From August 16-22, 2014 the 80th World Library and Information Congress of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA WLIC 2014) was taken place in Lyon, Republic of France. Over 4,000 delegates from more than 120 countries participated in the Congress. Viet Nam sent 5 delegates.
During the Congress, theme of the IFLA WLIC 2014 “Libraries, Citizens, Societies: Confluence for Knowledge” has been actively explored and discussed by library and information experts through more than 400 reports in 227 sessions.
NLV delegates has actively participated in some focus activities of the IFLA WLIC 2014:
- Attending the Conference of Directors of National Libraries (CDNL) to be held in the City Hall of Lyon together with over 100 directors and representatives of National Libraries in the world. The conference focused on the topic “Digitisation as a tool for national and international cooperation” with 3 in-depth discussions on the subtopics: Facilitate access to documents in copyright, Cultural heritage and natural & human risks, Preservation of digital heritage: regional and international cooperation as a solution. During the conference, the NLV has actively participated and appreciated in two projects World Digital Library and Réseau Francophone Numérique.
- The IFLA President-Elect session to discuss plans to promote the 2013-2016 IFLA theme: “Strong Libraries=Strong Societies” with 6 papers discussing about e-participation of libraries for strong information societies.
- The IFLA President’s session to launch “Lyon Declaration on Access to Information and Development” outlining the need for access to information to be recognized an important factor for governments to achieve development goals as well as enable citizens to make decisions that can help improve their lives. Libraries must play a critical role in supporting access to information most easily and effectively.
- The session to review and discuss the implementation of the IFLA Trend Report to be launched in August 2013: “Riding the Waves or Caught in the Tide? Navigating the evolving information environment”.
Some sessions on designing and organizing library spaces, cataloguing, preservation and conservation which are the fields that NLV has been implementing major projects and/or has had particular interests in researching and applying new standards in Viet Nam.
Beside sessions for professional report and discussion, meetings of IFLA Standing Committees of National Libraries Section, Information Literacy Section, and other professional sections have been also successfully organized helping outline programs and action plans for IFLA and world libraries in the future. After the congress, IFLA Committee on Standards has produced a manual for the development of standards, guidelines and best practices for IFLA, especially the draft versions of guidelines for services for persons with dyslexia and guidelines for planning the digitization of rare materials; IFLA President announced a new grant for advocacy activities in support of access to digital information. The investment will develop libraries’ ability to react to emerging issues in the digital environment, increase awareness within the public library community of the link between this emerging environment and their work, and create capacity to undertake advocacy activities in support of policy change.
In addition, the congress has also attracted over 100 institutions and organizations to exhibit new products, technologies, books and online services as well as display posters to introduce library services of libraries in the world.
On the sideline of the Conference,Director of the NLV has had dozen of meetings with international partners from the U.S. Library of Congress, Online Computer Library Center (OCLC), ISBN, ISMN, American Library Association Publishing House, National Library Board Singapore, National Library of France, Canada, & Qatar, Software and Digital equipments providers, etc. These meetings can be seen as premises for new collaborations in library professional activities between NLV and libraries, partners in the world.
Photos of the same events:
IFLA President Sinikka Sipila delivered speech to open the 80th IFLA WLIC in Lyon
Opening Ceremony of the 80th IFLA WLIC with participation of over 4,000 delegates
NLV Director at the Opening Ceremony of the 80th IFLA WLIC
NLV Director with IFLA Leaders
Vietnamese delegates at the 80th IFLA WLIC
IFLA President-Elect session: “Strong Libraries = Strong Societies”
A Panoramic view of the CDNL 2014 at the City Hall of Lyon
NLV Director had talk with German partner on library software
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News and photos: Bui Thi Thuy