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IFLA's Professional GroupsThe activity of IFLA is accomplished through the six Core Activities and the Divisions and Sections. The interest and concerns shared by all libraries, information centres, librarians and information specialists and their users intersect in the activities of the IFLA Core Activities. The professional work of the six Core Activities is directed by IFLA's Professional Committee and coordinated with that of the Divisions and Sections. Policy and resource matters relating to the Core Activities fall within the mandate of IFLA's Governing Board. The Core Activities comprise current and internationally relevant issues such as Preservation and conservation (PAC), Committee on Copyright and other Legal Matters (CLM), IFLA Committee on Free Access to Information and Freedom of Expression (FAIFE), IFLA UNIMARC, IFLA - CDNL Alliance for Bibliographic Standards (ICABS) and Action for Development through Libraries Programme Core Activity (ALP) covers a wide spectrum of IFLA's activities, but is also very mission oriented by concentrating on issues specific to less developed and developing countries. The objectives and of IFLA are described in the IFLA's Professional Priorities. The Sections are the basic professional groups of IFLA. The 47 Sections are grouped into 8 Divisions. Three of the Divisions are concerned with various types of libraries (e.g. libraries serving the general public) and four other Divisions aim at types of library activity (e.g. bibliographical control). IFLA's 8th Division for Regional Activities is area-oriented and concerned with all library and information services in the regions Africa, Asia and Oceania, and in Latin America and the Caribbean. The Division of Regional Activities complements the work of the other Divisions and Sections and works closely with the ALP Core Activity. Each Section proposes its own programme. These programmes are reviewed by the Division's Coordinating Board (consisting of the elected officers of the Sections in the Division), and the Divisions' programmes as a whole are reviewed by the Professional Committee (consisting of a representative of each Division). IFLA Headquarters serves as a focal point for the monitoring of the activities of the Divisions and Sections. Section MembershipPersonal commitment to a specific library type or library activity can be emphasized by participation in the professional activities of the various IFLA Sections. Serving on a Section Standing Committee is one of the best ways of contributing to the work of IFLA. The broad range of activities of the Sections, both general and specific, include projects, seminars and workshops and open meetings during conferences. Reports on meetings, results of projects and studies of special interest are reflected in the IFLA Professional Reports Series and the IFLA Publications Series. Additionally, Sections issue Newsletters which are published and distributed (in print/or electronically) on a regular basis. |
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