Category Archives: General

CPDWL Standing Committee Member Highlight: Alan Brine

“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 members, who they are and what they do!

In this post, we highlight Alan Brine, co-chair of CPDWL!

 

Why are you a standing committee member of CPDWL and what are you working on for CPDWL Section at the moment? 
Alan: I joined the CPDWL to bring the work I am doing with my professional association in development and learning to a wider audience and to also make connections between IFLA and the association to a wider audience. This benefits everyone by sharing things globally. Currently I co-chair, work on the SCs guidelines for CPD in a post-Covid world; manage the newsletter, work with other SCs on forthcoming projects and on a satellite for next year’s WLIC.
What is one advice you have for new librarians interested in getting involved in IFLA or in their library associations for professional development? 
Alan: Whether IFLA or your national association members are looking for help with projects. Do not hesitate to get in touch. You will be welcomed.

CPDWL Standing Committee Member Highlight: Ivana Todorovic

“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 members, who they are and what they do!

In this post, we highlight Ivana Todorovic, CPDWL standing committee member!

Why are you a standing committee member of CPDWL and what are you working on for CPDWL Section at the moment? 
Ivana:My interest in ongoing professional development as a part of my professional activities led me to become involved in the CPDWL section as a standing committee member. Thanks to my position on the CPDWL standing committee, I get the chance to learn a lot about the latest PD initiatives globally and network with dedicated professionals. I participate in the CPD Guidelines working group, which is revising the Guidelines for high-quality CPD in an online setting. I am currently translating the poster that was displayed at WLIC in Dublin into Serbian. I am confident that the fundamental principles of high-quality online learning discussed in the poster will assist library and information professionals in Serbia in developing and broadening their current scope of practice.
What is one advice you have for new librarians interested in getting involved in IFLA or in their library associations for professional development? 
Ivana: I would strongly advise new librarians to join a group that is most compatible with their interests. They should be ready to participate actively in order to expand their horizons and advance their careers.

Presenting the e-book “Beyond Virtual and Hybrid Programs: How Libraries Recreated a Community During the COVID-19 Pandemic” by The REFORMA Northeast Chapter Leadership Institute

By Loida Garcia-Febo, CPDWL Advisor, International Library Consultant

The COVID-19 Pandemic ushered in new ways of providing library services. Libraries around the world continue to innovate to serve communities deeply impacted by the pandemic. On this blog post, I am sharing information about a new e-book featuring eleven of these new services hoping it is useful to many libraries worldwide. The e-book was developed by the Northeast Chapter of REFORMA, The National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish Speaking.

The REFORMA Northeast Chapter Leadership Institute announced the publication of the eBook “Beyond Virtual and Hybrid Programs: How Libraries Recreated a Community During the COVID-19 Pandemic” edited by Adriana Blancarte-Hayward, Manuel Figueroa and Fred Gitner, with original cover art designed by Ariana Rivera Goldberg. The RNE Leadership Institute is Chaired by Mary Marques.

“Librarians around the world were challenged during the hard months of the pandemic on how to provide library services and resources to patrons of all ages. We had to experiment, create, and adapt! We navigated from in-person and face-to-face meetings to the anonymity of the virtual world. We put in practice our creativity and delivered services to our community.”

“Beyond Virtual and Hybrid Programs” includes eleven programs created during the global health emergency of the pandemic:

  • Smoking Ballerinas and Red-Hot Bolsheviks: Making the Artwork of Frances Lichten
  • Accessible Prof Talks
  • YA Comics Chat
  • The Class
  • Virtual Tech Tuesdays
  • Santa Rosa Zine Fest
  • Queens Memory COVID-19 Project
  • Write Now! A Writer’s Collective
  • Library and Student Support Services Virtual Summer Bridge Program
  • We Need to Talk: Conversations About Racism for a More Resilient Las Vegas
  • Senior Art During the Pandemic by Evelyn Ray

This project was developed by the REFORMA Northeast Chapter Leadership Institute with support from the REFORMA National Grant 2022.

To download the free PDF copy of this eBook and to access the webinar recording session of the eBook launch presentation, visit https://tinyurl.com/BeyondVirtualandHybridPrograms.

Thank you on behalf of the REFORMA Northeast Chapter Leadership Institute Team!

 

REFORMA Northeast Chapter represents the following states: Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island. The chapter advocates for the improvement of library and information services for Spanish speakers and people of Hispanic/Latino origin in the six-state area at the local, regional, and national levels.

REFORMA Established in 1971 as an affiliate of the American Library Association (ALA), REFORMA has actively sought to promote the development of library collections to include Spanish language and Latino oriented materials; the recruitment of more bilingual and bicultural library professionals and support staff; the development of library services and programs that meet the needs of the Latino community; the establishment of a national information and support network among individuals who share our goals; the education of the U.S. Latino population in regards to the availability and types of library services; and lobbying efforts to preserve existing library resources centers serving the interest of Latinos.

International Library Dialogues as an Effective Tool of Professional Development and Exchange

On December 23, 2022, M. Rudomino All Russia State Library for Foreign Literature (LFL) and the Russian Library Association Section on International Cooperation (RLA SIC) held a round table devoted to the world libraries’ collaboration in the framework of the LFL project “International Library Dialogues”. More then 40 library specialists from 20 Russian regions took part in this hybrid event.

IFLA CPDWL SC member (2017-2021) and current Advisory Group member Svetlana GOROKHOVA moderated the meeting and delivered a presentation on the US-Russia Library Dialogue, CPDWL SC member Daria BELIAKOVA presented Rudomino Award for the best international library project and acted as a key discussant. IFLA SET Chair Albyna KRYMSKAYA moderated the hybrid brainstorm of the second part of the meeting.

The meeting was divided into two parts. During the first one the participants analyzed the work of two oldest and most elaborated dialogues – German-Russian Library Dialogue and US-Russia Library Dialogue, trying to single out characteristic features of the dialogue as a specific form of professional communication.

German-Russian Dialogue is primarily devoted to the issues of book collections looted during the World War II and goes back to the 1990-ies. During the years of its existence the Dialogue involved about 500 specialists from Germany and Russian regions, aiming at collecting data on looted collections and generating joint projects allowing to restore their original state in hybrid formats.

US-Russia Dialogue was launched in 2016 and since then developed into a dynamic professional space producing new forms of communication centered around the issues of libraries working with their communities. 5 meetings of the Dialogue took place in the USA, Russia and online, covering such burning issues as libraries supporting their communities during the pandemic and role of the libraries in the achieving the UN sustainable development goals. About 200 specialists from the USA and Russia took part in the work of the Dialogue enhancing competencies related to better understanding of the communities our libraries serve.

The second part was built as a brainstorm of offline and online participants in order to group the characteristic features, suggest ways of further development of the project including new types of dialogues and possible themes for discussion.

Based on the results of the discussion LFL Rudomino Academy and RLA SIC plan to develop a training course for CIS and Russian libraries on how to initiate, launch and realize Library Dialogues in their professional communities.

At the end of the meeting the second round of the Rudomino Award for the best international library project was presented to further stimulate the international activities of the Russian libraries.

Recording in Russian is available here: видеозапись круглого стола.

We would be glad to provide additional information if needed.

Written by Svetlana GOROKHOVA

CPDWL Standing Committee Member Highlight: Heba Ismail

“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 members, who they are and what they do!

In this post, we highlight Heba Ismail, CPDWL standing committee member!

Why are you a standing committee member of CPDWL and what are you working on for CPDWL Section at the moment? 
Heba: I am a standing committee member because I do believe that the professional development is the key to master skills, what the SC do is a marvelous job by helping librarians worldwide, and by giving professionals the opportunity to learn and apply new knowledge and skills that can help them in their daily job and further their career, since I love volunteering, I like to be part of what CPDWL SC do and I am honored of doing that. I am currently involved with my colleague Mantra in Creating CPDWL Award.
What is one advice you have for new librarians interested in getting involved in IFLA or in their library associations for professional development? 
Heba: Engage, learn, involve, be open-minded to other culture & colleagues and do not be afraid.

CPDWL Standing Committee Member Highlight: Daria Beliakova

“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 members, who they are and what they do!

In this post, we highlight Daria Beliakova, CPDWL standing committee member!

Why are you a standing committee member of CPDWL and what are you working on for CPDWL Section at the moment? 
Daria: I joined the SC CPDWL because for many years my professional activity has been connected with professional development programs for Russian librarians, with the study and spread of foreign library experience, with the organization of international professional exchanges. As a member of the Standing Committee, I constantly broadcast information about the work of IFLA departments to the Russian library community, prepare publications for the blog and newsletter of our section. I take part in the preparation of a special Knowledge Cafe event, participate in coaching sessions as a coach for Russian-speaking librarians, contributed to the translation into Russian of the full text of the Guidelines for continuing professional education and measures for its adaptation. Gathered information about the organization of distance professional development programs in Russia to develop an appendix to this manual. I also recorded two audio interviews with Russian library leaders for the Russian CPDWL podcast series.
What is one advice you have for new librarians interested in getting involved in IFLA or in their library associations for professional development? 
Daria: Be proactive! Your professional association, as well as IFLA, is in dire need of your fresh ideas and energy. Get to know your colleagues in the professional association, their activities, achievements, work style, even their mistakes. You can use this rich experience in your work. By becoming a member of a professional association, you have a whole network of partners and experts at your disposal who will be happy to take part in the projects you are working on. Also, you will strengthen and enrich your field of activity. You will get the opportunity to tell about your achievements to the whole country, to the whole world. And don’t be afraid! Librarians are a very friendly community of professionals.

CPDWL Standing Committee Member Highlight: Ulrike Lang

“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 members, who they are and what they do!

In this post, we highlight Ulrike Lang, co-chair of CPDWL!

Ulrike Lang

Why are you a standing committee member of CPDWL and what are you working on for CPDWL Section at the moment? 
Ulrike: As head of education and training department at the State and University Library in Hamburg, Germany, I was always interested in new experiences of learning and training. Library staff is the most important source for the efforts and acceptance of libraries in their communities. For this you have to educate and develop the colleagues. I learned that new influences and trends from abroad could always inspire and the best way to collect these experiences is in the CPDWL section.
Right now I’m serving as chair of the section and am also convenor of the IFLA Coaching initiative of CPDWL & M&M section.
What is one advice you have for new librarians interested in getting involved in IFLA or in their library associations for professional development? 
Ulrike: Always be open to meet new people and to check if their stories can be transformed to your daily work. Look for supporters at home. If your management at your institution will not support your work within IFLA or your library association it might be very difficult to fulfill your tasks in the work of IFLA. You might need time, money and other resources.