IFLA has received the following statement from the Management of Library Associations Section (MLAS):

“The IFLA Management of Library Associations Section represents a core component of IFLA members – the associations.

Halo Locher has been the Chair of the Section and in this role, a member of the IFLA Governing Board. He recently informed the MLAS Standing Committee and the Governing Board that he was suspending his participation in the Governing Board. The consequence of his personal decision was the lack of representation of library associations in decision making at the Governing Board — a situation that was not acceptable to the MLAS Standing Committee. In accordance with Dutch law and IFLA’s Statutes, the MLAS Standing Committee voted on 4 April 2023 to remove Halo Locher from the position of MLAS Chair and therefore from the Governing Board.

MLAS will work with IFLA HQ to elect a new representative as quickly as possible and in the interim the MLAS Secretary will attend Governing Board meetings in an observing capacity.

The MLAS Standing Committee wishes to thank Halo for his dedicated leadership of the Committee over the past 3.5 years, which included hosting a mid-term meeting in his hometown of St. Gallen, Switzerland last year.”

The decision affects the composition of the Governing Board until a new Chair of MLAS is elected who will then become a member of the Governing Board. In the meantime, it does not affect the ability of the Governing Board to operate. On behalf of the Governing Board, I thank Halo for his contribution as the Chair of MLAS and for five months in 2022 as the Delegate of the Governing Board supporting operations at IFLA HQ.

Barbara Lison,
IFLA President