Newsletter: Women, Information and Libraries Special Interest Group, July 2025

Abstract

The inaugural issue of the WILSIG Newsletter (Volume 1, Number 1, July 2025) celebrates the legacy of the IFLA Special Interest Group Women, Information and Libraries (WILSIG) at the close of its formal mandate. Edited by the WILSIG editorial team chaired by Tu Shumin and Jelisaveta Blagojević, the issue highlights global best practices, role models, and gender equity initiatives in librarianship. Articles feature projects from Zimbabwe, Slovenia, Montenegro, China, Serbia, Peru, and Croatia, illustrating the transformative role of libraries in empowering women, preserving cultural heritage, and promoting inclusive access to information. Alongside profiles of notable female librarians and institutional innovations, the newsletter addresses persistent structural challenges, such as marginalization of the profession and gender-based discrimination. This edition serves as both a record of WILSIG’s achievements and an invitation to continue advancing gender-responsive library services worldwide.