About IFLA and the Libraries for the Blind Section
IFLA is the acronym for International Organisation of Library Association and Institutions. The organisation is led by a President, at the moment Alex Byrne form Australia. We also have a President Elect named Claudia Lux, from Germany who will take office after the World Library and Information Congress in Durban 19-25 August. Her motto is "Libraries on the agenda", which should be interpreted thee political agenda.
IFLA operates on three pillars:
- The Society Pillar focuses on the role and impact of libraries and information services in society and the contextual issues that condition and constrain the environment in which they operate across the world
- The Profession Pillar focuses on the issues covered by the long established Core Activities - ALP, ICABS, PAC, UNIMARC - and the Sections and Divisions. They lie at the core of our professional practice and help libraries and information services to fulfil their purposes and to shape responses to the needs of clients in a rapidly changing global environment. ALP has contributed to this conference by giving us grants for 10 African participants.
- The Members Pillar is of course central to IFLA. It includes the services IFLA offers to members, management of their membership of IFLA, conferences and publications.
IFLA Libraries for the Blind is one of 38 sections that form the basis for the organisation. Each section has a Standing Committee led by chair and secretary.
The Section of Libraries for the Blind concerns itself with library services for the blind and other people with print disabilities. The main purposes of the Section are to promote national and international cooperation in this field, and to encourage research and development in all aspects of this area, thus improving the access of information for the blind and other people with print disabilities. The Section is thus concerned with the implementation of service goals, standardization of material, problems of copyright, bibliographic control, technical standards, free transmission of postal and telecommunications or any means of distribution of material, and the identification of the locations of special format collections and activities for the blind and other people with print disabilities. More about IFLA at www.ifla.org
