CLA Seeking Nominations for IFLA Standing Committees

The International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) is holding elections for positions on its standing committees. To be eligible for nomination, you do not need to be a member of IFLA, but you DO need to be nominated by an Association or Institution Member of IFLA. Complete information about the nomination process, section activities, and committee duties duties is available from the IFLA site: http://www.ifla.org/III/misc/callscm-e.htm. For more general information about committee work, please see the site "Serving on IFLA Standing Committees": http://www.ifla.org/III/misc/serve.htm.

The CLA is co-ordinating Canadian nominations to the following standing committees:
* Public Libraries http://www.ifla.org/VII/s8/index.htm
* Libraries Serving Disadvantaged Persons http://www.ifla.org/VII/s9/index.htm
* Information Technology http://www.ifla.org/VII/s21/index.htm
* Statistics & Evaluation http://www.ifla.org/VII/s22/index.htm
* Library Services to Multicultural Populations http://www.ifla.org/VII/s32/index.htm
* Reading http://www.ifla.org/VII/s33/index.htm
* Management & Marketing http://www.ifla.org/VII/s34/index.htm
* Management of Library Associations http://www.ifla.org/VII/s40/index.htm
* Information Literacy http://www.ifla.org/VII/s42/index.htm
* Metropolitan Libraries http://www.ifla.org/VII/s46/index.htm

If you are interested in working with one of these committees, or in nominating someone else to do so, please contact the CLA **BEFORE JANUARY 30 ** with the following information:
1. Applicant's name, affiliation, and contact information (mailing address, phone, fax, e-mail).
2. A brief statement of interest and background in issues related to the committee for which nomination is sought.
3. The name of the organization or institution providing funding for attendance to meetings, if known at this time.

PLEASE NOTE: all standing committee members are expected to attend meetings and conferences. Neither the CLA nor IFLA is able to provide any funding for standing committee members to attend such events. Therefore, members must be able to participate in section meetings at no expense to either IFLA or the CLA. If you are unable to obtain funding but still want to participate in committee discussions, you may contact a section's convenor to ask about becoming a Corresponding Member (more information: http://www.ifla.org/III/misc/serve.htm#Corresponding).

We hope you will consider working with IFLA or asking some suitable people to do so. As Peter Johan Lor, IFLA's Secretary General writes: "The work is rewarding; it presents possibilities for sharing knowledge and expertise with like-minded professionals in different parts of the world - and it helps IFLA achieve worthwhile developments on behalf of our profession."

Please contact me if you have any questions about participation in IFLA or the nomination process.

Thank-you very much for your interest!

Regards,
Sabina Iseli-Otto
sabina@alumni.uwo.ca
Phone: 613.233.6839

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In regards to Second Life

The user-driven virtual world Second Life (SL) has created quite a stir in the ‘real’ library world. Given the potential library-related benefits of immersive environments, the stir should not really be that surprising. Immersive virtual worlds allow libraries and librarians to extend their boundaries and influence into new dynamic forums, and reach individuals that have previously been unreachable (at least, ‘unreachable’ in the virtual, three-dimensional sense). And, some libraries, like those at McMaster University, have already started to occupy spaces in SL. Jeffrey Trzeciak, McMaster’s University Librarian, writes in his blog that McMaster’s SL library “will allow [them] to explore service and resource offerings in a virtual world setting.” And, indeed, a SL library can offer SL ‘residents’ virtual reference and virtual learning opportunities, which, ultimately, adds virtual flare to traditional library services.

But, not everyone is overly optimistic of SL. Clay Shirky, for instance, is skeptical of the phenomenon, seeing it more as a fad than as a revolutionary step forward in our web existences. Yet, one colleague suggested to me, that whether SL remains popular or not is largely irrelevant, for the impact resides not in the world’s name but in the world’s existence and functioning. In other words, SL has opened up some philosophical and practical doors in the minds of librarians, and, regardless of the permanency of SL itself, the library world’s present fascination with SL integration is wisely proactive. No one truly knows what the future library will look like, but librarians would be somewhat remiss to close themselves off entirely from considering the possibility of library services in a virtual world.

Thoughts?

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So, you think you can write?

Calling all students & recent library school graduates...

The closing date for the CLA Annual Student Article Contest is just 2 months away, so get started on your manuscripts!

For information on eligibility, prizes, and submission format please see:

CLA Annual Student Article Contest

Good Luck!

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This Entry-Level Position is NOT What I Expected!

Happy New Year!

A great way to start it off: with an interesting article just published in Info Career Trends. Think your first position will be everything you've ever dreamed? Keep reading...

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