Tag Archives: attendance grant

IFLA WLIC 2023 Grant Winners Congress Experience

My Experience as a Grant Winner at the World Library and Information Congress 88th IFLA General Conference and Assembly

My name is Anabelly Tinoco Altamirano, I live and work in Costa Rica. In this document I write some of my experiences at the World Library and Information Congress 88th IFLA General Conference and Assembly and in the Dutch country, which gave me the opportunity to appreciate and better understand areas of library science worldwide.

The World Library and Information Congress 88th IFLA General Conference and Assembly gave me the opportunity to meet, interact and learn with librarians from other countries. Such as dynamics of work, cooperation, collaboration, strategic alliances, access to information, open access, artificial intelligence, accessible documentary materials, accessibility in the library from the physical and technological infrastructure. In addition, I learnt about the impact that a library can generate when it integrates and executes any of the Sustainable Development Goals in their strategic plan.

On the other hand, the experiences shared and acquired in the host country of the World Library and Information Congress 88th IFLA General Conference and Assembly have allowed me to have a broader vision of the organization, administration and improvement in libraries, organizations that contribute to the access and generation of knowledge through books, information resources in digital format through technologies and applications.

By participating in several sessions, I was able to reflect and analyze that with effort, collaborative work, strategic alliances and library cooperation, the improvement of a library can be achieved and they could contribute towards the development of their community, users, regions, and countries.

Therefore, many thanks to all the people, organizations and sponsors who contributed to making it a reality for me to attend and participate in the World Library and Information Congress 88th IFLA General Conference and Assembly.

The experience of the World Library and Information Congress 88th IFLA General Conference and Assembly has been enriching, the vision of a congress of international magnitude to share knowledge reaffirms the potential of librarians, the value of knowledge and libraries.

Expanding my knowledge in spaces of personal interaction like this is very valuable, as I realized the value of knowledge, information, culture, language, reading, sources of information, media or mechanisms used to offer users access to information as the fundamental work of the librarian.

Finally, the Congress was a space for analysis and retrospective in library work.

Thank you to the IFLA staff, everyone who collaborated at the Congress, the participating librarians, attendees, the sponsors, Sage and Ex Libris and the host country. Thank you so much.

Anabelly Tinoco Altamirano

Institutional email: anabelly.tinoco@una.cr

Personal mail: anatinocoaltamirano15@gmail.com

 

IFLA WLIC 2023 Grant Winners Congress Experience

This post features Snehal Dilip Bhalerao, one of the 2023 IFLA ARL Grant winners from India.

I am Snehal Dilip Bhalerao and I studied at the Savitribai Phule Pune University. I currently work as a research fellow at the Centre of Publication Ethics at the Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune, India. I feel very lucky to have won this grant which gave me the opportunity to attend the IFLA Conference, which was held from 21st -25th August, 2023. IFLA gave me the opportunity to visit Rotterdam and experience another world of libraries.

After visiting IFLA Rotterdam venue, I realized I could gain some valuable knowledge about Libraries which are different from the Indian setting. I had the opportunity to meet, interact and network with many librarians from across the world at the Conference.

The conference was organized in sessions which represented the different interest in IFLA. I therefore attended sessions that were of interest to me. All the conference sessions were very useful to the development of libraries and provided a great source of knowledge to the participants. The various presentations included the sustainable development goal activities in the various countries of the presenters. Topics included the Green Libraries. Some other presentations also showcased the impact of artificial intelligence on libraries and how for instance ChatGPT is helping in all aspects of our lives, both personal and professional, and how to apply it appropriately and effectively.

Again, the conference educated me on the role of IFLA in the development of the LIS profession.

Then there was the Cultural Evening which was organised by IFLA for participants. This event was very exciting and was another avenue for me to meet many colleagues on an informal level. This event comprised partying, eating and dancing. There was also a photo session and I had the opportunity to meet and take photos with the IFLA President. The evening helped me get off my hectic personal life to have some fun and enjoy myself. Thank you IFLA for the cultural evening. It was a very memorable day.

On the last day, there was a Library visit to Belgium by bus. I joined other librarians on this trip. We visited two libraries in Belgium to see how they operate and manage them. These libraries were very beautiful and are currently using AI to enhance their library operations. I initially did not support the use of AI in libraries but after the tour, I got a first hand experience of AI at work and it changed my mind. I have therefore resolved to advocate for its use in Indian libraries. I hope to be able to share my experiences and knowledge with my colleagues in India.

A great thank you to IFLA, I am really grateful for this opportunity. I appreciate IFLA for giving me the learning experience which will help progress my career in the future. I also want to thank the IFLA President and all IFLA Members and Volunteers who guided us during the IFLA Congress -2023 in Rotterdam.

Snehal Dilip Bhalerao

Savitribai Phule Pune University, India

IFLA WLIC 2023 Grant Winners Congress Experience

This post features  Ezequiel Vallejo Ríos who is one of the 2023 IFLA ARL Grant winners. from México.

Attending the IFLA WLIC 2023 Congress certainly opened an opportunity for those of us who are not in mainstream librarianship to see the various aspects of the profession. I experienced this through my interactions with colleagues who are involved in the day to day activities of the profession, their challenges and successes and other experiences from their various perspectives.

The various presentations at the congress were another source of great experience for me as they provided me with the latest trends in the profession, as well as new ideas which I can implement in my own environment. Some general topics which were discussed included  open access, inclusive publication, copyright, adaptation of copyrighted materials to formats accessible with the Marrakesh Treaty, access to culture and the future roles of the librarian in the environment of access to information. Again, there were discussions that addressed how the role of the librarian changes as society demands it, the implementation of technologies such as AI (Artificial Intelligence) or Chat GPT and with this the development of new digital skills to respond to the constant change in the knowledge society, and innovations in libraries.

Again, attending this congress has helped expand my panorama about the profession also to network with librarians from other institutions, as well as exchange ideas, knowledge, and success stories from their libraries which will help guide me in my work going forward.

Without a doubt, it is gratifying to have experienced professionals sharing their lives, and interests with the new generation of librarians who are barely getting involved in the relevant issues of the profession in order to be able to contribute to the discipline. In turn, it is gratifying that young professionals who came with fresh ideas were given the space to contribute to the profesión and also enrich themselves intellectually. Being in these congresses of global trajectory offers us an excellent environment to get involved with the dynamics of the profesión and thus contributing to the profession.

Inclusion, the theme and topics of the congress are a determining factor for more people to be involved in the development and participation of these congresses. As such, the congress organisers could be more open in their ideas, regardless of gender, religion, social status, political ideology or some kind of motor weakness. This would allow for a more inclusive congress.

 

Grant Winner Report, Nigeria

IFLA 2019 Congress Experience by IFLA WLIC 2019 Attendance Grant Winner

My first attendance at the IFLA World Library & Information Congress in Athens, Greece did not disappoint! I had the great opportunity to attend for the first time an IFLA Congress with generous sponsorship by Ex Libris and SAGE. I was advantaged to be selected as one of the attendance grant winners for IFLA ARL Attendance Grants for IFLA 2019 from Africa.

Pre-Conference Workshop

I arrived in Athens via Istanbul on the 21st of August, 2019 to be part of pre-conference workshop organized by IFLA Journal Editorial Committee and the Social Science Libraries held at the Aikaterini Laskaridis Foundation Library, Piraeus, Greece, the pre-conference workshop was an eye-opener to the latest trends in social science research, thanks to the scholarship grants by the IFLA Journal Editorial Committee.

Main Conference

At the end of the pre-conference workshop on the 23rd of August, along with other participants, I moved to the Megaron Athens International Conference Centre (MAICC) to pick the conference materials. MAICC offers the finest facilities, stunning aesthetics and cutting-edge technology. A landmark in the centre of Athens. I was not disappointed with what I have read about Athens around May 2019 when I was scheduling date for my visa interview; No doubt, Athens has been rising as Southern Europe’s most exciting city-break destination. The city’s appeal as a tourist destination is booming, thanks to infrastructure and cultural attractions, transportation network, green spaces, and the unification of the city’s main archaeological sites. I was privileged and excited to attend ARL meeting at the Athens College, where I was introduced as the Grant winner from Africa by the chair ARL standing committee; Mimi Calter.

The Opening Ceremony took place at the Lambrakis Hall on Sunday, 25 August. The event brought together over 3700 librarians and information professionals to discuss ideas relating to the Conference theme Libraries: dialogue for change. The second and third days of the Conference was an intensive and totally enlightening environment for me due to the large spectrum of topics discussed. Through the papers presented, I realized clearly that Libraries serve as open, free, democratic, inclusive and participatory meeting places. I had a chance to join interesting sessions where presenters talked about their publishing experience, open access initiatives, as well as measures to research evaluation. I also had a chance to talk to some of the technology vendors’ representatives exhibiting their products and services in the marketplace hall.

During the conference, I enjoyed learning about initiatives to drive change in international representation among scholars. I gained new knowledge by participating in sessions where topic experts presented their perspectives on Libraries: dialogue for change. I am grateful to have gained these perspectives.

Indeed the IFLA WLIC 2019 in Athens presents a great opportunity for my professional development and I am more than happy to be able to contribute to the discussions during the conference. The theme of the 2019 conference was Libraries: dialogue for change. As IFLA says, “Libraries serve as open, free, democratic, inclusive and participatory meeting places. I couldn’t agree more, and I dialogued extensively with new friends about the exciting future of libraries across the globe. The discussions that have the potential to define the future of our profession for years to come. Indeed, Athens inspires and seduces its visitors, leaving its mark on their hearts and minds. Surrounded by a lining of stunning seas and mountains, this travel-friendly city is filled with gems just waiting to be discovered. Ohhhhh I have to come back very soon!

I returned home very excited, awestruck by the excellent organization of the conference, and professionally richer by gaining plenty of new ideas to be shared among my colleagues back home in Nigeria. Thank you once again to IFLA ARL Standing Committee for offering me the funding: I am very grateful!

Adetomiwa  Basiru

Tekena Tamuno Library, Redeemer’s University, Ede Osun State, Nigeria.

tommybashy06@yahoo.com   adetomiwat@run.edu.ng

Grant Winner Report, Mexico

My experience in attending the 85th IFLA General Conference and Assembly held August 24-30, 2019 in Athens, Greece which had the theme, “Libraries: dialogue for change”, was fabulous as I had never had the opportunity to travel to Europe and much less to an IFLA congress. What I experienced during the days of the congress and in the city of Athens, set the tone to broaden my panorama and my vision of librarianship.

I am very enthusiastic about how much I learned and met people from different parts of the world, about sharing ideas and experiences from the different contexts in which we live within libraries in different regions of the world. Being my first Congress and being unfamiliar with the dynamics of it, I feel that I missed some important opportunities, but in general I bring to my country the enormous satisfaction of having seen and knowing that Latin America has much potential to participate with greater involvement in the tasks of librarianship worldwide in pursuit of the objectives of the United Nations Agenda 2030.

I never imagined being able to participate in an event of such magnitude, but thanks to the Academic and Research Libraries Section (ARL) with generous sponsorship by Ex Libris and SAGE, I was able to achieve it, definitely something changed in me and I feel renewed and with a lot of vitality to continue with my projects, right there I made friends with a Brazilian girl who contacted other Brazilian girls with whom I have given myself the task of collaborating in matters of penitentiary libraries.

As I mentioned in my letter of introduction, I have never liked to keep anything to myself and I have tried to share my experience with my colleagues, arguing that we have a great responsibility with our profession and with people, that it is time to get down to work. We usually think that everything is done and that a Latin American cannot do much, but the reality is that we have a lot to offer.

In short, something that surprised me was the ARL committee since all the members seem to me to be very united and excellent people committed to their work, personally I want to congratulate all of them because this noble action of providing this kind of support to young people has given me a lot of sense, I am an energetic librarian committed to providing my grain of sand to contribute to society and help people. In this sense I want to mention that the master’s thesis that I am about to finish has to do with the involvement of the librarian as an agent of social change seen from the perspective of human development. It has become much stronger and now I can see that indeed, this kind of opportunity can change one life and that life, perhaps, can change other lives.

The majesty of the acropolis made me reflect on knowledge and how it happens in different parts of the world. So in all these parts of the world there will be an urgent need for librarians to help manage and also to help build new knowledge.

I feel encouraged to participate more frequently in IFLA and would like to be part of some committee where I can do my best to continue to contribute to development in the library field where it reflects social change by reducing poverty, hunger and inequality, where there is better health and well-being, better education, and where there is peace and justice for all. I trust that I will do what I can from wherever I am and with whatever I have to raise the profession, evoking principles and values that will allow me to be constant in this fight to reduce social inequality, dignifying people.

Humberto Martínez Camacho, Mexico
IFLA ARL Grant Winner 2019

Attendance Grant for IFLA Congress – Announcement of Recipients

The Academic and Research Libraries Section (ARL), with generous sponsorship by ExLibris and Sage, is offering THREE (3) Attendance Grants for the IFLA Congress in Singapore 2013 to an information professional from each of these regions: Africa, Latin America / Caribbean and Asia/Pacific Region.  Following an application process, we are pleased to announce the successful recipients:

Africa – Joseph A. Semugabi, who wrote: “I am currently employed at the Law Development Centre (LDC) as Librarian. LDC is an Academic Institution of Higher Learning involved with Professional Legal Training (Bar Course) for graduate lawyers intending to become advocates and practice law in Uganda. The institution also has a statutory function of conducting legal research as well as production of legal publications”.

Latin America – Sasekea Harris, who wrote:  “I am a young professional (31 years old), a member of IFLA and this will be my first attendance to an IFLA conference. In my capacity as an academic librarian at the University of the West Indies (UWI) I am a user and trainer of a number of ExLibris products namely: Primo, Aleph, SFX and Metalib. In this regard I believe I would be a fitting candidate to take part in the various ARL publicity events organized by ExLibris and Sage during the conference.”

Asia/Pacific – Aditya Nugara, who wrote:  “After several years working as a library assistant, I got a Fulbright scholarship to pursue my Master at the Graduate School Library and Information Science – University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.  With a Master in LIS, I came back home to Indonesia and work as a librarian at PCU, where I am now the Head of Library.  I started an interesting project named Desa Informasi (Information Village), an institutional repository designed to host the university’s intellectual outputs.”

We look forward to meeting our recipients in Singapore.  They will receive their Certificates at the Academic and Research Libraries Section’s Hot Topics Session in IFLA.  Details of the session will be provided once the Program is confirmed

ARL Attendance Grant for the IFLA Congress, Singapore 2013

The Academic and Research Libraries Section (ARL), with generous sponsorship by ExLibris and Sage, is offering THREE (3) Attendance Grants for the IFLA Congress in Singapore 2013 to an information professional from each of these regions:

  • Africa
  • Latin America
  • Asia/Pacific region

Each grant covers the registration fee of Euro 445 as well as support for travel and/or accommodation up to Euro 800.  Please see the Conference website for further details.

Applicants must be able to attend the Congress and will be responsible for all other costs associated with Congress attendance.

The winners will be required to attend the ARL Hot Topics session to receive their certificates. They will also be required to take part in various publicity events during the conference, such as photo shoots and events organised at the two sponsors exhibition stalls. Their essays may be published on the ARL Section blog before the conference.

Recipients will be required to write a brief article about their Congress experience (approximately 500 words) for publication on the ARL Section blog within 3 months of the end of the Congress.

ELIGIBILITY

  • Applicants must be eligible to obtain a visa for travel.
  • Applicants must declare they are able to fund all other costs beyond the grant that are involved in attending the Congress, e.g. all other hotel, travel and subsistence expenses  NOT covered by the Grant.
  • Those who have previously received this Grant (formerly known as Essay Contest) cannot apply again.

APPLICATION PROCEDURES  

Your application will include:

(A)   A covering letter providing:

  • your contact details (e.g. name and email address)
  • short summary of your employment and/or student status

First-time IFLA attendees, young professionals, students of Library and Information Studies (LIS) and those working in LIS jobs for the first time will have an advantage in the competition, so make sure you mention this if you belong to one of these categories.

(B)   A written statement of up to 500 words (any non-English applications will be translated into English for the purposes of judging):

  • how attending IFLA will benefit you in a personal and/or professional capacity, with reference to the 2013 theme of the conference
  • how you intend to apply the benefits that you have outlined in a practical way after the Congress, either for you personally or for the library/information unit you work in.
  • a budget/cost estimate for travel and hotel up to Euro 800, that would not normally be funded by other grants or your place of work.

Your application must be received by Friday March 1st, 2013

  • All applications will be acknowledged upon receipt.
  • All applicants will receive notification of award status no later than May 1, 2013

Please send your application with your address, telephone number, and email address no later than March 1st 2013 to Ane Landoy:

  • Via attachment in email – ane.landoy@ub.uib.no
  • Via facsimile – Attn:  Ane Landoy – + 47 5558 9703
  • Via post:
    Attn: Ane Landoy
    University of Bergen Library PB 7808N-5020 BERGEN   Norway

This Attendance Grant is generously sponsored by both ExLibris and Sage

We humbly request your support in encouraging applicants to respond by forwarding the information to other list managers, colleagues and other associations.

Any translation of this request is also appreciated, particularly for the Asia/Pacific region, Africa and Latin America