IFLA Guidelines for library services to prisoners

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Intended Audience

Library and information professionals

Lehmann, V. and J. Locke, International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions

2005

“The objective of this document is to provide a tool for the planning, implementation, and evaluation of library services to prisoners. The document is intended to serve as a model guide for the development of national guidelines for prison libraries. It can be easily adapted to reflect local circumstances. At the same time, these international guidelines reflect an acceptable level of library service, which could be achieved in most countries where national and local government policies support the existence of prison libraries. The guidelines represent a tool for planning new libraries and for evaluation of existing libraries. In the absence of any local guidelines or standards, these guidelines can be used.

In addition to being a practical tool for the establishment, operation, and assessment of prison libraries, these guidelines shall serve as a general statement of principle for the fundamental right of prisoners to read, learn, and access information. The guidelines are aimed at librarians, library administrators, prison authorities, legislative and administrative branches of government, and other agencies/authorities that are responsible for administering and funding prison libraries. The guidelines apply to prisons and other incarceration facilities with a population of 50 or more.”

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The resource supports a range of SDGs and targets, including 1.4 (ensuring everyone can access services), 4.4 (staff skills and supporting skills development of prisoners), 4.5 (removing barriers in education faced by particular social groups), 4.A (effective learning environment), 8.5 (supporting employability), 8.8 (ensuring labour rights are protected, by ensuring prison libraries are professionally run), 9.1 (sustainable and inclusive infrastructure for economic development and wellbeing), 10.2 (promote universal social, economic and political inclusion), 11.7 (safe, welcoming and inclusive public spaces), 16.6 (effective, accountable and transparent institutions), and 16.10 (access to information and protecting fundamental freedoms), and 16.B (upholding and adopting laws and policies for sustainable development).

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SDG 1.4: Equal Rights to Ownership, Basic Services, Technology and Economic Resources
Our Collections Matter indicators:
Numbers and proportions of people from particular groups using collections in comparison with demographics in broader society.
Numbers of people accessing collections.
Number of targeted programmes that aim to enhance access to collections by disadvantaged groups.
Sustainable tourism that enhances local communities’ access to basic services, ownership and control over land and other forms of property (including cultural and natural heritage), as well as to technology and markets.
Involvement of people from disadvantaged groups in decision-making activities and processes relating to collections and collections-based institutions.
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SDG 4.4: Increase the Number of People with Relevant Skills for Financial Success
Our Collections Matter indicators:
Number of young people and adults in skills-development activities and programmes drawing on collections, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship.
Increase in number of young people and adults in such programmes.
Number and proportion of staff who have received training in the last year, to better support their contribution to the SDGs.
Programs and processes in place to ensure the availability of a skilled workforce.
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SDG 4.5: Eliminate all Discrimination in Education
Our Collections Matter indicators:
Number of educational and/or training programmes drawing on collections directed to eliminate gender disparities in education.
Number of educational and/or training programmes drawing on collections directed to meet the particular needs of persons with disabilities.
Number of educational and/or training programmes drawing on collections directed to meet the particular needs of Indigenous peoples’ groups.
Number of educational and/or training programmes drawing on collections directed to meet the particular needs of children in vulnerable situations.
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SDG 4.A: Build and Upgrade Inclusive and Safe Schools
Our Collections Matter indicators:
Number and proportion of education facilities that are child, disability and gender sensitive.
Proportion of education facilities that provide safe, non-violent, inclusive and effective learning environments for all.
Number and type of initiatives to improve effectiveness of learning environments.
Support given to other education facilities to make them more inclusive and effective.
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SDG 8.5: Full Employment and Decent Work with Equal Pay
Our Collections Matter indicators:
Increase in number of people in full and productive employment relating to collections, through job creation and recruitment.
Increase in proportion of existing staff working with collections in productive employment.
Increase in number of men, women, young people and persons with disabilities in development and training programmes drawing on collections that support them in employment.
Removal of pay disparities by gender and/or other status for those working with collections.
Policies and plans in place to ensure that all suppliers and others in the supply chain are in decent and productive work.
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SDG 8.8: Protect Labour Rights and Promote Safe Working Environments
Our Collections Matter indicators:
Number and proportions of staff working with collections in safe and secure working environments.
Number of accidents and other health and safety incidents reported.
Training and support provided for staff to ensure their wellbeing, health and safety.
Education, awareness-raising and partnership programmes drawing on collections that address labour rights, notably those of migrant workers and others in precarious employment.
Reduction of numbers and proportions of staff on short-term or zero-hours contracts.
Fair pay policies and procedures in place to prevent exploitation.
Procurement policies that ensure that collecting institutions make use of people who are in decent employment, and that avoid exploitation throughout the supply chain.
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SDG 9.1: Develop Sustainable, Resilient and Inclusive Infrastructures
Our Collections Matter indicators:
Development of research-useful collections to support reliable, sustainable and resilient use by researchers and others.
Number and proportion of collections facilities and stores that support economic development and human well-being.
Number and proportion of collections facilities and stores that provide affordable and equitable access for all.
Investment in collections facilities.
Inclusion of collections information in regional and transborder initiatives, notably via digital access for discoverability.
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SDG 10.2: Promote Universal Social Economic and Political Inclusion
Our Collections Matter indicators:
Collections development to ensure that collections effectively meet the needs of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status.
Number and proportion of educational and participatory programmes that promote participation irrespective of social or other status.
Numbers and proportions of people making use of collections in relation to the demographic of the local population.
Numbers and proportions of people involved in focused programmes aimed at promoting social, economic and political inclusion.
Numbers and proportions of people from different demographic groups involved in decision-making processes relating to collections and collections-based institutions.
Number and types of partnerships that build relationships with marginalized groups, individuals and communities.
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SDG 11.7: Provide Access to Safe and Inclusive Green and Public Spaces
Our Collections Matter indicators:
Numbers of people accessing collecting institutions from different demographic groups, notably women, children, older people and persons with disabilities.
Increases in numbers of people accessing collecting institutions from different demographic groups.
Measures taken to remove barriers to access green and public spaces.
Extent of green space provided by collections institutions.
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SDG 16.6: Develop Effective Accountable and Transparent Institutions
Our Collections Matter indicators:
Proportion of the population [audience/users/non-users] satisfied with their last experience of public services.
Access to information, and accountability policies and mechanisms, in place.
Effective institutional arrangements, both for own working and for working in partnership with other sectors, in place.
Plans and arrangements in place for extraordinary circumstances such as natural and human-caused disasters.
Effective arrangements in place to fulfil legal and social obligations and responsibilities.
Effective arrangements in place for transparent communication and reporting of institutional performance.
Effective arrangements in place for transparent decision-making and accountability.
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SDG 16.10: Ensure Public Access to Information and Protect Fundamental Freedoms
Our Collections Matter indicators:
Adopt and implement constitutional, statutory and/or policy guarantees for public access to information.
Plans in place, and plans implemented to enhance public access to information relating to collections.
Plans in place, and plans implemented to support fundamental freedoms, in line with human rights, national and international agreements and legislation.
Plans and procedures in place for public access to information relating to the operation and management of collections-based institutions.
Complaint mechanism in place for public to use where public access to information and fundamental freedoms not supported or fulfilled.
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SDG 16.B: Promote and Enforce Non-Discriminatory Laws and Policies
Our Collections Matter indicators:
Proportion of population [audience/users/non-users] reporting having personally felt discriminated against or harassed in the previous 12 months on the basis of a ground of discrimination prohibited under international human rights law.
Number and proportion of policies that incorporate sustainable development considerations, in the full sense of recognizing all three of social, economic and environmental considerations.
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