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Presidential Elections
2005-2007


Statement of Candidacy for IFLA President-Elect

To serve as President 2007-2009

Cristóbal Pasadas Ureña
(Spain)

Cristóbal Pasadas Ureña
Universidad de Granada
Biblioteca, Facultad de Psicologia
Campus de Cartuja
18071 GRANADA, Spain
Tel. +(34)(95)8243777/958242976
Fax +(34)(95)8242976
E-mail: cpasadas@ugr.es

Through my experience in IFLA since 1997 I have been able to get a view from different perspectives of the main challenges currently faced by IFLA and the professional associations worldwide.

In order to consolidate and strengthen IFLA's position as the international voice of libraries and the profession we must secure:

  • Adequate operation of Core Activities like FAIFE, ALP, CLM..., whose remits are vital for the profession and society
  • More effective co-ordination between programmes of Sections, Divisions and Core Activities, in order to develop
    • indicators of contributions that libraries make to society
    • frameworks for the lifelong literacy agenda as the primary role of libraries in bridging the education and information divide within and among countries
    • advocacy for open access to fight inequalities in information access
    • partnerships with other organizations and professionals for improved use of resources available to the community.
This could best be achieved if we focus on the:
  • Financial situation of IFLA, which should be based primarily on
    • the mutual strengthening of IFLA and the associations, especially in those regions with structural weaknesses and lack of leadership, through ALP, the Regional Offices, or programmes like GLAD
    • marketing IFLA and associations membership among academic institutions, library schools, colleagues in well-resourced environments, ...
    • better use of the expertise available through Standing Committees and Advisory Boards
  • Governance of IFLA to
    • encourage and facilitate the participation at every level of decision-making and action by members, especially those proficient in languages other than English
    • improve the coordination of translations available through IFLANET as the professional repository of CPD materials for more members and countries.
I should be delighted and honoured to serve as your President-Elect and President working with you to see IFLA and the associations thrive along these lines!