Overview of Information Sources

 

Major International Library Associations

Association	Established	Headquarters	Key Focus Areas	Notable Activities/Publications
International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA)	1927	The Hague, Netherlands	Global library standards, advocacy, and policy development	- World Library & Information Congress (WLIC) - IFLA Journal - Global Advocacy (e.g., Marrakesh Treaty)
American Library Association (ALA)	1876	Chicago, USA	Library advocacy, education, and public access to information	- ALA Annual Conference - Publishes American Libraries - Awards (Newbery, Caldecott)
Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP)	2002 (orig. 1877 as LAUK)	London, UK	Professional development, ethics, and standards in LIS	- CILIP Conference - Publishes Update magazine - Carnegie & Kate Greenaway Medals
Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA)	1937	Canberra, Australia	Advocacy for Australian libraries, professional standards	- ALIA National Conference - Publishes INCITE - Supports Indigenous knowledge initiatives
Canadian Federation of Library Associations (CFLA-FCAB)	2016	Ottawa, Canada	National policy, copyright reform, and library advocacy	- Copyright and access initiatives - National Forum
European Bureau of Library, Information, and Documentation Associations (EBLIDA)	1992	The Hague, Netherlands	EU library policies, copyright, and digital inclusion	- Advocates for European library legislation - Annual Council Meeting
Library and Information Association of South Africa (LIASA)	1997	Pretoria, South Africa	Library development in Africa, literacy, and transformation	- LIASA Annual Conference - Publishes Innovation journal
Chinese Library Association (CLA)	1979	Beijing, China	National library standards and cooperation	- Promotes digital libraries in China - Collaborates with IFLA
Japan Library Association (JLA)	1892	Tokyo, Japan	Library science research and professional training	- Publishes Toshokan Zasshi (Library Journal) - National Library Week
Association for Information Science and Technology (ASIS&T)	1937	Silver Spring, USA	Information science research and technology	- ASIS&T Annual Meeting - Journal of the ASIS&T
International Association of School Librarianship (IASL)	1971	Delaware, USA (Virtual)	School library advocacy and literacy	- IASL Annual Conference - School Library Month
Medical Library Association (MLA)	1898	Chicago, USA	Health science information and research	- MLA Annual Meeting - Journal of the MLA
Special Libraries Association (SLA)	1909	Alexandria, USA	Corporate, legal, and scientific libraries	- SLA Annual Conference - Information Outlook

Key Features of International Library Associations

1.    Advocacy & Policy Development

o    IFLA and EBLIDA work with UNESCO, WIPO, and governments on copyright, digital access, and literacy.

o    ALA and CFLA-FCAB lobby for library funding and intellectual freedom.

2.    Professional Development

o    Conferences (e.g., IFLA WLIC, ALA Annual).

o    Certifications (e.g., CILIP’s Chartership, MLA’s AHIP).

3.    Research & Publications

o    Peer-reviewed journals (e.g., IFLA Journal, JASIS&T).

o    Best-practice guidelines (e.g., IFLA’s IFLA Standards).

4.    Global Collaborations

o    IFLA’s partnerships with UNESCO.

o    Regional networks like LIASA (Africa) and CLA (Asia).

5.    Awards & Recognition

o    ALA’s Newbery/Caldecott Medals (children’s literature).

o    CILIP’s Carnegie Medal (outstanding writing).