Michael Zubal, a manager of Zubal Books in Cleveland, Ohio, related two instances when his store was involved with stolen books. The first took place in 1995 when he purchased a first edition of Tarzan and the Lost Empire (1929) by Edgar Rice Burroughs from an individual who came into the store. Shortly afterwards he … Continue reading Security, Inventory, and Provenance
The panelists addressed the topic from a variety of angles. Bogdan Filip Zerek, head of the conservation department at the National Library of Poland, presented an exhaustive study of how the library combated the effects of water damage in the Krasiński Palace in Warsaw, built in the 17th century, which houses the library’s iconographic collections. … Continue reading Preparing for the Worst
Lili Boshevska, director of the University St. Kliment Ohridski Library in Bitola—one of five national libraries in Macedonia—said that the majority of the UN goals are already mirrored in national policy. “Sustainability is possible,” she said, “but there is still much to be done by 2030.” Combating poverty by eradicating illiteracy is one of Macedonia’s … Continue reading National Libraries and Sustainable Development
Section Chair Jayshree Mamtora said that the problems these countries face—relations with indigenous peoples, developing economies, immigration, climate change, multilingual populations, and communication over vast distances—are all being addressed by libraries that are experimenting with new ways of contributing to the social and economic development of the communities they serve. Keynote speaker Loida Garcia-Febo, a … Continue reading Libraries Improving Lives in Asia and Oceania
OCLC made use of the occasion to showcase its services at its “Industry Symposium” on August 14. President and CEO Skip Prichard compared the work of OCLC with the Disneyland attraction It’s a Small World, saying that “Making the big world of information small enough to manage is what we do.” Prichard added that OCLC … Continue reading OCLC: Purpose, Place, and People
The 2015 SIBF/ALA Library Conference will be held November 10–12. Attendees will be able to interact with an international roster of experts during 15 programs on topics related to all types of libraries that cover new trends and technologies, e-resources, innovative spaces and services, rebranding and proving the value of the library, staff and leadership … Continue reading Looking to the Next SIBF/ALA Library Conference
Earlier this year, ALA President Courtney L. Young, with support from the International Relations Round Table Advisory Award Committee, honored four libraries with this special citation at the 2015 ALA Annual Conference and Exhibition in San Francisco. They were recognized for designing and implementing a highly visible innovative library service that was unique or original … Continue reading ALA Honors International Innovators
In February, the Music Library Association’s Best Practices for Music Cataloging Using RDA and MARC21 was published on the Toolkit, followed by the publication of the Spanish translation of RDA in March. While these are important additions and represent significant steps in raising the profile of the standard, the most important news this year may … Continue reading RDA’s New Governance Structure
With advanced technology and the ability to connect globally, the Indianapolis Public Library (IPL) formed partnerships with the eight international cities that are part of Indianapolis’s Sister City Program. IPL has made connections so far with Campinas, Brazil; Hangzhou, China; Cologne, Germany; and Piran, Slovenia. The first meetings involved a collection exchange between each city. … Continue reading The Indianapolis Public Library Goes Global
The opening session on August 16 began with a dynamic performance by South African actor, poet, and author Gcina Mhlophe, one of the few women storytellers in the country. Against a backdrop of images of African scenery and wildlife, Mhlophe described how creativity and musical rhythm were born long ago on the continent, and people … Continue reading Strong Libraries, Heritage, and Crises: IFLA in Africa
