WHAT IS IFLA ?

International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions
TABLE OF CONTENTS  
  1. What is IFLA?
  2. IFLA Organization
  3. Divisions,Sections and Round Tables
  4. Core Programmes
  1. Benefits for members
  2. How to join IFLA
  3. Registration
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IFLA has members in 144 countries ! Join this global family ! Next meetings: 98-Amsterdam 99-Bangkock 2000-Jerusalem 2001-Boston 2002-Glasgow

1. WHAT IS IFLA

Founded in 1927, the International Federation of Library A ssociations and Institutions, IFLA, was one of the first international non-profit, non-governmental organizations, aiming to further the cause of librarianship. IFLA promotes INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION, DISCUSSION and RESEARCH in all fields of library activity. It considers all aspects of library work to be within its province and strives to extend its membership to all countries. IFLA aspires to speak with authority as the global voice of the library profession. These aims: UNIVERSALITY, COMPREHENSIVENESS, and REPRESENTATIVE STATUS give direction to IFLA's structure as well as its professional programmes.

IFLA has a worlide impact. This claim can be substantiated with facts: by the end of 1996, the Federation had members in 144 countries, an expansion which the few progressive librarians from 15 countries who founded IFLA in 1927 would not have expected. It offers a professional home for library associations, libraries and librarians whatever the type of library or the expertise. They can all find their particular group within the pyramidal construction of IFLA's professional activities.

IFLA is perhaps one of the more privileged international organizations because the material with wich librarians work is, by definition, international. Current issues, such as Universal Bibliographic Control and International MARC(UBCIM), Universal Availability of Publications, Preservation and Conservation (PAC), and Universal Dataflow and Telecommunications (UDT) are so complex and so interwoven that the search for global solutions is absolutely necessary.

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2. ORGANIZATION

IFLA is democratically structured. The COUNCIL (= general member's meeting) is IFLA's highest organ. Members nominate candidates for IFLA's EXECUTIVE BOARD and elections are held during Council meetings.

Members also have the right to register for Sections and, if registered, nominate and elect the STANDING COMMITTEES (= core groups of experts) for those groups. Through the Standing Committees the major professional steering bodies are formed. IFLA's main steering bodies as defined by the Statutes are the EXECUTIVE and PROFESSIONAL BOARDS.

The first has full powers of administration and management, the second deals with coordinating and planning professional activities. The EXECUTIVE BOARD consists of an elected President and seven elected members, with the Chairperson of the PROFESSIONAL BOARD serving as an ex officio member.

The PROFESSIONAL BOARD is composed of the Chairperson from each of the eight Divisions, plus a Chairperson elected from the outgoing Professional Board by the incoming PB members.

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3. DIVISIONS, SECTIONS AND ROUND TABLES

Divisions

Summary

  1. Division of General Research Libraries
  2. Division of Special Libraries
  3. Division of Libraries Serving the General Public
  4. Division of Bibliographic Control
  5. Division of Collections and Services
  6. Division of Management and Technology
  7. Division of Education and Research
  8. Division of Regional Activities

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  1. Division of General Research Libraries

    Sections

    1. National Libraries
    2. University Libraries and other General Research Libraries
    3. Library and Research Services for Parliaments

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  2. Division of Special Libraries

    Sections

    1. Government Libraries
    2. Social Science Libraries
    3. Geography and Map Libraries
    4. Science and Technological Libraries
    5. Biological and Medical Sciences Libraries
    6. Art Libraries

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  3. Division of Libraries Serving the General Public

    Sections

    1. Public Libraries
    2. Libraries Serving Disadvantaged People
    3. Children's Libraries
    4. School Libraries
    5. Libraries for the Blind
    6. Library Services to Multicultural Populations

    Round Tables

    1. National Centres for Library (ROTNAC)
    2. INTAMEL (International Association Metropolitan City Libraries)
    3. Mobile Libraries

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  4. Division of Bibliographic Control

    Sections

    1. Bibliography
    2. Cataloguing
    3. Classification and Indexing

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  5. Division of Collections and Services

    Sections

    1. Acquisition and Collection Development
    2. Document Delivery and Interlending
    3. Serial Publications
    4. Government Information and Official Publications
    5. Rare Books and Manuscripts

    Round Table

    1. Newspapers

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  6. Division of Management and Technology

    Sections

    1. Preservation and Conservation
    2. Library Buildings and Equipment
    3. Information Technology
    4. Statistics

    Round Tables

    1. Audiovisual and Multimedia
    2. Management of Library Associations
    3. Management
    4. Women's Issues

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  7. Division of Education and Research

    Sections

    1. Education and Training
    2. Library Theory and Research
    3. Reading

    Round Tables

    1. Continuing Professional Education
    2. Library History
    3. Editors of Library Journals

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  8. Division of Regional Activities

    Sections

    1. Regional Activities: Africa
    2. Regional Activities: Asia and Oceania
    3. Regional Activities: Latin America and the Caribbean

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4. CORE PROGRAMMES

  1. Development of Librarianship (ALP
  2. Preservation and Conservation (PAC)
  3. Universal Availability of Publications
  4. Universal Bibliographic Control and International MARC (UBCIM)
  5. Universal Dataflow and Telecommunications(UDT)

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5. BENEFITS FOR MEMBERS

IFLA offers the following publications free of charge to its members

  • IFLA Directory , contains lists of the Association members, Institutional members and Personal affiliates, as well as representants of the IFLA Core Programmes and from the Divisions, Sections and Round Tables. It contains also a list of IFLA publications.
  • IFLA Journal(quarterly) contains articles from renowned librarian and information science professionals, with abstracts in English, French, German, and Spanish, as well as news and reports from IFLA and other related organizations.
  • Medium Term Programme contains the objectives and activities of IFLA professional groups.

IFLA membership gives you the opportunity to:

  • Link up to IFLA's worlwide network of library and information professionals
  • Participate in the activities of one or more IFLA Sections of your choice; IFLA sections are professional groups specializing in different areas of library activity. There are 33 different sections to choose from. See item 3 for a comprehensive list
  • Subscribe to up 25 Section Newsletters, free of charge when you join the section in question;
  • Improve your LIS skills through workshops, seminars and poster sessions at IFLA's Annual Conferences
  • Share your views, concerns and expertise with other LIS professionals and organizations working in the field and, in turn, learn from their experiences
  • Enjoy substantial discounts on over 60 IFLA publications
  • Use IFLA to breathe new life into your specialist field and to inform other LIS professionals of your products and services

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6. HOW TO JOIN

Select a membership category

  1. Personal Affiliation

    According to IFLA's Statutes, "individuals wishing to mark their interest in and support for the purposes of the Federation" may join IFLA as a Personal Affiliate. Personal Affiliates receive Ifla Directory, IFLA Journal (quarterly) and IFLA's Medium Term Programme and may join 1 IFLA Section free of charge.

  2. Institutional Membership

    Institutional Members may include libraries, library schools, bibliographical and research institutes, and other institutions. Institutional Members receive IFLA Directory, IFLA Journal (quarterly) and IFLA's Medium Term Programme and may join 2 IFLA Sections free of charge

  3. Association Membership

    Association Members may include associations of libraries, librarians and library schools, associations of bibliographical and research institutes primarily concerned with the implementation of the purposes of IFLA. Association members must function within the national, multinational or international library and information services. In countries where there is no library associations, but where the library community is represented by one single body, this body may be admitted as an Association Member. Association Members receive IFLA Directory, IFLA Journal (quarterly) and IFLA's Medium Term Programme and may join 4 Sections free of charge.

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7. REGISTRAGION

Ask for an Application Form to:

IFLA Headquarters, P.O.B. 95312
2509 CH The Hague, Netherlands
Fax: +31 70 3834827

or to:

IFLA/LAC Regional Office
Rua da Imprensa, 16 / Sala 1108
Centro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ
Brazil
Tel.: 55 21 3225733
Fax.: 55 21 3225733
E-mailiflalac@nutecnet.com.br

Or link to IFLANET

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