Following a review of both the FAIFE and CLM strategic programmes in 2014/2015, the IFLA Governing Board endorsed a switch to an Advisory Committee structure at its meeting in April 2015. The rules of procedure for both the FAIFE and CLM Committees have been amended accordingly.

Term of office: August 2015 – August 2017

Dear Colleagues

On behalf of the Governing Board of IFLA, I am writing to invite you to nominate an individual to a place on the IFLA/FAIFE Advisory Committee.

The deadline for the receipt of nominations at IFLA Headquarters is Monday, 01 June, 2015. No late submissions will be accepted.

Freedom of Access to Information and Freedom of Expression (FAIFE) is an initiative within IFLA to defend and promote the basic human rights defined in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. FAIFE provides advice to the Governing Board and Secretary General on these issues in relation to IFLA’s strategic direction, and works in consultation with other relevant IFLA professional programmes and sections.

The responsibilities of the FAIFE Advisory Committee are to:

  • advise the Governing Board on freedom of access to information and freedom of expression in all aspects, directly or indirectly related to library and information services;
  • monitor the state of intellectual freedom affecting the library and information community worldwide;
  • promote awareness of and activities related to freedom of access to information and freedom of expression;
  • encourage reflection on and activities supporting the understanding of fundamental library principles and ethics;
  • support IFLA policy development on freedom of access to information and freedom of expression aspects, directly or indirectly related to library and information services,
  • collaborate with IFLA’s advisory committees and professional units where specific expertise may be provided by FAIFE or drawn from IFLA’s committees and their networks;
  • cooperate with other international human rights organisations, and respond to violations of freedom of access to information and freedom of expression as defined in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Nominations will be considered for the term of office 2015-2017.

I enclose a list of the current members of the FAIFE Committee. Only one nomination will be accepted from each Association and Institutional Member. The Board takes into account the need to ensure wide geographical representation on the Advisory Committee.

Nominees should have:

  • significant interest and expertise in the issues within the Advisory Committee’s terms of reference
  • the ability to report authoritatively on the state of the affairs in their own country and its region, and actively promote freedom of access to information and freedom of expression issues.
  • a reasonable expectation of being able to attend (without cost to IFLA) the business and professional meetings of the Advisory Committee. The business meetings are usually held before and during the IFLA World Library and Information Congress beginning in Cape Town in August 2015 and up to and including 2017;
  • a working knowledge of at least one of the working languages of IFLA (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Russian and Spanish). Since the business meetings of IFLA are generally conducted in English, reasonable fluency in this language is necessary to be able to fully participate as a member of the IFLA/FAIFE Advisory Committee; and
  • the ability and willingness to contribute regularly to the work of the Advisory Committee in between congresses.

The Chair of the FAIFE Committee, Martyn Wade, will advise Governing Board on the selection of names from amongst those nominated.

The maximum size of the IFLA/FAIFE Advisory committee is 13 members.

The Governing Board will appoint the members of the Advisory Committee and successful nominees will be informed by 12 June 2015 so that they can make arrangements to attend the IFLA World Library and Information Congress in Cape Town, South Africa, 15-21 August 2015.

Please use only the enclosed nomination form.* It must be signed by the authorised signatory; that is the individual who is listed in IFLA’s records as the organization’s highest official and whose name appears on the attached nomination form.

I am looking forward to receiving your response.

Yours sincerely,

Jennefer Nicholson
Secretary General

*Nomination forms, including supporting information, have been dispatched to all voting Members of IFLA on 24 April 2015.