IFLA History
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Publications and archival material related to IFLA’s long history, covering: its founding in 1927, relations with other international bodies, plus reports on trends, past congresses, governance, membership, strategic planning, news, reports, and various activities. Most material created before 2000.
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Item 18th IFLA Council session, 25–27 September 1952, Copenhagen, Denmark [group photograph](International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), 1952-09) International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA)The 18th session of the IFLA Council was held from 25 to 27 September 1952 at Christiansborg Palace (Parliament Building) in Copenhagen, Denmark. 68 delegates representing 28 member associations and six international organizations participated in its work. This photo was reproduced in the 'Actes du Comité international des bibliothèques, v. XVII'.Item 33rd Council and General Conference, 15–20 August 1967, Toronto, Canada [group photographs](l'Office du film du Québec, 1967-08) International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA)Photographs from 'IFLA/FIAB General Council / conseil général 33 Session, Toronto, 1967 - University of Toronto August 15-20 août.' Theme: "Library Service for a Nation Covering a Large Geographical Are". 312 participants.Item 32nd Council and General Conference, 11–17 September 1966, The Hague, Netherlands [group photograph](International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), 1966-09) International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA)IFLA-FIAB Consultative Committee at the 32nd Council and General Conference, which took place from 11–17 September 1966 in The Hague [Kurhaus, Scheveningen], Netherlands. The conference attracted 332 participants. This photo was reproduced in the 'Actes du Comité international des bibliothèques, v. XXXII'.Item 24th IFLA Council session, 13–16 October 1958, Madrid, Spain [group photograph](International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), 1958-10) International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA)The 24th session of the IFLA Council was held from 13 to 16 October 1958 at the National Library of Spain in Madrid, Spain. 74 delegates, representing 35 member associations from 26 countries and two international organizations, as well as 17 observers, participated in its work. This photo was reproduced in the 'Actes du Comité international des bibliothèques, v. XXIII'.Item 20th IFLA Council session, 27 September – 1 October 1954, Zagreb, Croatia [group photograph](International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), 1954-10) International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA)The 20th session of the IFLA Council was held from 27 September to 1 October 1954 in the halls of the 'Mirko Kljaić' Trade Union Club in Zagreb, Yugoslavia [Croatia]. 56 delegates, representing 25 member associations, 16 countries, and four international organizations, as well as twelve observers, participated in its work. This photo was reproduced in the 'Actes du Comité international des bibliothèques, v. XIX'.Item 19th IFLA Council session, 10–13 June 1953, Vienna, Austria [group photograph](International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), 1953-06) International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA)The 19th session of the IFLA Council was from 10–13 June 1953 in the rooms of the Österreichischer Gewerbeverein (ÖGV) in Vienna, Austria. 73 delegates representing 27 member associations, 16 countries, and 7 international organizations participated in its work. This photo was reproduced in the 'Actes du Comité international des bibliothèques, v. XVIII'.Item 28th IFLA Council session, 27–31 August 1962, Bern, Switzerland [group photograph](International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), 1962-08) International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA)The 28th session of the IFLA Council was held from 27 to 31 August 1962 at the University of Bern in Bern, Switzerland. 146 delegates and observers, representing 38 member associations from 29 countries and 15 international organisations, took part in its work. This photo was reproduced in the 'Actes du Comité international des bibliothèques, v. XXVII'.Item 25th IFLA Council session, 14–17 September 1959, Warsaw, Poland [group photograph](International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), 1959-09)The 25th session of the IFLA Council was held from 14 to 17 September 1959 at the University of Warsaw in Warsaw, Poland. 85 delegates, representing 34 member associations from 25 countries and three international organizations, participated in its work. This photo was reproduced in the 'Actes du Comité international des bibliothèques, v. XXIV'.Item 9th IFLA Council session, 31 May – 2 June 1936, Warsaw, Poland [group photograph](International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), 1936-06) International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA)The 9th session of the IFLA Council was held from 31 May to 2 June 1936, in Warsaw, Poland at the Staszic Palace, headquarters of the Society of Sciences. 34 delegates, representing seventeen nations, the Secretariat of the League of Nations, the International Institute for Intellectual Cooperation, the International Committee of Agricultural Libraries, and the International Institute for Documentation, took part in the work of this session. This photo was reproduced in the 'Actes du Comité international des bibliothèques, v. VIII'.Item 27th IFLA Council session, 4–7 September 1961, Edinburgh, Scotland [group photograph](International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), 1961-09) International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA)The 27th session of the IFLA Council was held in Edinburgh, Scotland from 4 to 7 September 1961 at the National Library of Scotland. 140 delegates and observers, representing 38 member associations from 23 countries and 7 international organisations, took part in its work. This photo was reproduced in the 'Actes du Comité international des bibliothèques, v. XXVI'.Item 10th IFLA Council session, 24–25 August 1937, Paris, France [group photograph](International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), 1937-08) International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA)The 10th session of the IFLA Council was held in Paris, France from 24–25 August 1937 at the Bibliothèque de la Faculté de Droit de l'Université de Paris. 61 delegates representing twenty-one nations, in addition to the Secretariat of the League of Nations, the Institut international de Coopération intellectuelle, and the Institut international de documentation at The Hague, took part in the work of the session. This photo was reproduced in the 'Actes du Comité international des bibliothèques, v. IX'.Item 23rd IFLA Council session, 13–26 September 1957, Paris, France [group photograph](International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), 1957-09) International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA)The 23rd session of the IFLA Council was held in Paris, France from 23–26 September 1957 at l'Institut d'Art et d'Archéologie. 87 delegates representing 34 member associations from 22 countries and four international organizations, as well as 20 members of the Performing Arts Libraries Section and 40 observers, participated in its work. This photo was reproduced in the 'Actes du Comité international des bibliothèques, v. XXII'.Item 22nd IFLA Council session, 3–4 September 1956, Munich, Germany [group photograph](International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), 1956-09) International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA)Group photograph featuring delegates at the 22nd Session of the IFLA Council, which took place from 3–4 September 1956 in Munich, Germany. Reproduced in the 'Actes du Comité international des bibliothèques, v. XXI'. "The [22nd] session was held in the building of the Technical High School [Technische Hochschule München]...the Council session opened on 3 September and was attended by 68 participants and 29 observers from 33 associations, representing 21 countries and 3 international bodies." [Libri 1957:vol. 7: no. 2- 3:pp. 187-216]Item 11th IFLA Council session, 4–5 July 1938, Brussels, Belgium [group photograph](International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), 1938-07) International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA)Group photograph featuring delegates at the 11th Session of the IFLA Council, which took place from 4–5 July 1938 in Brussels, Belgium. Reproduced in the 'Actes du Comité international des bibliothèques, v. X'. "La onzième session du Comité international des Bibliothèques s'est tenue à la Fondation Universitaire de Bruxelles les 4 et 5 juillet 1938. Quarante-neuf délégués, représentant seize nations en plus du Secrétariat de la Société des Nations, de l'Institut international de Coopération intellectuelle et de la Fédération internationale de Documentation de La Haye, ont pris part à ses travaux." [Actes du Comité international des bibliothèques, v. X, p.3.]Item 38th Session of the IFLA Council, 28 August – 2 September 1972, Budapest, Hungary [group photographs](International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), 1972) International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA)Group photographs featuring delegates at the 38th Session of the IFLA Council, which took place from 28 August – 2 September 1972 in Budapest, Hungary.Item 15th IFLA Council session, 11–13 July 1949, Basel, Switzerland [group photograph](International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), 1949-07) International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA)IFLA-FIAB Consultative Committee at the 15th Council meeting, which took place from 11 – 13 July 1949 in Basel, Switzerland; 45 delegates representing 18 nations and three international organizations participated. This photo was reproduced in the 'Actes du Comité international des bibliothèques, v. XIV'.Item 3rd Session of the IFLA Council, 20-21 August 1930, Stockholm, Sweden [group photograph and seating plan](Häggströms, Stockholm, 1930-08-20) International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA)Bordsplan — Fédération Internationale des Associations de bibliothécaires : conférence de stockholm - 20-21 août 1930 [3º session du comité international des Bibliothèques : dîner au grand restaurant de l'exposition, Stockholm, 20 août 1930] « Du 20-22 août 1930 s'est tenue à Stockholm, au Palais du Parlement Suédois (Riksdagshuset), et à Uppsala 3º session du Comité international des Bibliothèques. Quarante délégués et invités représentant 20 nations différentes y assistèrent. Le Secrétariat général de la Société des Nations ainsi que l'Institut International de Coopération intellectuelle étaient également représentés. Un des délégués italiens, S. Exc. P. S. LEICHT, a été empêché de joindre la Conférence au dernier mo- ment. Le gouvernement Suédois s'était fait représenter par M. le Dr. B. KNÖS, Secrétaire d'État au Ministère de l'Instruction Publique. » [Actes du Comité International des Bibliothèques: 3º session] 62 people attended the dinner, including delegates and their spouses.Item A Brief History of the Section of Parliamentary Libraries(SAGE, 1989-06) Kohl, Ernst4-page summary covering the work of the Section of Parliamentary Libraries [Library and Research Services for Parliaments Section (PARL)], as of 1989. PARL was founded in 1976 to promote the role of parliamentary libraries and research services in supporting legislative functions.Item International organization in librarianship and documentation [1958](Council on Library Resources, Washington, 1958-05) Carter, Edward J.Subtitled "an examination of existing international nongovernmental organizations with particular references to the International Federation of Library Associations and the International Federation for Documentation", this study of international organization for librarianship and documentation was made for the Council on Library Resources "... as a background paper for ALA discussions on their interests and obligations vis à vis IFLA." [E.J. Carter]Item Studies in Comparative Librarianship: Three Essays Presented for the Sevensma Prize 1971(1973) Burnett, A. D.; Gupta, R. K.; Simsova, S.; Francis, FrankStudies in Comparative Librarianship presents three essays awarded in the 1971 Sevensma Prize competition, authored by A.D. Burnett, R.K. Gupta, and S. Šimšová. Published in 1973 on behalf of IFLA by the Library Association, the volume explores the complexities of comparing library services across different national and cultural contexts. The authors examine methodological challenges such as data collection, interpretation, and the influence of social, political, and economic environments on libraries. Through critical reflection, the essays highlight the potential of comparative studies to foster international understanding while acknowledging the limits imposed by subjective perspectives, incomplete data, and institutional variability. The collection serves both as a scholarly contribution and a foundational resource for future research in comparative librarianship.