LAI Education Committee: Professional Standards/Guide to Standards & Guidelines for

Libraries

Standards and Guidelines

Standards and guidelines presented here by topic and by library type are
indicative of the many best practice standards and guidelines available on
library service provision, management and operations. These guidelines
are not exhaustive. We shall endeavour to refresh the content and also to
add topics as required. Copyright is not within the scope of this
document.
If you are aware of useful guidelines on a relevant area of
library/informatics activities or would like to suggest topics which should
be reviewed by the committee do please contact us email:
professionalstandards@libraryassociation.ie

By Topic
Accessibility (Disabled Access)
Guidelines & standards in IT, built environment, products & services (Centre for
Excellence in Universal Design National Disability Authority, Ireland)
http://www.universaldesign.ie/guidelinesampstandards
Audio Visual Materials
Guidelines for audiovisual and multimedia materials in libraries and other
institutions (IFLA)
http://archive.ifla.org/VII/s35/pubs/avm-guidelines04.htm
Building Design
Public library buildings Ireland (Library Council of Ireland)
http://www.librarybuildings.ie/
Designing Libraries (includes Ireland)
http://www.designinglibraries.org.uk/resources/toolkit/guidelines.php
Collection Development (Electronic & Print)
Guidelines for collection development policy using the conspectus model (IFLA)
http://www.ifla.org/publications/guidelines-for-a-collection-development-policyusing-the-conspectus-model
Key issues for e-resource collection development: a guide for libraries (IFLA)
http://www.ifla.org/en/publications/key-issues-for-e-resource-collectiondevelopment-a-guide-for-libraries

LAI Education Committee: Professional Standards/Guide to Standards & Guidelines for

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Conference Organisation
How to organise conferences, satellite meetings and training seminars (IFLA)
http://www.ifla.org/en/publications/how-to-organise-conferencessatellite-meetings-and-training-seminars

Continuing Professional Development: Principles and Best

Practices
http://archive.ifla.org/VII/s43/pub/cpdwl-qual-guide.pdf
Key principles
Confirms the link between quality of service and expertise of staf
Constant change requires expansion of professional understanding and ongoing
update of skills and expertise
Outlines principles for high quality continuing professional development
Responsibility for CPD is shared
Formal and informal
Recognition of prior learning
Workplace learning
Importance of professional guidance
Leadership
Budget commitment
Time commitment
Best practice
http://archive.ifla.org/VII/s43/ Continuing Professional Development and
Workplace Learning Section useful on rationale for organizations, libraries and
institutions to be learning organizations and develop their staf by providing
opportunities for continuing professional development and training in the
workplace; and for individuals to be responsible for their own career planning
and development.

Digitisation

The Digital Repository of Irelands report, A. O'Carroll and S. Webb, Digital

archiving in Ireland: national survey of the humanities and social sciences.
(Maynooth, NUIM, 2012) is available at http://www.dri.ie/publications
The JISC has a range of publications on all aspects of digitisation:

http://www.jisc.ac.uk/
DARIAH, the Digital Research Infrastructure for the Arts and Humanities has lots
of useful information, leads and publications: http://www.dariah.eu/
A resource list for standards related to digital imaging of print, graphic, and
pictorial materials (Federal Agencies Digitization Guidelines Initiative, USA)
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LAI Education Committee: Professional Standards/Guide to Standards & Guidelines for

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http://www.digitizationguidelines.gov/guidelines/digitize-standards.html
Document Delivery & Inter-Library Loan
Guidelines for best practice in interlibrary loan and document delivery (IFLA)
http://www.ifla.org/en/publications/guidelines-for-best-practice-in-interlibraryloan-and-document-delivery
Donations and Gifts
Gifts for the collections: guidelines for libraries (IFLA)
http://www.ifla.org/publications/ifla-professional-reports-112

Freedom of Access to Information and Freedom of Expression

(FAIFE)

IFLA Committee on freedom of access to information and freedom of expression.

This group focuses on libraries and intellectual freedoms. Group concerned
with free access to information and freedom of expression, as encapsulated
in basic rights defined within Article 19 of the United Nations Universal
Declaration of Human Rights. Key role to raise awareness of essential
correlation between the library concept and the values of intellectual
freedom, FAIFE works to protect intellectual freedom and freedom of
expression.
FIAFE also works to monitor the state of intellectual freedom within library
communities, responds to violations and issues such as the recent political
dismissal of the Director of the National Library of Serbia, SOPA and PIPA
legislation. Further objectives include disseminating information, raising
awareness around the principles of freedom of expression and good
librarianship and supporting IFLA co-operation and policy with other human
rights organisations.
http://www.ifla.org/en/faife

Information Literacy
Guidelines for information literacy assessment (IFLA)
http://www.ifla.org/en/publications/guidelines-for-information-literacy-assessment
This is a really useful IFLA resource on information literacy. The guidelines for
information literacys section primary purpose is to foster international cooperation in the development of IL education in all types of library and
information institutions.
The IL group generates numerous reports, publications and plans including the
guidelines for information literacy assessment (short) by Eileen Stec (2004). One
of the key IFLA IL resources is the International Information Literacy Resources
Directory http://infolitglobal.net/directory/en/ a huge database of IL materials
compiled on behalf of UNESCO and maintained by Jesus Lau.
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LAI Education Committee: Professional Standards/Guide to Standards & Guidelines for

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Guidelines on information literacy for lifelong learning (IFLA):

http://www.ifla.org/en/publications/guidelines-on-information-literacy-for-lifelonglearning
Using research to promote literacy and reading in libraries: guidelines for
librarians (IFLA)
http://www.ifla.org/files/information-literacy/publications/ifla-guidelines-en.pdf
Multiple translations also available
http://www.ifla.org/publications/ifla-professional-reports-125

Key reports
Jesus Lau (ed.), International literacy: international perspectives, IFLA
publication 131 http://www.ifla.org/en/publications/ifla-publications-series-131
Catts & Lau, Towards information literacy indicators
F.W. Horton Jnr., Understanding information literacy: a primer a non-technical
overview of IL http://www.unesco.org/new/en/communication-andinformation/resources/publications-and-communicationmaterials/publications/full-list/understanding-information-literacy-a-primer/
Various information literacy state of the art reports
http://www.ifla.org/en/publications/information-literacy-state-of-the-art-reports

Multicultural Communities
Multicultural communities: guidelines for library services, 3rd edition (IFLA)
http://www.ifla.org/en/publications/multicultural-communities-guidelines-forlibrary-services-3rd-edition
There are two key policy documents, both seeking to promote fairness and
equity of access and cultural diversity ... encouraging understanding and
engagement.
An overview: multicultural communities: guidelines for library services (2011) - 4
page summary overview with 7 main headings Multicultural libraries, legal and
financial framework, needs of users, collection development, human resources,
marketing, publicity and promotion, international best practice.
Multicultural communities: guidelines for library services, 3rd edition full IFLA
version in multiple languages (2009), 33 pages with preface by Robert Pestell.
Other reports

LAI Education Committee: Professional Standards/Guide to Standards & Guidelines for

Libraries

Library services to multicultural populations section strategic plan

http://www.ifla.org/en/publications/library-services-to-multicultural-populationssection-strategic-plan Library services to multicultural populations section
strategic plan, also known as Section 32 initiatives

Action Plan 2011-2012

IFLA/UNESCO Multicultural library manifesto : the multicultural library a
gateway to a culturally diverse society in dialogue
http://www.ifla.org/files/library-services-to-multiculturalpopulations/publications/manifesto-en.pdf

Open Access

A national policy statement on Open Access Principles was published in October

2012, supported by a majority of the HE and funding bodies in Ireland:
http://www.iua.ie/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/National-Principles -on-OpenAccess-Policy-Statement-FINAL-23-Oct-2012-v1-3.pdf

Storage

BS 5454 Recommendations for the storage and exhibition of archival documents

(2000) was withdrawn in 2012 and will be replaced by BSI PD 5454.

By Library Type
Academic
Standards for libraries in higher education (Association of College & Research
Libraries (ACRL), USA) http://www.ala.org/acrl/standards/standardslibraries
Government Department Libraries
Guidelines for libraries of government departments (IFLA)
http://www.ifla.org/en/publications/guidelines-for-libraries-of-governmentdepartments
Health
Standards for Irish health care libraries and information services (HSLG LAI)
http://www.hslg.ie/standards-for-irish-health-care-libraries-and-informationservices/
Medical Library Association (USA) standards
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LAI Education Committee: Professional Standards/Guide to Standards & Guidelines for

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http://mlanet.org/publications/standards/index.html
Public
Library services for young people (Library Council of Ireland)
http://www.library.ie/youngpeople/guidelines/
Children First National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children (Dept.
of Children & Youth Affairs guidelines)
http://www.dcya.gov.ie/viewdoc.asp?fn=%2Fdocuments
%2FChild_Welfare_Protection%2FChildrenFirstJuly.htm
(Revised) Guidelines for library services for young adults (IFLA)
http://www.ifla.org/en/publications/revised-guidelines-for-library-services-foryoung-adults
Guidelines for children's library services (IFLA)
http://www.ifla.org/en/publications/guidelines-for-childrens-library-services
Guidelines for library services to babies and toddlers (IFLA)
http://www.ifla.org/en/publications/guidelines-for-library-services-to-babies-andtoddlers
Mobile library guidelines (IFLA)
http://www.ifla.org/publications/ifla-professional-reports-123
IFLA public librarysService guidelines
http://www.ifla.org/en/publications/ifla-publications-series-147
The public library service: the IFLA/UNESCO guidelines for development
http://www.ifla.org/en/publications/ifla-publications-series-97
School Libraries
Setting up a school library (School Library Association of Ireland)
http://www.slari.ie/librarysetup.htm
Primary school library guidelines (CILIP)
http://www.cilip.org.uk/get-involved/special-interestgroups/youth/publications/children/pages/primaryguidelines.aspx
See also: Public Library Services above for other applicable guidelines.

Collections of Standards & Guidelines

American Library Association standards & guidelines
http://www.ala.org/tools/guidelines/standardsguidelines
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LAI Education Committee: Professional Standards/Guide to Standards & Guidelines for

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Australian Library Association guidelines

http://www.alia.org.au/policies/index.guidelines.html

Information prepared by Kate Kelly and Terry OBrien with input from the
committee, 2012
Issued by the LAI Education Committee/Professional Standards, November 2012