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.
Local governments are not just a key stakeholder for many libraries, but also a key ally in making the case for a stronger recognition of the role of culture, cultural institutions and cultural actors in advancing sustainable development. We were therefore very happy to join United Cities and Local Governments' Culture Summit, focused on building recognition of this role, and to sign a memorandum of understanding allowing us to take this work further.
IFLA Secretary General Sharon Memis will talk alongside world mayors and leaders from sister organisations at the United Cities and Local Government Culture (UCLG) Summit.
Libraries were on show at the UN High-Level Political Forum 2023, with representatives from every continent underlining both the reach and depth of our contribution to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
In the last of our series, find out what IFLA's representatives at the 2023 High Level Political Forum are looking to achieve, for libraries and their users, nationally and globally.
To help you get to know the experience and perspectives of the librarians attending this year's High-Level Political Forum, we're sharing their answers to a short set of questions. In this article - the second of three - we find out what their message is to the wider development community around how libraries can contribute to achieving the SDGs.
For the first time since the agreement of the SDGs in 2015, IFLA will be represented at the United Nations' High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) by a delegation including librarians from every world region. To help you get to know team libraries at HLPF 2023, we asked them about their experience and ambitions.
The biggest event on in the annual SDG calendar, the High-Level Political Forum is an opportunity for taking stock of progress towards the goals of the United Nation's (UN) 2030 Agenda, sharing innovations, and identifying priorities. IFLA will for the first time have a delegation made up of librarians from every world region, sharing stories of how libraries deliver development, and engaging with governments.
As part of the UN Science, Technology and Innovation Forum, IFLA was proud to host a side-event focused on how libraries help make open science work in ways that maximise its contribution to development. At the heart of this is the need to apply principles of sustainable development - leaving no-one behind, taking a holistic appraoch - to open science itself.
Join us for a side-event to the UN Science, Technology and Innovation Forum on 3 May at 8:30am New York time (see what time this is for you), focusing on how libraries are helping ensure that Open Science is delivering on its potential to deliver sustainable development.