Last week IFLA annound the winner of the 2020 IFLA Dynamic Unit and Impact Award, and made special mention of two sections including IFLA ARL:

"A special mention is given to the ARL Section for its outreach and advocacy. Five popular ARL Section webinars were held from December 2019 to September 2020. The webinar on 'Academic Library Services during COVID-19' in July attracted over 200 participants from around the world with ten presenters, and the webinar “Decolonization in education: role of the academic library” and “ARL Hot Topics” were both presented as webinars including the planned speakers from WLIC 2020. Their active programme of events and sessions strengthen their area of the profession and support access to knowledge and information across the globe."

The IFLA professional Committee launched the Dynamic Unit and Impact Award (DUIA) in 2018 to recognise Professional Units which excel in putting Dynamic Unit expectations into practice. Read more here.

IFLA Local History and Genealogy Section standing committee members will meet online on Friday March 19th, at 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM, Central Time (Canada and U.S.) via Zoom. Past, ongoing and future actions by the section members will be discussed. The agenda is the following :   AGENDA: 1. Update from IFLA Headquarters 2. WLIC 2021 3. Call for Proposals 4. Other Business   Time: Mar 19, 2021 09:00 Central Time (US and Canada)   If you would like to be invited in the audience, please contact the information coordinator(Takashi Nagatsuka)!   And don't hesitate to cease opportunity to engage!  

Picture credits :

Photo by Takashi Nagatsuka on Sakura flowers in Tokyo

​The COVID-19 pandemic has accentuated the importance of information in so many aspects of our lives. However, responding to growing demands is not necessarily simply. At a panel bringing together UN officials and library representatives, participants made recommendations for how to draw on information to support effective responses to, and strong recovery from, the COVID-19 pandemic.

Information – and the possibilities to access and use it – is so fundamental to so many elements of our lives that it can be very easily taken for granted.  

Appearing, explicitly or implicitly, across 20 different targets under the Sustainable Development Goals, it has a clear role to play, but is too rarely the subject of a comprehensive policy approach.

At a side-event at the UN Economic Commission for Europe’s Regional Forum for Sustainable Development, panellists brought in their experiences of working with information access and policy in order to make recommendations.

Growing Demand, Uncertain Supply

Francesco Pisano, Director of Library and Archives, UN Geneva, underlined in his interventions that COVID-19 had seen an acceleration in trends in the information space. Alongside the clear harm done by the pandemic, it had opened up opportunities to think and to act differently. The challenge was to ensure that we change the way we use and interact with information in response, rather than simply to return to previous ways of doing things.

Paolo Lantieri, Legal Officer at the World Intellectual Property Organisation noted efforts made to promote access to content digitally in response to the pandemic, and welcomed in particular the drive by libraries, publishers and others to make more valuable materials available online.

However, he underlined that there remained issues with, for example, public information, which too often was made available but not under terms which facilitated reuse.

Raphaëlle Bats, University of Bordeaux, France highlighted the importance of information across political, social and cultural life, and the importance of ensuring that everyone can benefit. She highlighted, in particular in the context of the pandemic, the need to be able to give access to a wider variety of formats of works.

Amélie Vallotton-Preisig, Komision Biblio2030 at Bibliosuisse, the Swiss Library Association, complemented this, noting that the pandemic had made clear that we were far from being able to ensure equitable access, with poor internet connections and digital skills preventing many from being able to benefit from online teaching and other services during the pandemic.

Ton van Vlimmeren, President of EBLIDA reiterated the need for information in delivering progress across the different policy areas set out in the SDGs, and the growing awareness of the different types of support and information provision required during the pandemic, as witnessed by libraries across Europe and set out in EBLIDA’s work.

A Recipe for a Comprehensive Approach to Information

Building on this experience, the panellists offered views on the actions that needed to be taken in order to meet demand – and need – for information effectively.

At the UN level, as Francesco Pisano noted, there was much to be gained from placing libraries and their services at the forefront of work to realise the potential of all the knowledge held within the UN system. This could provide an indispensable service to governments in understanding their environment, and which interventions could prove most effective in achieving the SDGs.

There was also a need for comprehensive policies, addressing all elements of access to information. Paolo Lantieri highlighted the value of promoting open access and open science, as well as thinking through intellectual property laws in order to ensure that these supported sustainable access to information.

Raphaëlle Bats looked at the practicalities of ensuring an adequate focus on information, suggesting that when governments devised development policies, they should engage libraries in order to ensure that both the potential of our institutions, and the different factors around information are taken into account.

Amélie Vallotton-Preisig echoed this point, and stressed the importance of building understanding of the value of information mediation across different policy area, and the essential role that libraries could play in making this happen, to the benefit of all.

The value of library engagement at all levels, from the local to the national to the regional was also clear, as suggested by Ton van Vlimmeren. Focusing on the SDGs provided a great framework for this, but one which did require libraries themselves to mobilise effectively in order to ensure their value was properly known.

IFLA is grateful to all the panellists for their time and contribution.

Watch the side-event again on IFLA’s YouTube channel.  

Meaningful access to information – including access infrastructure, user skills, relevant content, supportive policy frameworks – helps deliver on people’s civil, economic, social and cultural rights. IFLA’s response to a recent Office of the High Commissioner for Human Righs (OHCHR) questionnaire highlights good practices and insights from the library field on how to maximise and deliver on this potential.

A 2019 Human Rights Council resolution drew attention to the crucial contribution of development to enjoyment of human rights – and the mutually reinforcing relationship between the two. From gender equality to poverty eradication, identifying good practices and challenges and facilitating global cooperation helps stakeholders deliver on both sustainable development and fundamental rights.

In fact, as a 2019 UNDP blog pointed out, more than 90% of Sustainable Development Goals and targets align with corresponding human rights obligations. So what insights can we draw on the contribution of development to the enjoyment of human rights?

In response to a recent OHCHR questionnaire, an IFLA submission highlighted that:

1. Meaningful access to information is a key dimension of development. This is reflected in a number of SDG targets and in other publications emphasising the contribution of access to relevant content, digital inclusion, and skills to navigate the information ecosystem to development.
2. As an indicator and driver of development, access to information supports and enables a wide range of human rights. These include freedom of expression and the right to take part in government; the right to health and education, and cultural rights.
3. Measures that foster meaningful access to information can draw on available good practices and lessons learned from the global library field. Inspiring examples range from public access facilities in Lithuanian libraries helping users find employment to rural health libraries in Nepal, Bhutan and India. Infrastructure, capacity-building and enabling policy frameworks help realise the synergy between access to information as a form of development and fundamental human rights.

You can access IFLA’s response on our publications page.

​

Do you know someone who has made an outstanding contribution to IFLA or to the global library field? IFLA’s Honours and Awards recognise those who have given significant service and made distinguished contributions to the profession.

Bestowed annually by the IFLA Governing Board, IFLA Honours and Awards are a great opportunity to acknowledge a colleague whose efforts you admire and respect. You can speak confidentially with others to initiate and support a nomination.

The Honours and Awards were recently reviewed and updated by the IFLA Governing Board so please read the new requirements carefully. The process is confidential and the nominee should not be aware of their nomination.

The Call for Nominations is out now. Don’t delay!

FAQs

Who can make a nomination? 
All authorised representatives of IFLA Members and Personal Affiliates. Section Standing Committee members may nominate someone for a Scroll of Appreciation.

When will the presentations be made? 
Presentations are made during IFLA’s General Assembly.

How do I make a nomination?
Please download the relevant nomination form found at the bottom of this page, complete it with nominator signatures and referee reports and send it to ifla@ifla.org

DEADLINE: 16 May 2021
late submissions shall not be considered

Honorary Fellow

Honorary Fellow is IFLA's highest award, and is conferred on the basis of merit on a person who has delivered long and distinguished service to IFLA and the global library field. It may not necessarily be awarded every year. A nomination for Honorary Fellow is required to be supported by at least four nominators from different countries who are current IFLA Members or Personal Affiliates. Nominations must include evidence to support any claims against the criteria. A nomination must be accompanied by at least three written referee reports. Referees should not also be nominators, and at least one referee should be an IFLA Member or Personal Affiliate. Referees should address the nominee's suitability for the award, in relation to the criteria and may provide further information relevant to the award if desired.

In making its decision, the Executive Committee will examine only the evidence provided by the nominators and the three referee reports submitted with this nomination. The evidence and referee reports you provide should be based on the following required criteria:

1. Exemplary personal and professional contribution to IFLA
2. Leadership and influence amongst colleagues and peers
3. Exemplary contribution to the global library field
4. Efforts in fostering IFLA values, for example, diversity, inclusion and equality

IFLA Medal

IFLA Medal is conferred on a person who has given distinguished service to IFLA or who has made a substantial contribution to the global library field.

A nomination for the IFLA Medal is required to have at least three nominators from different countries who are current IFLA Members or Personal Affiliates. A nomination must include evidence to support any claims of the nominee's distinguished service or contribution to IFLA or to the global library field. Each nomination shall be accompanied by at least two written referee reports. Referees should not also be nominators, and at least one referee should be an IFLA Member or Personal Affiliate.

In making its decision, the Executive Committee will examine only the evidence provided by the nominators and the two referee reports submitted with this nomination. The evidence and referee reports you provide should be based on the following required criteria

1. Distinguished personal and professional contribution to IFLA and /or distinguished personal and professional contribution to the global library field
2. Efforts in fostering IFLA values, for example, diversity, inclusion and equality

IFLA Scroll of Appreciation

IFLA Scroll of Appreciation is awarded to an individual who has given distinguished service to IFLA as a volunteer engaged in a committee or group.

The IFLA Scroll of Appreciation is peer nominated. A nomination for the IFLA Scroll of Appreciation is required to have at least two nominators from different countries who are current IFLA Members, Personal Affiliates or current members of a Section Standing Committee. Each nomination shall be accompanied by at least one written referee report. The referee should not also be a nominator. A nomination must include evidence to support any claims of the nominee's distinguished service or contribution to IFLA or to the global library field.

In making its decision, the Executive Committee will examine only the evidence provided by the nominators and the referee report(s) submitted with this nomination. The evidence and referee report(s) you provide should be based on the following required criteria

1. Distinguished personal and professional contribution to IFLA’s committee(s) and/or group(s);
2. Efforts in fostering IFLA values, for example, diversity, inclusion and equality

The IFLA Certificate of Appreciation is awarded annually to the IFLA World Library and Information Congress (WLIC) National Committee for that year.

 

The Executive Committee of the Governing Board considers all nominations in committee and in confidence. The Executive Committee and the Secretary General shall not enter into correspondence on individual nominations. Only successful nominations will be published.

Wherever possible, honours and awards shall be announced and conferred at the General Assembly.

NOMINATION FORMS:

• IFLA Honorary Fellow [DOC] | [PDF]
• IFLA Medal [DOC] | [PDF]
• IFLA Scroll of Appreciation [DOC] | [PDF]

Nominations for awards to be conferred in 2021 are invited, in confidence, on the relevant form which should be returned by email to: ifla@ifla.org.

The IFLA Building Strong LIS Education Working Group invites the library and information science (LIS) community to provide feedback on the draft IFLA Guidelines for Professional Library and Information Science (LIS) Education Programmes by completing a feedback form AND/OR attending an online forum. The Guidelines serve as a framework for LIS education programmes and assist stakeholders in planning, developing and assessing the quality of LIS education and identify the knowledge areas an LIS professional should have to practice and continue to develop. It has been created to be applicable at any level of higher education.

We would appreciate commentary (e.g., strengths, gaps, etc.) on each section of the Guidelines, its use as a tool for the development of quality in LIS education, and its potential for adoption, support, or promotion to enhance the quality of LIS education locally and globally. 

 

Please complete the feedback form at go.illinois.edu/LISEsurvey by March 31, 2021.

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Join us at our online feedback forums. Each session, which will use the same format and content, has been designed for accessibility by regions, time zone and language. 

Please register at go.illinois.edu/LISEforum to participate in one or more of the following Wednesdays in March 2021:

 

• March 3, 12pm CT (Chicago) - Americas (ENGLISH) - Moderated by Clara M. Chu, Lisa Hinchliffe, Chris Cunningham
• March 10, 12pm CET (The Hague) - Africa and Europe (ENGLISH) - Moderated by Jaya Raju, Helen Emasealu, Aida Slavic
• March 17, 12pm GMT-5 (Lima) - Latin America (SPANISH and PORTUGUESE) - Moderated by Ana Maria Talavera, Virginia Ortiz-Repiso Jimenez, Clara M. Chu
• March 24, 12pm GMT+8 (Beijing)  - Asia and Oceania (ENGLISH) - Moderated by Sohaimi Zakaria, Jiuming Ji
• [Friday] March 26, 2pm GMT+3 (Moscow MSK) - Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) (RUSSIAN/ENGLISH TBD) - Moderators TBD, co-hosted by the Library and Information Science Department, St. Petersburg State University of Culture - A special session of the Lifelong LIS Education annual conference
• March 31, 12pm GMT+2 (Cairo) - Middle East and North Africa (ARABIC) - Moderated by Saif Abdulla Al-Jabri

 

THANK YOU for your interest and contributions to the development of the IFLA Guidelines for Professional Library and Information Science (LIS) Education Programmes (LIS Education Framework Development Group, IFLA BSLISE)

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The BSLISE Working Group is an initiative of the IFLA Education and Training Section (SET), LIS Education in Developing Countries Special Interest Group (LISEDC SIG), and Library Theory and Research (LTR) Section. To learn more, visit https://bslise.org/

Webinar hosted by the Mortenson Center for International Library Programs, University of Illinois Library at Urbana-Champaign.

 

=============

If you have any questions, please refer to our multilingual contacts:

Questions in Arabic أسئلة باللغة العربية - Saif Saif Al-Jabri, Sultan Qaboos University. Email: saljabri01@gmail.com

Questions in Chinese 中文问题 - Jiuming Ji, East China University of Science and Technology. Email: jjm@ecust.edu.cn 

Question in French Questions en français - Thomas Chaimbault-Petitjean, Ecole Nationale Superieure des Sciences de l'information et des Bibliotheques. Email: thomas.chaimbault@enssib.fr 

Questions in Portuguese Dúvidas em português - Mônica Peres, Universidade de Brasília. Email: monicaperes@unb.br OR Tiago Braga, Instituto Brasileiro de Informação em Ciência e Tecnologia. Emai: tiagobraga@ibict.br

Questions in Russian Вопросы на русском - Albina Krymskaya, St. Petersburg State University of Culture. Email: krymskayaalbina@gmail.com

Questions in Spanish Preguntas en español (España) Virginia Ortíz-Repiso Jiménez, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid. Email: virginia@bib.uc3m.es

Question in Spanish Preguntas en español (Latinoamérica) - Ana María Talavera Ibarra, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú. Email: anatalavera215@gmail.com

Questions in Turkish Türkçe sorular - Fatih Oguz, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Email: f_oguz@uncg.edu

         

The IFLA Building Strong LIS Education Working Group invites the library and information science (LIS) community to provide feedback on the draft IFLA Guidelines for Professional Library and Information Science (LIS) Education Programmes by completing a feedback form AND/OR attending an online forum. The Guidelines serve as a framework for LIS education programmes and assist stakeholders in planning, developing and assessing the quality of LIS education and identify the knowledge areas an LIS professional should have to practice and continue to develop. It has been created to be applicable at any level of higher education.

We would appreciate commentary (e.g., strengths, gaps, etc.) on each section of the Guidelines, its use as a tool for the development of quality in LIS education, and its potential for adoption, support, or promotion to enhance the quality of LIS education locally and globally. 

Please complete the feedback form by March 31, 2021.

--------

Join us at our online feedback forums. Each session, which will use the same format and content, has been designed for accessibility by regions, time zone and language. 

Please register to participate in one or more of the following Wednesdays in March 2021:

• March 3, 12pm CT (Chicago) - Americas (ENGLISH) - Moderated by Clara M. Chu, Lisa Hinchliffe, Chris Cunningham
• March 10, 12pm CET (The Hague) - Africa and Europe (ENGLISH) - Moderated by Jaya Raju, Helen Emasealu, Aida Slavic
• March 17, 12pm GMT-5 (Lima) - Latin America (SPANISH and PORTUGUESE) - Moderated by Ana Maria Talavera, Virginia Ortiz-Repiso Jimenez, Clara M. Chu
• March 24, 12pm GMT+8 (Beijing)  - Asia and Oceania (ENGLISH) - Moderated by Sohaimi Zakaria, Jiuming Ji
• [Friday] March 26, 2pm GMT+3 (Moscow MSK) - Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) (RUSSIAN/ENGLISH TBD) - Moderators TBD, co-hosted by the Library and Information Science Department, St. Petersburg State University of Culture - A special session of the Lifelong LIS Education annual conference
• March 31, 12pm GMT+2 (Cairo) - Middle East and North Africa (ARABIC) - Moderated by Saif Abdulla Al-Jabri

Thank you!

The BSLISE Working Group is an initiative of the IFLA Education and Training Section (SET), LIS Education in Developing Countries Special Interest Group (LISEDC SIG), and Library Theory and Research (LTR) Section. To learn more, visit https://bslise.org/

Webinar hosted by the Mortenson Center for International Library Programs, University of Illinois Library at Urbana-Champaign.

=============

If you have any questions, please refer to our multilingual contacts:

Questions in Arabic أسئلة باللغة العربية - Saif Saif Al-Jabri, Sultan Qaboos University. Email: saljabri01@gmail.com

Questions in Chinese 中文问题 - Jiuming Ji, East China University of Science and Technology. Email: jjm@ecust.edu.cn 

Question in French Questions en français - Thomas Chaimbault-Petitjean, Ecole Nationale Superieure des Sciences de l'information et des Bibliotheques. Email: thomas.chaimbault@enssib.fr 

Questions in Portuguese Dúvidas em português - Mônica Peres, Universidade de Brasília. Email: monicaperes@unb.br OR Tiago Braga, Instituto Brasileiro de Informação em Ciência e Tecnologia. Emai: tiagobraga@ibict.br

Questions in Russian Вопросы на русском - Albina Krymskaya, St. Petersburg State University of Culture. Email: krymskayaalbina@gmail.com

Questions in Spanish Preguntas en español (España) Virginia Ortíz-Repiso Jiménez, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid. Email: virginia@bib.uc3m.es

Question in Spanish Preguntas en español (Latinoamérica) - Ana María Talavera Ibarra, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú. Email: anatalavera215@gmail.com

Questions in Turkish Türkçe sorular - Fatih Oguz, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Email: f_oguz@uncg.edu

​

Today, IFLA publishes a paper providing a high-level view of our new governance structures, giving Members, Affiliates and potential candidates for elected roles a clear overview of how our Federation will work in future. You are also invited to a series of round tables that will explain the process 

The call for nominations for IFLA’s elections and appointments process 2021 has been open for two weeks now. There has been a great level of interest from potential nominators and nominees alike.

IFLA’s elections webpages already provide all the key information about each of the different types of position open to you, including the expectations of candidates, as well as who can stand and nominate and, where relevant, how many nominations are needed.

Yet in order to have the strongest, most diverse range of candidates ever for an IFLA election, we are keen to go further.

Governance Overview

Complementing the information on our webpages, we are happy to share, today, an overview of IFLA’s new governance, updating the Working Paper published in August 2020.

This provides an idea of the overall structure of IFLA once our new Statutes and Rules come into effect, following our August General Assembly. Our elections and appointments are being carried out in accordance with these new rules.

The overview complements these new Rules of Procedure, also published today for information. The current Statutes and Rules of Procedure continue to apply until August.

Access the Overview and the new Statutes and Rules of Procedure.

We encourage you to look through the overview in order to understand more fully how our new structures will fit together, and how you can contribute to making them a success.

Round-Tables

IFLA will also be organising six virtual round tables, providing an opportunity to explain the new structures and the nominations process, and provide answers to your questions.

These will focus, respectively, on our Governing Board, professional structures and new regional structures, with two round tables each, held at different times to facilitate participation by the whole global library field. The round tables on each subject will repeat, and so there is no need to attend, for example, both Governing Board sessions.  

You are welcome to register for the following round tables, by theme:

Governing Board

• 23 March 2021, 8:00 - 9:30 CET (see what time this is for you) - REGISTER
• 25 March 2021: 16:00 - 17:30 CET (see what time this is for you) - REGISTER

​Professional Structures

• 22 March 2021, 8:00 - 9:30 CET (see what time this is for you) - REGISTER
• 24 March 2021, 16:00 - 17:30 CET (see what time this is for you) - REGISTER

​Regional Structures

• 22 March 2021, 16:00 - 17:30 CET (see what time this is for you) - REGISTER
• 25 March 2021, 8:00 - 9:30 CET (see what time this is for you) - REGISTER

We look forward to seeing you there.

The call for applications for the title of UNESCO World Book Capital City 2023 is open. IFLA encourages cities with cities with strong and innovative policies supporting books and readings to apply.

At the heart of the mission of libraries is the promotion of books and reading as essentials for human development.

Through support for building literacy skills at the youngest ages, organising exciting and engaging programming around writers, and simply ensuring that books do not end up as a luxury good, limited to the wealthy, libraries play a vital role.

Our institutions are therefore central to any effort to ensure a healthy book sector, founded on a literate and creative population, alongside publishers, booksellers, and of course writers themselves.

The UNESCO World Book Capital City programme provides an opportunity to highlight the initiatives and achievements of towns and cities which are making exemplary efforts to support these goals.

The call for applications for the holder of this title for the year starting from 23 April 2023 (World Book and Copyright Day) is now open on the UNESCO website.

Candidates are expected to set out what they will do to support books and reading, including both supporting creativity and new writing, and enabling access and enjoyment by all, working with all relevant stakeholders.

The successful city will follow Tbilisi, Georgia (holder from 23 April 2021), and Guadalajara, Mexico (from 23 April 2022).

Given that the 2022 holder is in the Latin America and the Caribbean region, no city from this region can apply in this round. Furthermore, no city from a country in which there has been a World Book Capital in the last ten years can apply. The deadline is 15 April.

IFLA encourages libraries in cities which could be strong candidates to talk with their local governments about potential bids.

You can find further information on the UNESCO website.

Welcome to the second episode in a series of blog posts aimed at introducing you to some of the wonderful members within our community who work tirelessly to advocate, educate and promote Fedora and other community-supported programs like ours. At Fedora, we are strong because of our people and without individuals like this advocating for continued development we would not be where we are today. 

Fedora is an open-source, community-supported program funded entirely by membership contributions. Without our members, we would not be able to support the preservation of the vital content contained within the repositories of our users around the world. Find out how you can help. Learn more and become a member today!

This week we would like to introduce you to Rosalyn Metz and Robin Ruggaber, two former chairs of our Steering and Leadership Governance groups.

Let’s Meet Rosalyn!

Rosalyn Metz, Associate Dean, Library Technology & Digital Strategies, Emory University Libraries

Tell me your name, where you work and what your title is.

“I’m Rosalyn Metz – Associate Dean, Library Technology & Digital Strategies at Emory University Libraries.”

How are you involved with Fedora Governance?

“I’m less involved than I was previously as the chair-elect and the chair. Right now I’m a member of Fedora Steering and I participate on the Fedora Governance and Business Model Vision and Strategy Group.”

How long have you been involved with Fedora? How long have you been involved in Fedora Governance?

“My first interaction with Fedora was in 2009 or 2010 when I was working at Wheaton College in Norton, MA. A colleague in the archives was interested in preserving the college’s records and we thought Fedora might be a good solution to the problem. I installed it and played around a little, but ultimately the colleague chose to focus on paper records first and we put the idea on the back burner. Fast forward 4 years and while working at Stanford I attended my first Fedora meeting at PASIG in Karlsruhe, Germany and I’ve participated in the community as time has allowed ever since.”

 What compels you to continue to advocate for Fedora? Why do you think it’s important

“I believe digital preservation is a series of activities organizations undertake to ensure content remains safe for now and into the future. At the same time I believe preserving content in software that will outlive any single company or organization helps to ensure our content can do the same. Fedora helps organizations serve both of those functions and is a natural complement to any digital preservation plan.”

What is the coolest thing you’ve done with your repository?

“Emory University Libraries exposed much of the information contained within Fedora in our Hyrax-based repository marrying digital preservation with our access repository.

If you could be any animal, what would it be and why?

“My cat. She’s a prolific hunter catching and bringing home all manner of creatures as gifts, sometimes multiple gifts a day! At the same time she manages to spend most of her day lounging about on soft cushy blankets. Oh to be so productive with so little effort.”

And now, without further adieu…Robin!

Robin Ruggaber, Director of Strategic Technology Partnerships & Initiatives, University of Virginia

Tell me your name, where you work and what your title is.

“I’m Robin Ruggaber – Director of Strategic Technology Partnerships & Initiatives at the University of Virginia Libraries.”

How are you involved with Fedora Governance?

“I am currently a member of Fedora Steering & Fedora Leaders, serving on the Communication, Outreach, Marketing, and Community Strategy Group. I am also working on the IMLS funded project Fedora Migration Paths & Tools with UVA serving as a pilot project partner.”

How long have you been involved with Fedora? How long have you been involved in Fedora Governance?

“The UVA Library was one of the original implementation partners back in 2001. I got involved in the Fedora Futures project in 2012 and have since worked in Steering, Leaders and various strategy groups.”

What compels you to continue to advocate for Fedora? Why do you think it’s important?

“I am fully committed to preserving cultural heritage and making knowledge openly accessible. Fedora offers a preservation-focused repository that is based on standards and is flexible enough to stand alone or support an array of digital management technologies (Samvera, Islandora, etc). I see Fedora as a strong foundational element to any digital library system architecture.”

If you could be any animal, what would it be and why?

“The tawny Jaguar which chose me so it simply is. Thanks!”

Thank you again to Rosalyn and Robin for taking the time let us learn a little bit more about their stories and why they choose to continue to contribute to the Fedora community. If you would like more information about Fedora Governance you can find more information on our wiki here.

And for additional information on how you can support community-supported programs like Fedora, please consider becoming a Member by clicking here.

The post Meet the Members – Episode 2 appeared first on Duraspace.org.

IFLA IT Section standing committee members will meet online on Friday March 19th, at 8.am (EDT timezone). Past, ongoing and future actions by the section members and by sponsored Big Data SIG will be discussed. The agenda is the following :

1. Action Plan: mid-term review and update
2. Big Data SIG: mid-term review and update
3. Information Coordinator: mid-term review and update
4. Follow-up from Division 3 meeting
5. Elections 2021
6. WLIC 2021
7. AOB

If you would like to be invited in the audience, please contact the information coordinator!

And don't hesitate to cease opportunity to engage!

Picture credits :

Photo by Chris Montgomery on Unsplash
 

The IFLA Libraries for Children and Young Adults Section’s Standing Committee is holding the 2021 Midyear Meeting online on March 19th via Zoom from 6:00-7:30 a.m. American Eastern Time (UTC-4) presenting five inspiring speakers and a Question & Answer session with an opportunity to exchange views and experiences among the participants.

Following the five presentations the second part of the Midyear Meeting includes the business meeting. Please join us as observer and learn more about the work of the Libraries for Children & Young Adults Section. 

 

Registration

 

These webinars aim to create a place for students to share their projects, research, and ideas about different topics related to libraries.

Division IV Call for Proposals

Theme: “Getting Engaged with Library Associations – Benefits, Issues, Factors”

The IFLA Division IV – Support of the Profession – is hosting a series of webinars for LIS students. These webinars aim to create a place for students to share their projects, research, and ideas about different topics related to libraries. Each month – April through June 2021 – will address a different theme and a new call for proposals will be issued for that month. All webinars are held online and are open to everyone (no registration fees).

The project supports IFLA’s strategic directions: to inspire, engage, enable, and connect.

1. It inspires students to conduct research and consider libraries’ experience in timely and important LIS areas which are relevant to the LIS professional community. 
2. It engages them to be members of a professional library community, introducing them to professional competencies and providing them with experiences that they can apply to future participation in IFLA activities.
3. It enables students to implement research or projects relevant in their communities and share their results with professional communities worldwide.
4. It connects actors involved in the library field: members of the units of Division IV - Support the Profession who represent professional communities, LIS schools’ educators and students, libraries of various types; library associations at various levels, etc.  

See Call for Proposals for full details.

EIFL and IFLA (the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions) have called on the Members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) to extend international trade law measures which reduce burdens on the poorest countries, and allow them to set regulatory frameworks for copyright to enable their libraries to support education, research and cultural participation.

EIFL and IFLA (the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions) have called on the Members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) to extend international trade law measures which reduce burdens on the poorest countries, and allow them to set regulatory frameworks for copyright to enable their libraries to support education, research and cultural participation.

EIFL and IFLA (the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions) have called on the Members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) to extend international trade law measures which reduce burdens on the poorest countries, and allow them to set regulatory frameworks for copyright to enable their libraries to support education, research and cultural participation.

This update on libraries and the SDGs includes information on: the 2021 VNRs, the Regional SDG Fora and other UN meetings, the SDG Advocacy Toolkit, IFLA's Library Map of the World and Stat of the Week, Education for Sustainable Development, Library Advocate Personality Test, the SDG book club, and other useful IFLA and external tools.

1) Update on Voluntary National Reviews in 2021

Work continues in countries which are undertaking Voluntary National Reviews this year, with welcome responses from many of those that we have contacted. If you are active in one of the countries undertaking a VNR (or know people who are), please do get in touch.

As a reminder, the following countries will undertake a Voluntary National Review (VNR) in 2021: Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bhutan, Bolivia, Cabo Verde, Chad, China, Colombia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, DPR Korea, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Germany, Guatemala, Indonesia, Iraq, Japan, Laos, Madagascar, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Mexico, Myanmar, Namibia, Nicaragua, Norway, Pakistan, Paraguay, Qatar, San Marino, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, Tunisia, Uruguay, Zimbabwe.

We have updated our Guide to the VNRs, and continue to renew our monthly ideas sheets. We will also work on new DA2I Country Analyses, and as ever, encourage the preparation of SDG Stories and data for the Library Map of the World from relevant countries to support your advocacy.

If you are engaged in work around the VNRs, you may want to consider cooperating with the local members of some of IFLA’s partners in the Culture2030Goal campaign, such as organisations of local governments, music organisations, or coalitions for cultural diversity. See here for more details.

2) Regional Sustainable Development Fora

We are already into the 2021 series of regional sustainable development fora, organised by the United Nations’ Regional Commissions. The African session has already taken place, with IFLA represented by Damilare Oyedele – you can read the report of the side-event on the IFLA website.

IFLA also has side-events planned for the European Regional Forum on Sustainable Development (12 March, 12:15-13:45 Geneva time – more information here), and at the Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (23 March, 8:15 – 9:45, Bangkok time – more information here).

Find out more about the regional sustainable development fora happening in your regions, and possibilities to join or to watch live:

• Europe (10-16 March): https://regionalforum.unece.org/
• Latin America and the Caribbean (15-18 March): https://foroalc2030.cepal.org/2021/en
• Asia Pacific (23-26 March): https://www.unescap.org/apfsd/8  
• Western Asia and North Africa (29-31 March): https://www.unescwa.org/event/arab-forum-sustainable-development-2021

3) Wider UN Meetings in 2021

We are well into the calendar of UN meetings for the year, but the below may be interesting for your planning. These can be opportunities to engage with local UN offices or representations, as well as to participate in online activities. Highlights include:

• 17-30 May – UN Biodiversity Conference, China, including discussion on the post-2020 biodiversity framework
• 6-15 July – High Level Political Forum, United States
• September – UN Food Systems Summit
• 1-12 Nov – COP 26 (UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties), United Kingdom
• 3-6 Nov – World Data Forum, Switzerland.
• November (tbc) – UNESCO 41st General Conference

4) Updated Toolkit for SDG Advocacy

We have updated our toolkit for advocacy around the SDGs. This has now been reorganised around different capacities that are involved in effective advocacy, with different activities suggested in order to help develop connections, materials, and organisation. We welcome feedback on the new Guide, and of course earlier editions are still available.

To note, you can now find the full slide-show for IFLA’s International Advocacy Programme training on the IFLA website.

5) Library Map of the World

There is new and updated data on the Library Map of the World that we hope will help you in your advocacy. This includes a new story from Colombia focused on environmental education (SDG13), and from Kazakhstan focused on gender equality (SDG 5).

You can also find a recording of a webinar about using the Library Map of the World for advocacy, and our blog about how Library Map of the World data can be used as SDG indicators.

6) Library Stat of the Week

We finished off the year with posts drawing on Library Map of the World data and data on cultural spending and activities, as well as IFLA’s own data about Marrakesh Treaty implementation. In particular, we showed that:

• Overwhelmingly, countries implementing the Marrakesh Treaty choose not to introduce or retain restrictions on access to information for people with disabilities (SDG10).
• Where there are stronger and better used public and community libraries, more people read, more often (SDG 4), there tends to be greater participation in artistic and creative activities (SDG 9), and spending on books tends to be higher, including over time (SDG 8).

7) UNESCO Japan Prize for Education for Sustainable Development

Have you been active in promoting the SDGs and the ideas they promote? You may be interested in coming forwards for the UNESCO-Japan Prize for Education for Sustainable Development. You can find more information on the website. The deadline is 30 April 2021.

8) What’s Your Library Advocate Personality?

In line with the message from IFLA’s Global Vision that every librarian should be an advocate – as well as our 10-Minute Library Advocate series – we have worked with WebJunction to develop materials to help people across the field identify what kind of library advocate personality they have. The goal is both to underline that everyone has it in them to contribute to a library advocacy campaign, and to identify what they can bring.

From our page, you can access the blog on the OCLC Web Junction site, as well as a link to a simple, and a more complex version of the library advocate personality test. Give it a go!  

9) Useful External Tools

A couple of useful sets of tools may help you in your advocacy, as well as to identify partners. First of all, the TAP (Transparency, Accountability and Participation) Network SDG 16 Advocacy Toolkit offers useful tools for identifying priorities, defining messages and organising campaigns around SDG16 (peace, justice and strong institutions).

The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has prepared background papers, based on the documentation it collects, for the countries undertaking Voluntary National Reviews this year.

10) SDG Book Club

IFLA is one of the organisations involved in the SDG Book Club, which works to identify examples of books for 6-12 year olds, in all United Nations languages, which can help young people to learn about the issues covered by the SDGs.

The Club is now up to SDG12, with goals 13-17 to come in the next few months. Look around the site for resources about how to set up your own SDG Book Club.

11) Other Publications

You may also find a number of recent IFLA publications interesting or relevant. We have released a statement on libraries and open and good governance (SDG16), as well as a briefing on how to get involved in the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of Diverse Cultural Expressions (SDG11)

These include our submission to the Human Rights Council on the right to development, an article sharing examples of how libraries contribute to open data (SDG16) and in supporting access to public information (also SDG16), and a report on how libraries feature in official digital skills strategies (SDGs 5, 9 and 17). Our post for International Women’s Day also underlined the work of libraries to help bridge the digital gender divide (SDG5).

We have also blogged about education for International Education Day (SDG4), and about the different things we mean when we talk about access to information (SDG16).

Furthermore, we have also published interviews with two former IFLA Presidents – Claudia Lux and Glòria Pérez-Salmerón, about their experiences of advocating for libraries after the 2008 financial crisis, and with Steen Bording Andersen about the value of engaging politicians in library advocacy.

We were also happy to interview Evi Tramantza of OCLC’s Global Council about their work on the SDGs, Genilson Geraldo about work in Brazil in Information Sustainability, and ALA’s Serving Refugees, Immigrants and Displaced Persons Sub-Committee.

As ever, we are keen to hear about what you are doing, including your successes in building contacts and awareness, and ensuring that the role of libraries is recognised, celebrated and supported.

So don’t hesitate to let us know!

Congrats to CPDWL! The jury found the CPDWL Sectiona  worthy of special mention:

The jury recognised the CPDWL Section for its strong and active committee, who have shown excellent planning, a clear and effective communication strategy, including an active social media presence and dynamic virtual events. Their Unit’s focus on building a diverse membership and network of partnerships, provides excellence in continuing professional development and workplace learning. CPDWL offers an active international forum and network for the promotion of professional growth, and is the global voice for CPD and workplace learning, successfully reaching and supporting multiple global audiences: SC members, section members, the wider IFLA community and LIS professionals

The special mention for CPDWL will be celebrated at this year’s 2021 virtual WLIC, alongside the 2021 awardees.

IFLA has lent its support to efforts to ensure that least developed countries continue to enjoy greater flexibilities and lower administrative requirements in implementing trade deals. Retaining these possibilities will support investment, and more favourable laws, for education and research, and the libraries that support them.

Countries sign trade deals in order to facilitate exchange between them. These can cover a wide variety of types of commerce, from agricultural and manufactured goods to services such as books or films.

These rules set out commitments to open markets (for example by reducing tariffs – taxes on imports), as well as to offer protections for individuals and companies trading across borders. In doing so, they can create obligations on governments, forcing them to maintain standards and implement controls, if they want to be able to trade with others.

These affect, for example, what administrative procedures governments need to put in place to comply with the rules, as well as what they can do in creating exceptions and limitations to copyright which enable the work of libraries, archives, museums, educators and researchers.

This creates the risk of facing least developed countries with obligations they may be poorly placed to fulfil, drawing resources away from investing in development. It can also limit the room for manoeuvre they have to pass laws in support of libraries and their users.

In response, the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) opens the possibility for least developed countries to enjoy an exemption from many of these obligations, at least until they reach a higher level of development.

This exemption, however, is not forever, and needs to be renewed periodically, with World Trade Organisation (WTO) members currently debating whether to do this.

IFLA has therefore signed onto a letter which underlines the importance of maintaining these exemptions.  

In this, we support proposals already promoted by many countries at the WTO to prolong these provisions, and to ensure that countries leaving least developed status can continue to benefit from them for twelve years, in order to allow for a more gentle exit.

We encourage all governments to endorse these proposals. In particular at a time of economic hardship and uncertainty, it cannot be time to impose new costs and restrictions on those countries most in need of investment in education, research and cultural participation.

View the letter on our publications page. There is also a wider letter on access to knowledge to which sign-ons are welcome - contact us for more details. Find out more about IFLA's work on copyright globally.

A dynamic Professional Unit has the greatest impact on IFLA’s global work – engaging members, developing strong leadership and identity, delivering high-quality services with a measurable impact, and communicating activities within IFLA and beyond. The Professional Committee launched the Dynamic Unit and Impact Award (DUIA) in 2018 to recognise the Professional Units who have excelled in putting Dynamic Unit expectations into practice.  

The 2020 IFLA Dynamic Unit and Impact Award is awarded to the Document Delivery and Resource Sharing (DDRS) Section.

This Unit’s timely and active programming in support of libraries before and during the pandemic, along with their collaborative approach within and beyond IFLA, make the Document Delivery and Resource Sharing (DDRS) Section a deserving winner of the 2020 Dynamic Unit and Impact Award. The Unit hosted a successful and innovative Interlending & Document Supply (ILDS) Conference in collaboration with the host, National Library of Technology (NTK), Prague, Czech Republic, bolstered by active social media integration and strong post-event publishing activities. The latest ILDS Conference drew participants from 5 continents and the innovations in delivery and preservation ensure the ongoing availability of the more than 20 presentations and papers representing 14 countries.

During the 2020 pandemic, the Unit, working with the Open Access Button (OAB), developed the RSCVD ("received") initiative. RSCVD connected library workers with libraries in need, to create a global resource sharing emergency response network. Since launching in April 2020, 125 individuals from 88 institutions in 17 countries have volunteered to fill the more than 9,000 requests received. 55% of those requests were filled via the volunteer corps with an additional 565 open access articles immediately delivered through OAB's InstantILL.

The Document Delivery and Resource Sharing Section have recently been awarded an Erasmus grant opportunity in collaboration with the CNR Library of Bologna, Italy Research Area, to continue and expand the project.

DDRS will be honoured and celebrated at this year's 2021 WLIC which will be held virtually.

The jury found two Sections worthy of special mention:
Academic and Research Libraries (ARL)

A special mention is given to the ARL Section for its outreach and advocacy. Five popular ARL Section webinars were held from December 2019 to September 2020. The webinar on 'Academic Library Services during COVID-19' in July attracted over 200 participants from around the world with ten presenters, and the webinar “Decolonization in education: role of the academic library” and “ARL Hot Topics” were both presented as webinars including the planned speakers from WLIC 2020. Their active programme of events and sessions strengthen their area of the profession and support access to knowledge and information across the globe.

Continuing Professional Development and Workplace Learning (CPDWL)

The jury recognised the CPDWL Section for its strong and active committee, who have shown excellent planning, a clear and effective communication strategy, including an active social media presence and dynamic virtual events. Their Unit’s focus on building a diverse membership and network of partnerships, provides excellence in continuing professional development and workplace learning. CPDWL offers an active international forum and network for the promotion of professional growth, and is the global voice for CPD and workplace learning, successfully reaching and supporting multiple global audiences: SC members, section members, the wider IFLA community and LIS professionals

The special mentions for ARL and CPDWL will be celebrated at this year’s 2021 virtual WLIC, alongside the 2021 awardees.

From Vicki McDonald, IFLA's Professional Committee Chair:

Thank you to all Units who applied as nominees for the 2020 Dynamic Unit and Impact Award, and of course to those selected. The Professional Committee continues to be impressed by the outstanding work being undertaken by Professional Units.  

It’s exciting to announce the winner and honourable mentions of the 2020 DUIA, who exemplify the important and innovative work of the IFLA Professional Units. Congratulations to DDRS, ARL, and CPDWL!"

From Gerald Leitner, IFLA’s Secretary General:

With deepest gratitude for the commitment and work of these IFLA Professional Units, on behalf of IFLA I thank these three Sections for their service to the global library field."

From Christine Mackenzie, IFLA President:

These awards are a great way to celebrate success and highlight the important work of IFLA’s Professional Units in achieving our vision of a strong and united library field. Congratulations to this year’s winners!"