Dear IFLA members,

Last Friday, IFLA’s Governing Board met in person in The Hague for the first time since August. The meeting was the climax of a busy and successful week, including meetings of our Professional, Finance, Executive and Conference Advisory Committees, and a workshop on governance.

I wanted to share a few highlights from these meetings:

  • We made major progress on our Governance Review, working towards proposals for structures for IFLA which will provide new opportunities for our members to engage in our work, and so deliver on the IFLA Strategy 2019-24. Please see our announcement for more on this key process in IFLA’s transformation.
  • We discussed progress over the first months of implementing IFLA’s Strategy 2019-2024, and agreed on IFLA’s Budget for 2020, setting out actions and initiatives which will help us fulfil our mission to inspire, engage, enable and connect the library field over the coming year.
  • We had a full and productive discussion in our Professional Committee covering proposals for project funding and the actions plans of IFLA Professional Units. We’re impressed how closely the Professional Units have aligned their activities over the coming year with the IFLA Strategy, helping to move the Strategy forward.
  • We discussed IFLA’s offer to members, and priorities and options for ensuring that IFLA provides the maximum possible value.
  • We discussed the World Library and Information Congresses, with good progress being made. In particular, our Professional Committee discussed satellite meeting and programme proposals for 2020, and you can expect to see Calls for Papers listed on the IFLA WLIC 2020 website from January.
  • We discussed next year’s Trend Report. This will be the first large-scale update since 2013, and we’re looking forward to sharing expert insights into the key issues and trends that will shape the future of our field over the coming years.
  • We strengthened IFLA’s partnerships with other organisations who can help us achieve our goals, notably confirming IFLAs’ membership of the Climate Heritage Network, and moving towards an agreement with the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers in order to support efforts to reduce theft and trafficking of books and other documents

Keep an eye on our website and social media for further updates on our work!

Warm wishes,

Christine

Christine Mackenzie, FALIA

President, International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA)

 

 

p:   +61 0417 326 148

e:   christine.mackenzie.au@gmail.com

w:   www.christinemackenzie.com.au