Gavin Mitchell and I were there representing Recollect and we were joined by our representatives from both the UK and USA — in effect, Recollect reflected the international gathering this Congress represents. Typically, 3000 – 4000 librarians from 160+ countries attend for a stimulating week of seminars, keynotes and presentations, international standards meetings, and regional committee strategy meetings.
They pack a lot into 6 days, and as if the program isn’t a drawcard enough, the opportunity to meet and share ideas with librarians from all corners of the globe is very special. The most immediate take-home was the phenomenally warm Irish charm the locals seemed to have in spades… or should I say shamrocks?
I am told the name shamrock comes from the Irish seamróg ([ˈʃamˠɾˠoːɡ]), which is the diminutive of the Irish word seamir and simply means “young clover”. It is used as a symbol of Ireland. Saint Patrick, Ireland’s patron saint, is said to have used the Shamrock as a metaphor for the Christian Holy Trinity.
I encourage you to review the program, the keynotes were pretty special and they were supported by a strong cast of other presentations from five continents. The international president of IFLA will, once again, be an Australian — in my opinion, Oceania certainly cuts above its weight in this international forum! There were only a dozen Kiwis who were able to attend this year, and we used the Recollect booth as a bit of a home base.
We all know libraries contribution to sustainable goals is admirable, but as we have found in the New Zealand context, we are often advocating to ourselves — and at IFLA I learnt this is actually a worldwide problem. We need to get the message to those that have the most influence, for example, chief executives from central and local government agencies, the New Zealand Cabinet, and so on.
Perhaps one way we can make a difference (that is both highly visible and referenceable) is to note the difference libraries can make based on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and register it on the Library World Map. This map turns five years old soon and, in my opinion, underrepresents the brilliant work libraries do for communities across Aotearoa.
IFLA’s tweet here provides more information on the initiative.
He tangata! Without a doubt the best part of the annual IFLA Congress is the people. Imagine swapping ideas and initiatives about libraries and librarianship with people from Puerto Rico, Finland, America, and Ireland in the space of an hour or two! And equally, we also had a chance to get together with Australian representatives, for the traditional Tuesday night gathering, to share ideas and influences in our region.
On a more social front, one of the features of the Congress is the @iflaglobal Cultural Evening, where the host nation showcases its cultural heritage. Dublin took us to one of their newer libraries in Dun Laoghaire and everyone absolutely loved it! We had the opportunity to meet and catch up with library colleagues and friends from all over the world — it was quite moving in these post-lockdown months. Here is a link featuring some brilliant snippets of Irish entertainment, and a pic of some kiwis you might recognise from Auckland, Christchurch, and Wellington!
On the last night, the premier sponsors of the conference, OCLC, hosted a networking evening at the world-famous Guinness Storehouse. If you haven’t heard about this storehouse, it is well worth a look at their website — they have a world-class archive which has material dating back to 1759 (read the label!). Arthur Guinness had the foresight in that year to secure a 9000 (yes, nine thousand) year lease for his brewery site. Sampling of the remarkable product is obligatory in Dublin, and it is a marvel to see 70% of patrons (of all ages) drinking the same libation, despite many other products on offer. I’m proud to note that I came home with two certificates, one reflecting my attendance at IFLA’s fantastic multicultural Congress, and the other (pictured below) affirming my ability to pour Ireland’s legendary stout.
A massive thank you to our Dublin librarian hosts, and the international library community, for putting on this face-to-face Congress (#WLIC2022). I was inspired, engaged, “enabled”, and most certainly connected with a great number of librarians from all facets of our sector. As they say in Ireland — a hundred thousand hugs and thank you’s!
As for what’s next…many who attended thought it would be great (and wise) to gather so we can share ideas and take homes from the Congress, which would be great to pass on to librarians across our motu — watch this space!
Recollect will also attend the 88th Congress (#WLIC2023) held in Rotterdam from the 21st-23rd August, 2023.
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