For the position of Governing Board Member 2017-2019

2nd term

Frederick Zarndt

Dear Colleagues,

In August 2017, I will have served as Chair of IFLA Division 2 and on the Governing Board for 2 years. I would like to continue on the Governing Board when my current term ends after WLIC 2017. For this I need your votes. 

Why should you vote for me rather than other well-qualified candidates?

Here’s why …

Since attending my first IFLA sponsored meeting in Salt Lake City 2005, I have been active in IFLA as Chair and Secretary of the News Media section (8 years) for which I recruited new IFLA and News Media members to bring the News Media from endangered (too few members) to comfortably above the number of members required by IFLA statutes. In addition, I was instrumental in organizing midyear conferences in all but one of those 8 years in Paris, Stockholm, Singapore, New Delhi, Kuala Lumpur, and elsewhere. Also very active as a member of the Committee on Standards (2 years) where I helped draft the current Standards Manual and was an outspoken promoter for collaboration between IFLA technical standards and other standards communities such as W3C and IETF. And now as Chair of Division 2 and a Governing Board member, I am GB representative to the CLM and FAIFE Committees and have worked with IFLA staff to discover, test, and license a new communications service (Zoom) which is now available to all IFLA officers to use, replacing widely used but only randomly reliable Skype.

Governing Board Goals   

During my next 2 years on the Governing Board, I will…

  1. Work to facilitate better communication between IFLA Members
    Communication is key to better understanding. Without good personal and organizational communications, it is inevitable that one makes assumptions about the organization’s or the other person’s intent, which, more frequently than not, at best leads to misunderstandings and at worst to animosity. An IFLA license for Zoom conference services is a first step toward better communications but more is needed. For example, better use of other technologies like blogs, Twitter, and Facebook. A well designed, easy to navigate, and simple to maintain website for IFLA. Furthermore, sections must be aware of other sections activities in order to promote and encourage collaboration between professional units. This has already begun with standardized templates for each section’s Action Plans and Annual Reports. The Athens Vision Meeting will also help this immensely. This awareness must continue to be developed, and as a Governing Board member, I will strive to ensure that it does.
     
  2. Encourage IFLA sections to organize professional development activities
    Professionals in countries with strong library systems underestimate the thirst for knowledge and willingness to learn in countries with weaker library systems. Since 2014 the News Media section has sponsored digitization workshops in Malaysia, India, South Africa, and Kenya. Along with colleagues from the Library of Congress, Singapore National Library Board, and Bibliothèque nationale de Luxembourg, I have co-lead these workshops which varied in length from 1 to 3 days. Participants were invariably enthusiastic and always wanted more. The workshops were funded through IFLA project funds (leaders’ travel costs) and by local organizers and for-profit companies that serve the library community (all local costs). Can similar workshops be organized by other sections with its most experienced members leading workshops to teach skills to inexperienced and under-experienced library professionals whether they are IFLA members or not? Of course! I will encourage and promote this as a Governing Board member.
     
  3. Encourage institutional members to include IFLA activities in their planning activities
    My experience as an officer of the News Media / Newspaper section showed that tasks agreed to at section meetings are done by only a few. For example, a section may have 100 members, but only 30 participate in section meetings. Of those 30 only 15 volunteer for section work, and of those 15 only half reliably complete tasks for which they volunteered. Why? Their "real" job takes precedence over section work. As Division 2 Chair I have worked toward gaining more prestige for IFLA tasks and projects and to encourage libraries to set aside time for it. As a continuing Governing Board member I would do the same. How? By recognizing projects completed by volunteers in IFLA’s "Latest News". By creating awards for the volunteers who successfully complete section tasks. By asking IFLA's President to send awards to volunteers and to the heads of volunteers' libraries. Through these and more.
     
  4. Review IFLA governance
    IFLA is the international voice for libraries and librarians everywhere. As such IFLA must operate fairly, effectively, and efficiently. To facilitate this, IFLA statutes, rules of procedure, and governance must be reviewed periodically and adapted to function in current technology, economic, and political climates. A periodic external review of IFLA’s statutes, rules, and governance by an organization that specializes in reviewing similar organizations as well as an annual rigorous self-assessment is essential. As a Governing Board member, I will ensure review of IFLA’s governance and adapt it as needs be.

Frederick Zarndt
CEO
Global Connexions
Coronado, California
United States of America