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First Word: The 14th Librarian of Congress Erin Allen

Carla Hayden discusses her decision to become a librarian and her plans as the new Librarian of Congress. You are about to be sworn in as the 14th Librarian of Congress. How does that feel? It’s such an honor to be nominated by the president and sworn in as the 14th Librarian of Congress. As a career librarian it’s really almost a dream come true. The confirmation process was really an eye-opener for me in so many ways, because I got to meet legislators that are committed to not only the nation’s history, but making information available. So many of the legislators were historians. There were a few that were actually musicians and that really had an interest in the Library of Congress. It was just a wonderful thing that made me very pleased that I was confirmed, and that I’ll have an opportunity to work with people who understand the importance of the Library of Congress. When did you decide to become a librarian? Librarianship really has been an adventure fo...

Developing Basic and Theoretical Understanding of Library Marketing and Information Services in Nigeria

Developing Basic and Theoretical Understanding of Library Marketing and Information Services in Nigeria By Oshiotse Andrew Okwilagw Introduction The human environment is in a perpetual and constant state of flux. It is really in a restless state of flux and its impact on the human component is enormous. Thus, human beings, in response, are also in a restless state of adjusting to the dictates of the ever-changing environment. The environment is a powerful force that can annihilate the human species that refused to adjust accordingly. In the 21st century, human beings have come to accept the reality that they must adjust to the natural, social, economic and technological developments which, as noted initially are perpetually changing. These environments include librarians’ immediate personal and home environments, their positions in organisations, and their citizenship of a country. Their environments now driven are driven and shaped by electronic networks and information techno...

2015 Worldreader Report

2015 We’re on a mission to create a world where everyone can be a reader. 2015 brought us closer to just that. Here’s a look at what you helped us accomplish. http://www.worldreader.org/2015 -annual-report

Message from US President Barack Obama @ WLIC 2016

As you come together from across the globe and the United States around the importance of librarianship and information services, it is my pleasure to extend my warmest regards. Our collective knowledge—borne out of centuries of inquiry and labor, and more interconnected and within reach today than ever before—represents the foundation of economic, cultural, and social progress made by generations of our peoples. This event reminds us of our duty, as an international community, to shape a future in which all people can fully and freely access and contribute to the great, living bank of accumulated information we share as citizens of the world. As long as we endeavor to protect and expand this access—from addressing the barriers of censorship and suppression to fighting the forces of exclusion—we can bring about a future in which every person is freer and in which all our societies are more vibrant and defined by greater possibility. You have my very best f...

Libraries make an essential contribution to development

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New IFLA publications to support your work on the UN 2030 Agenda Act now to make sure libraries are included in your country’s national development plans for the SDGs!! The inclusion of libraries and access to information in national and regional development plans will contribute to meeting the global  United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development . In support of this goal, IFLA has today published a  booklet  of examples and recommendations for policymakers demonstrating the contribution of libraries to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). There is also a supporting 2-page  handout . http:// www.ifla.org /node/10545

IFLA Knowledge Management Brochure

IFLA Knowledge Management Brochure By IFLA Knowledge Management Information Coordinator The IFLA Knowledge Management Section brochure is now available in all seven languages of IFLA. We invite you to have a look and pass the appropriate copy along to colleagues and friends and fill free to distribute it on your social media and professional websites. We look forward to welcoming new members to IFLA and especially to our IFLA Knowledge Management Section. http:// www.ifla.org /node/10687

The Evolution of Content Curation: A Librarian’s Guide by Pip Christie,

Every minute, Google receives over 4,000,000 search queries , and email users send 204,000,000 messages. To say that we are living in an age of information overload where we are bombarded by white noise is, quite frankly, an understatement - but I’m sure you’ve heard all that before. What we’re more concerned about here is the evolution of content curation  to enable Librarians to rise above this sea of information. Curation can be  defined  to be “the act of individuals chartered with the responsibility to find, contextualise, and organise information, providing a reliable context and architecture for the content they discover and organise”. To succeed, a Librarian must be able to effectively source worthwhile information on a range of topics through  research , then filter through and  verify  this information to assess its significance and relevance to their organisation and end users, categorise  the data into differe...