“This is How We Do It: One Professional Development Activity in the Lives of Librarians from Around the World” is a new series from the IFLA Continuing Professional Development and Workplace Learning Section to highlight our standing committee advisors, who they are and what they do!

In this post, we highlight Loida Garcia-Febo, CPDWL standing committee advisor (a former SC member and remain involved in CPDWL activities) !

Why are you a standing committee advisor of CPDWL and what are you working on for CPDWL Section at the moment?

Loida: Continuing professional development benefits all in librarianship. Through CPD we can stay up-to-date with the most recent trends to equip ourselves to better serve students, faculty and library patrons, better the education of our communities, and contribute to a sustainable world. At this time I continue involved with CPDWL contributing writings to the blog and the production of webinars which I established many years ago. The next webinar will be about the theme of libraries and public awareness. This is such a timely topic as it is part of the library advocacy work we all have to do on ongoing basis.

What is one advice you have for new librarians interested in getting involved in IFLA or in their library associations for professional development?

Loida: The really cool thing about IFLA and CPDWL these days is that new librarians and everyone can connect through different ways to learn about what the different sections are working on and how individuals can join the work. People can connect either in person at satellite meetings or conferences which I recommend because one can also visit a different country, virtually attending webinars and meetings as observers, and through social media on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube. Anyone interested in IFLA’s work can subscribe to a section’s listserv or follow the section on social media to find out about initiatives from IFLA and the sections. They can also read about when they can attend a meeting as observers. In my experience, there are many opportunities to volunteer and take action, and everyone is very welcoming.