The roles of library professionals in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

The roles of LIS professionals in the achievement of SDGs: An eye-opener to future professionals

Imagine a world where peace and prosperity reigned?

A world with perfect climate conditions and every family had access to the necessities of life?

A world where parents have decent jobs and every child had access to quality education?

A world with zero poverty, hunger, AIDS and discrimination against women and girls?

A world where we can get clean water and good food with little or no stress?

A world where human rights are upheld and respected?

I know this sounds like a fantasy or but I dare to tell you that it’s not impossible.

         This picture I painted here is how the world should look like in 9 years to come- Vision 2030 which would be created with the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s). The Sustainable Development Goals or Global Goals are a collection of 17 interlinked global goals designed to be a "blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all". In 2015, over 190 UN member states launched the SDGs which are intended to be achieved by the year 2030. These goals work towards ending poverty with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests.

These are the goals;

#1: End poverty in all its forms everywhere

#2: End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition

and promote sustainable agriculture

#3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all of all ages

#4: Ensure inclusive and quality education for all and promote lifelong learning

#5: Achieve gender equality and empower women and girls

#6: Ensure access to water and sanitation for all

#7: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all

#8: Promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment and decent work for all

#9: Build resilient infrastructure, promote sustainable industrialization and foster innovation

#10: Reduce inequality within and among countries

#11: Make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable

#12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns

#13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts*

#14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources

#15: Sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation,

halt biodiversity loss

#16: Promote just, peaceful and inclusive societies

#17: Revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development

We must understand that the SDGs are interconnected which means the achievement of one leads to the advancement of another. They are linked as follows;

v 1,5

v  2,3,4

v  6,12,13,14,15

v  7,8,9,10,11

v 16

v 17

You might be thinking – What roles do I as a LIS professional have to play in all of these? 

How do libraries and the SDGs relate?

How can I contribute to the achievement of these goals?

There is only one answer – Information Delivery.

       Information has proven to be a very powerful and effective tool in the achievement of the SDGs. Our job as information professionals is to make information readily available to individuals with information needs at the right time. LIS professionals are to bridge the gap between people and information, promote information literacy and support life-long learning. We are well-positioned to provide the right information to the right person at the right time without less or difficulty. Every individual, organization and country needs information for decision making on daily basis. Library and information professionals have become more relevant in today’s world because we now live in the Information age. Libraries share what they own and librarians share what they know. Information is power and can be used to drive sustainable development across different sectors. 

        We have 9 more years to work towards the actualization of the SDGs and the role of information can't be overemphasized. The global goals cut across all sectors and departments and focus on environmental, economic and social sustainability. The motto of the SDGs is to leave no one behind and most the efficient way to promote this is to educate every individual, organization (both private and public) and country on the importance of the SDGs and the roles they have to play in achieving global goals.

LIS professionals can contribute to the achievement of the SDGs by:

1.     Continuous training of LIS professionals on the SDGs

       We need to educate ourselves on WHAT the SDGs are, WHY they should be achieved, HOW to achieve them and their development indicators. This can be achieved through conferences, seminars and workshops for LIS professionals. To efficiently disseminate information on the SDGs we need to be well-informed. A LIS professional is the first library a user sees which means we have to keep growing our knowledge base and upskilling. We have to be well equipped with relevant skills such as information and technology skills, information literacy skills, knowledge management skills, technical professional skills etc. LIS professionals should join library organizations on both local and global levels such as the Librarians Registration Council of Nigeria (LRCN), International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) to expand their networks.

2.     Advocacy and Awareness programs

       LIS professionals can develop advocacy programs and engage in lobbying to achieve these Global Goals. LIS professionals should speak on behalf of the vulnerable and disadvantaged to major stakeholders to take actions that will drive towards the advancement of these goals. They can also organize outreaches, rallies to educate the general public on the Global Goals and their importance. They should also educate the public on topics ranging from climate change, gender equality, education, human rights, health, youth empowerment. This could be carried out through both online and onsite activities using social media as a tool. Most people both young and old are on social media and use it daily. It has been proven to be one of the fastest and most effective ways of disseminating information in this information era. Other media such as billboards, radio broadcasts, television programs can also be used. Much importance should be given to the grass-root level – the far-to-reach, illiterates, unemployed etc. Sharing these activities on different platforms will make people more aware and stimulate their interest in advancing the SDGs. It would increase the visibility of librarianship as a noble profession. It would also give room for partnerships among LIS professionals and even other professionals across different industries. Partnership is key in achieving Global Goals. 

3.     Introducing the SDGs into the library and its activities\\

    A LIS professional cannot be separated from the library. The library itself contributes largely to the achievement of these goals. The library can also develop and host programs both at the local and national level that will promote the SDGs for every group of its clientele in the society. A public or school library could organize a story-telling program for children around the SDGs. An academic library could organize teens and youths seminars and projects that implement the SDGs e.g Teens Summer Camp. A special library could organize workshops and seminars for her professionals on how they can drive progress on the achievement of the Global goals as an organization. A public library could organize activities such as; group discussions, readathons, talent-hunt shows, challenge quests,etc with the aim of making members of the general public more aware of the goals and making them contribute their own quota as individuals.

4.     Making policies and projects that support the advancement of the SDG’s

  The library which is the storehouse of information should improve the quality of its services by making it more attractive, efficient and value-based. LIS professionals should embark on projects that will provide information for information users across all sectors and departments. There should be something for everyone in the library from the local farmer, pupil, doctor, public officials etc. LIS professionals should actively participate in making policies that help bridge the digital divide in local communities. Internet connectivity, computers, electricity, network, servers etc should be made available in the libraries. LIS professionals should participate and conduct ICT training for the general public. The SDGs are a universal agenda for transforming our world and to achieve this transformation, LIS professionals must not fold their arms and act aloof. To achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, all hands must be on deck. Every person must be brought on board- from the doctor to the engineer, from the woman who sells at a local store to the child in primary school, from the lawyer who fights for justice to you as LIS professional.

          The goals have a framework called the 5 P’s which are the People, Planet, Peace, Prosperity and Partnerships. As LIS professionals, this should be our epicentre. We should actively work together to end poverty, protect the planet and make sure humanity lives in peace and prosperity. Doing all these will not only make our lives better but also secure a brighter future for the unborn generations. LIS professionals are pivotal in attaining Sustainable Development Goals. While some see ICT as a threat to the profession, we should view it as an opportunity for more creativity and innovation. ICT has greatly improved our jobs and should be leveraged to contribute to sustainable global development.

Together we can make these goals a REALITY.

 Together we can build a better world.

“Be the change you seek”- Mahatma Gandhi