My IFLA Journey

My Work with IFLA

• Member, Academic and Research Libraries Standing Committee (2021–2023)
• Chair Professional Committee, Chair Conference Advisory Committee and ex-officio member of the Governing Board (all 2019–2021)
• Member, Asia Oceania Section (2017–2021)
• Chair Division I (Library Types) and ex-officio member of the Governing Board (both 2017–2019) and
• Chair of Academic and Research Libraries Section Standing Committee (2013–2015, 2015–2017)
• Information Co-ordinator of Academic and Research Libraries Section (2010–2013)
• Information Co-ordinator and Member of Metropolitan Libraries Section Standing Committees (2006–2010)

The Journey

“You will get the IFLA bug”

My first exposure to IFLA was through the Metropolitan Libraries Section in 2004, when I attended a mid-term meeting in Singapore. My strongest recollection was the realisation that despite our diverse geographic origins we shared so much. Foremost were our ambitions to serve our respective communities and to provide outstanding services. As the leaders of some of the world’s largest public libraries, our conversations were marked by generosity, enthusiasm and professionalism.

A year later, I presented to the Metropolitan Libraries Section on the activities of the State Library of Queensland at their meeting in Riga, Latvia. I vividly remember our final dinner of the meeting. As we walked back to the bus in pitch-black darkness I linked arms with Claudia Lux so that we wouldn’t stumble in the dark. At that time she said, “You will get the IFLA bug,” and she was right. In subsequent years I attended the Metropolitan Libraries mid-term meetings in a range of cities, including Seattle, Prague, Paris and Zagreb, and I had the pleasure of hosting colleagues in Brisbane in 2009. I served as the Section’s Information Coordinator from 2006 to 2010.

When I moved to the Queensland University of Technology, I joined the Academic and Research Libraries Section. With some IFLA experience behind me, I jumped immediately into the role of Information Coordinator (2010–2013) and then moved to the role of Chair (2013–2017).

From Academic and Research Libraries Section, I progressed to Chair Division I (Library Types) and an ex-officio role on the Governing Board (2017–2019). Once again, I had the opportunity to immerse myself in IFLA, but this time at a governance level. During this time, I was also a member of the Finance Committee and Congress Advisory Committee. These roles broadened my understanding of IFLA’s financial management—particularly in the European context.

In 2019, I was appointed the role of Chair Professional Committee, which also assumes the role of Chair Congress Advisory Committee and ex-officio member of the IFLA Governing Board. As a Governing Board we met briefly at the Athens WLIC and in The Hague in December 2019. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, every meeting since that time has been conducted via Zoom. Despite the challenges of COVID-19 and working remotely, as a Governing Board under the leadership of our President Christine Mackenzie we have successfully progressed IFLA’s Strategic Vision. Members voted overwhelmingly to support the governance review and the new Statutes—which together aim to achieve more inclusive, effective and transparent governance. I am particularly proud of the Professional Committee’s contribution to the IFLA Governance Review, which included the development of a new professional structure. This structure responds directly to stakeholder comments and positions IFLA’s professional units to be inclusive and responsive to a changing professional environment.

My terms on Governing Board as Division Chair and Professional Committee Chair enabled me to build a strong understanding of the critical issues facing IFLA. I am now asking your support for me as President-elect. If you do, I make a commitment to serve IFLA and my fellow members to the best of my ability and always with your needs at the heart of my efforts.