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SUMMARY

SCOPE
This guideline describes ways in which public libraries, museums and archives can act to address social exclusion problems affecting different groups of users.

POLICY ISSUES 
Severe risk factors that increase the danger of poverty and exclusion in Europe include: long-term unemployment; living long-term on low-income; low quality employment; poor qualifications and leaving school early; family conflict or isolation; disability; poor health; drug abuse and alcoholism; living in an area of multiple disadvantage; living in a rural area; homelessness; and racial and sexual discrimination.

By taking the initiative to reach out to poorly connected and poorly informed residents in their locality, public libraries, museums and archives can strengthen the social cohesiveness of their area or region.

People need to feel part of their community. Archives and museums as well as libraries can make a significant contribution to promoting social inclusion in ways that prevent disadvantage through helping to develop personal and community identity and empowerment.

It is important that people are not excluded from decisions which affect their lives. Libraries can provide information, but Archives have a unique role to play in providing people with access to decisions made on their behalf. Archives can make a distinct contribution to people's engagement with society. The archival profession needs to market this democratic value, especially to non-users. 

Many European countries do not yet have national strategies, relating to common European policy documents, which establish the role of public libraries in promoting social inclusion.

There is a need for cultural change within libraries, museums and archives to adopt positive measures for social inclusion. This involves adapting and extending the range of services provided, forming new links and partnerships with the community, and challenging some of their more traditional values and practices. Such a process requires the active support of all staff. 

The social inclusion activities of these services should not be considered in isolation. They must be integrated within wider local government strategies for social inclusion and connected effectively with other local services and partners such as NGOs and education authorities at national, regional and local level to provide services to all groups of citizens.

GOOD PRACTICE GUIDELINES
Public libraries, museums and archives in Europe already provide services for excluded or at risk groups, although provision is by no means consistent geographically, by service type or quality. 

Public libraries, museums and archives can further help combat social exclusion by:

• mainstreaming social inclusion as a policy priority within all library and information, museum and archives services;

• tailoring specific services to meet the needs of minority groups and communities in each area;

• consulting and involving socially excluded groups; 

• locating services where there is a demand;

• co-locating facilities with other services provided by the local authority;

• providing mobile services to reach all outlying areas;

• adopting flexible opening hours, tailored to reflect the needs and interests of the community;

• redefining the role of staff to include a more socially responsive and educational role;

• changing the image of public libraries, museums and record offices to make them more welcoming to socially excluded groups, but without alienating traditional users;

• forming partnerships with other NGOs and learning organisations to develop and deliver services.

• using ICT to provide services to those not reached by buildings or mobile libraries;

• using ICT to provide services targeted towards the needs of specific socially excluded groups with the aim of enhancing quality of life in all aspects, educational and economic as well as leisure-related.

FUTURE AGENDA
Clearer national and local strategies are now emerging in many countries which should help public libraries, museums and archives to address effectively the problem of social exclusion. More concerted and widespread action is needed by:

national governments or local authorities: to ensure that there is free or affordable access to these services;

• training organisations: to ensure that their courses and programmes are relevant to work for social inclusion;

• research funding bodies: to understand the needs relating to libraries, museums and heritage of excluded groups and to monitor the use of these services by categories of excluded people; 

• telecommunications providers: to provide ICT connections to all communities regardless of geographical location, e.g. by broadband, cable or wireless technology.

Home | Social Inclusion (Summary)
Full Text: Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3 | Page 4
View Complete Document: Pages 1 - 4