Round Table on Women's Issues

Minutes on the meeting held at the 62nd IFLA Conference

Saturday August 24, 1996, in Beijing, P.R. China; 12:00 - 15:00

Members present:

Mary Biblo, USA, Chairperson; Monica Ertel,USA; Ulla MIchelsson, Finland; Suzine Har Nicolescu, USA; Sandra Parker, UK; Marta Terry, Cuba; and Leena Siitonen, Secretary-Treasurer

Apologies from Yoko Taguchi, Newsletter editor, for absence.

1. Mary Biblo welcomed the members to the meeting -- and to Beijing and invited each person to introduce themselves. She welcomed Monica Ertel, who then gave an interesting report on the United Nations Conference on Women in Huairu, China in 1995. After a short time for questions and discussion, all persons present concluded that Monica's presentation had deserved more time and a wider audience.

2. Minutes of the meetings held in Istanbul, Turkey in August 1995 were approved.

3. The Agenda was approved with additional items listed as Other business.

4. In her Chairperson's report, Mary urged members to communicate more and more effectively, so that needs, ideas and activities would become known to all.

5. Leena Siitonen reported that membership has grown remarkedly. New members join the RT at every program meeting and several new members from Africa have joined the RT thanks to Jennifer Radloff's efforts. Since preparation for programs has increased secretary's work considerably, she suggested that maintenance and upkeeping of the mailing list should be given to another person. Mail, email, fax and telephone costs incurred are increasing rapidly, and she suggested that the RT should look into this matter closely. She felt that communication via email must be not used alone but supplemented with regular mail. She also suggested that the RT would benefit from having a nominated Executive Board which would divide tasks among its members. Mary Biblo explained that EB is not required by IFLA statutes.

6. Although Yoko Taguchi, Newsletter editor, was absent, it was noted that two issues of the Newsletter were published in 1995. Mailing the Newsletter from several locations reduces the cost and provides for faster and better distribution. More persons will be requested to do the mailing in their countries or regions. Also, more contacts with library associations should be established to inform via their offices and publications. Sandra Parker, UK, offered to talk about this with Yoko.

7. Under Old business, the publication by Leo Appleton: Equal Opportunities Activity in International Library Associations, April 1995, was approved. Suzanne Hildenbrand's review of this work appeared in the Newsletter number 2 1996. Sandra Parker, UK, suggested that the RT could build on this work which, although not without limitations, provides a good starting point for futher studies.

8. Under New business, proposals and suggestions for new projects were discussed:
   • A new brochure of RT to be designed, planned and published. Funding will be taken from the RT's administrative budget.

   • Leena Siitonen proposed that all available papers presented in the RT's program be published in print, and possibly also on CD, to make them accessible for wider audiences within and even outside of IFLA. Sandra Parker suggested a softback volume form and mentioned that in UK a book Equally Good was published. Funding for publication will be requested from IFLA.

   • Suzine Har Nicolescu, USA, proposed that a data base of women at the United Nation's Conference on Women, held in Beijing in 1995, should be undertaken.

   • The RT should publish a book titled Profiles of Women in Librarianship.

   • Leo Appleton's work (see above) to be expanded. Possible project for UNESCO suggested.

9. Future conferences and programs:
   • Copenhagen 1997: A regular program and possibly a seminar on women's issues to be considered. Marta Terry suggested that a panel would be better than separate presentations. Sandra Parker proposed leadership as a topic for such panel. Other suggested topics were: Wives of Experts/Officers in Foreign Countries; Education of Women in Librarianship.

   • Amsterdam 1998: Mary Biblo said that a list of ideas from members should be collected and published in Newsletter.

10. Conference evaluation form was assigned to Secretary to fill out on the basis of observations from members.

11. Other business
    • The Medium Term Program preparation is under way. Chair and Secretary will meet the Division's Chair to discuss procedures as well as the budget of the RT.

    • The RT's Secretary was assigned to act as Information Coordinator for IFLA HQ.

12. Mary Biblo thanked the participants and invited them to the Program on Tuesday, August 27.

13. The meeting was adjourned.

Respectfully submitted
25 September 1996 in Lieto, Finland

Leena Siitonen
Secretary-Treasurer of RTWI