Five librarians selected as 2015 IFLA/OCLC Fellows

2015 Fellows are from Pakistan, Philippines, Serbia, Swaziland and Zimbabwe

DUBLIN, Ohio, 19 August 2014—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 2015. The program supports library and information science professionals from countries with developing economies.

The 2015 IFLA/OCLC Fellows were announced today by Skip Prichard, OCLC President and CEO, at a news conference during the World Library and Information Congress: 80th IFLA General Conference and Assembly in Lyon, France. The 2015 Fellows are:

• Stanislava Gardašević, Librarian, National Library of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia
• Ntombikayise Nomsa Mathabela, Assistant Librarian, University of Swaziland, Kwaluseni, Swaziland
• Masimba Muziringa, Assistant Librarian, University of Zimbabwe Libraries, Harare, Zimbabwe
• Martin Julius V. Perez, Archivist, Department of Foreign Affairs, Pasay City, Philippines
• Sadaf Rafiq, Librarian, CMH Lahore Medical College & Institute of Dentistry, Lahore, Pakistan

The 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 2015, the program will have welcomed 75 librarians and information science professionals from 38 countries.

“The IFLA/OCLC Fellows are remarkable librarians who go on to make significant contributions to libraries in their home countries,” said Mr. Prichard. “Many participants have gone on to become leaders in professional library associations, teachers in library schools and mentors to young professionals. The Fellowship Program is an investment in the future of libraries and librarianship on a global scale.”

During the four-week program, the Fellows will 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.

“The IFLA/OCLC Fellowship was inspirational. We are re-energized and filled with fresh ideas and knowledge, which will have a significant impact in our community,” said Sonam Wangdi, 2014 Fellow from Bhutan.

The program also gives Fellows the chance to share their home customs and cultures with other Fellows, with colleagues they meet during the program, and with their hosts. The Fellows give formal and informal presentations about their home countries and libraries, and the challenges facing libraries in their home countries. As their program concludes, Fellows translate their program experiences into specific development plans to guide their continued growth and personal contributions to their home institutions and countries of origin.

The selection committee for the 2015 Fellowship program included: Fiona Bradley, IFLA; Sarah Kaddu, National Library of Uganda; Nancy Lensenmayer, OCLC; Robert Moropa, University of Pretoria, South Africa; George Needham, OCLC; and Susanne Riedel, Universitätsbibliothek Bielefeld, Germany.

Application information for the 2016 Fellowship Program is available on the OCLC website. Information about Fellowship Program sponsorship opportunities for interested organizations is also available on the website.

About OCLC

Founded in 1967 and headquartered in Dublin, Ohio, OCLC is a nonprofit library service and research organization that has provided computer-based cataloging, reference, resource sharing, e-content, preservation, library management and Web services to 72,000 libraries in 170 countries and territories. OCLC and its member libraries worldwide have created and maintain WorldCat, the world’s richest online resource for finding library materials. Search WorldCat.org on the Web at www.worldcat.org. For more information, visit www.oclc.org.

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 Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1927 at an international conference, IFLA now has 1,500 Members in approximately 150 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 IFLA headquarters. More information can be found at www.ifla.org.