1. UNESCO Public Library Manifesto
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Public Library Manifesto was approved in 1949 and updated in Paris on 29 November 1994. It declares the entity's belief that international public libraries are essential for promoting peace and education for all of humanity. The document was introduced globally in 1949 and has undergone various revisions. The current version includes updates compiled during the PGI Council Meeting of UNESCO 1994. The Manifesto was prepared with the participation of the public libraries section of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions.The UNESCO Public Library Manifesto is a document that outlines the principles and guidelines for the development and promotion of public libraries around the world. It came into existence through a series of events and decisions.
- UNESCO Establishment: The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) was established in 1945 to promote international collaboration in education, science, culture, and communication.
- Early Emphasis on Libraries: UNESCO recognised the importance of libraries in disseminating knowledge and advancing education and culture.
- 1949 UNESCO Conference: In 1949, UNESCO organised an International Conference of Directors of Public Libraries in Paris, where experts and professionals discussed the role and challenges of public libraries.
- Recognition of Public Libraries: During the conference, it became evident that public libraries played a crucial role in providing access to information, promoting literacy, and fostering cultural exchange.
- Drafting of the Manifesto: As a result of the conference, UNESCO initiated the drafting of the UNESCO Public Library Manifesto, which aimed to define the principles and functions of public libraries in the modern world.
- 1962 Adoption: The UNESCO Public Library Manifesto was officially adopted in 1962. It represented a consensus among UNESCO member states regarding the role and significance of public libraries in society.
- Content of the Manifesto: The manifesto outlined the principles of freedom of access to information, cultural diversity, and intellectual freedom. It emphasised the role of public libraries in education, culture, and social development.
- Subsequent Revisions: The manifesto has been revised over the years to reflect changing social, cultural, and technological contexts. The most recent version was adopted in 1994.
- Global Impact: The UNESCO Public Library Manifesto has had a global impact, serving as a guiding document for developing and advancing public libraries in many countries.
- Advocacy and Implementation: National governments, library associations, and advocacy groups have used the manifesto to advocate for the support and funding of public libraries. It has also been instrumental in shaping library policies and practices worldwide.
- Promotion of Literacy and Access: The manifesto has helped public libraries in their mission to promote literacy, provide equitable access to information, and support lifelong learning.
- Cultural Preservation: It also underscores the role of public libraries in preserving and promoting cultural heritage and fostering cultural exchange.
2. UNESCO Public Library Manifesto 1994
The UNESCO Public Library Manifesto 1994, prepared in cooperation with the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), redefined the public library's role in the emerging information age. It declared the library the “local gateway to knowledge” and emphasised its role in promoting lifelong learning, cultural development, and democratic participation. This manifesto became a global standard for library services, guiding national policies and reinforcing the principle that public libraries must be free, inclusive, and central to community life.About the Manifesto
- Adopted by UNESCO in 1994.
- Builds upon earlier versions (1949 and 1972) but focuses more on missions, democratic values, and digital access.
- Defines the public library as the local centre of information providing “all kinds of knowledge and information” to the community.
- Stresses equal and free access to information, resources, and services, regardless of age, gender, race, religion, language, social status, or ability.
- Opposes all forms of censorship—political, ideological, religious, or commercial.
- Links public libraries to lifelong learning, cultural preservation, and community development.
- Free and Equal Access: Services must be free of charge and accessible to everyone, including marginalised groups, linguistic minorities, persons with disabilities, and those in hospitals or prisons.
- Collections in All Media: Libraries should provide resources in books, periodicals, audiovisual materials, and modern digital technologies to ensure comprehensive access.
- No Censorship: Collections must be balanced, reflecting diverse viewpoints, and free from ideological, political, religious, or commercial restrictions.
- Core Missions:
- Promote reading and literacy, especially among children.
- Support formal and informal education and self-directed learning.
- Encourage creativity, imagination, and personal development.
- Preserve cultural heritage (written, oral, and artistic).
- Foster intercultural dialogue and respect for cultural diversity.
- Provide reliable community information for local enterprises and civic groups.
- Promote information literacy and computer skills in the digital age.
- Support literacy and lifelong learning opportunities for all age groups.
- Governance and Funding: National and local governments must finance and maintain public libraries. They should be integrated into national culture, education, and information strategies.
- Networking: Libraries must be part of a national library system, cooperating with school, academic, and special libraries for resource sharing and broader access.
- Professional Staff: Libraries should employ trained, qualified staff and ensure continuous professional development to maintain high-quality services.
- Policies and Planning: Each public library should have a written policy and strategic plan tailored to the needs of its community.
- Outreach and User Education: Libraries must provide physical and outreach services to reach underserved populations and train users to use resources effectively.
3. UNESCO Public Library Manifesto 1972
The UNESCO Public Library Manifesto of 1972, prepared in collaboration with the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA), was released during International Book Year. It updated the 1949 manifesto and provided a practical blueprint for organising and delivering public library services. Unlike the earlier, more general declaration, the 1972 text laid down specific requirements for legislation, funding, access, collections, staffing, and outreach. It defined the public library as a living force for education, culture, and information, and an essential factor for peace and understanding among peoples.About the Manifesto:
- Adopted in 1972 as part of UNESCO’s International Book Year activities.
- Emphasised the legal foundation of public libraries—established by law and supported by public authorities.
- Reaffirmed that libraries should be funded from public money and their services must be free of charge.
- Expanded the concept of collections to include audiovisual and multimedia resources, anticipating the rise of new information formats.
- Highlighted the public library’s cultural role as well as its educational function.
- Governments should develop nationwide library networks with central libraries, branches, and mobile services to cover rural and urban populations.
- Universal Access: Services open to all, without discrimination of race, nationality, age, sex, religion, language, education, or social status.
- Free of Charge: Public library use must be unrestricted, ensuring equal opportunity.
- Legal and Financial Support: Libraries should be created by law and maintained by national or local governments using stable, public funding.
- Collections Beyond Books: Resources must include print, audiovisual, and emerging media. Collections should reflect all fields of knowledge, local languages, and works of international importance.
- Library as a Cultural Centre: Libraries must host exhibitions, lectures, cultural events, and community activities and provide reading services.
- Buildings and Accessibility: Libraries should be centrally located, barrier-free, open for convenient hours, and designed for open-shelf browsing.
- Networks and Outreach: Every community should be served by a central library supported by branches and mobile libraries to reach rural or remote populations.
- Services for All Groups: Special provisions for children, students, and persons with disabilities (“handicapped readers” in the language of the time).
- Professional Staff: Libraries must employ trained and qualified staff to guide users, manage collections, and collaborate with schools and cultural institutions.
- Community Role: Public libraries should work with schools, universities, museums, and community groups to promote literacy, education, and cultural development.
4. UNESCO Public Library Manifesto 2004 (Application)
There was no new manifesto published in 2004. The official text remained the 1994 version. However, in 2004, UNESCO and IFLA placed special emphasis on applying the 1994 principles in the context of global changes.- World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS): Held in two phases (Geneva 2003 and Tunis 2005), this UN summit emphasised access to information, ICT, and digital inclusion. Public libraries were promoted as essential institutions to deliver these goals, using the 1994 manifesto as a guiding document.
- Lifelong Learning Agenda: In 2004, UNESCO’s education programs linked the manifesto directly with lifelong learning policies, stressing the library’s role as a lifelong learning hub.
- Information for All Programme (IFAP): Launched in 2000, IFAP gained momentum around 2004, highlighting the manifesto’s principles in bridging the digital divide and promoting equitable access to information.
- IFLA Reports (2004): IFLA published thematic papers (e.g., on lifelong learning, internet access, and social inclusion) that restated the 1994 manifesto missions as benchmarks for best practice.
- Clarification in Curriculum: Many courses and texts list “2004” because it marked a renewed wave of application and promotion of the 1994 manifesto, not because of a new text.
- Policy Reinforcement: The manifesto’s principles were applied to digital access, freedom of expression, and information society agendas.
- Global Awareness: Governments, NGOs, and professional associations used the 1994 manifesto during this period as a policy advocacy tool to secure funding and recognition for libraries.
- Transition to Digital Era: By 2004, public libraries worldwide were grappling with the internet revolution. The manifesto’s calls for digital access, intellectual freedom, and ICT literacy became more urgent than ever.
- 1994 gave the official, globally recognised framework: public libraries as local gateways to knowledge, defenders of intellectual freedom, promoters of literacy, and inclusive community hubs.
- 2004 ensured that the 1994 framework remained relevant in the new millennium, linking it to global issues such as lifelong learning, digital inclusion, and the information society.
- Together, they shaped the modern vision of the library as a storehouse of books and a centre for digital access, cultural preservation, and democratic participation.
2004 (Application): Not a new manifesto but a policy reinforcement of the 1994 principles in the era of ICT, lifelong learning, and global information society debates.
5. IFLA-UNESCO Public Library Manifesto 2022
The 2022 IFLA-UNESCO Public Library Manifesto is the most recent revision of UNESCO/IFLA’s guiding document for public libraries. It builds on earlier manifestos (1949, 1972, 1994) and adapts them to present-day challenges of digital technologies, inclusion, sustainability, and knowledge societies. It was launched at the 87th World Library and Information Congress (WLIC) in July 2022.UNESCO and IFLA position it not only as a statement but also as a tool for advocacy, policy making, and implementation at global, national, and local levels.
Why was it updated
Several changes in society, technology, and user expectations made an update necessary:
- The rise of digital information, e-resources, online access, and remote services requires libraries to adapt their infrastructure, policies, and services.
- Digital divide and information inequality: There is a need to ensure access for underserved groups, rural populations, persons with disabilities, and linguistic minorities.
- Sustainable development and local knowledge: Recognising the role of libraries in advancing the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and preserving indigenous, cultural, and local knowledge.
- Knowledge societies & community participation: Libraries should not just provide access, but also support creation, sharing, and co-generation of knowledge in communities.
- Legal, copyright, and licensing issues: Ensuring public libraries have rights to access digital content, negotiate fair licensing, and overcome legal/technical barriers.
Below are major themes and provisions in the 2022 manifesto:
- Equal access to culture, information, and community services: The manifesto reaffirms free access to knowledge and culture, and adds emphasis on access for marginalised communities, Indigenous peoples, and users with special needs.
- Digital participation and remote services: Libraries should deliver services both in physical spaces and digitally, offering remote access, online catalogues, e-materials, and hybrid models.
- Support for creation and sharing: The manifesto encourages libraries to support not only consumption but creation of knowledge—local digital collections, community content, media literacy, maker or creative spaces.
- Inclusivity, diversity, and local heritage: Stronger language on preserving local, indigenous, and minority heritage, languages, and cultural knowledge, ensuring that libraries reflect community diversity.
- Sustainability and governance: The manifesto highlights that library services should align with sustainable development and include environmental awareness in planning, infrastructure, and operations.
- Copyright, licensing, and open access: Recognises that intellectual property law and licensing must allow libraries to provide equitable digital access, including negotiating rights for e-resources.
- Implementation tools and shared responsibility: The 2022 version offers a “toolbox” for local adaptation, guidance for advocacy, and encourages cooperation among libraries, governments, and stakeholders.
- It updates the library ethos for the digital age, ensuring that manifesto principles remain relevant and operational.
- It elevates the role of libraries in knowledge societies, where access to information, the ability to create knowledge, and media literacy are central to democracy.
- It links libraries with global goals, especially the SDGs—libraries contribute to education, equality, information access, community development, and sustainable innovation.
- It empowers communities and marginalised groups by emphasising inclusivity, local knowledge, Indigenous rights, and accessibility.
- It gives librarians and advocates a modern instrument to press for funding, legislation, infrastructure, and policy alignment with 21st-century needs.