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Serving on IFLA Standing Committees

Serving on a Section Standing Committee is one of the best ways of contributing to the work of IFLA. Standing Committees are at the heart of the Federation. They help develop policies, carry out surveys and other projects, prepare guidelines, and organise open sessions and workshops at the IFLA World Library and Information Congress. Serving on a Standing Committee provides opportunities for professional development, networking with colleagues from many different countries and helps to advance the profession.

It can also be great fun!

We have drawn up these notes to provide guidance to Association and Institutional Members considering nominating candidates for election to Standing Committees. They should also help those thinking of accepting nomination.

Responsibilities:

Members of Standing Committees serve in a personal capacity. They do not themselves have to be Members of IFLA, but they have to be nominated by current Association or Institutional Members of IFLA.

They contribute to the work of the Committee by:
  • Having working knowledge of at least one of the IFLA languages. Because most business meetings are conducted in English, a command of English is helpful, but it is not an absolute requirement. The working languages of IFLA are Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Russian, and Spanish.
  • Having reasonable expectation to attend meetings of the Standing Committee at no expense to IFLA. This means that they have to attend meetings. Standing Committees meet before and after each annual IFLA World Library and Information Congress: on the Saturday before the Congress starts and on the Friday after it closes.

    Standing Committee members will be expected to attend 5 Congresses, beginning in 2007 (Durban) to and including 2011 (location to be determined). Congresses take place in August each year. In between these meetings, business is conducted by email and post. Some Standing Committees hold mid-year meetings by agreement of the Committee. Standing Committee members must be able to arrange their travel plans accordingly.
  • Contributing actively to ideas for projects and conference programme meetings.
  • Joining in the work of the Section, for example, by undertaking projects, organising workshops, preparing translations, etc.
  • Recruiting new Members to the Section and to IFLA.
  • Sticking to deadlines for reporting financial and other information.
  • Responding to requests from IFLA HQ for advice, representation at meetings, etc.
  • Assisting in the production of a newsletter, promotional leaflet, and generally disseminating information about Section activities.
  • Helping with the translation of newsletters, conference papers, promotional leaflets and other documents where appropriate.
  • Encouraging participation in the Section by people in different parts of the world, by identifying potential new candidates and corresponding members.
  • Assisting in the allocation of "portfolios" to individuals serving on the committee (for example, editing the newsletter, acting as information coordinator, Section membership recruitment, organising translations, preparing workshops, etc.).

Existing Standing Committee members are expected to help those newly elected to play a full part in the Standing Committee's work by providing them with background information.

Corresponding Members:

Each Standing Committee may appoint up to five Corresponding Members.

These places are intended for people who are normally unable to attend the IFLA World Library and Information Congress (and therefore the meetings of the Standing Committee) for geographical or financial reasons. Their role is to represent countries in geographical areas, which might not otherwise be represented, or to provide expertise in a specific subject field. Such member shall be appointed for an initial two-year term, renewable for one further term of two years on the decision of the chair. They receive the Committee papers and are expected to maintain regular contact with the officers and other Committee members. They contribute their opinions and active support through involvement in projects, and preparation of translations, etc. Corresponding Members have no voting rights, but if they are able to attend a meeting of the Committee, they are entitled to speak.


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IFLA