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IFLA WLIC provides a great opportunity to reaffirm the goals of the IFLA Strategy, and to accelerate our efforts to implement it.

In times of change and uncertainty, it is essential to draw on the full resources of the global library field in order to ensure a strong and sustainable future for our profession and institutions.

The 2021 World Library and Information Congress marks the second anniversary of the launch of IFLA’s Strategy 2019-24, a document designed to do just this.

A reference point for the field

The Strategy sets out a Vision – a strong and united library field powering literate, informed and participatory societies – and a Mission – to inspire, engage, enable and connect the field. Through four Strategic Directions, it establishes major areas of action, applicable not just at the global level, but through every part of the profession.

Each of these Directions – to strengthen the global voice of libraries, to inspire and enhance professional practice, to connect and enable the field, and to optimise our organisation – have four key initiatives, which in turn cover all of the individual actions that contribute to delivering the Strategy in concrete terms.

The Strategy provides both a reference point and a framework for identifying alignments, reinforcing collaboration and exploiting synergies. Crucially, it is not just a document for those who work within IFLA’s committees or Headquarters, but also for the library field as a whole, providing a roadmap for the journey to a successful future.

WLIC – advancing towards our goals

IFLA’s World Library and Information Congress this year, like every year, provides an important opportunity to advance towards the goals set out in the Strategy.

In part, it is the opportunity that WLIC provides to inspire and be inspired by the work of colleagues around the world.

It is also a chance to establish contacts and collaborations which can bear fruit well into the future, for the benefit for libraries and their users alike. Finding colleagues addressing the same priorities set out in the Strategy is a key first step towards creating partnerships. 

Significantly, it is a time to reaffirm the connectedness and the unity of the global library field, as a unique and powerful resource supporting the work of professionals wherever they are in the world.

Accelerating our efforts

As we head towards the halfway point in the delivery of IFLA’s Strategy, the Congress will see many examples of successful implementation of, and engagement with, the Strategy and its goals.

Through the opportunity that WLIC provides to reach professionals around the world, building energy and connections, there is an opportunity to move up a gear. By making more of the potential of our global field, we can in turn build greater resilience and enhance performance for all.

We encourage everyone to look at examples of implementation of the IFLA Strategy to date, through our #IFLAFromHome series, and to reflect on them so you can join the many others on the journey.

 

      

IFLA’s General Assembly is only a week away. Following this meeting, IFLA's new Statutes and revised structure will be implemented. A new era for the Federation will begin.

Key Information

The General Assembly will be live from the Koninklijke Bibliotheek in The Hague, Netherlands at 13:30 CEST on Wednesday 25 August 2021. Please check your time zone. Follow the meeting and the live-stream via IFLA’s YouTube channel. We’ll send out a reminder a day before so you don’t forget.

Social distancing and other Coronavirus restrictions are still in place in the Netherlands. Due to very limited seating and spaces in the venues, and if you will attend in person, we ask you to register with us by sending an email to generalassembly@ifla.org so we can make the necessary preparations in advance.

Each General Assembly provides the opportunity for IFLA’s members and community to be updated on the activities of the Federation and hear about our directions. Be part of the change. Thank you for your involvement and attention to our work.

Gerald Leitner
Secretary General
The Hague, Netherlands
17 August 2021

You will hear the following presentations:

OR, open licensing, and the role of librarians as the vanguard of the open movement

(Neil Butcher, OER Africa, OER Strategist. South Africa)

Drawing on work that OER Africa has been doing with the African Library and Information Association (AfLIA), this presentation will explore the concepts of OER and open access and their relevance to librarians in the context of the knowledge economy, including discussion on how this has become even more important given the effects of the coronavirus pandemic globally. The presentation will explore how open licensing is changing the role of librarians, while making their function more important than ever before. We will also explore what we have learned about the key skills and knowledge that librarians need to take on these new roles and strategies we have deployed to help to develop those skills amongst AfLIA members – and outline what lessons this might hold for libraries globally.

The burgeoning field of open education librarianship

(Nicole Allen, SPARC, Director of Open Education. United States)

Over the last decade, academic libraries have emerged as drivers of OER policy, practice, and publishing of OER in the U.S. and Canada. Prompted by student concerns over the rapidly rising price of postsecondary textbooks, libraries have launched programs to support the use, creation, and pedagogy associated with OER, cultivating a new and growing field of open education librarianship. This presentation will explore the past, present, and future of why open education matters to libraries, focusing on a North American context.

Supporting educational resource discovery through distributed faceted discovery of open access resources across multiple systems

(Edmund Balnaves, Prosentient Systems Pty Ltd. Australia)

Digital services supporting educational delivery increasingly need to draw on disparate data sources to bring together the research assets supporting content delivery.
This presentation discusses our experiments with very large discovery frameworks and to consolidate asset discovery across multiple sources in an opensource framework supported by analytics feeding into Artificial Intelligence for smart discovery of content in a very large asset store.
The use of this in the context of asset discovery for University of New England, Australia will be discussed.

Tuesday 17 August, 0730 GMT

Our session follows the Opening Ceremony and includes the following presentations on:

Innovative Mechanisms for Evidence-Based Policy : Understanding how intellectual hubs support complex collaboration and new technologies by David Stokes

Planning for Uncertainty: Government Libraries as a Strategic Foresight Resource by Matt Finch

The Statistics Canada Library: A case study of supporting evidence-based policy by Elizabeth Nash

Followed by a live Q&A session. Remember if yhou can't attend live the session recording is available for a year.

COVID-19 presents the library profession with a huge opportunity. Never before has everyone been so aware of the need for reliable healthcare information, and yet so vulnerable to misinformation. Misinformation is a growing threat to global health. The only way to deal with it is to promote universal access to reliable healthcare information, and to empower people to tell the difference between reliable information and misinformation.

To make this happen, library and information professionals need to take the lead.  

JOIN US on the first day of the IFLA Congress 17 August 2021
  Provocation: 8:30 am - 9:15 am BST [See the time where you are]
  Q&A session: 9:15 am - 9:45 am BST [See the time where you are]

See our event page for more information

The Library and Research Services for Parliaments Section will host a panel on DAY 2 at the WLIC 2021

Libraries and Research Services Enable: evidence-based practice in parliamentary library and research services

 A panel discussion session moderated by Sonia Bebbington of Canada and Ido Avgar of the Knesset Research and Information Center

Library of Congress, Chile: experience in evidence-informed policy advice

Contribution of the Knesset Research & Information Center to Evidence-Based Parliamentary Work

The role of Parliamentary Research Services in evidence-based policy in Kenya

PLEASE JOIN US!!!

With the translation into Thai and Spanish of the Guidelines, they are now available in 26 languages,

Our session at WLIC 2021 - Safe and open: post-recovery library design -  takes place on day 1 (17th August). Libraries will continue to deliver rich and engaging services and spaces for users in the post-recovery world but will increasingly be called upon to balance core design objectives with the need to protect the health and wellbeing of our users and staff.  For example, there may be a tension between creating collaborative and flexible environments for our users to explore, creating rich learning environments and creating flexible staff workspaces for collaboration while also acknowledging the need for more flexible staff work arrangements. This provocation session will look at possible changes when libraries fully reopen after a substantial event (pandemic or fire, for example) and what may remain the same. Some questions will include "What does 'different ways of working' really mean?" "How will users different behaviours and needs in a post-recovery world influence/impact library space?" "How will aesthetics and atmosphere influence wellbeing and safety for staff and users?" "What design opportunities are available to meet these challenges?"  There will be three speakers and a moderator; one of the speakers will be an architect. For more information see our Facebook Group and follow us on Twitter @ifla_lbes .

 

 

 

 

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In just a few days now, the global library field will be together again, back for the 86th World Library and Information Congress.

Organised virtually, with a view to maximising possibilities for participation by colleagues everywhere, it is an unparalleled opportunity for you to see and experience the energy, inspiration and diversity of the global library field.

With the IFLA Strategy providing a reference point, we will look to the future, to the actions that we can take to address the key challenges and questions we face.

We will discover, discuss, present, provoke and solve. Crucially, we will do this together, as a strong and united field.

So in our final newsletter before WLIC 2021, find out about what awaits those who register. And if you haven’t yet, don’t forget that the deadline is at 17:00 CEST on Monday 16 August!

Crucially, get ready for an extraordinary the most international, the most exhilarating opportunity around to build your personal and professional connections. Be part of our global field!

See you on 17 August!

Read on in the WLIC Newsletter, Issue 7, 11 August 2021.

Kind regards,

Gerald Leitner
Secretary General
The Hague, Netherlands
11 August 2021

En este contexto el Comité de América Latina y el Caribe-IFLA LAC ha desarrollado un proyecto que contempla acciones claras y contundentes frente a este tema:

PRIMERO reforzar la presencia de la region en el mapa mundial de bibliotecas de IFLA, para lo cual hemos realizado talleres virtuales de sensibilizacion en toda region mediante las asociaciones hemos capacitado a “talleristas” para que repliquen estos talleres en sus comunidades locales, y asi incrementar las historias de ODS de IFLA en el Mapa Mundial.

De igual forma en el contexto de la Reunion de Medio Ano hemos organizado el Seminario Internacional Virtual por el Ano Iberoamericano de las Bibliotecas para poner la discusion entorno a nuestras bibliotecas y su rol de futuro, convocando a los distintos tipos de bibliotecas existentes a lo largo de toda la region, tales como las bibliotecas publicas, comunitarias, patrimoniales, universitarias, especializadas, escolares, entre otras. Contamos con cuatro mesas y charlista magistrales excepcionales.

• MESA 1 Bibliotecas Publicas y Populares. Desafios y oportunidades.
• MESA 2 Bibliotecas Escolares y CRA. Los ODS y su vinculacion con las bibliotecas escolares: educacion de calidad y acceso significativo la informacion en tiempos de pandemia.
• MESA 3 Las Bibliotecas Académica y la Cuarta Revolucion Industrial. Bibliotecas para la transformacion, el trabajo interdisciplinar y el empoderamiento ciudadano
• MESA 4 Bibliotecas Especializadas. Ciencias al servicio de la sociedad.

Este encuentro de alcance internacional, permitio abonar al slogan “Bibliotecas que crean futuro”, permitira generar un espacio de reflexion alrededor de la diversidad de bibliotecas, donde se discutio y converso sobre el rol de las bibliotecas y su vigencia como un espacio democratico y de acceso libre a la informacion, el conocimiento y la cultura para todos y todas los ciudadanos.

Junto con ello desarrollamos un set de material audio visual (videos) sobre las bibliotecas de la region, que cuentan ademas con capsulas breves de promocion, todo este material esta disponible de acceso libre y gratuito para que ustedes utilicen en sus actividades, promociones y presentaciones.

Estas estaran con locucion en espanol subtituladas en espanol, portugués e ingles en las redes sociales de IFLA LAC. Estamos presentes trabajando activamente en el comité del Ano iberoamericano de las bibliotecas junto con IBERBIBLIOTECAS, ABINIA, CERLALC, Secretaria General Iberoamericana y otros actores relevantes de la region.

Creemos firmemente que las bibliotecas son los espacios democratizadores del acceso a la informacion y el conocimiento por antonomasia y garantes de aquello, espacios mas alla de los libros donde la sociedad y las comunidades pueden desarrollarse, compartir, participar, construir y sonar con un futuro mejor. Con igualdad y equidad, con justicia social y oportunidades. 

DIRECTIVA ESTRATÉGICA 1 REFORZAR LA VOZ GLOBAL DE LAS BIBLIOTECAS

Escuchamos y comprendemos las prioridades de todo el sector, y divulgamos el mensaje a través de la defensa de las bibliotecas y sus valores a nivel global y regional. Hablamos con conocimiento, confianza y autoridad sobre las politicas relevantes, garantizando el reconocimiento y apoyo a las bibliotecas como activos fundamentales de la comunidad, esenciales para la implementacion de las agendas de desarrollo. Nuestra fuerte presencia en las organizaciones y reuniones internacionales nos empodera como un socio valioso.

INICIATIVAS CLAVE 1.4 Influir en la opinion publica y en el debate sobre el acceso publico y los valores de las bibliotecas, incluida la libertad intelectual y los derechos humanos Brindaremos un liderazgo intelectual y practico para respaldar el acceso publico a la informacion y valores mas amplios para nuestro sector. Deseamos facilitar la comprension del rol de las bibliotecas como adalides de la libertad intelectual, fomentar la reflexion, coordinar la accion y promover las bibliotecas a nivel externo.

DIRECTIVA ESTRATÉGICA 3 CONECTAR Y EMPODERAR EL SECTOR Somos un centro de dialogo y accion. Somos el motor para un sector bibliotecario conectado y alineado, caracterizado por un verdadero espiritu de colaboracion, en el que no se excluye a ningun bibliotecario. Unimos pasiones, proveemos plataformas y permitimos la innovacion, el aprendizaje, y el desarrollo profesional en todos los niveles. De este modo, respondemos a los actuales desafios y oportunidades, y empoderamos al sector bibliotecario a prestar servicios de alta calidad que respondan a las necesidades de la comunidad, y promovemos la alfabetizacion, la innovacion, la preservacion del patrimonio y el acceso a la informacion para todos los usuarios.

INICIATIVAS CLAVE 3.2 Respaldar el trabajo en red y las conexiones virtuales Desarrollaremos un espiritu de colaboracion continua en el sector bibliotecario a través de herramientas virtuales de trabajo en red para permitir que cada bibliotecario participe y se comprometa con la conversacion global.

3.3 Empoderar al sector a nivel nacional y regional Incrementaremos la capacidad del sector bibliotecario para desarrollar acciones orientadas a las caracteristicas y requisitos regionales y nacionales, fortaleciendo a las asociaciones de bibliotecarios, las instituciones y las redes a todo nivel.

3.4 Brindar aprendizaje y desarrollo profesional especificos Proporcionaremos una variedad de oportunidades de aprendizaje que actualicen las practicas vigentes. Crearemos la capacidad de promover el compromiso y la evaluacion de la comunidad y hacer de cada bibliotecario un defensor de la profesion y desarrollaremos los lideres del futuro y los conectaremos entre si.

TALLERES DE MAPA MUNDIAL DE BIBLIOTECAS

1. PRIMERA SESIÓN DEL DÍA
2. SEGUNDA SESIÓN DEL DÍA 

SEMINARIO INTERNACIONAL VIRTUAL POR EL AÑO IBEROAMERICANO DE LAS BIBLIOTECAS

• DÍA 1
• DÍA 2

CÁPSULAS INFORMATIVAS EN EL AÑO IBEROAMERICANO DE BIBLIOTECAS

YOUTUBE VÍDEO GENERAL https://youtu.be/1ra4DMyJttk

• SPA
• ENG
• CORTO

BIBLIOTECAS PÚBLICAS https://youtu.be/t-4GHr8F2C0

• SPA 
• ENG 
• PORTUGUES 

BIBLIOTECAS UNIVERSITARIAS Y ACADÉMICAS https://youtu.be/2tSowlBd8Y4

• SPA 
• ENG 
• PORTUGUES 

BIBLIOTECAS ESCOLARES https://youtu.be/cTbGZ5moJpg

• SPA 
• ENG 
• PORTUGUES 

BIBLIOTECAS NACIONALES https://youtu.be/tp8c4VJEFM4

• SPA 
• ENG 
• PORTUGUES

BIBLIOTECAS ESPECIALIZADAS https://youtu.be/SfcY6q7dBW8

• SPA
• ENG
• PORTUGUES

19 August will we have our session at Zoom.

The theme is "Preserving our recorded sound and visual heritage for the future...and beyond!"

https://www.ifla-wlic2021.com/events/sessions/preserving-our-recorded-sound-and-visual-heritage-for-the-future-and-beyond

Please join!

WLIC 2021: An Open Forum on LTR research projects: Beyond Helicopter Research: Unpacking International Studies on LIS Education and Research Methods:

When:  August 18, 2:15-3 pm Chicago (CDT) / 3:15-4 pm New York (EDT) / 9:15-10 pm The Hague (CEST) / August 19, 3:15-4 am Beijing (CST) / 5:15-6 am Melbourne (AEST)

Where: (Libraries Inspire - Zoom Discussion Room 1) WLIC registration required.

This open forum sets the stage for a dialogue on conducting international LIS research that is sensitive to diverse communities, multiple ways of knowing, and local participation. The session will present two cases, describing what worked, how hurdles were overcome and critical concerns, to provide context for the conversation to follow.

The first, conducted by the IFLA Building LIS Education (BSLISE) Working Group, is an international survey, directory and map of LIS education programs https://bslise.org/lis-education-map/ developed as a response to one of the recommendations of the IFLA Building Strong LIS Education White Paper (2018). The second, conducted by the IFLA Library Theory and Research (LTR) Section, in collaboration with the Education and Training Section, focuses on teaching research methods in LIS programs. The goals of the study are to examine what approaches to teaching research methods are currently being applied in LIS programs worldwide and to compare international educational models for preparing library practitioners to conduct research and evaluation studies. The designing of effective international LIS research calls for robust discussion and critical reflection, involving a wide range of perspectives, which moves the endeavor closer to truly international research.

Speakers:

Nuria Bautista-Puig (Spain) – Moderating the Design of Effective International LIS Research

Fatih Oguz (United States) – International Survey, Directory and Map of LIS Education Programmes

Krystyna Matusiak (United States) and Egbert Sanchez (Mexico) – An International Survey on Teaching Research Methods in LIS Programmes

WLIC 2021: A Solutions Room on Implementing the "IFLA Guidelines for Professional LIS Education Programmes": Stakeholder Perspectives and Buy-in Locally and Globally, with IFLA President Christine Mackenzie, President-Elect Barbara Lison and others:

When:  August 18, 9-10 pm Chicago (CDT) / 10-11pm New York (EDT) / August 19, 4-5 am The Hague (CEST) / 10-11 am Beijing (CST) / 12-1 pm Melbourne (AEST)

Where:  (Libraries Enable - Zoom Discussion Room 1) WLIC registration required.

The session will bring leaders and stakeholders together for robust engagement and creative approaches to adopting, supporting and promoting the IFLA Guidelines to develop LIS education programs, appropriate to a diverse community and relevant to its local contexts in a globalised economy. The IFLA Building Strong LIS Education (BSLISE) Working Group will explore how the IFLA leadership, staff, and units, as well as other appropriate LIS entities, can move the Guidelines forward. Moreover, the deliberations will inform the implementation of the Guidelines, and its alignment with opportunity #10 in IFLA’s Global Vision: We must give young professionals effective opportunities to learn, develop and lead. The Section on Education and Training, the Library Theory and Research Section, and LIS Education in Developing Countries SIG will consider the input and perspectives shared in the Guidelines implementation process.

Speakers:

Christine Mackenzie (Australia) – Welcome to Solutions Session on “IFLA Guidelines for Professional LIS Education Programmes”

Jaya Raju (South Africa) – Setting the Stage for the “IFLA Guidelines for Professional LIS Education Programmes”

Clara M. Chu (United States) – Global North Stakeholder Perspectives and Buy-in

Diljit Singh (Malaysia) – Global South Stakeholder Perspectives and Buy-In

Barbara Lison (Germany) – IFLA’s role in the implementation of new “IFLA Guidelines for Professional LIS Education Programmes”

MLAS has created videos in different languages featuring interviews to library leaders from different regions of the world about "Advocacy: The Power of Networking."

The videos are available on the MLAS YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtUG5WEHueFM1T_faMhyS-ivjRFYnrEjW

The Session of Local History and Genealogy Section on the IFLA WLIC 2021   12:00 pm - 12:45 pm - 19 August 2021 Sustaining our identity and heritage through collections, documentation, and genealogy Libraries Sustain - Stream 1 Please click the link to find the meeting time in your time zone.  https://www.ifla-wlic2021.com/events/sessions/sustaining-our-identity-and-heritage-through-collections-documentation-and-genealogy   1. 19 August 2021 12:00 pm Experiential Learning in Web Archives and Digitization Services. Elizabeth MacLeod Senior Manager of Satellite Digitization Services - Internet Archive   2. 19 August 2021 12:15 pm "The making of" Kamal Joumblatt Digital Library" the challenges of selection, digitization and allowing access to the papers photos and publications of one of the major political personalities in Lebanon. Fatme Charafeddine Associate University Librarian for Research and Academic Collaboration Services - American University of Beirut   3. 19 August 2021 12:30 pm Seeking records about our selves and sustaining our heritage   Elizabeth Diaz Rechebei   The live Q&A discussion of Local History and Genealogy Section's Sesson  12:45 pm - 13:15 pm 19 August 2021 For further information about the live Q&A discussion,  https://www.ifla-wlic2021.com/events/sessions/136   Session Description Local History and Genealogy Section Session Chairs, Cecilia Salvatore, Professor - Dominican University, Chicago, Illinois Session Moderator, Laila Hussein Moustafa, Associate Professor - University of Illinois, University of Illinois Session Moderator, Cherie Bush, Account Manager - FamilySearch International, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA Session Moderator, Takashi Nagatsuka, Professor Emeritus, Tsurumi University, Yokohama, Japan

IFLA WLIC 2021: Multicultural library services worldwide: 15 years of the IFLA/UNESCO Multicultural Library Manifesto

When:  August 18, 10-10:45 am Chicago (CDT) / 11-11:45am New York (EDT) /  5-5:45 pm The Hague (CEST) / 11-11:45 pm Beijing (CST) / August 19, 1-1:45 am Melbourne (AEST)

Where:  (Libraries Include - Stream 2) WLIC registration required.

Fifteen years ago, the IFLA Multicultural Library Manifesto was approved by the IFLA Governing Board at the 2006 World Library and Information Congress in Seoul, and endorsed by UNESCO in 2009. The primary goal of the Manifesto was to assist libraries in developing and advocating for multicultural services.

The creation of the Manifesto has paved the way for other initiatives, including the Manifesto Toolkit, which was launched at the 2014 World Library and Information Congress in Lyon, revised in 2018, and so far translated into Chinese, Japanese, Russian and Spanish.

This virtual conference setting provides the unique opportunity to put together a discussion panel featuring section leaders who were actively involved in the development of the Manifesto and Toolkit: Mijin Kim (Chair 2007-2011), Tess Tobin (Chair 2011-2015), Lan Gao (Chair 2019-2021) and Adjoa K. Boateng (Chair 2017-2019) who will facilitate the discussion.

This 45-minute pre-recorded session will be an opportunity to look back fifteen years, returning to the origins and vision for the Manifesto - the circumstances around the decision to create this document, and the kinds of change that were envisioned in the sector as a result. Panelists will share their recollections of the challenges in developing the manifesto - firstly as an official IFLA document, and then endorsed by UNESCO.

The panel will also discuss the importance of also creating an accompanying toolkit, to provide practical guidance in applying the Manifesto in libraries, and the work undertaken in developing this toolkit.

Finally, the session will be an opportunity to discuss the value of library manifestos, as demonstrated by the IFLA/UNESCO Multicultural Library Manifesto, and the lessons learnt that other IFLA sections can take on when developing plans for creating their own manifestos.

This panel discussion will be followed by a live Q&A session with the panelists in Zoom Discussion Room 2.

 

Closely aligned to the IFLA Key Initiative 3.1 “Provide excellent opportunities for networking and learning” the IFLA Section on Education and Training (IFLA SET) sets an excellent example for working “outside of silos”, by focusing on collaboration and developing collective actions across sectors.

SET’s ultimate goal is to advance the profession through understanding best practices in LIS education. Here are some of their amazing products, resulting from their collective and hard work:

1. Building Strong LIS Education (BSLISE): https://bslise.org

In collaboration with the LIS Education in Developing Countries Special Interest Group and the Library Theory and Research Section, the SET launched the BSLISE Working Group in 2016. Since then, the BSLISE working group was strengthened to involve 35 members from all 5 IFLA regions, representing 19 countries and 18 languages.

The working group is devoted to strengthening the international quality of LIS education, and consequently, the excellence of LIS professional practice. Here are some recent highlights:

• Building Strong LIS Education: A Call to Global and Local Action – An IFLA BSLISE Working Group White Paper (2018)

Based on key findings from an LIS professional practice survey, BSLISE members coordinated with SET and LTR to advance work on three of recommended White Paper action areas: an LIS schools/programs survey and mapping project, identification of eight Foundational Knowledge Areas (FKAs), and development of LIS education guidelines to update IFLA's Guidelines for Professional Library/Information Educational Programs - 2012.

 

• Student spotlight project

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This project profiles experiences and views of LIS students from around the world. It emerged out of an internship program with by student members of the iLab, a hands-on learning laboratory at the University of North Carolina (Greensboro, USA).

A more detailed description of the project can be found in an article in the 2020 issue of the IFLA SET Bulletin, 21 (2), pp. 22-28, written by Amanda Thompson.

 

• LIS Student Library Voices: Global Peer to Peer Dialogue

This joint project was introduced by Albina Krymskaya and her student, Alena Katina, both of the St. Petersburg university of culture (Russia), with BSLISE Intern Alice Herring, an LIS student at the university of North Carolina at Greensboro (USA).

This initiative aims to develop a global student network of LIS students where they can meet each other, learn about each other’s programs, and share their perspectives. The development of this initiative has been opened to the members of the BSLISE Working Group.

2. Webinars

SET launched a Webinar Series for LIS specialists in terms of acquiring professional competences, scheduled monthly.

So far, a 2-day webinar has been held in November 2020 with the theme “Putting Emerging LIS Competencies into Education and Practice: Challenges and Opportunities.” This webinar focused on projects utilizing innovative LIS competencies in education and practice. There were six presentations from 8 countries (Kuwait, Taiwan, France, Peru, USA, China, Italy and Canada). The programme, slides and other materials on this webinar can be found here.

 

Webinar "Putting emerging LIS competencies into education and practice: challenges and opportunities" Day 1

 

Webinar "Putting emerging LIS competencies into education and practice: challenges and opportunities" Day 2  

The next one is being held today: https://www.ifla.org/node/93487 

Register to book your seat! https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_I47xEHslQ6-2zJrhiQC86Q

There are more upcoming projects for LIS professionals and students in 2021. Stay tuned! 

 

Read more about the IFLA Strategy 2019-2024

How is your library or library association engaging with the IFLA Strategy? Let us know! Post on your social media, using the hashtag #IFLAStrategy and #WeAreIFLA or send an email to Despina Gerasimidou, IFLA’s Strategic Development Officer at despina.gerasimidou@ifla.org.

 

   

 

Register and join the IFLA WLIC 2021 'Let's work together for the future', 17-19 August 2021. 

LIS research that is sensitive to diverse communities, multiple ways of knowing, and local participation

IFLA WLIC 2021: An Open Forum on LTR research projects: Beyond Helicopter Research: Unpacking International Studies on LIS Education and Research Methods:

When:  August 18, 2:15-3 pm Chicago (CDT) / 3:15-4 pm New York (EDT) / 9:15-10 pm The Hague (CEST) / August 19, 3:15-4 am Beijing (CST) / 5:15-6 am Melbourne (AEST)

Where: (Libraries Inspire - Zoom Discussion Room 1) - WLIC registration required.

This open forum sets the stage for a dialogue on conducting international LIS research that is sensitive to diverse communities, multiple ways of knowing, and local participation. The session will present two cases, describing what worked, how hurdles were overcome and critical concerns, to provide context for the conversation to follow.

The first, conducted by the IFLA Building LIS Education (BSLISE) Working Group, is an international survey, directory and map of LIS education programs https://bslise.org/lis-education-map/ developed as a response to one of the recommendations of the IFLA Building Strong LIS Education White Paper (2018). The second, conducted by the IFLA Library Theory and Research (LTR) Section, in collaboration with the Education and Training Section, focuses on teaching research methods in LIS programs. The goals of the study are to examine what approaches to teaching research methods are currently being applied in LIS programs worldwide and to compare international educational models for preparing library practitioners to conduct research and evaluation studies. The designing of effective international LIS research calls for robust discussion and critical reflection, involving a wide range of perspectives, which moves the endeavor closer to truly international research.

Speakers:

• Nuria Bautista-Puig (Spain) – Moderating the Design of Effective International LIS Research
• Fatih Oguz (United States) – International Survey, Directory and Map of LIS Education Programmes
• Krystyna Matusiak (United States) and Egbert Sanchez (Mexico) – An International Survey on Teaching Research Methods in LIS Programmes.

 

Register and join the IFLA WLIC 2021 'Let's work together for the future', 17-19 August 2021. 

 

Robust engagement and creative approaches to adopting, supporting and promoting the IFLA Guidelines

IFLA WLIC 2021: A Solutions Room on Implementing the "IFLA Guidelines for Professional LIS Education Programmes": Stakeholder Perspectives and Buy-in Locally and Globally, with IFLA President Christine Mackenzie, President-Elect Barbara Lison and others:

When:  August 18, 9-10 pm Chicago (CDT) / 10-11pm New York (EDT) / August 19, 4-5 am The Hague (CEST) / 10-11 am Beijing (CST) / 12-1 pm Melbourne (AEST)

Where:  (Libraries Enable - Zoom Discussion Room 1) - WLIC registration required.

The session will bring leaders and stakeholders together for robust engagement and creative approaches to adopting, supporting and promoting the IFLA Guidelines to develop LIS education programs, appropriate to a diverse community and relevant to its local contexts in a globalised economy. The IFLA Building Strong LIS Education (BSLISE) Working Group will explore how the IFLA leadership, staff, and units, as well as other appropriate LIS entities, can move the Guidelines forward. Moreover, the deliberations will inform the implementation of the Guidelines, and its alignment with opportunity #10 in IFLA’s Global Vision: We must give young professionals effective opportunities to learn, develop and lead. The Section on Education and Training, the Library Theory and Research Section, and LIS Education in Developing Countries SIG will consider the input and perspectives shared in the Guidelines implementation process.

Speakers:

• Christine Mackenzie (Australia) – Welcome to Solutions Session on “IFLA Guidelines for Professional LIS Education Programmes”
• Jaya Raju (South Africa) – Setting the Stage for the “IFLA Guidelines for Professional LIS Education Programmes”
• Clara M. Chu (United States) – Global North Stakeholder Perspectives and Buy-in
• Diljit Singh (Malaysia) – Global South Stakeholder Perspectives and Buy-In
• Barbara Lison (Germany) – IFLA’s role in the implementation of new “IFLA Guidelines for Professional LIS Education Programmes”

Register and join the IFLA WLIC 2021 'Let's work together for the future', 17-19 August 2021. 

 

Robust engagement and creative approaches to adopting, supporting and promoting the IFLA Guidelines

IFLA WLIC 2021: A Solutions Room on Implementing the "IFLA Guidelines for Professional LIS Education Programmes": Stakeholder Perspectives and Buy-in Locally and Globally, with IFLA President Christine Mackenzie, President-Elect Barbara Lison and others:

When:  August 18, 9-10 pm Chicago (CDT) / 10-11pm New York (EDT) / August 19, 4-5 am The Hague (CEST) / 10-11 am Beijing (CST) / 12-1 pm Melbourne (AEST)

Where:  (Libraries Enable - Zoom Discussion Room 1) - WLIC registration required.

The session will bring leaders and stakeholders together for robust engagement and creative approaches to adopting, supporting and promoting the IFLA Guidelines to develop LIS education programs, appropriate to a diverse community and relevant to its local contexts in a globalised economy. The IFLA Building Strong LIS Education (BSLISE) Working Group will explore how the IFLA leadership, staff, and units, as well as other appropriate LIS entities, can move the Guidelines forward. Moreover, the deliberations will inform the implementation of the Guidelines, and its alignment with opportunity #10 in IFLA’s Global Vision: We must give young professionals effective opportunities to learn, develop and lead. The Section on Education and Training, the Library Theory and Research Section, and LIS Education in Developing Countries SIG will consider the input and perspectives shared in the Guidelines implementation process.

Speakers:

• Christine Mackenzie (Australia) – Welcome to Solutions Session on “IFLA Guidelines for Professional LIS Education Programmes”
• Jaya Raju (South Africa) – Setting the Stage for the “IFLA Guidelines for Professional LIS Education Programmes”
• Clara M. Chu (United States) – Global North Stakeholder Perspectives and Buy-in
• Diljit Singh (Malaysia) – Global South Stakeholder Perspectives and Buy-In
• Barbara Lison (Germany) – IFLA’s role in the implementation of new “IFLA Guidelines for Professional LIS Education Programmes”

A new IFLA survey gathers insights on the state of libraries in the digital ecosystem in 2021.

The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) is a global initiative that brings together stakeholders committed to leveraging ICT for development and bridging the digital divide. It was launched as a UN-sponsored summit in 2003 and 2005, where connecting libraries was identified as one of the WSIS Targets - an important step towards ensuring that everyone can benefit from the internet and ICTs.

A 2014 large-scale WSIS review and stock-taking report outlined the progress made in delivering on this target, and the key roles libraries play in the information society: their contributions to digital inclusion, skills-building, access to knowledge and information, and availability of cultural and local digital content.

Annual WSIS reporting: insights from the library field

Since then, annual reporting helps track the continued implementation of WSIS goals, targets and action lines. As part of this process, key stakeholders from various fields are invited to submit inputs every year. As IFLA has the opportunity to put forward insights from the library field’s perspective, we want to hear from you and to highlight the information society trends and practices which are most relevant for your libraries!

To help gather inputs from the global library field, we have launched a survey where you can share your insights and experiences with:
-    The state of library connectivity in your area;
-    ICT-based library services that help meet the needs of their constituencies (e.g. digital inclusion, digital skills training, access to cultural, educational or scientific digital materials);
-    External trends and developments that shape libraries’ ICT-based services;
-    Libraries’ web presence; and more.

Would you like to contribute to this year’s WSIS reporting around libraries? Take part in the survey by 30 September 2021!

Access the IFLA survey through Alchemer. You can also read WSIS report inputs from the global library field perspective from previous years – for example, 2019 and 2018.