Dear Colleagues,
As you may recall, last August I issued the call to join me in the work to develop the change agenda for libraries and our profession. The societal trends discussed in the IFLA Trend Report have created both challenges and opportunities. . For several years now we have engaged in discussions to identify those challenges. Now it is time to identify the opportunities and work to chart the course to success .
We will be engaging in those discussions at my first IFLA President’s Meeting<http://www.librarystrategiesintl.com/> which is being held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on 6-9 April 2016. Under the title of “A Call to Action: Building the Change Agenda for the Information Profession”, this President’s Meeting explores issues related to the changes faced by libraries all around the world today. The IFLA Trend Report<http://trends.ifla.org/> as well as the Lyon Declaration on Access to Information and Development<http://www.lyondeclaration.org/> and the United Nation’s new sustainable goals set the scene for discussing important topics: personal competencies and library education, the institutional agenda for libraries building transformative services aligned with their community needs, advocacy for a national policy agenda, as well as IFLA and the global policy agenda.
The program includes distinguished speakers representing many viewpoints and interests. The aim is to advance our understanding of the needs and modes for change in libraries, their strategies and services as well as the change in our national and international agendas and our approach to advocacy. The results of the meeting will help libraries to plan their way forward. This meeting will be an exciting and rewarding experience for all participants. As IFLA President I look forward to welcoming you. Join us for stimulating discussion and reflection, led by several renowned speakers from many countries. On Wednesday 6 April and Saturday, 9 April there is be an opportunity to participate in study tours designed for different interests, including branches of one of the largest library systems in the world, a noted rare books library, a critical making lab, a new university library learning commons, and more.
I hope you will join me in Toronto for this opportunity to move our libraries and our profession forward. For additional information and to register please visit http://www.librarystrategiesintl.com/
I look forward to meeting you in Toronto in April 2016!
Donna
Donna Scheeder, President
IFLA
donna_scheeder@comcast.net
202-744-0818