Newsroom

The Argentine Library of Congress welcomes foreign interns within the context of the agreement with FLACSO Ecuador

A key role of IFLA as the international organisation for libraries is to facilitate exchange between colleagues around the world. As part of its 2021-2023 action plan, the Regional Division Committee for Latin America and the Caribbean committed to facilitate 'pasantías' or job-shadowing schemes to allow people to spend time seeing how libraries in different countries in the region work. The results are now in! 

Libraries Recognised among Essential Partners in Historic Declaration on Culture-based Climate Action

Highlights from the IFLA Governing Board meeting, 4-6 December 2023

Over three days, IFLA’s Governing Board met for its first in-person meeting since Rotterdam, in a week that marked 100 days since it took office. The time spent together was an opportunity not just to look back at what had been achieved, but also to advance key projects, opening the way to further delivery in 2024. 

Stronger Together: 100 Days of Achievement

This week the IFLA Governing Board met in The Hague, The Netherlands. The meeting coincided with our first 100 days.

Building momentum towards a culture goal - IFLA at the UCLG Culture Summit 2023

Local governments are not just a key stakeholder for many libraries, but also a key ally in making the case for a stronger recognition of the role of culture, cultural institutions and cultural actors in advancing sustainable development. We were therefore very happy to join United Cities and Local Governments' Culture Summit, focused on building recognition of this role, and to sign a memorandum of understanding allowing us to take this work further. 

The December 2023 Issue of the IFLA ENSULIB Newsletter now available online

Volume 3, Number 2 (December 2023 issue) of the IFLA ENSULIB Newsletter has been published and is available online as a downloadable PDF.

Libraries: a key infrastructure for adult learning and education

IFLA participated at the 2023 World Assembly on Adult Education, celebrating the 50th Anniversary of our sister organisation, the International Council for Adult Education. Engaging with professionals and activists from around the world, we underlined the ability and readiness of libraries to realise their potential to make a reality of learning for all.

Libraries as Pillars of Information Integrity: Event Report Released

The world is waking up to the importance of information integrity as a precondition for success in delivering the Sustainable Development Goals. Fortunately, libraries have long not just understood the need for reliable, verifiable and accurate information, but have delivered it. They can contribute much to any future policy framework here.

Updates from COP28: Get involved in library climate advocacy

IFLA is excited to invite colleagues from the library and museum fields, as well as from the Permanent Delegation of the UAE to UNESCO, to join us in a discussion at the Greening Education Hub. We will explore how cultural actors help implement lifelong greening community strategies, and integrate these perspectives into the work programme of the UNESCO Greening Education Partnership.

Building a strong and sustainable library field in Europe together – IFLA Regional Workshop for Europe and RDC Meeting

Over 50 colleagues from across Europe came together in Brussels on 21-23 November 2023 to explore tools and share views on how to ensure a strong future for our field on the continent, working hand-in-hand with other library organisations and external partners.

Two new members appointed to the Europe Regional Division Committee

In October a call for candidates for co-opted members of the Europe Regional Division Committee has been announced. We are happy to share that as a  result the EURDC welcomed two new members: Dagnija Baltiņa from Latvia, Director of the Special Collections Department at the National Library of Latvia and Kateryna Aleksieienko from Ukraine, Partnership Coordinator at the "Library Country" Charitable Foundation.

Digital Inclusion: Bridging the information gap for people with disabilities

Digital technology is becoming indispensable to everyday life and participation in society (EuroDIG Forum, 2023). Work, schooling, commerce, banking, and government services all increasingly have digital components or may even be conducted entirely online. Digital inclusion is a crucial aspect of modern society that cannot be ignored. With the rapid advancement of technology, there is a growing need to ensure that everyone has equal access to online or digital resources and information. For people with disabilities, this issue is particularly significant. Read more to find out how Libraries and information organisations can bridge the digital exclusion gap.

Digital Inclusion via Audiovisual and Multimedia accessibility

The library and information field significantly advances digital inclusion through integrating audiovisual and multimedia resources. These resources play a crucial role in fostering inclusivity by addressing accessibility, cultural representation and participatory opportunities, ensuring non-discriminatory access to knowledge in educational and lifelong learning contexts. Learn more about how the IFLA Audiovisual and Multimedia (IFLA AVMS) section is collaborating to increase accessibility and findability of audiovisual and multimedia resources.

Digital Inclusion - an aspect of accessibility for print disabled

When a person in a wheelchair cannot enter the library because of the stairs - most recognize the obvious discrimination. But what about a reader who is visually impaired and cannot order a book from the library's online catalogue because it is not adapted for screen reading software? Online, just like in the physical environment, there can be digital stairs, too-narrow doors, and other barriers that leave persons with print disabilities behind. Read more about how the IFLA Libraries for Persons with Print Disabilities (IFLA LPD) Section is working to support libraries with their digital inclusion measures.

Document Delivery and Digital Inclusion

Promoting digital inclusion is an essential goal for libraries around the world, particularly so in the fields of resource sharing and document delivery. When libraries were closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Document Delivery and Resource Sharing section launched the RSCVD (Resource Sharing during COVID) service, an innovative crowdsourced initiative which enabled libraries to continue to meet the information needs of their communities while working remotely. Read more about progress on this ongoing IFLA DDRS service.

IFLA Newsletter, November 2023: The Digital Inclusion Issue

Welcome to the November issue of the IFLA Newsletter!

Accelerating action for libraries in the MENA region

Earlier this month, IFLA’s Middle East and North Africa Regional Division Committee met over two days in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. The meeting created a momentum that will carry forwards the Committee’s work to build action to support libraries across the region over the next two years.

Request for Proposals: IFLA Trend Report 1st Phase

Today we have issued a request for proposal for an author or authors to prepare a starting point report for the next IFLA Trend Report. The call is open for two weeks, until 8 December 2023. 

IFLA Green Library Award 2024: Call for Submissions

Any type of Green Library or library with an outstanding Green Library Project may apply for the IFLA Green Library Award. Libraries with a small budget but a great impact are explicitly invited to participate in the competition!

New IFLA ARL Blog post: (another) "IFLA WLIC 2023 Grant Winners Congress Experience"

Here is IFLA Academic & Research Libraries (ARL) Section latest blog post, with another grant winner's experience, kindly contributed by Snehal Dilip Bhalerao from the Savitribai Phule Pune University, in Pune, India, an ARL / SAGE / Ex Libris grant winner who attended this year's IFLA Congress in Rotterdam: read blog post here