Stay up to date with our latest developments, initiatives, and new resources!
The UBC Working Group is pleased to announce that the revised draft of the IFLA Professional Statement on Universal Bibliographic Control (UBC) has been finalized for public consultation.
In this month's edition of the IFLA newsletter, we focus on the true superpower of our profession, communities. 💚
With their ability to regulate the way in which information is accessed, used, shared and created, copyright laws potentially have a major role in deciding not just how new AI models are trained, but also how they can be used. Bearing in mind libraries’ wider ambitions for – and reservations about – AI, a new IFLA Statement, prepared by the Advisory Committee on Copyright and other Legal Matters and approved by the Governing Board, sets out recommendations for governments and libraries alike.
Libraries play a key role not just in safeguarding music and related materials for future generations, but also in activating it today, supporting creativity and access for all. A joint IFLA-IAML webinar highlighted the richness of this contribution.
The Metropolitan Libraries Section of IFLA (MetLib) offers continuing education to help metropolitan libraries around the globe serve their communities. MetLib has annual conferences on various themes important in urban areas such as sustainability, inclusivity, democracy, fostering resilience, and others featured in SDG Goals. Read more about how globally Metropolitan libraries are serving as a powerful and necessary resource in their communities.
The update was led by IFLA’s School Libraries Section, in order to reflect the changing landscape of education, including technological advances, the evolution of the teaching role of school librarians, and the role of education in sustainable development.
Collaborative community initiatives can strengthen and foster sustainable development by boosting the creative economy to make inroads into digital spaces, turning the digital divide into a digital dividend. Read about an innovative initiative gaining traction in Zimbabwe’s Mashonaland West Province.
The National Library of Greece hosted the symposium, “Metadata Standards Matter: Building a Sustainable Future for Information” and mid-year meetings of the Advisory Committee on Standards, the IFLA metadata sections, the Review Groups, and the Accessibility Metadata Network. Read more about this gathering of metadata specialists from across the globe, who met to discuss and share experiences, practices, problems and solutions related to metadata standards.
On April 10th, 2025, the IFLA Management and Marketing Section hosted a significant event titled "Enhancing Library Services Marketing: Definitions and Strategies for Greater Impact" at the Maadi Public Library in Cairo. The workshop welcomed library and information professionals from across Egypt, including those from academic, public, and school libraries.
2025 IFLA WLIC Open Session “Media behavior and news consumption in the age of AI and digitalization” to explore the evolving dynamics of media consumption, news dissemination, and digital literacy in today's rapidly changing social and cultural landscape.
In 2025 the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) and the Universal Postal Union (UPU) have agreed to enter into a partnership for the digital benefit of libraries, post offices and the communities they serve.