The creation of the new Advisory Committee on Open Science and Scholarship (OSS) was endorsed by the Governing Board in late 2023 and membership finalised in early 2024. OSS continues and builds on the work of many IFLA initiatives, including a statement on Open Access and Open Access Working Party. Its members span IFLA’s regions and many library types, showing how open science affects all parts of the profession.
IFLA’s newest advisory committee, Open Science & Scholarship, was endorsed by the Governing Board in 2023. The committee is using its first term to August 2025 to further define IFLA’s contributions to these issues, raise awareness among the Federation, collaborate with other IFLA units and partners to to shape opinion and debate around open access and library values, including intellectual freedom and human rights. Other issues that intersect with open science and scholarship include copyright reform and rights retention, equity and diversity (in all forms), trust and misinformation.
IFLA participated at the 2023 World Assembly on Adult Education, celebrating the 50th Anniversary of our sister organisation, the International Council for Adult Education. Engaging with professionals and activists from around the world, we underlined the ability and readiness of libraries to realise their potential to make a reality of learning for all.
Libraries have a key role as part of the lifelong learning infrastructure of any community, and therefore are natural allies of the wider adult learning and education sector. We are therefore happy to participate in the World Assembly of the International Council on Adult Education (ICAE), as it celebrates its 50th birthday.
Under the theme 'Reading Matters: Embracing the Future', this edition of the biennial International Publishers' Congress will focus on a key area of common interest for publishers and libraries. IFLA President-elect Vicki McDonald will represent IFLA, underlining the importance of cooperation.
To mark International Literacy Day 2022, we’re taking a look at the work done by libraries in Indonesia in order to help the over 8.5 million people lacking basic literacy skills there to develop the capacities they need to participate fully in the knowledge society.
In two events last week at the national and parliamentary libraries, IFLA was able to meet with a wide range of people in the Indonesian library community, both talking about the need to advocate for our profession and institutions, and hearing about great local experiences.
IFLA has participated for the first time in a G20 related summit, the Urban 20 summit, held in Jakarta, Indonesia. Drawing on the excellent work and examples of the Indonesian library field, we underlined the importance of inclusive education policies, mobilising core infrastrucutre such as libraries, and basing decision on cultural insights.
IFLA is proud to be working with the National Library of Indonesia to host a side-event to the Urban 20 meeting of mayors, focused on how cities can draw on all elements of their learning infrastructure to deliver inclusive education. The event takes place on 30 August 2022, from 9am local time.
The Urban 20 Summit brings together mayors from G20 countries around the world in order to explore and highlight the role of cities in achieving key policy objectives. IFLA will participate in the meeting, using the opportunity to underline how a new vision of libraries, and concerted efforts to support and mobilise them.