Information for Social Change

ISC 13. Some Recent Developments

The Diversity Council launched

An historic event took place in London on March 14th, 2001 when, under the guidance of         Prof.  Ismail Abdullahi, a number of organisations came together to form the Diversity Council.  The three organisations that form the Diversity Council are African Caribbean Library Association (ACLA), the Asian Librarians and Advisers Group (ALAG), and Race and Class Group (RCG).  The Chinese Library Support Group, the Specialist Provision in Community Languages and English Group (SPICE) and the Vietnamese Library Support Network have since joined the Council. 

The Council aims to become a group of the LA, and is calling on members to sign a letter asking the LA to recognise it as such.  The Diversity Council is launching its newsletter Diversity.

More details from Shiraz Durrani:  shiraz.durranimerton.gov.uk

Quality Leaders Project for Black Library & Information Workers
The QLP which is supported by re:source, ALCL and the Library Association  is now ready to implement its two pilot plans.  At a meeting in April, the advisory group approved the proposals from Quality Leaders from Birmingham and Merton.  Both pilots aim to improve public library services while developing black managers.  The Management Research Centre, University of North London, which carried out the initial feasibility study, is carrying out training and evaluation.  It will release its latest findings at the Black Contribution Conference at UmbrelLA on 6 July.  A newsletter will be produced for QLP by the Social Exclusion Action Planning Network.

LAs Policy Advisory Group on Social Inclusion The Library Association has recently established three Policy Group on Social Inclusion (PAGs) - on social inclusion, regionalism and devolution, and on a national information policy.  Future PAGs are likely to include health, and competitiveness and the knowledge economy.

The PAGs have been set up to deal with the important cross-cutting policy issues.  PAGs are meant to provide a fresh look at these policy areas.  They involve leading members of the profession with an expertise in the subject area concerned.

TUCs Black workers deserve better
The TUC black workers conference was held in Perth at the end of April 2001 and discussed the worsening position faced by black workers in Britain.  The TUC Report, Black workers deserve better was released at the Conference.

Merton ReachOut
Merton Libraries has issues the first issue of a new quarterly newsletter about outreach services.  The first issue contains articles from various communities, articles by library staff giving some details of the outreach services.  Full details about community outreach projects will be included in the forth-coming Community Outreach Projects Handbook. Copies available from Di Reynolds, BME/Outreach services,
bme.outreachmerton.gov.uk.

New publications

• House of Commons (Session 1999-2000), Culture, Media and Sports Committee, Sixth Report. (a)  Public Libraries; (b) Third Special Report (May 2001) Government Response.
• Race relations (Amendment) Act 2000; new laws for a successful multi-racial Britain; proposals for implementation. (2001) Home Office Communications Directorate.
• Libraries, Museums, Galleries and Archives for All: Co-operating across the sectors to tackle social exclusion. (2001)  London, DCMS