2018 Fellows are from Ethiopia, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kenya, and Serbia*

DUBLIN, Ohio, 15 January 2018—OCLC, along with the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), has named five librarians selected to participate in the Jay Jordan IFLA/OCLC Early Career Development Fellowship Program for 2018. The program supports library and information science professionals from countries with developing economies.

The IFLA/OCLC Fellowship Program provides advanced continuing education and exposure to a broad range of issues in information technologies, library operations and global cooperative librarianship. With the selection of the five Fellows for the class of 2018, the program will have welcomed 90 librarians and information science professionals from 40 different countries.

The 2018 IFLA/OCLC Fellows are:

  • Alehegn Adane Kinde, University of Gondar, Ethiopia
  • Arnold Mwanzu, International Centre of Insect Physiology & Ecology (icipe), Kenya
  • Boris Đenadić, National Library of Serbia, Serbia*
  • Chantelle Richardson, National Library of Jamaica, Jamaica
  • Chandra Pratama Setiawan, Petra Christian University, Indonesia

“The IFLA/OCLC Fellowship Program continues to have an impact on libraries and librarians around the world since its inception 17 years ago,” said Skip Prichard, OCLC President and CEO. “The program offers experiences, ideas, connections and inspiration to the talented professionals who are selected to participate. They take what they learn here to implement new and innovative programs in their home countries. They go on to become leaders and champions of libraries, to shape the future of libraries and librarianship in different parts of the world, ready and eager to inspire others.”

During the four-week program, from 17 March through 13 April, the Fellows participate in discussions with library and information science leaders, library visits and professional development activities. The program is based at OCLC headquarters in Dublin, Ohio, USA.

“Library cooperation, as I’ve experienced and learned about from OCLC, will go a long way in helping Nigerian libraries meet the information needs of the most populous country in Africa,” said Idowu Adegbilero-Iwari, a 2016 IFLA/OCLC Fellow from Nigeria.

“I now see things from a different point of view,” said Rhea Jade Nabuson, 2016 Fellow from Philippines. “I am a better librarian, ready to overcome challenges faced by Philippine libraries.”

“The program has equipped me to further my career,” said Patience Ngizi-Hara, 2017 Fellow from Zambia. “It has been life-changing.”

The selection committee for the 2018 Fellowship program included: Ingrid Bon, IFLA; Sarah Kaddu, National Library of Uganda; and Nancy Lensenmayer, OCLC.

Watch a brief video interview with Rashidah Bolhassan, from Malaysia, who was part of the very first IFLA/OCLC Fellows class. She is now the CEO of the Sarawak State Library in Malaysia.

Read more about the IFLA/OCLC Fellowship Program on the OCLC Next blog.

About IFLA

The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) is the leading international body representing the interests of library and information services and their users. It is the global voice of the library and information profession. Founded in 1927 in Edinburgh, Scotland at an international conference, we now have more than 1,400 Members in over 140 countries around the world. IFLA was registered in the Netherlands in 1971. The Royal Library, the national library of the Netherlands, in The Hague, generously provides the facilities for our headquarters.

About OCLC

OCLC is a nonprofit global library cooperative providing shared technology services, original research and community programs so that libraries can better fuel learning, research and innovation. Through OCLC, member libraries cooperatively produce and maintain WorldCat, the most comprehensive global network of data about library collections and services. Libraries gain efficiencies through OCLC’s WorldShare, a complete set of library management applications and services built on an open, cloud-based platform. It is through collaboration and sharing of the world’s collected knowledge that libraries can help people find answers they need to solve problems. Together as OCLC, member libraries, staff and partners make breakthroughs possible.

OCLC, WorldCat, WorldCat.org, and WorldShare are trademarks and/or service marks of OCLC Online Computer Library Center, Inc. Third-party product, service and business names are trademarks and/or service marks of their respective owners.

*Editor's note: Boris Đenadić, from the National Library of Serbia, was added as an alternate fellow for one who was unable to participate.