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Presidential Newsletter

No. 4 April 2008

Dear IFLA Members,


PresidentApril is the month of rain, snow and sun on the same day. At least in Germany, this month is unpredictable. However, your IFLA president, was steady and predictable, as she made fewer journeys.

When I was still in Ramallah, Peter Lor went to a UNESCO meeting in Paris and managed to successfully put the IFLA Multicultural Library Manifesto into the next level of UNESCO'S acceptance process. The new Digital Library Manifesto was also presented and made known to the colleagues and decision groups at UNESCO.

On April 7th I went to The Hague to meet with SIDA representatives at IFLA Headquarters. SIDA is a great Sponsor for IFLA/ALP– Action for Development through Libraries Programme. Together with Peter Lor, Stuart Hamilton, Birgitta Sandell from IFLA/ALP and Gunnar Sahlin, IFLA treasurer, I talked with SIDA about their future activities. We discussed the evaluation report and learned about the programme changes at SIDA. IFLA wants to continue to work with SIDA, but its changes of focus will affect the way in which we can fulfil our partnership. For this reason, we need more support for IFLA/ALP throughout the world.

From April 19 to 25, I was in The Hague again. The 'GB-week', as we call the week when the Governing Board and all its Committees meet, was a wonderful exchange of ideas and activities. In one week, different committees met to develop new decisions for the Governing Board. We discussed in length all aspects of IFLA's advocacy policy. It was a good meeting with a broad discussion on advocacy, a key factor for library development and sustainability. New ideas to strengthen our World Library and Information Congress (WLIC) were developed by a sub-group and discussed with the GB. The Professional Committee came forward with its suggestions for the new rules of procedure. Everybody was happy to learn that the members supported the new statutes by sending in their approvals. On Monday, April 21 Ellen Tise, Jennefer Nicholson and I went to Amsterdam to meet with CLM colleagues. We had a very nice trip, not only because of the magnificent fields of tulips in a mosaic of bright colours we saw from the train, but also at the meeting.

I am not attaching photos, as I promised to make this newsletter easily accessible, but you will find many wonderful photos of tulip fields by using your search engine.

With best wishes to all of you

Claudia Lux
President of IFLA 2007 – 2009

April 2008

The Letter of the President "LOP" is distributed at least once a month providing an overview of some of the current activities of the IFLA President, President Elect, the Governing Board and the Headquarters. It contains LINKS for further consultation and will be sent to IFLA-L and all other mailing lists organised by IFLA. Concise (one page), with no illustrations or special layout, it should cause no reception problems.