Tag Archives: IFLA WLIC

Register now for Open Access: Action Required, August 16-17

REGISTER HERE

Registration has now opened for Open Access: Action Required, the IFLA satellite conference sponsored by the IFLA Section on Serials and Other Continuing Resources, and co-sponsored by the IFLA Section on Acquisition and Collection Development and the European Solidarity Center.  Hosted by the Joseph Conrad Voivodship and City Public Library in Gdańsk, it is being held at the European Solidarity Center in Gdańsk, Poland, August 16-17, 2017, prior to the IFLA World Library & Information Congress in Wrocław, Poland.

The program consists of three sessions – “Long-term preservation of Open Access Resources,” “Marketing of Open Access Resources,” and “Discovery and Access of Open Access Resources” – each of which will provide insight and thought-provoking experiences with the may facets of working and dealing with Open Access resources, from speakers from all over the globe.

The program will start at 12 noon on Wednesday, August 16 and will end at 6:00 pm on Thursday, August 17.  If you are planning on attending this year’s World Library & Information Congress or if you are simply interested in how Open Access is changing the library and information worlds and would like to engage with the topic while also enjoying a couple of days on the shores of the Baltic, please register today.  See you in Gdansk!

Hello from IFLA @ Columbus, Ohio, USA!

The 82nd International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) held its annual World Library and Information Congress in Columbus, OH from Aug. 13-19 2016 with a theme, “Connections, Collaborations, Community”. It marks the conference’s first return to the United States since 2001. There were nearly 3,100 delegates represented from 120 countries to a very diverse city, Columbus, which is considered to be a home to world-class library institutions such as the Columbus Metropolitan Library system, the Ohio State University Libraries, and OCLC, a worldwide library cooperative. It was very stimulating to see the world’s librarians in one place! The conference was held at the Greater Columbus Convention Center located in downtown Columbus, and the Organizing Committee and all volunteers deserve credit by making it very welcoming and comfortable for delegates from all around the world.

ifla-10img_05281Creative Signage/Little Library

img_05872ifla-9 Cultural Activities/IFLA Volunteers

Serials & Other Continuing Resources Section (SOCRS) Committee in Action….

The SOCRS Committee met twice during the conference, and was well represented by committee members and conference delegates from various parts of the world as observers. The committee meeting minutes are here. We brainstormed the ideas for organizing program and satellite meeting during IFLA 2017 in Wroclaw, Poland. SOCRS is planning on having a satellite meeting in Kraków. The topic will relate to Scholarly Communications and Serials. The Acquisition and Collection Section will be asked to co-sponsor the conference. Stay tuned…

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SOCRS continued its social tradition of a group dinner for having some fun and chat at excellent and authentic Italian Restaurant, Marcella’s! Yum Yum Food!

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I had a privilege to attend a reception honoring The National Committee Fellowship recipients and sponsors, at newly renovated marvelous Columbus Metropolitan Main Library. It was literally a great experience to meet budding librarians from different parts of the world!
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One of the highlights of the congress is its cultural evening! It is an event where hosting city tries to showcase not only the local community and city, but the cultural aspects of the entire country. It was held at Center of Science and Industry (COSI), which is considered as Columbus’ most dynamic hands-on Science Center. The cultural eve was featuring multiple regions of the U.S, in terms of its diverse culture, entertainment and food. I sincerely admire this opportunity, and it is one of my most favorite events!

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img_05843Delegates from Arizona State University Libraries

Finally, a trip to Columbus cannot be complete without exploring its Short North art district, which is the heart and soul of Columbus! It is the most lively and offbeat district with art galleries, specialty shops, pubs, restaurants, and coffee houses.

img_05172img_0513 North Market
img_0514img_0515Savory Vegetarian Crepes/Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams
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And, last but not the least, what a treat to dig into Picasso exhibit at Columbus Museum of Art!

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Loving the journey of the World Library and Information Congress!

Can’t wait for 2017 IFLA @ Wroclaw, Poland!!!

Bonjour from Lyon, France!

The 80th IFLA Conference with a theme, “Libraries, Citizens, Societies: Confluence for Knowledge” was held at Lyon Convention Center from August 16-24, 2014. The venue was very modern, with latest state-of- the-art facility and situated in the city between the Rhone river and the Parc de la Tete d’or in the heart of the Cite’ Internationale. Kudos to Organizing Committee and all volunteers, who were so friendly and welcoming.

Lyon Convention Center

Lyon Convention Center


IFLA Volunteers

IFLA Volunteers

SOCRS Committee in Action….

The SOCRS Committee met twice during the conference, and was well represented by committee members and conference delegates from various parts of the world as observers. We brainstormed the ideas for the upcoming IFLA conferences for organizing programs and satellite meetings. Stay tuned…

Yum Yum French delicacies

Food is toothsome enough to draw many travelers from around the world to Lyon, which is called Gastronomic capital of France! Some freshly baked and yummy French delicacies.

And, one can smell food in the construction of Lyon’s buildings!

Cheese Building

Cheese Building

The Bibliotheque Municipale de Lyon

Lyon’s public library, not only provides library services to users, but also hosts a variety of special collections, in particular in the fields of photography, textiles, music, contemporary art & literature.

Lyon, UNESCO’s World Heritage Site

UNESCO declared Lyon as a world national heritage city in 1998, and the city is known for its historical and architectural landmarks.

Finally, a trip to France can not be complete without a visit to an engineering masterpiece-Eiffel Tower, and of course, Mona Lisa at Musée du Louvre!

Merci!

ETMonalisa

Lyon 2014, ville merveilleuse!

Transformational declaration from the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) 2014 World Library and Information Congress in Lyon

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A view of the iconic Basilique Notre Dame de Fourvière in Lyon, seen from the Place des Terreaux.

The Lyon Declaration on Access to Information and Development “aims to positively influence the United Nations post-2015 development agenda… The framework will succeed the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and set the agenda for development for the next decade.” (http://conference.ifla.org/ifla80/node/522) Signatories from more than 270 institutions worldwide have already signed on, and delegates were sent forth to encourage home institutions to join in this important endeavor. For more information see (http://www.lyondeclaration.org/).

The Serials and Other Continuing Resources Section

The IFLA Section on Serials and Other Continuing Resources “concerns itself with all issues which make serial publications unique in both the print and electronic environments.”(http://www.ifla.org/about-the-serials-and-continuing-resources-section) In addition to meeting twice and going to dinner together, our Standing Committee partnered with the Academic and Research Libraries Section and the Committee on Copyright and other Legal Matters to organize a well-attended program on big data (see below).

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Standing Committee members posing at the Place Antonin Poncet before the group dinner at Le Sud Restaurant are, from left to right, Christina McCawley , West Chester University; Paul Hover, Virginia Tech (blogger, wearing hat); Sharon Dyas-Correia (Chair), University of Toronto; Margaret Mering (Secretary), University of Nebraska Lincoln; and Helen Adey (Information Coordinator), Nottingham Trent University.

Some of the other members (or soon to be members) of the committee who attended are pictured below:

And some family members attended the group dinner:

A story of new friends, new IFLA destinations, and new hats

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New friends (from left to right) Anne Verneuil, president of the Association des Bibliothécaires de France (ABF) (French Librarians Association); Paul Hover, Virginia Tech (VT); Senovia Welman, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa (wearing Paul’s hat); and Lynn Kleinveldt, Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), Cape Town, South Africa. CPUT and VT have a librarian exchange program starting this academic year.

After the Closing Session, I took some photographs commemorating some new-found friendships. It was also at this photo session I lost my hat. Actually, I gave it to Senovia. She had beamed a warm South African smile at me and said she had long puzzled over the right souvenir to remind her of IFLA’s 80th Congress, but now realized that she would “loooooove” to have my hat! Well, colleagues, I did exactly what you would have done. I took it off and placed it on her head. As everyone stood admiring Senovia, incredulously, in my favorite hat, I made a deal with her:

“Next year in Cape Town let us meet again, and you may replace it with an uber cool hat made in South Africa if you wish.”

“DONE!” It was all she needed to say to get my first meeting for IFLA’s 81st Congress in Cape Town on the calendar…

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Having lost my Panamá hat, I needed something to protect me from the hot sun reflecting off the Rhône. Our French friends knew just the solution: a genuine béret  Basque.

Nous vous remercions beaucoup, Lyon!

More information on our Section’s co-presented programme:

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