Fregnir - 01.03.2004, Blaðsíða 44

Fregnir. Fréttabréf Upplýsingar - Félags bókasafns- og upplýsingafrœða
Croatia: Education, Integration, and Globalization,” by Lana Peic and Jasmina Soco
and “Gipsy Minority in Eastem Croatia: Information Needs and Library Services,” by
Komelija Petr, Boris Kis, Branka Kotur and Martina Krizak. While the focus of these
presentations was largely on the Roma people, the recommended methods of provi-
ding services were discussed more generally throughout the conference.
In serving this minority group, as is the case with many other minority groups, in-
formation professionals have to respond to high levels of illiteracy, widespread dis-
crimination of the group from the rest of the community, and the inability of some
individuals to attend school and/or to find work. Likewise, there is the challenge of
accurately determining the size of the group and the extent of their information needs.
The use of community organizations specific to the Roma were used as contact
points and, when possible, the assistance of individuals from the community, were
both seen as the most effective ways, and in some cases the only ways, to establish an
active relationship with the community. Use of community newsletters and radio
stations were also encouraged as a means of outreach.
In presenting his paper, “Living and Working in Information Dryland: A Study of
the Information Behaviour of Rural Development Workers in the Northem Region of
Ghana,” Samuel Kotei Nikoi of the UK also emphasized the need for information
providers to work with selected member(s) of the minority group as a means for deve-
loping tmst and extracting the greatest amount of information regarding the needs of
the respective group. He further emphasized that the selected member(s) are then able
to act as cultural interpreters and explain the ways in which information is
disseminated within the group.
“Community Libraries in a Multicultural Society: South Africa Post-1994” by
Harry Auret (South Africa) brought to light the surprising failure of the traditional
Westem library model in mral communities. He explained the need for altemative
methods of information dissemination to be used, such as resource centers and
community libraries, which are able to provide for a wider range of needs; libraries in
which the information professionals strive not only to provide infomiation, but work
to make it meaningful by explaining its relevance. This altemative approach certainly
has implications for use in countries in which the Westem library model stmggles to
adequately meet the information needs of the minority groups and lends itself to the
collaboration with, or incorporation of, other community organizations that are
already being used.
In light of a pre-established relationship between the library and the respective
group(s), Yelena Jonsson-Lanevska, an immigrant living and studying in Sweden,
took it one step further in her paper, “The Gate to Understanding. Swedish Library
and the Immigrants,” by emphasizing the unique position libraries are in as organiza-
tions that can actually create the link between the dominate group in a community and
the various minority groups; thus creating a mutually beneficial relationship by
tuming user groups into information sources and providers.
Closing
Generally speaking, it could be seen in the above mentioned cases, and throughout the
symposium, that students and information professionals are working towards highly
user-centered approaches. This can be seen in the efforts to expand the role of the
library by focusing on the needs of the user, not just the minority group of which they
are a part of, and collaborating with community organizations and/or providing simi-
lar services through the library. While services which promote language leaming and
information regarding the community and country are being made available, the use
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