The updated version of the IFLA Standards Procedure Manual is now published and available in the IFLA repository and from the IFLA web page, Creating and Revising Standards. The manual was revised by the Advisory Committee on Standards (COS) who appointed a working group to draft the revised text.

The original manual was published in 2014. The 2023 revision aligned the procedures with IFLA’s recent changes in governance structure, also incorporating experience gained from using the original manual for close to a decade. Vincent Boulet, who chaired the working group, presented a thorough summary of the goals for the update during his presentation at the COS session during WLIC 2023 and a summary of the presentation is published in the December 2023 issue of the Advisory Committee on Standards newsletter. As Vincent stated so well, the manual is “an essential tool for establishing the legitimacy of IFLA’s international standards among their users and other global standards bodies.” When transparent and consistent procedures are applied to the development and revision of all IFLA standards, this strengthens each and every standard and underscores its validity.

The creation and maintenance of IFLA standards is an important aspect of IFLA’s contribution to the global library community. In looking at where IFLA should be in 2029 (IFLA Strategy Surveys, survey 4, IFLA in 2029) one of the top scoring scenarios was Go-To Standards: “IFLA standards are the go-to reference point for anyone looking to enhance library services.” Another scenario is also particularly relevant to standards work: providing the framework for “harmonisation of library practices around the world to facilitate cooperation across borders.”

The IFLA Standards Procedure Manual incorporates IFLA’s focus on global engagement by emphasizing the role of consultation both within and outside IFLA and by underlining the importance that an IFLA standard should reflect IFLA’s global membership. The manual aims to assist IFLA units in creating standards that respond to the needs of library and information communities around the globe and are widely implemented.