Depository libraries - United Nations Dag Hammarskjold Library
United Nations Dag Hammarskjöld Library

 Activities by Depository Libraries

The Depository Library System is an important part of outreach efforts of the United Nations. As such, the United Nations strongly encourages all depositories to organize events and activities on a regular basis to publicize their United Nations collections to a wider audience. Click above to see recent events organized by depository libraries.Please share your events with us by sending photographs, programmes, summaries, etc., of your event to the Outreach Support Unit .

While the United Nations cannot support events financially, it may be possible to provide promotional materials to an organizing library if informed far in advance.

Contacts for promotional materials:

A local United Nations office
A local United Nations Development Programme office
Outreach Support Unit


Examples of events undertaken by depositories (Depositories wishing to use the United Nations emblem or flag must obtain permission from the United Nations.):
Book exhibits (general or specific themes);
Posting information on the United Nations collection on the Internet/Intranet site;
Briefings on the United Nations collection during student orientation sessions;
Preparation of brochures and user guides for the United Nations collection;
Roundtable meetings and seminars on United Nations-related issues;
Conducting training in United Nations website searching, use of United Nations databases, etc.;
Active assistance to Model UN programmes;
Promotion of the use of United Nations documents/publications for teaching.

Sources for event ideas:


 
Russian State Library, Moscow, Russian Federation (Mar. 2005)

An initiative from UNIC Moscow led to the UN Country Team in Russia, jointly with the Russian State Library to organize a book exhibit entitled "The United Nations at Sixty: A System that Works for You". The event proved there is a high level of interest in the UN amid the Russian Civil Society. A round table discussion "Beijing at Ten: Achieving Gender Equality, Development and Peace" was held following this event.

 

 
University of Macau Library, Macau, China (Mar. 2005)

An Open Day activity was held in the library lobby of the University of Macau where an exhibition on International Organisations was displayed. Public users were entertained with a quiz game. The exhibition stimulated a public awareness on information about the UN.

 

 
Kerala University Library, Trivandrum, India (Oct. 2004)
An exhibition of UN and World Bank publications was organized for two weeks that attracted much media coverage, as well as an enthusiastic and energetic involvement of the reading community and resulted in a request for publications from other agencies such as W.H.O, F.A.O etc.
 

 
Osmania University Library, Hyderabad, India (Oct. 2004)
During a week-long UN Day celebration, a book exhibit was organized and a number of speeches were made on the changing role of the UN and the International Year of Rice and food security. More than 200 people attended.
 

 
University of Macau Library, Macau, China (Oct. 2004)

The Documentation Centre made an appearance again at the annual Macao International Trade & Investment Fair. Elaborate displays not only attracted visitors but were also very informative to those who knew little about the depository library.
 

 
Workshop on UN documentation, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (Oct. 2004)

From East and West Africa, 18 depository librarians came to participate in the workshop. Hands-on sessions, special presentations and roundtable discussions all enriched their knowledge and skills in researching UN documentation using print and online tools.

 

 
Biblioteca Depositaria de las Naciones Unidas y Habitat, Mar del Plata, Argentina
(Sept. 2004 & June 2004)
(Sept. 2004) The depository library, together with the "Information Service to the Community" office, participated in the Fifth Expo Educativa, which welcomed nearly 6,000 students who came to learn various educational options available in Buenos Aires.

(June 2004) At the First Congress of Educators of the Mercosur, the depository library held a book exhibit and offered up-to-date bibliographical information on education and training to the participants.
 

 
Conference of the Japanese depository libraries, Tokyo, Japan (Sept. 2004)
Their 36th annual conference, hosted by UN Information Centre in Tokyo, served as a forum to exchange views and experience among the 13 depository libraries in Japan.
 

 
University of Iowa, USA (August 2004)
At the Iowa State Fair, the depository librarian talked about UN documents at his library and demonstrated CyberSchoolBus, which was fun for the children. Information on the UN successfully delivered!
 

 
South African Institute of International Affairs, Johannesburg, South Africa (June 2004)
The South African Institute of International Affairs held a number of sessions offering guidance on the UN collection to interns, research staff and students in International Relations at the University of the Witwaterstrand.
 

 
Depository Libraries in the Russian Federation (May 2004)
The depository librarians got together at the UN Information Centre in Moscow for training whose main focus was on the UN documentation and use of UN databases.
 

 
National Library of Armenia, Yerevan, Armenia (Oct. 2003)
The National Library of Armenia, together with the UN Office in Armenia, organized a UN Day Exhibition, where major UN publications at these two entities were displayed. Their collaboration has been successful to reach out to a larger audience.
 

 
University of Macau Library, Macau, China (Oct. 2003)
The Documentation Centre of the International Library participated in the Macau International Trade & Development Fair, the largest exhibition in Macau, and publicized the UN material at the Centre. The organizer of the Fair provided the Documentation Centre with a free booth in a prominent area. A quiz game on the UN-related topics attracted many visitors.
 

 
Biblioteca Nacional "Jose Marti", Havana, Cuba (Oct. 2003)
The United Nations Group organized a book exhibit on the occasion of the United Nations Day.
 

 
Conference of the Japanese depository libraries, Tokyo, Japan (Sept. 2003)
The Japanese depository librarians got together to share knowledge in UN topics and reference tools as well as to exchange views and experiences. Organized by the UN Information Centre in Tokyo, it was the 35th conference.
 

 
Workshop on UN documentation, Pretoria, South Africa (Jul/Aug 2003)
13 depository librarians and 3 UN staff members from southern Africa assembled in Pretoria for a 3-day workshop.
 

 
Mississippi State University, USA (May 2003)
"United Nations : Bringing the World to Mississippi" was the title of the one-day workshop organized and conducted by the Government Document Department. Librarians from Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee participated.
 


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