Accepted! Emerging International Voices of IFLA & Goethe Institute

Recently, I was accepted in the Emerging International Voices Network, a joint project of IFLA and the Goethe Institute. This program is for "young library advocates to share best-practice examples of libraries worldwide engaging with their digital communities." I was accepted along with 17 other participants selected all over the world.

IFLA or the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions is the leading international body representing the interests of people who rely on libraries and information professionals. They hold an annual conference, the World Library and Information Congress which I once attended in 2018 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. (Read more: My first International Librarians' Conference)

The Goethe-Institut is Germany’s cultural institute, active worldwide. They promote the study of the German language abroad and encourage international cultural exchange.

According to the program page, "The COVID-19-crisis has been a turning point for many libraries worldwide. Libraries' digital services, previously seen as complementary to print media loans and local events, have become the main way of providing users with information. But how can we build up a digital community around a library? What does connecting to a digital community mean? What role does social media play in engaging with library users? What is the purpose of a library amidst the great abundance of online streaming platforms?"

As part of the application process, I submitted an article on the role of digital services in Philippine libraries. This will be published on the Goethe-Institute website around September 23 (next week). It will be featured on this page along with articles from other participants: http://www.goethe.de/EmergingInternationalVoices

In October, there will be three free webinars open to the public that will talk about topics related to libraries. Mark your calendars, they will be on October 8, 15, and 22, 2020 (Thursdays) at 1 - 2 PM CEST or 7 - 8 PM in the evening on Philippine time (GMT +8 time zone).

I will be sharing and news and updates about these webinars in the following weeks. I am looking forward to joining this program and meet other librarians from other parts of the world. I am also excited to share our experiences and also learn from them. 

This is not only for me or the library I work in, I will also share what I will be learning on this blog to also help (in whatever small way that I can) Filipino librarians and libraries here.