MLAS Building Strong Library Associations Initiative
13 March 2024
The mission of the Management of Library Associations Section (MLAS) is to build and support strong, well-managed library associations.
MLAS addresses needs and promotes interests of all types and sizes of library associations and brings together staff and elected leaders and representatives of these associations to:
- Foster and improve leadership skills,
- Share experiences,
- Develop useful publications and to offer relevant workshops, seminars and programmes,
- Support IFLA’s Core Programmes,
- Advocate within IFLA for the promotion and development of effective library and library association practices worldwide.
The MLAS Building Strong Library Associations Initiative includes three overarching activities, below, which will have embedded the following MLAS priority areas:
- information integrity,
- library associations advocacy,
- financial sustainability,
- strategic forecasting,
- membership retention.
- Building Strong Library Associations sessions at conferences and events, first events shared here:
- Libraries and the Digital Preservation of Cultural Heritage 6th Conference of the Lebanese Library Association 14-17 May 2024 in Beirut, Lebanon.
- 13th Eurasian Academic Libraries Conference (EALC): Connect, Collaborate, Create: Advancing Library Associations and Partnerships to Future-proof our Profession on May 29-31, 2024 in Astana, Kazakhstan.
- Unshelving Voices: Empowering Libraries Against Censorship. ATwo-Day Symposium on Library Censorship in Mexico City, Mexico.
2. Building Strong Library Associations webinars with IFLA regions based in regional needs:
Over the last years the IFLA Management of Library Associations Section (MLAS) has followed a strategy to engage closely with the regions of the world: Asia/Oceania, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, Middle East and North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa and North America. Our webinars have focused on themes from MLAS Associations’ Survey and this year, the webinars will focus on MLAS priority areas which reflect our survey as well. The webinars feature experts and library associations from the regions.You can read a summary of our activities including links to the recording of our past webinars in the MLAS Report.
3. Building Strong Library Associations mentorship program:
MLAS will facilitate connections between library associations wishing to mentor other library associations or receive mentorship from library associations. Program will be launched this summer.
Stay tuned to MLAS communication channels such as our website, Facebook and Twitter (X) for announcements about each one of the activities.