Political Party Responses to the Library Manifesto for Europe

Abstract

The Library Manifesto for Europe sets out six ways in which the European Union can support libraries and their values. On this basis, IFLA asked political parties at the European level - and through its members, at the national level, for their views.

Libraries are directly affected by the decisions taken in Brussels, Strasbourg and Luxembourg. Through laws on copyright, funding programmes for heritage, reserch and culture, and recommendations on education for example, the European Union shapes the environment in which libraries work.

The Library Manifesto for Europe, produced by IFLA in partnership with EBLIDA, Public Libraries 2030, LIBER and SPARC Europe, summarises how the European Union can best support our institutions, including in non-EU countries benefitting from aid.

With this help, libraries can in turn build a stronger Europe - more innovative, more equal, more sustainable.

We have therefore asked European political parties how they will deliver for libraries in the next term of the European Parliament. Through our members, we have asked national parties too. The below documents share the responses we received, and are designed to help voters who care about libraries understand what the options are. Responses received from: European Union, Belgium (Wallonia), Finland, Germany and Ireland.