No. 112, December 1999

65th IFLA Council and General Conference
and 26th CDNL Meeting in Bangkok

The 65th Council and General Conference of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) took place at the Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre (BITEC), Bangkok, Thailand from August 20 - August 28, 1999 under the theme "On the Threshold of the 21st Century: Libraries as Gateways to an Enlightened World". 2237 people attended the Conference, including 40 from Japan.

From the National Diet Library six participants, Takenori Horimoto, Director of the Acquisitions Department, Ms. Kuniko Kameda, Director of the Ueno Branch Library, Mr. Hiroyuki Taya, Head of the Digital Library Promotion Office, Mr. Takashi Tsukamoto, Chief of the Foreign Affairs and National Defence Division, Ms. Naoko Harai, Assistant Chief of the Book Processing Division, and Mr. Takashi Tomikubo, Chief of the Asian Materials Division, attended the conference, meetings and workshops. Ms. Kameda also joined the satellite meeting "Library Buildings in a Changing Environment" inthe Shanghai Library, China.

At the same time as the IFLA Conference, the Conference of Directors of National Libraries (CDNL) was held in August 25 in Bangkok. Mr. Tobari, Librarian of the NDL, with Mr. Chiyo, Head of the Preparation Office of the Kansai-kan, attended.

IFLA General Conference

In the afternoon of August 23, the Opening Session began with the presidential address, followed by the election of new IFLA Executive Board Members and the report on changes to the IFLA Rules. Warren Horton, Chair of the Working Group on the Revision of the Statutes and Rules of Procedure, reportedon the proposed changes to the Statutes and Rules of Procedure. The main purpose of the change is to give developing countries equal opportunities to participate in the administration of IFLA, because the current IFLA Statutes and Rules of Procedure were made in the 1970s and favoured the western countries.

As usual the opening ceremony included elaborate cultural events. The keynote speech was delivered by Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn. At the Gala Reception/Dinner held after the Ceremony, all conference delegates felt very welcome in Thailand.

The Joint Workshop held in conjunction with the Section on National Libraries and Bibliography "Electronic Publications in Bibliographies [National]" took place on August 26. Ms. Harai from the NDL reported on the processing of digital publications in the NDL under the title   "Electronic Publications and National Bibliography" (full text is available).

In the Closing Session on August 27, proposals by the Working Groupon the Revision of the Statutes and Rules of Procedure were principally agreed. The Secretary General was then to send the revised text to the membership in accordance with the statutory notice, for a postal ballot. Finally the host countries of  the 66th and 67th IFLA General Conferences, Israel (Jerusalem) and the United States (Boston), showed promotional videofilms to invite participants to the conferences.

Future Conference schedule

CDNL Meeting

On August 25, the 26th meeting of the Conference of Directors of National Libraries was held in the National Library of Thailand. Mr. Tobari, Librarian, and Mr. Chiyo from the NDL attended.

In the Conference, the definition of a national library, financial aid for IFLA Core Programmes, the mission of the International Committee of the Blue Shield (ICBS), which has taken up the emblem of the Hague Convention of 1954 for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, UNESCO and the CDNL, regional meetings, future meeting schedule etc. were discussed.

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