IFLA Regional Section Asia and Oceania Newsletter 16: 1(June 2004): 1 IFLA Headquarters Visiting Address: Prins Willem-Alexanderhof 5, 2595 BE The Hague, Netherlands Postal Address: P.O. Box 95312, 2509 CH The Hague, Netherlands Tel. +(31)(70)3140884 Fax +(31)(70)3834827 E-mail: [email protected] Web site: www.ifla.org 1. IFLA NEWS RSAO FROM HEADQUARTERS NEWSLETTER Message from the ISSN 0858-2815 President IN THIS ISSUE 1. IFLA NEWS FROM HEADQUARTERS FROM REGIONAL OFFICE FROM RSCAO FROM FAIFE 2. HAPPENINGS IN THE REGION Kay Raseroka INDIA Dear IFLA Member, IRAQ MALDIVES I am delighted to be able to send this letter of SRI LANKA greetings as President to IFLA Members, to you THAILAND who are the heart of our great Federation. 3. CONFERENCES/SEMINARS/ WORKSHOPS The cross-cutting issues that we selected as REPORT S OF PAST CONFERENCES/… areas of focus during 2003-2005, based on the WORLD LIBRARY AND INFORMATION outcomes of the consultative process with you, CONGRESS the IFLA members, are: FUTURE IFLA CONFERENCES EVENTS AROUND THE WORLD • Advocacy as a process that empowers 4. ALP NEWS librarians to advance the full realisation of the 2003 ANNUAL REPORT belief in IFLA Core Values at local, national, ANNOUNCEMENT regional and international levels of library and 5. MISCELLANEOUS AWARDS information service operations. THE CNIB DIGITAL LIBRARY • Development of partnerships with WORLD BOOK CAPITAL 2005 stakeholders who share our values and enhance- WSIS ment of continuing education of librarians. Both WWW of these empower librarians to cope with 6. PUBLICATIONS dynamic change reflected in the emerging areas of opportunity: the Information Society. IFLA Regional Section Asia and Oceania Newsletter 16: 1(June 2004): 2 During 2003 IFLA focused its advocacy efforts communication technologies in facilitating on the World Summit on the Information Society access to information across time, space and (WSIS). IFLA members influenced the content through various media are enablers for the of the WSIS Declaration of Principles and fulfilment of the IFLA core values. Action Plan which form the basis for emerging information and knowledge society. However, time is not our side. By mid 2005, IFLA membership needs to have completed The experiences gained at the IFLA Pre World advocacy efforts at local, national and regional Summit Conference: Libraries at the Heart of the levels. Communication of nationally or Information Society, has demonstrated beyond regionally agreed and viable short/long term any doubt that this goal is attainable. IFLA activities that implement the WSIS Action Plans, members from 70 countries participated 'as would be helpful for coordinated approaches, powerful advocates for the potential for libraries sustaining concerted influence and activities for in the rapidly developing information society' in negotiation in WSIS 2005 in Tunis. bilateral discussions with representatives of the national delegations to the WSIS on the I urge IFLA members to share their local importance of libraries in the emerging experiences through Information Society. http://www.ifla.org/III/wsis/wsis-rm.html site. The Proceedings of the IFLA Pre-World Summit Participants agree that the experience was Conference: Libraries @ the Heart of the exhilarating and rewarding both professionally Information Society have been published and and politically. It opened unprecedented provide an excellent resource for sustained communication on libraries with levels of advocacy at the local and national levels. governments that are rarely accessible to or accessed by librarians. We also firmly agree that The success of this coordinated advocacy activity it is imperative for us to sustain the gains made. proves, beyond doubt that we have the Therefore we urge and encourage all Library commitment, capacity and capability, as Associations and pertinent national institutions to Librarians, to operate at strategic levels and use follow up on discussions with representatives of our influence with Governments effectively, in national governments. Where Library support of the principle on freedom of access to Associations missed this opportunity they are information, for the public good. I urge us all to urged to embark on their own local initiatives. envision success that is an outcome of these beliefs, of our hard work and courage of our IFLA members are requested to plan and devise convictions. It is important for us to recognise strategic actions, at the local, national and the significance of effective and efficient Library regional levels, to explore innovative, creative Associations at the national levels, if IFLA is to ways and means of facilitating the emergence of be truly representative of the global voice of inclusive information and communication Librarians. Continuing education for librarians societies, despite: must include the development of political savvy and effective negotiation skills as librarians • disabilities in reading and in other literacies accept that they have a significant role to play as that provide for skilled exploitation of members of Civil Society. We have to seek and information; work out partnership agreements with other • stakeholders, such as telecentres and community paucity of appropriate infrastructure and technology centres, who are providers of • physical disabilities. information services within diversity of communities we serve. This is an auspicious time for librarians to seize an unprecedented opportunity to respond Congratulations to all of us! Let us be buoyed up appropriately to and support diverse human by this success and build on it for the attainment needs for information. Librarians' expertise in of the reality of human-needs-based library and management of information, their skilled support information services at the heart Information for users in the exploitation of information tools Society. and the convergence of information IFLA Regional Section Asia and Oceania Newsletter 16: 1(June 2004): 3 I wish to express our sincere gratitude and Sections for their efforts at incorporating into indebtedness to all who contributed to the strategic plans and in the call for conference sustained IFLA presence in the entire WSIS papers, the theme: Libraries for Lifelong process: Library Associations, parent institutions Literacy, during this rather difficult, transition and other donors for their financial support. stage. We look forward to a rich intellectual feast Colleagues from all the regions of the World, the at the forthcoming World Library and Swiss Colleagues and future Librarians (Swiss Information Congress in Buenos Aires. library science students) harnessed their combined intellectual capital, tenacity, good will Our South American Colleagues will have the and unflagging spirit of volunteerism for the opportunity of a lifetime, to experience the good of our profession. Last, but not least, I wish vibrancy of the meeting of minds, as well as the to pay tribute to the IFLA Headquarters Team, forging of communities of practice across time under the able leadership of Ross Shimmon, for zones, distance and linguistic barriers. I wish you the extraordinary effort and success, despite exciting times as you stretch professional human resource constraints. expertise, explore different contexts and experience, to discover innovative ways of Participation of IFLA in advocacy, at the WSIS, bridging the digital divide in all aspects of was an opportunity that we had to take; however IFLA's professional priorities. it was possible to allocate only a very small budget for it. The total costs, in human resources, time and money, of the advocacy activities are thus yet to be calculated. The Governing Board, as part of its strategic planning activities, will consider the financial and human resource implications of IFLA's commitment to advocacy, based on this experience. The issue of financing Ross Shimmon IFLA activities, in general, is one that demands Ross Shimmon, our Secretary General, retires at serious consideration by all members, so that the end of March. He has managed both the IFLA may capitalize on shared expertise, restructuring and the adaptation of IFLA to the diversity of experience and traditions in this area, new Statutes expertly. His experience and when offered. The IFLA Treasurer, Ingrid expertise in formulation of Statutes, has guided Parent, will make a full report to Council in IFLA members smoothly across what could August 2004, and your suggestions are always easily have been turbulent waters. We thank welcome. Ross for his leadership, and personal warmth to May I take this opportunity to express our all who seek his guidance and expert support. appreciation for the efforts that the National Beside Ross, of course, there is Pat, his partner in Association Membership fees Working Group, life, whose loving support for Ross extended to have made in addressing issues on membership IFLA, in special ways. Governing Board and dues. Library Associations (LA) represent a key IFLA Staff have benefited immensely from her component of IFLA membership. We thus generosity of spirit, warmth and cheerfulness. encourage LA members to assist the Working We thank them both for the contributions they Group by providing the data that is requested, so made to IFLA, professionally and through their that efforts made towards establishing an own personalities. We wish them good health, equitable and affordable fee structure will yield joy in retirement and the excitement of seeing the results at the earliest possible time. A