The public library and lifelong learning.

The public library and lifelong learning. Empowering the learning community: report of the Education andLibraries Task Group to the Secretaries of State for Culture, Media andSport and for Education and Employment. London: Library And InformationCommission, 2000. 44p free soft no ISBN ISBNabbr.International Standard Book NumberISBNInternational Standard Book NumberISBNn abbr (= International Standard Book Number) → ISBN m. EMPOWERING THE LEARNING COMMUNITY IS THE REPORT OF A TASK GROUPbriefed to Advise the United Kingdom Secretaries of State for Culture,Media and Sport and for Education and Employment on `the ways in whichco-operation between the education and public library sectors can bestimulated and improved to support lifelong learning'. Members ofthe Task Group, chaired by Mark Wood (Library and Information CommissionChair), represented the diverse interest of schools, universities,county councils, the National Institute of Adult and ContinuingEducation continuing education:see adult education. continuing educationor adult educationAny form of learning provided for adults. In the U.S. the University of Wisconsin was the first academic institution to offer such programs (1904). and the Further Education Funding Council Funding Council may refer to: Higher Education Funding Council for England, a public body of the Department for Education and Skills in the United Kingdom Higher Education Funding Council for Wales, an intermediary body in Wales . Four main recommendations arise from the report. In brief theseare: 1. Public and educational libraries in communities or definedgeographical areas should establish co-operative arrangements to improveuser services. 2. Cross-sectoral funding arrangements should be established. 3. Public and educational libraries in any community or regionshould draw up access maps to enable users to reach resources orassistance in other libraries. 4. Training programs for librarians This is a list of people who have practised as a librarian and are well-known, either for their contributions to the library profession or primarily in some other field. , resource managers and teachersshould be co-ordinated and should include ways of developing mutualsupport. Each recommendation is accompanied by suggested actions andproposals for how the suggested directions could be implemented.Fourteen examples of key projects that could serve to facilitateco-operation are provided. UK libraries, like their Australian counterparts, are recognisingthe need to establish their place in the `learning communities'being mandated for the 21st century. The emphasis of this UK Task Groupis on the drive for efficiency in the library sector, on collaborationto ensure access to information and learning resources, and on theappropriate quality of resources--all of which are fundamental toeffective information service. The wide range of ideas should be ofconsiderable interest to the Australian library and informationprofession. The impact of the library in empowering the learning community isnecessarily weak, however, unless there is collaboration with othereducators to ensure that people are able to recognise the need forinformation, and to access, evaluate and use that information. Thisdirect empowerment em��pow��er?tr.v. em��pow��ered, em��pow��er��ing, em��pow��ers1. To invest with power, especially legal power or official authority. See Synonyms at authorize.2. of the user is the key to the effective functioningof the learning community, yet this appears to be explicitly dealt withas a minor point in the report (5.1.9) rather than as a guidingprinciple. For librarians who have a broader vision of the role oflibrarians in empowering the learning community, one that involvesensuring that the populace has the necessary education for effectiveinteraction with the information environment, this report may bedisappointing. Christine Bruce Bruce,Scottish royal family descended from an 11th-century Norman duke, Robert de Brus. He aided William I in his conquest of England (1066) and was given lands in England. , Queensland University of Technology