Access to reliable, timely information is essential to the proper functioning of democratic legislatures. Parliamentary libraries and research services contribute to the effectiveness of parliament by providing authoritative, independent and non-partisan information. These services have in many places evolved greatly in recent decades, in parallel with new information and communications technologies that have fundamentally changed how parliaments manage knowledge and information. The challenge is to develop strategies to support the evolution of parliamentary libraries and research services so that they can provide more value for their clients. By adopting new methods and technologies in information management, these services can provide part of the solution to information overload and to issues of legislative quality and accountability. The goal, which some services are already attaining, is to build the capacity to deliver sustained support tailored to the specific information requirements of parliamentary clients.

DOCUMENTS OF THE MEETING

	Follow-up publication [PDF]
	Agenda [PDF] and [HTML]
	Background information [PDF]
	List of participants [PDF]
	Welcoming remarks by Mr. A. Forsberg [76 Kb]
	Speech by Mr. Xavier Roques [177 Kb]
	Speech by Ms. Anita Dudina [34 Kb]
	Closing remarks by Ms. Gro Sandgrind [98 Kb]
	PowerPoint presentation by Mr. J. Keukens [488 Kb]
	PowerPoint presentation by Mr. I. Watt [172 Kb]
	PowerPoint presentation by Mrs. M. Eza [French only, 172 Kb]
RELATED SITES AND DOCUMENTS
	Association of Secretaries General of Parliaments (ASGP)
	International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) Section on Library and research services for parliaments
Note: Documents in PDF format require Adobe Acrobat Reader

DRAFT AGENDA
8:30 - 9:00	Registration
9:00 - 9:45	Opening and welcoming remarks Inter-Parliamentary Union Association of Secretaries General of Parliaments IFLA Section on Libraries and research services for parliaments
9:45 - 11:15	Session 1 : Parliamentarians’ evolving information and knowledge needs What are the information and knowledge needs of parliamentarians? To what extent do these needs and expectations vary among parliaments? How are the needs of parliamentarians evolving? How do parliamentarians meet their information needs? What challenges do they face? What expectations do parliamentarians have of their library and research services?
11:15 - 11:45	Coffee break
11:45 - 13:15	Session 2 : The value of dedicated parliamentary library and research services What are the potential benefits and outcomes of well-organized and resourced parliamentary library and research services? What strategic priorities should guide the evolution of parliamentary libraries and research services? What challenges and risks are there in this evolution? What changes in culture and in competencies are required by library and research services to provide better value for their parliamentary clients?
13:15 - 14:45	Lunch break
14:45 - 16:15	Session 3 : Innovative strategies to meet parliamentarians' evolving needs What new services and technologies can library and research services use to support parliamentarians in holding the executive to account and improving the quality of legislation? How can parliamentarians communicate their changing needs to their research and library services? How can library and research services keep in step with the changing needs and expectations of parliamentarians? How can library and research services be organized to innovate as rapidly as the best information service providers?
16:15 - 17:45	Session 4 : Sharing good practices and building capacity: Strategies to assist parliamentary institutions How can good practices in parliamentary library and research services be shared effectively? How can programmes to help parliaments in less-developed countries build their library and research capacity be better coordinated? Are new programmes needed? What role can international and regional bodies play in strengthening the support offered to parliaments?
17:45 - 18:00	Closing remarks