the Regional Office.

The conference then divided into five working groups to discuss and come up with proposals on the following topics:

• Cooperation and Networks,
• Community Participation in the Development of Public Libraries,
• Information Technology in Public Libraries,
• Financing and Implementing Projects and Public Policies
• and Reading.

The working groups reported back to the conference with their proposals which ranged from the planning of a seminar on Strategies for Community Participation to the development of a package to train library users in the handling of information technology in libraries. All will require further work and groups were established to take the proposals forward. On the final day May Brooking Negrao (Brazil) provided a very compehensive summary of the conference and the Plan of Action which had been agreed by the meeting. The proceedings of the conference are being prepared by the Regional Office.

Delegates had the opportunity for a tour of the new State Library and on the last afternoon visited other libraries in Salvador. The closing session was held in the "Thales de Azevedo " library. In addition to the hard work of the conference there was a fascinating cultural programrr e. A reception for delegates in the new library enlivened by a choir got the conference off to a good start. We toured Pelourinho the restored old city quarter of Salvador, including a visit to a museum dedicated to Jorge Amado, the locally based but internationally known writer. After a visit to the Costa Pinto Museum we enjoyed exciting modem ballet at the Castro Alves Theatre. The most remarkable evening was a display of thrilling local dances at Solar do Unhao, a building where slaves used to be imprisoned and tortured. The dances were an exciting blend of African and Brazilian culture and revealed how significant the African influence remains in this part of Brazil. After the conference some of us had the opportunity to visit Cachoeira, a city where many colonial buildings remain and where African-Brazilian culture and the local religion, Candomble are strong.

This was without doubt a successful conference with practical outcomes which should benefit public libraries in the Region and beyond. It demonstrated the commitment of public librarians in the region and the value of the Unesco Public Library Manifesto (though there was a suggestion it should be "tropicalised"). I am privileged to have had the opportunity to participate in this event and would like to thank all my colleagues for making me so welcome and ensuring it was both an enjoyable as well as a stimulating experience. My special thanks must go to the State of Bahia for their generous hospitality and in particular to Maria Conceicao da Gama Santos, Director of the State Library and her staff for all they did to make our time in Bahia so memorable. My gratitude goes also to Elizabet Maria Ramos de Carvalho and all those involved in the organisation of the conference not only for arranging such a successful event but also for their kindness and consideration throughout. I must also thank Maria Isabel Cabral da Franca and Ludmila Mayrink da Costa for giving so much of their time to show me the city of Rio de Janeiro before I returned to England having learned a great deal about Latin America and its public libraries during this fascinating visit.

Philip Gill
Chair
Section of Public Libraries