Dear Colleagues

On behalf of the Governing Board of IFLA, I am writing to you to invite you to nominate an individual to a place on the IFLA/FAIFE Committee.

The deadline for the receipt of nominations* at IFLA Headquarters is Wednesday, 23 February 2011. No late submissions will be accepted.


FAIFE is an initiative within IFLA to defend and promote the basic human rights defined in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The FAIFE Committee furthers freedom of access to information and freedom of expression in all aspects, directly or indirectly, related to library and information services.

FAIFE monitors the state of intellectual freedom within the library and information community worldwide, supports IFLA policy development and cooperation with other international human rights organizations, and responds to violations of free access to information and freedom of expression.

I enclose a list of the current members of the committee. As you will see, there are seven vacancies for the term of office 2011-2015.

Only one nomination will be accepted from each member. In selecting the members of the Committee from amongst those nominated, the Governing Board has adopted a policy of appointing only one member from any one country. The Board also takes into account the need to ensure wide geographical representation on the Committee. Members are urged to nominate only those who have significant interest and expertise in the issues within the Committee’s terms of reference.

Nominees should have:

  • a reasonable expectation of being able to attend (without cost to IFLA) the business and professional meetings of the Committee. The meetings are usually held before and during the IFLA World Library and Information Congress beginning in San Juan, Puerto Rico in August 2011 and up to and including 2015;
  • the ability to report authoritatively on the state of the affairs in their own country and its region, and actively promote freedom of access to information and freedom of expression issues.
  • a working knowledge of at least one of the working languages of IFLA (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Spanish and Russian). Business is conducted generally in English so competence in English is necessary to enable participation, but it is also important to have a good representation of the IFLA working languages; and
  • the ability and willingness to contribute regularly to the work of the committee in between congresses by email or fax.

The completed nomination forms will be sent to the chair of the Committee, Kai Ekholm. He will be asked to make recommendations to the Governing Board on the selection of names from amongst those nominated.

The maximum size of the IFLA/FAIFE committee is 15 members.

The Governing Board will appoint the members of the Committee at its meeting during the week beginning 18 April 2011. Successful nominees will be informed as soon as possible after the meeting so that arrangements can be made to attend the IFLA World Library and Information Congress in San Juan, Puerto Rico, 13-18 August 2011.

Please use only the enclosed nomination form. It must be signed by the authorised signatory. This is the individual who is listed in IFLA’s records as the organization’s highest official and whose name appears on the attached nomination form.

I am looking forward to receiving your response.

Yours sincerely,

Jennefer Nicholson
Secretary General

*Missing nomination forms can be requested from IFLA HQ at ifla@ifla.org