ANNOUNCEMENT

11.30.17

Dear Readers,

The time has come for me to say goodbye to both you and this blog, at least for now.  As many of you know this has been a completely volunteer effort with the goal being to encourage librarians from everywhere to travel and work beyond their borders.  I spent fourteen years of my life doing just that and it enriched and expanded me both personally and professionally. While I still completely believe in this mission, it is time for me to focus on other goals in my life, although I am not yet clear exactly what will be next…

This blog will continue to be hosted and available as searching the archives can be useful when researching potential positions. I will also continue to update my book: How to Become a Traveling Librarian as well as the Book Resources page.

I wish everyone, as always, safe travels.

Kind regards, Sarah P.

 

News: Call for Papers

5.1.17 –  Call for Papers: IFLA Journal special issue on Privacy

Submission Deadline: 15 September 2017

IFLA Journal and IFLA’s Freedom of Access to Information and Freedom of Expression (FAIFE) Advisory Committee are pleased to announce a call for papers for a special issue focused on Privacy.  In the Digital Age, information is both more plentiful and more easily accessible than ever, a fact that has had profound implications for individuals’ ability to exercise control over their own personal information.  Many Library and Information Science institutions, associations, and professionals have long established privacy as a pillar of the profession’s ethical codes, but as the nature of the creation and dissemination of information, as well as its content, has changed in recent decades, so too have the questions institutions, associations, and professionals face about how to define and uphold privacy.

IFLA Journal invites papers for a special issue focused on privacy, libraries, and information professions across all continents. The issue will be published in the summer of 2018 as Volume 44:2. In particular, the main goal of the special issue is to gather the latest theory, research, and practices from libraries and information professions to further the professional discourse on the definition and provision of privacy in the 21^st century.

Guest Editors:

Dr. Louise Cooke
Reader in Information & Knowledge Management
Head of Information Management Discipline Group
School of Business & Economics
Loughborough University

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

• The development and role of professional ethics in creating privacy norms within libraries and information organizations
• Legislative rights and constraints on privacy in libraries and information organizations
• Internet technologies and privacy
• Privacy standards and norms in new information professions
• Public perceptions and behaviors regarding privacy, information access, and communications
• Education programs to inform public of issues regarding privacy and information access
• Privacy policies and practices of specific organizations
• Library interactions with public policy on privacy
• Collection, preservation, and safeguarding of digital data
• Confidentiality of services and usage information

Submission Deadline:

Articles for the special issue should be submitted to IFLA Journal for peer review before 15 September 2017.

How to Submit a Manuscript:

IFLA Journal is hosted on ScholarOne™ Manuscripts, a web based online submission and peer review system SAGE Track. Please read the Manuscript Submission guidelines, and then simply visit the IFLA Journal Manuscript submission webpage to login and submit your article online.

IMPORTANT: Please check whether you already have an account in the system before trying to create a new one. If you have reviewed or authored for the journal in the past year it is possible that you will have had an account created.

All papers must be submitted via the online system. If you would like to discuss your paper prior to submission, please contact Steven Witt, Editor of IFLA Journal: swwitt@illinois.edu.

For instructions on formatting your manuscript please consult the submission guidelines.

About IFLA Journal:

IFLA Journal is an international journal publishing peer reviewed articles on library and information services and the social, political and economic issues that impact access to information through libraries. The Journal publishes research, case studies and essays that reflect the broad spectrum of the profession internationally. All articles are subject to peer review. Articles are published in English. Abstracts will be translated by IFLA (the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions) into the other working languages of IFLA—Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Russian or Spanish—for publication.

IFLA Journal is published by Sage Publications and is the official journal of IFLA, and has an international readership consisting of academic institutions, professional organizations, and IFLA members who all receive a free subscription to the journal.

Each issue of IFLA Journal is made available Open Access upon publication on IFLA’s website.  Authors are also encouraged to make the accepted version of their manuscripts available in their personal or institutional repositories.

Webinar: Cuba Library Exchange Program

5.1.17 –

The ACRL International Perspectives Discussion Group will be hosting another webinar before the ALA Annual. Here’s the program and info:

Title: The ALA Cuba Library Exchange Program

Date/Time: 5/15, Monday, 9 am PST / 12 pm EST

Webinar Link: https://acrl.webex.com/acrl/onstage/g.php?MTID=e08d4197aeb8efd32f000aa0da6ead9cd

Summary: Interested in hearing about Cuba and its library services? Join us for this presentation to hear from a few librarians who went to Cuba recently to participate in ALA’s Exchange program and visited national, public and school libraries and Cuba’s International Book Fair in February 2017! If you are planning to go to Cuba in the future, you may find this webinar to be helpful! Webinar will also be recorded.

Speakers: Nancy Coradin, Coordinator, Multi-language Collections and Services

Westchester Library System; Diana Lennon, Librarian II, Spanish Speaking, Greenburgh Public Library

Webinar: Taking your MLIS Abroad…

3.10.17 –

Dear all,

The ACRL International Perspectives Discussion Group invites you to join Kate Holvoet and Lara Phillips for an informative webinar based on their recent publication, “Taking Your MLIS Abroad.”

The presenters will outline different opportunities for librarians who are interested in pursuing international librarianship, while also guiding you through the process of moving and living abroad. This is the perfect opportunity to get answers to all of your questions about international librarianship.

Speakers: Kate Holvoet and Lara Phillips

Date/Time: 3/29, Wednesday at 10 am PST, 12 pm CST and 1 pm EST

Webinar Link: https://acrl.webex.com/acrl/onstage/g.php?MTID=eb65f3b821fcc10209c91d6bc41355c10

We hope you can join us! Webinar will be recorded and shared. If you have any questions, please email us!

All best,

Raymond Pun & Meggan Houlihan

Co-Conveners of ACRL International Perspectives

News: ALAJobs international filter not working…

12.12.16 – FYI: for those interested in international positions posted by ALAJobs, I usually recommend going to the ‘All States’ field on the homepage, clicking on the drop down arrow/menu on the right, and choosing ‘Other/Non-US’.  This usually results in a list of all non-US positions as well as virtual ones.  However last week, when I searched using this filter, I started to receive a message saying ‘Hmm… we weren’t able to find any jobs matching your search: Other / Non-US. Please try a new search with different criteria’.

I searched all positions and found one in Cuba and one in the UK (see my prior posts for more information), so I suspected some sort of update had occurred and wrote to let them know of this error/glitch.

Today, I received the following answer: We currently have filters for British Columbia, Yukon Territory, Ontario, Nova Scotia, Alberta, and a number of other international locations. Since we do have those locations listed, a posting in one of those may not show up under the Other/International filter option.

Is it me or is this a non-answer? Anyway, I wrote back pointing out that their answer does NOT solve the problem and in the meantime will look via date posted, which is a complete pain, but hopefully the problem with be soon solved…

 

News: Guadalajara International Book Fair

8.16.16 – Guadalajara International Book Fair

The celebration of the Guadalajara International Book Fair is coming, with America Latina as Guest of Honor. If you are looking for books in Spanish this is the chance to get firsthand access to more than 300,000 titles for your library with more than 1,900 publishers from all around the world.

The deadline is getting near, register and join more than 20,000 professionals of the industry to talk about business and celebrate literature. All of this is possible by applying to the ALA Free Pass Program which offers you the following benefits:

Three nights of lodging for free (six if sharing room with another ALA member)

 

• A badge to enter the fair for nine days (no registration fee)

 

• Publication of data in the Professionals Catalog

 

• Access to services in the Business Center for professionals

 

• $100 USD airfare reimbursement (courtesy of ALA)

 

• Additional $100 USD or $1600 Mexican pesos of airfare support for the first 100 librarians that have been accepted in the ALA Free Pass Program and have purchased their ticket before October 2^nd

2016 REGISTRATION

Deadline to apply: September 4^t

Conference: The ALA Library Conference at the Sharjah International Book Fair

7.27.16 –  The ALA Library Conference at the Sharjah International Book Fair
Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

(Taken from the American Libraries article by Patricia Wand, 7.14.16)

Plans are under way for the third American Library Association (ALA) Library Conference at the 35th Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF), to be held November 8–10, 2016, at the Expo Center in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. The conference will offer programs, in-depth preconference institutes, and a poster session on a wide range of topics for librarians from academic, public, school, government, and special libraries.

The roster of keynote speakers includes ALA President Julie B. Todaro, who will focus on “The Expert in the Library,” and Center for the Future of Libraries Director Miguel Figueroa, who will discuss societal trends and managing change in libraries.

But what happens when you transplant an ALA conference into an Arabic country? The answer: Conversations about reading, technology, children’s services, faculty research, user services, and library architecture become enriched by multinational perspectives. Diverse, lively exchanges are the best way to describe the ambiance of this event.

SIBF is emerging as the largest book fair in the Gulf. Sharjah Book Authority Chairman Ahmed Al Ameri is eager to provide professional development opportunities to library workers in the region and raise the visibility of libraries. He rightfully envisions the event as an innovative complement to the ever-growing book fair. “Our ongoing collaboration with ALA is helping us in our efforts to be an international leader among regional book fairs and allows us to promote our shared commitment to the love of the written word and its creation,” Al Ameri said in his welcome to conference attendees.

Registration is now open for the 2016 ALA Conference in Sharjah, and there is still time to submit a proposal for a poster session (the deadline is September 22). If you go, be sure to take advantage of the Librarians’ Lounge, a relaxing space to meet colleagues, hold small meetings, and take a break. ALA members will need their ALA ID numbers to register and get the member discount. If you are not an ALA member, email Delin Guerra at dguerra@ala.org to get a special number. Include your first name, last name, email address, and street address in the email.

Program: Internationalizing your library: How to spice it up!

6.2.16 –  Internationalizing your library: how to spice it up!
IRRT Preconference Program, ALA Annual Conference, Orlando, FL, USA

Sarah P’s comments:  Another program with an international theme at the American Library Association Conference…

 

 

 

 

Internationalizing your library: How to spice it up!
Strategies for all types of librarians (Public/School/Academic/Gov’t-Nat’l) – IRRT Preconference

Friday, June 24  8:00 am – 1:00 pm   Orange County Convention Center, W205A

What does it mean to Internationalize?

Libraries and library and information professionals play an important role in a global world. “Internationalizing” your library can take many forms: it can mean providing other-language materials or ESL/citizenship classes in a public library; it can mean adding literature from other lands in a school library; it can mean offering outreach and instruction to international students in an academic library; it can mean increasing foreign partnership collections in a government/national library; and much, much more. It is a reflection of your level of engagement in international activities in your library. And even more. Register to participate and let’s brainstorm together!

Why should you attend this training?

This is unique opportunity to hear and learn from experts with exceptional experiences in internationalizing libraries. This is the only event of its kind at ALA Annual—a unique opportunity to meet, hear and learn from the best in the field. This training will provide you with specific “recipes” and “plans for actions” as well as “tool kits” on what new internationally oriented activities can be implemented in your library. Moreover, this training is intended to provide you with the new concepts, approaches and philosophies on internationalizing your libraries.

Who are the speakers/trainers?

This preconference will feature specialists from all 4 library types (public/school/academic/government-national), providing strategies for internationalizing. Participants will gather in subgroups of the 4 library types to hear their own specialists, ensuring getting the most relevant (tailored) information.

• Public: Mary Givins (Pima County Public, AZ) and Chris Cairo/Jackie Nytes (Indianapolis Public)
• Academic: John Hickok (California State Univ., CA) and Beth Cramer (Appalachian State Univ., NC)
• Government/National: Joan Weeks (Library of Congress, DC) and Felicia Chan (National Library, Singapore)
• School: Ann Symons (Juneau School District, AK/ International school, Moscow, Russia)

What will you bring back to your libraries?

Unlike regular ALA sessions that are short and sometimes general, this preconference will be intensive and training-oriented. The speakers/trainers will present real-life examples of internationalizing, and step-by-step instructions on implementing it at your library. Namely, “here’s what we did…here’s how we did it…here’s the challenges to expect…here’s how to overcome them…here’s the results.” You will be able to bring back to you libraries a tool kit of ideas and strategies. Don’t miss this unique opportunity!

Professional Organization: International Librarians Network

6.2.16 –  The International Librarians Network (ILN): new round begins August 2016…

Sarah P’s comments: This is a great way to put your toe in the water of international librarianship. Please contact Cate Carlyle with any questions. (See my blog post about Cate’s recent volunteer trip to help a library in Roatan.)

 

Want to build your professional network and learn about librarianship around the world? Love the idea of professional travel but just don’t have the budget? The International Librarians Network (ILN) is for you. We are pleased to announce the next round of this popular program will commence in August 2016.

The ILN peer mentoring program is a facilitated program aimed at helping librarians develop international networks. Participating in the ILN brings wider professional awareness, an international perspective to your work, new ideas, and increased professional confidence. We know this because many of our participants tell us – and we’ve had over 4500 librarians from 130+ countries take part so far. The ILN founders were recognized with a 2016 Library Journal Movers and Shakers award for our leadership as community builders in the profession.

Applications for the next round of partnerships will open in July and close at midnight on 7 August 2016. Numbers are limited, so apply early to ensure you don’t miss out.

The ILN is open to anyone working (or studying) in the library and information industry around the world. The program is free and the only requirements to participate are an internet connection, fluent English skills, an hour each week and a desire to build professional connections and learn from colleagues.

Get involved now! Find out more about the way the program works, or apply online.

Canadian professionals and students who have questions can contact Cate Carlyle, Canadian Ambassador to the ILN, via Twitter @catecarlyle

Webinar: All about the IFLA Conference 2016

3.23.16 – Reminder about the upcoming webinar tomorrow…

Intro to IFLA 2016: International Congress Comes to Columbus- Webinar, March 24 , 3:00pm Eastern  (2:00 Central, 1:00 Mountain, Noon Pacific)

Are you interested in attending an international library conference at home?

This year’s International Federation of Library Association and Institutions (IFLA) World Library and Information Congress offers you the chance to interact with global library community in Columbus, OH, August 13–19.

This free webinar will provide you with an introduction to IFLA, details about the Congress, and all that wonderful opportunities that colleagues in Columbus have put in place for you and the other 3,500 delegates from 120 countries.

To Register for the free webinar, click the blue register link in Event Status at:

https://alapublishing.webex.com/alapublishing/onstage/g.php?MTID=e851c6916a54e02d3a492a842e94b17b3

The webinar will be recorded if you can’t attend in person.  Those who register will be sent the link to the recording automatically.

Michael Dowling
Director
International and Chapter Relations Offices
American Library Association
50 E Huron St
Chicago, IL, USA
p +1 800-545-2433 ext 3200
f  +1 312-280-4392
http://www.ala.org/iro