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CULTURE

Interview with

Francesco Pi"sano

Director of United Nations Library at Geneva

You have been heading the braries sit firmly at the top of
United Nations Library at Ge- the knowledge systems pyra-
neva for over one year now. mid since always and they will
What are your impressions? continue to do so in the fore-
I took up this position in Janu- seeable future. The question is
ary 2016 and ever since I have rather how digital content and
been accumulating reasons for electronic means can reinforce
being delighted with the job. knowledge and help libraries
First of all, the Library team share information with those
is an exceptional ensemble of who need to access and use
dedicated professionals with knowledge. While knowledge
whom it is a constant pleas- systems have become mostly
ure to work. I feel very lucky: horizontal and globalized, there
in 25 years with the UN I have been League of Nations, registered with are questions of knowledge preserva-
blessed twice with leading a team of UNESCO as collective memory, and tion and guaranteed access to infor-
women and men of such quality and those of the UN Office at Geneva mation that are still open. Libraries
motivation. Secondly, the Library is since 1946. Many ignore that we are are tackling these issues in the inter-
the temple of multilateral knowledge also responsible for the art collection est of collectivities. The fact is that
and research and it sits at the very of the Palais des Nations: more than libraries have always been the custo-
core of the mission of the UN and 2,500 pieces of art from all over the dians of the cumulative knowledge
International Geneva today as it did world, spanning over one century of humankind and they perceive this
at the time of the League of Nations. of art history. You see now why Li- as a responsibility. I think this is an
It was established in 1919 to support brary is short hand for knowledge, important asset as information and
the work of the League and was set exchange, culture and heritage, and knowledge are put online and the
in the current building in 1937. My why every day I am excited to get up internet of things becomes the main
office is the very office of all the head and go to work. generator of data. It is probable that
librarians before me and Wing B of our future as a civilization will be en-
the Palais des Nations was specially What do you think of the debate tirely on-line. In such case, it is con-
designed to accommodate the Li- around technology and the future of ceivable that at some point we may
brary (B as in Bibliotheque). In the libraries? have to revert to the original knowl-
30s, the Library was famous exam- This debate is very much on and I edge resources for validation, or even
ple of innovation and functionality, believe it is useful and promising. for rebooting, who knows?
attracting visitors and praise for its We have moved beyond the old fash-
importance and beauty. Thirdly, be- ioned perception of digital and paper The UN system is putting a lot of en-
side its monumental history, the Li- as incompatible knowledge systems ergy into Agenda 2030, how do you
brary is an exciting and vibrant place destined to compete. Today no one see the role of the Library?
for dialogue, cultural diplomacy and in the knowledge and research ago- I am a firm believer in the vision of
intellectual outreach, with over 150 ra asks why we need libraries in the Agenda 2030. The Agenda is in es-
events each year. And finally, we are age of internet and I believe this was sence a political manifesto with the
the custodian of the archives of the a false dichotomy from the start. Li- potential to shift the paradigm of in-

36 DIVA - INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMAT