The World Library and Information Congress 2009 opened in Milan, the second largest city of Italy, on Sunday.

During the five-day meeting, which was under the theme of "library creates future: building on the culture heritage," some 4,000 experts and scholars from various countries and regions are expected to discuss broadening influence of libraries, equally obtaining information and building digital libraries, among other topics.

The meeting is also the 75th General Conference and Assembly of The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), which represents the interests of library and information services for its 1,600 members from some 150 countries.

IFLA was founded in Edinburgh, Britain, in 1927. It is now headquartered in Hague, Netherlands.

Current IFLA President Claudia Lux Sunday urged his members to put libraries on the Agenda.

"By influencing the agendas of our communities, regions, institutions, companies, governments, and the international bodies that deal with the world we live in, we librarians and information workers are creating not only our future, but a better world," Lux said in her welcome address.

"Whatever the economic, social or political conditions, our profession must take an active role in defining and delivering equitable access to the resources that provide information for all," the president said.

On behalf of the host country, President of the Italian Library Association Mauro Guerrini said that thanks to libraries, people have been gathering and storing their scientific, artistic, literary, musical as well as religious activity over time.

"Libraries preserve the bases of all human knowledge. Knowledge transmission today has radically changed: the scope of bibliography has widened immensely," said Guerrini, the professor at the University of Florence.

"In this way libraries keep pace with the change brought about by history and technology, helping to shape the future through the resources inherited from the past," he added.

(Xinhua News Agency August 24, 2009)