Libraries in the digital environment: adaptation of the legal framework

With the ongoing digitization of all areas of life also many library services have been modernized. Libraries as public education and cultural institutions have to carry out their duties to ensure social participation and not income-dependent accessibility to information for all people also in the digital environment.

The legal framework, however, has not yet been updated to the digital media world in all areas. This concerns copyright legislation including the prevailing exemptions for education and science that also apply to library users as well as the public lending right. Thus the reception and scientific work is currently made difficult for scientists and students. In addition, many works are not available as E-Books in public libraries. This is contradictory to existing cultural policies that are interested in the comprehensive and wide access to cultural heritage.
 
The processing of personal data becomes more and more complex and comprehensive. Information technologies enable in this way also a hitherto unforeseen extent of misuse of data and control of library user behaviour. Therefore it is necessary to inform library users about each data processing in a transparent and plain way, as citizen justifiable worry about their privacy. Currently, libraries perform very high data protection standards. Legal provisions shall continue to ensure privacy and the right to data protection.
 
A powerful library system is best supported by appropriate statutory provisions in national law.  Library legislation shall include a firm commitment to funding and shall be evaluated on a regular basis. These provisions help to guarantee the further advancement of the library sector.
 
The paper presents corresponding approaches and recommendations of the International, European and German library associations.

        
Barbara Schleihagen - German Library Association, Executive Director

Barbara Schleihagen is Executive Director of the German Library Association representing more than 10,000 libraries based in Berlin, Germany. She is a trained librarian and holds a Master degree (MSc Econ) in “Management of Libraries and Information Services” of the University of Wales. After completion of her studies she worked in various positions in foreign cultural policy.

Before she joined the German Library Association in 2004, she served from 2000-2003 as Secretary General of the 2003 world congress of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) in Berlin. From 2004-2005 she was International Relations Officer at the German Library Association, initiating and co-ordinating the international activities of German librarians, libraries and library associations. In 1996-2000 she was working as the Director of EBLIDA, the European Bureau for Library, Information and Documentation Associations based in The Hague, Netherlands, lobbying for libraries at the European institutions and co-ordinating several European projects.

She is a personal member of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) since 2001, and was member of the IFLA/FAIFE  (Free Access to Information and Freedom of Expression) Committee between 2002 -2007. In 2007, she was elected member of the IFLA Governing Board (re-elected for the second term 2009-2011), in which she also served as IFLA’s treasurer. Since 2007, she is as a member of the Standing Committee of the IFLA Management of Library Associations section, currently serving as “secretary”.

Since 2013, she is the German representative in NAPLE, the European non-governmental association pursuing the interests of the national library authorities in Europe, deputy chair of the Executive Board of the “Reading Foundation” and deputy chair of the Advisory Board of the “Foundation Digital Opportunities”.

Numerous publications on international, European and national advocacy and lobbying, European copyright, Libraries in Europe, library policy, library legislation, digital media in libraries, digital reading promotion in libraries, freedom of information and censorship in libraries.