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Social Science Libraries Section

Strategic Plan

November 2004

Goals

The Section's strategic plan supports its mission with the following goals:
  1. Provide a platform for professional exchange and communication for special libraries and information centres in the social sciences worldwide, in an interdisciplinary way and without regard to the media support of the information provided by each library for its users.
  2. Foster international cooperation across disciplinary and national boundaries.
  3. Offer professional development opportunities by organizing conferences, workshops, and seminars for all people involved in social science information services.
  4. Maintain library- and information-related professional standards and values worldwide.
  5. Support of the IFLA core programmes, especially the work of the Committee on Access to Information and Freedom of Expression (FAIFE), as social science libraries often deal with socially or politically sensitive information.
  6. Operate with other interest groups to lobby for professional requirements in the social science library and information environment, thus enhancing the quality of information work in the social sciences in general.

Goals and Action Plans 2004-2005

GOAL I: To facilitate the sharing of information and ideas among social science information professionals.

Corresponding IFLA Professional Priorities:
  • Supporting the Role of Libraries in Society
  • Promoting Research Sharing
  • Promoting Standards Guidelines and Best Practices

A. The Section will sponsor an open forum relating to Education and Development at the 70th IFLA General Council and Conference to be held in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 2004.

B. The Section will sponsor an open forum on the theme of Best Practices in Social Science Libraries at the 71st IFLA General Council and Conference to be held in Oslo, Norway in 2005.

C. The Section will explore the feasibility of developing and publishing position papers and articles that support and advocate on behalf of social science librarianship and its contributions to scholarship and society.

D. The Section will continue to translate and distribute its brochure into other official IFLA languages. Current versions include French and Russian with a Spanish translation in production.

E. The Section will continue work on replicating the study on information use and behavior of social scientists.
  1. The Section will apply for funding to continue research based upon the results of the feasibility study.
F. The Section will continue to carry out the following activities already being conducted:
  1. Sponsorship of the Soclib listserv.
  2. Publication of the Section Newsletter.
  3. Exploration of potential cooperative activities with the other IFLA sections sharing common interests.
  4. Collection and maintenance of data for the Directory of National Libraries of Education.

GOAL II: To accomplish the action plans set out in Goal I, the Standing Committee will be expanded to 20 active members.

Corresponding IFLA Professional Priorities:
  • Developing Library Professionals
  • Supporting the Infrastructure of Library Associations

A. Current Standing Committee members will actively work to identify individuals interested in the work of the Section, who are also able to attend the Standing Committee meetings at each IFLA conference during their proposed terms of appointment.

B. Once identified, the Standing Committee will assist these individuals in their being appointed.

C. Standing Committee members will identify a mentor for each new committee member appointed.

GOAL III: In order to reflect IFLA's global mission more fully, the Standing Committee will seek greater geographic/cultural diversity among its new members.

Corresponding IFLA Professional Priorities:
  • Developing Library Professionals
  • Supporting the Infrastructure of Library Associations
A. In the action plans to accomplish Goal II, the Standing Committee will particularly recruit members from Latin America, Africa, Asia, and Southern and Eastern Europe. B. Standing Committee members will attempt to identify sources for at least partial funding for one social science librarian or information professional from a developing country to attend both the Buenos Aires and Oslo Conferences.

GOAL IV: The Section will actively seek to expand its membership.

Corresponding IFLA Professional Priorities:
  • Developing Library Professionals
  • Supporting the Infrastructure of Library Associations

A. Standing Committee members will analyze IFLA and Section membership data and send invitations to join the Section to appropriate IFLA members who are not yet members of Section V.

B. Each Standing Committee member will identify at least one library that is not currently an IFLA or Section V Member. An invitation to join IFLA and Section V, along with information on each group, will be sent to the directors of these libraries.