I trust all delegates returned safely to their home countries after the conference in Cape Town, and I extend a warm welcome to new and returning Standing Committee members. Reflecting on the presentations I attended during the conference, I am inspired by the work being conducted by librarians around the globe, and I feel extremely honored to be elected the chair for the Social Science Library Section. Along with Sylvia Piggott, secretary, and Maud Mundava, information coordinator, I look forward to represent our Section within the IFLA community and beyond.
Our conference program in Cape Town, “How Libraries Support Social-Economic Policy and Programme Development for Societal Improvements: Assessment, Products, Marketing and Access,” was co-sponsored by the Library and Research Services for Parliaments Section. The program, in world café format, was a great success, attracting more than 200 attendees. While in Cape Town, our Section Standing Committee started to draft the document in support of the Lyon Declaration. It is now available on the IFLA Website.

A sub-group of the Standing Committee is in the process of working on the Section’s strategic goals and action plan for 2015-2016, which will inform the design of our conference program in Columbus (2016). The Asia and Oceania Section has already expressed interest in co-sponsorship of the conference program, and it will certainly be a pleasure to work collaboratively with colleagues from other sections. The Relindial SIG, affiliated with the Section, is also planning a program for the conference in Columbus. Odile Dupont, the continuing SIG convenor, and her colleagues are working with partners based in the United States.

Finally, I would like to express my gratitude to Dr. Chiku Mchombu, my predecessor as chair of our Section, for her support and guidance. I would also like to congratulate Dr. Mchombu and her Namibian colleagues for organizing and hosting a magnificent IFLA Satellite Conference, “The Role of Libraries and Information Centres in Supporting National Development. The Satellite Conference was sponsored by the IFLA Social Science Libraries Section Standing Committee, the Human Rights and Documentation Center in the Faculty of Law of the University of Namibia, the Namibia National Libraries and Archives, and the Namibia Information Workers Association. The 158 registered delegates from China, Estonia, Namibia, South Africa, Spain, Tanzania, and United States, enjoyed the stimulating presentations, film screening, and world café discussions. Those of us who attended the conference will cherish meeting young Namibian librarians and library school students. Their love and commitment for the profession was invigorating and will stay with us forever.

Kayo Denda
Chair, Social Science Libraries Section
Rutgers University
kdenda@rutgers.edu

Dr. Chiku Mnubi-Mchombu (IFLA-Social Sciences Chairperson),along with Namibian colleagues, planned this 2-day conference. The conference was well attended. For more information: http://www.iflawindhoek2015.org 
   

The Namibia Information Workers Association (NIWA) held a “First Time Writers Workshop” on 21-22 January 2015. The goal of the workshop was to provide information workers skills and tools on how to write articles and get published. The event allowed participants to get and share first-hand experience and tips with veteran writers and to learn how to utilize library resources to help them get started.

Young librarians from The Namibia Library and Archives Services (NLAS), University of Namibia Libraries, and Bank of Namibia Information Centre received training and encouragement from Ms. Helen Mandl, a volunteer from Australia, currently at the Namibia Library and Archives Services, and Prof. Kingo Mchombu, Professor and Dean, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Namibia.

The workshop participants, including Chiku Mchombu (3rd from left, IFLA Social Science Section Chair ) and Professor Kingo Mchombu (2nd from right)

Ms. Helen Mandl addressing the group.

The workshop participants.