As the 86th World Library and Information Congress reaches its conclusion, it is time to think about what comes next. IFLA calls on its volunteers, Members, and everyone in the field to plan their own actions, and to work together for a sustainable future.

With the Congress theme firmly focused on the future, there have been so many opportunities to discover, discuss, present, provoke and solve the challenges we face—strengthening our field for what is to come.

As IFLA President 2019-2021 Christine Mackenzie underlined in her closing words, the connections made have the potential to be the launching point for new collaborations and partnerships, shaping our field for months and years to come.

IFLA’s Secretary General Gerald Leitner underlined the message, encouraging everyone to think about what they could do next.

The timing is good. In just a week, IFLA’s new committee structures will come into force, finalising an intensive and inclusive process with IFLA’s Members to ensure that we have the governance we need to meet our ambitions.

The candidates who have successfully won places on these committees will have a key role in following up on our Congress, on developing actions aligned with the IFLA Strategy. Over the coming months, they will design action plans setting out what projects they will undertake.

By doing this, they will help create a strong and united library field, powering literate, informed, and participatory societies.

Yet the need for action does not only concern IFLA’s committee structures. It is also a task for anyone committed to the future of our field, including of course our Members – associations, institutions, individuals.

The IFLA Strategy provides a reference point and a framework for the global library field as a whole, helping to guide and align actions, especially those carried out through collaboration.

IFLA itself will, in the coming months, be engaging again with the field about the Strategy, gathering stories of successful implementation, and helping to build understanding of its potential to support strategic planning and delivery.

We look forward to working with you all.

We are IFLA!