IFLA will be participating in the annual Internet Governance Forum (IGF) meeting on 25-29th of November in Berlin.

The IGF is a UN-based open multistakeholder platform which brings together actors from public, private and civil society sectors to discuss how the internet works and should be governed.

Libraries have a clear stake in an open, inclusive and affordable internet. IFLA continues to engage with the IGF to bring the library perspective into the discussion on how to achieve this.

The agenda of this year’s meeting includes many issues relevant for the work libraries do and the values they stand for. Among these are digital inclusion and connecting those who do not have or cannot afford internet access, approaches to addressing hate speech and misinformation online, creating local digital content, and many others.

IFLA will be participating in these discussions to speak up for intellectual freedom, public internet access in libraries and similar intermediaries, and inclusive digital and information literacy initiatives.

As one of the founding members of the Dynamic Coalition on Public Access in Libraries, IFLA will also be involved in a session which discusses policy approaches to making public access possible.

You can learn more about IFLA’s work within the Internet Governance Forum, and find out how you can get involved. You can also register as an online participant and join us in the discussion.