Dear colleagues and friends

Happy New Year!

The new year brings exciting new plans for all members in the IFLA Asia and Oceania Region. The Regional Division Committee is pleased to announce the key focus areas for the new term, 2023 – 2025. They are:

  • Implementing a Social Media campaign for IFLA Asia-Oceania Region on various platforms.
  • Increase awareness for the need for disaster planning and equipping librarians with the necessary skills.
  • Initiating efforts to promote discovery for libraries.
  • Showcasing rare materials in libraries in our region and the preservation/digitization challenges and efforts.

We aim to celebrate the work and collections of libraries in our region through the region’s social media platforms, focus on developing the capabilities of the librarians and information professionals and to build stronger library associations. With the severe earthquake that struck the West Coast of Japan on New Year Day, we are rudely reminded of the need for disaster plans for our libraries. More so now than ever, we need libraries to be prepared to protect our documentary heritage as well as how to preserve them for the future generation.

In the coming months, working groups will be established to conceptualise the work required to support these projects. We look forward to the dedication, support, and commitment to the successful execution of these initiatives.

If you have any questions or would like to support these areas, you can email me at soh_lin_li@nlb.gov.sg I welcome your comments and suggestions.

By now, most of you would also have received the email prompting you to reserve your spot for the upcoming Information Futures Summit, scheduled to take place in Brisbane, Australia from 30 September to 2 October. This event will be a very refreshing change from our past conferences, and I urge those of you in the Asia and Oceania region to take the opportunity to participate, given the geographical proximity that makes it more accessible for us.

 

So hope to see you all soon and let’s all work together for the region. #Strongertogehter

 

Contributed by Soh Lin Li, Chair, Regional Division Committee for Asia and Oceania