The IFLA-UNESCO Public Library Manifesto proclaims UNESCO’s belief in the public library as a living force for education, culture and information, and as an essential agent for the fostering of peace and welfare through the minds of all people.

The IFLA Public Libraries Section has been working since 2022 on the development of instruments for the implementation of the Manifesto. With the idea that the professionals use the Manifesto to build their project, for their action plans, to support the construction of the city or municipality story.

The Section calls on all national library associations to disseminate the Manifesto. An implementation decalogue has been prepared; The translation of the Manifesto into different languages ​​has been encouraged, an “easy-to-read” version and a “template” presentation (form) have been prepared with the relevant information of the Manifesto, adaptable for presentation and dissemination in different countries.

In addition, some materials have been prepared that relate the Manifesto to the future challenges of the public library as inspiration for the master plans of public libraries and to work in co-creation with library teams and other municipal services.

We hope that the new Manifesto contributes to the articulation of the public library with municipal policies, aimed at solving the social challenges that we have highlighted, and thus continue providing public value to citizens.

We must guarantee that public libraries continue to be present on the public agendas of various international organizations, governments, and civil society.

The IFLA Public Libraries Section is responsible for the process of updating and implementation of the IFLA-UNESCO Public Library Manifesto.

Coordinators

  • Manifesto Update: Ulrike Krass (Deputy Director, Public Library Freiburg, Germany) Email: [email protected]
  • Manifesto Implementation: Ester Omella Claparols (Planning and quality Chief of Service Diputació de Barcelona, Gerència de Serveis de Biblioteques, Spain) Email: [email protected]

Toolkit resources

The following resources were developed to give practical guidance on how public libraries can apply key concepts of the IFLA-UNESCO Public Library Manifesto 2022.

10 Steps for Manifesto Implementation (Advocacy)

IFLA-UNESCO Public Library Manifesto 2022: 10 Steps to Advocacy

10 Key steps to support the adoption of the IFLA/UNESCO Public Library Manifesto 2022.

Presentation Template

IFLA/UNESCO Public Library Manifesto 2022: Presentation Template

A presentation introducing the 2022 IFLA-UNESCO Public Library Manifesto.

Manifiesto de la IFLA-UNESCO de la Biblioteca Pública de 2022: Un instrumento de apoyo para las bibliotecas

Una presentación que presenta el Manifiesto de Bibliotecas Públicas IFLA-UNESCO 2022.

Example of Manifesto presentations in different countries

Materials of the Manifesto workshop at IFLA WLIC 2023

Forthcoming

Template for Manifesto linked to Public Library strategic Planning workshops

IFLA/UNESCO Public Library Manifesto 2022 Workshop: Public Library Strategic Planning 2023-2027

This material was created for use in workshops at the beginning of a public library's strategic planning process, to be undertaken with the team at the Library and those responsible for Culture in a particular municipality. It is a collective work session to address the future challenges for public ...

Additional resources

Manifesto and the UN SDGs

IFLA-UNESCO Public Library Manifesto 2022 and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The IFLA-UNESCO Public Library Manifesto 2022 and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are essential principles for advocacy of public libraries worldwide. In this publication, relevant excerpts from the Manifesto are cross-linked to the appropriate SDGs. This underlines the close connection ...