American Caucus Strategizes as IFLA Prepares to Open in Singapore

Some 200 US delegates to the August 17–23 IFLA annual conference in Singapore caucused August 16 at the Suntec convention center to identify top programs and developments in international librarianship. Speakers named a forthcoming trends study, a new online library, conference programs designed to engage new professionals in international librarianship, and the election of an American to the IFLA presidency as causes around which they would rally this year. Alluding to the tropical climate of Singapore and its hyper-air-conditioned shopping malls, organizing committee chair Elaine Ng welcomed the US delegates to the tropics and joked that the island city-state “has two seasons: indoors and outdoors.”

The annual World Library and Information Congress (WLIC) of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions, commonly known as IFLA, is arguably the most important and certainly the most diverse library conference in the world. The 79th annual meeting in Singapore is undoubtedly the first to be held in a shopping mall; the Suntec Singapore International Convention and Exhibition Centre is part of a giant complex that includes every imaginable chain store and upscale boutique.

Big news for the American delegation was the election of Donna Scheeder, current IFLA treasurer, to the federation’s presidency for the 2015–2017 term. Announced in June, the election results make Scheeder the first American to serve in the top post since Robert Wedgeworth, IFLA president from 1991 to 1997. Scheeder noted that IFLA is in good financial health and pointed to a forthcoming “trends study” that will be the subject of a WCLIS session during the conference.

Ann Okerson, chair of the IFLA Professional Committee, drew two firsts to the attention of the American caucus: the IFLA Library online, made operational in time for this year’s WLIC, and the forming of a lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered SIG (special interest group), holding an organizational meeting in Singapore. Okerson welcomed the American delegates to “Lion City,” the meaning of the word “Singapore” in English, and compared the library profession to the way the mythical Merlion, symbolic guardian of Singapore, protects and takes care of people.

Meanwhile, Russian delegate Irina Trushina showed up at the American caucus to present a special award of gratitude to Christie Koontz for her collaboration and skills- sharing with librarians in Russia. Koontz said later that many young Russian librarians are going through tough times trying to deal with the Russian government’s newly enacted laws criminalizing the dissemination of “gay propaganda” and are reaching out to American librarians for support.

Other speakers at the caucus included Russell Lynch, chair of Division II of the IFLA Professional Committee; current IFLA President Ingrid Parent of Canada; Janice Pilch, US representative to the IFLA Committee on Copyright and Other Legal Matters; and Nancy Gwinn, Loida Garcia-Febo, and Lynne Rudasill, who all spoke on the importance of involving new or young professionals in international librarianship. Rudasill, who is chair of Division I of the Professional Committee and its representative to the IFLA Committee on Freedom of Access to Information and Freedom of Expression, emphasized that the federation is looking for good project proposals. Garcia-Febo previewed conference programs that deal with how young professionals can get involved, and Gwinn urged involvement in the International Library Leaders Program.

Medical Library Association President Dixie Jones presided over the caucus, which concluded with a reception sponsored by the Chinese American Librarians Association at Harry’s Bar, a famous Singapore eatery and night spot. IFLA typically draws some 3,000–4,000 delegates from around the world to an annual meeting that moves from city to city each year. Last year’s conference in Helsinki, Finland, drew 4,100 library professionals from 114 countries. This year’s conference is expected to exceed those numbers. Representatives of the 2014 WLIC, to be held in Lyon, France, August 16–22, lured the American delegation to France with promises of cultural events and wine tastings.

LEONARD KNIFFEL is a writer and librarian living in Chicago. He is former editor and publisher of American Libraries, and his latest book is Musicals on the Silver Screen (Huron Street Press, 2013). He can be reached at lkniffel[at]sbcglobal.net or on his blog at PolishSon.com.

Latest Library Links

3h

Tess Prendergast writes: “As someone who teaches contemporary children’s literature, I have been following the surge of picture books about climate and environment topics for several years. While there has been some great scholarly research about such books, I have devised a simple framework for grouping these kinds of books. This four-tiered categorization may help you decided what to read, suggest, or display in various scenarios and for different audiences.”

ALSC Blog, Apr. 11
22h

Max Eddy writes: “It’s a nightmare scenario: You’ve protected all of your online accounts with two-factor authentication (2FA), but then your phone is broken, lost, or stolen, and you’re locked out of everything. Past You’s effort to protect Future You has made Present You’s life a living hell. 2FA is supposed to keep attackers and scammers out of your online accounts, but what if something happens to your second factor? With a little planning, you can reduce that risk and still keep your accounts safe.”

New York Times Wirecutter, Apr. 12
1d

Nik Altenberg writes: “About 100 librarians and their supporters rallied outside San Francisco Public Library’s Main Library on April 9 to demand the city hire security guards for every branch. Workers decried a lack of security at most of the city’s branches and said they are often forced to de-escalate volatile situations and step into the role of providing security themselves. The rally is the latest in a series of union actions [from 10 unions representing more than 25,000 city workers across city departments] seeking to draw attention to what they say is a pervasive understaffing crisis.”

KQED-TV (San Francisco), Apr. 9
2d

“Two years after Brooklyn Public Libraries’ (BPL) launch of Books Unbanned, an initiative to protect the freedom to read for young people, In Their Own Words: Youth Voices on Books Unbanned gives new insight into the impact of censorship on teen and young adults across the US and how restrictions and other barriers to access build upon and reinforce each other. The new report, published April 11 by BPL and Seattle Public Library, analyzes 855 stories shared by young people who signed up for a free Books Unbanned ecard from April 2022 through December 2023.”

Seattle Public Library, Apr. 11
2d

Samantha Guss, Sojourna Cunningham, and Jennifer Stout write: “Recruitment and retention are both critical to diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in academic libraries, and failing to improve retention has and will continue to derail these initiatives. Research that addresses retention tends to focus on proposed strategies, such as stay interviews (structured interviews aimed at strengthening employee and employer relationships) and mentorship programs. But there is no agreed-upon definition of retention that would allow us to assess these strategies. We should recognize that involuntary staying can be just as negative an outcome for the individual and the organization as leaving, setting the stage for legacy toxicity.”

In The Library With The Lead Pipe, Apr. 10
3d

Jackie Edwards writes: “As spring rolls around, seasonal allergies can flare up among library workers, resulting in symptoms like sneezing; runny or stuffy nose; itchy eyes, ears, and nose; coughing; and asthma. Not only are these symptoms detrimental to well-being and productivity, but they can also mean you’re less able to provide excellent customer service to library users. Fortunately, by purifying the air, preventing mold, and keeping your work area clean, you can improve indoor air quality and combat allergies in your library.”

Library Worklife, Apr.
3d

In Episode 94, Call Number celebrates Preservation Week, to be held this year April 28–May 4. The week’s events aim to raise awareness of the role libraries and cultural institutions play in protecting historic and culturally significant collections. Segments include Traci Sorell, honorary chair of this year’s Preservation Week, discussing the role of preservation through storytelling; Kathleen Monahan, special collections public services supervisor at Boston Public Library, addressing the importance of security in preservation; and Rosie Grayburn and Melissa Tedone, cofounders of the Poison Book Project, talking about their research on potentially toxic bookbinding materials from the 19th century.

AL: The Scoop, Apr. 15