Open Letter on IFLA and FID

Date: 14 June 2001
Our ref: R2/rs
Subject: IFLA and FID

Dear Member,

IFLA's Executive Board has decided to issue this open letter to IFLA Members on the relationship between IFLA and FID, in order to correct some inaccurate information, which has been circulating.

During the course of 2000, it became apparent that the International Federation for Information and Documentation/Fédération Internationale d'Information et Documentation (FID) was experiencing financial problems. In mid 2000, FID's Executive Director left and he was not replaced. The biennial congress, due to take place in Brazil in October 2000, was cancelled. FID Review was not being published.

As IFLA's Secretary General, I was invited to a meeting FID's Executive Committee at a meeting held in Lisbon, Portugal, in November 2000. During this meeting I presented a plan, which had the approval of IFLA's Executive Board, to ensure the continuation of FID's professional programme of FID within the IFLA structure. This plan would have enabled FID's Special Interest Groups and specialist committees to continue in a newly created Division of IFLA. There would have been slots in the programme at our Annual Conference to be held in Boston in August 2001 and opportunities for FID members to meet there in professional and business meetings. IFLA Journal would have carried articles and news destined for FID Review. A special offer was being prepared to enable FID members to join IFLA at a discount. The plan was designed to ensure that FID's traditions and core values could be sustained.

However, we came to understand that this plan was rejected by the FID, although that decision has never been formally communicated to IFLA.

IFLA's Executive Board, therefore, decided at its meeting in March 2001, to withdraw the rescue proposals.

We understand that FID has, in practice, ceased operating with effect from 31st March 2001, although no formal announcement appears to have been made.

By the end of 2000 FID had 277 members, 125 of which (45%) were already IFLA members. The greatest overlap in membership was in the Institutional Membership category. Of FID's 141 Institutional Members, 88 (62%) were already IFLA members. At the time of writing, IFLA has 1750 members in over 150 countries.

Although the plan has been withdrawn, IFLA remains willing to do whatever is appropriate to enable former FID members to continue their interests and their contributions to improving the quality of information systems. FID has achieved a great deal since its establishment in 1895. It would be sad if there was no way for its distinctive contribution to continue. We would, of course, be very happy to see FID members at our conference in Boston from 19-24 August

The Executive Board would like to encourage IFLA members to do what they can to ensure that accurate information about this situation is disseminated. To that end I would be happy to try to answer any questions members may have.

Yours faithfully

Ross Shimmon
Secretary General