IFLA-WLIC 2025 Open Session Call for Papers: Using Oral History to Document the Histories of Library Associations and Evolving Library Practice

 

Open Session Call for Papers: Using Oral History to Document the Histories of Library Associations and Evolving Library Practice

Library History Special Interest Group with IFLA Sections of Preservation and Conservation, Information Technology, Library and Research Services for Parliaments, Library Theory and Research, and the Kazakhstan Library Union

Session Theme: 

A Focus on Diverse Communities and Ethical Preservation in the Digital Age

Libraries and archives play a pivotal role in documenting the histories of library associations, yet challenges persist in preserving these narratives—particularly those of underrepresented communities and born-digital records. This call for papers invites contributions that explore the opportunities and challenges of using oral history to document the histories of library associations and their evolving practices, with a focus on diversity, collaboration, and preservation in the digital age.

 

Call for Papers: 

The IFLA Special Interest Group Library History, together with the IFLA Sections of Preservation and Conservation, Information Technology, Parliamentary Libraries, Library Theory and Research, (to be confirmed) and the Kazakhstan Library Union are seeking proposals for papers to be presented at a session to be held at the IFLA World Library and Information Congress in Astana, Kazakhstan, 18-22 August 2025. Papers should reflect the conference theme, “Uniting Knowledge, Building the Future".

Themes and Objectives

This call aims to advance discussions around oral history’s role in documenting library association histories, addressing critical questions such as (not limited to.):

o How can oral history initiatives overcome the tension between subjective memory and historical accuracy?

o What is the role of archivists as curators versus creators of records, particularly in oral history projects?

o How can libraries and archives ensure the preservation and accessibility of born-digital records?

Contributions are encouraged to address the following themes:

            1. Oral history and archival theory

o How has oral history challenged and informed archival theory and practice over the past fifty years?

o What ethical, human-centered approaches can libraries adopt to integrate oral histories into their collections?

o Reconfiguration of the role of librarians and archivists in the development of oral historiography: from ‘custodians of knowledge’ to ‘creators of knowledge’

            2. Diversity and sustainability in oral history projects

o Case studies highlighting oral history projects that document diverse and underrepresented voices.

o Examples of library and archival initiatives that connect with communities to preserve cultural and professional heritage.

o Models that ensure the sustainability of projects and programs that seek to document the history of the field.

            3. Preserving born-digital content

o Challenges and best practices for managing born-digital records in the context of library association histories.

o Strategies for ensuring long-term access, curation, and stewardship of digital content.

            4. Global perspectives on library association histories

o Insights from international organizations on the preservation of library professional association histories, as discussed at IFLA and other forums.

o  Collaborative efforts across continents to document and share the histories of library and information science associations.

o  Comparative regional studies: comparing differences in the development of library associations in Europe, Africa, Asia, Latin America, etc.

            5. Innovative approaches and future directions

o  Exploring new methodologies for recording, preserving, curating and disseminating oral histories.

o  The potential for interdisciplinary collaborations to address the evolving needs of the field.

o  Exploring the indicators and methods for assessing the quality of oral history work

o  Exploring the use of AI and machine learning in the preservation and analysis of oral histories.

o  Discussing the role of digital tools in improving the accessibility and usability of oral history archives.

Why Participate?

This is a unique opportunity to contribute to a global dialogue on documenting library association histories, addressing pressing issues in the preservation of oral and born-digital histories, and shaping future practices in the profession.

Submission Guidelines

Proposals should include a title, abstract (max. 300 words), and a brief biography of the author(s). Please submit your proposals to [insert contact email] by [insert deadline].

Important Dates & Deadlines:

• 30 April, 2025– Deadline for submission of proposal abstract
• 13 May, 2025 – Notification of acceptance
• 20 July, 2025 – Submission of Full-Text of Paper
• 20 July, 2025 – Deadline for submission of presentation slides

Submission Guidelines

We invite submissions of research papers, case studies, and reflective essays that align with the themes above. Join us in advancing the historical and cultural preservation of our profession, ensuring that diverse voices and digital records are not only documented but celebrated for generations to come. 

Proposals should include:

• Title of proposed presentation
• Abstract of proposed paper (no more than 300 words)
• Name of presenter plus position and/or title
• Employer / affiliated institution
• Contact information including email address, telephone number
• Short biographical statement of presenter

Send proposals via email to: IFLA LIBHIST SIG <iflalibhistsig@gmail.com>

Use subject line: WLIC 2025 LIBHIS-SIG

Please note:

• At least one of the paper’s authors must be present to summarize the paper during the program in Astana. Abstracts are to be submitted only with the understanding that the expenses of attending the conference will be the responsibility of the author(s)/presenter(s) of accepted papers.
• The language of the session is expected to be English.
• All papers presented at the WLIC 2025 will be available online under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license.
• All papers must be unpublished and not previously presented.
• Authors must disclose whether they submit this proposal to another WLIC 2025 session.
• Authors of accepted papers must complete the IFLA Authors’ Permission Form.
• All expenses, including registration for the conference, travel, accommodations, etc., are the responsibility of the authors/presenters. IFLA does not provide any financial support. 

Congress Participation Grants

A list of opportunities for support is available on the Grants & Awards webpage.

Call for Book Chapter Proposals on the History of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions

 

Call for Book Chapter Proposals on the History of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA)

 

Key Timeline

•         Deadline for Proposals: December 15, 2024
•       August, 2025, IFLA Library History SIG Sponsored Author’s Symposium to workshop and discuss chapter drafts.
•         Full chapters will be due in April of 2026.
•          The book will be published in 2027 by De Gruyter academic publishing.

 

Editors:

• ·         Steven Witt, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA
• ·         Peter Lor, University of Pretoria, South Africa
• ·         Anna Maria Tamaro, University of Parma, Italy
• ·         Jeffrey Wilhite, Oklahoma University, USA 

Inquiries: Steve Witt, Professor, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (swwitt@illinois.edi)

To mark the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions’ (IFLA) centenary, the IFLA Library History SIG seeks proposals for book chapters that investigate IFLA’s history. We seek broad and interdisciplinary perspectives that draw upon established historiographical methods and primary source materials. We encourage and welcome chapters that take regional perspectives while also seeking submissions focused on topics and themes of both information and transnational/global history as they relate to the impact and activities of IFLA on society, culture, and the information professions. Authors are encouraged to adopt analytical and critical, as distinct from annalistic and celebratory, approaches.    

IFLA was founded in 1927 during a period marked by intense interest and development in the potential for organized knowledge to advance individuals and societies, accelerate science and technology, develop economies, and promote international peace and cooperation. Efforts in the library and information science field spawned ambitious projects to catalog human knowledge, standardize practices, and promote access to information through the proliferation globally of public libraries and information bureaus. In the ensuing 100 years, IFLA weathered economic depression, world war, the Cold War, regional conflict, and the continuing information revolutions. At the same time, libraries as institutions, cultural touchstones, and places of refuge played an important role in societies, advancing development, spreading literacy, and supporting governance at all levels. Libraries and the LIS professions have also served as cultural symbols that both inspire hope for social change and engender debate about the role of information and books in advancing contested values.  In short, libraries and organizations such as IFLA have helped to shape both individuals and societies throughout the past 100 years. 

Submissions:

Chapter proposals of no more than 1,000 words exclusive of the cover page and references are welcome.

Please include the following to facilitate the peer review process:

Cover Page that includes:

Author’s Name

Contact Information

Institutional Affiliation

Names of additional authors

Proposal with following elements:

1)      Chapter Abstract (up to 1000 words) and with following elements:

●       Significance to both the history of IFLA and history of information and libraries

●       Temporal and geographical scope

●       Theme and topics covered (with reference to below organization and themes)

●       Archival and primary source materials to be used to support research

2)      Bibliography containing relevant secondary source materials

Authors may submit proposals that are derived from historical research projects that have been completed or that are still in progress.

All proposals will undergo peer review.  Decisions will be communicated after the editorial committee’s review of the proposal and a full timeline and guide for authors will be provided to authors at that time. 

Upon acceptance of the proposal, authors will be asked to provide a draft chapter for presentation, review, and comment at an author’s invitational symposium of the IFLA Library History SIG to be held in August of 2025.  Revised and complete chapters will be due for final review in April of 2026 to enable publication of the book in 2027.  Following review, chapters should range from 4,000 to 10,000 words inclusive of titles, abstract, manuscript, and references.  These will be submitted using the Chicago Manual of Style notes and bibliography system. 

Although the final book will be published in English, the Library History SIG would like to encourage authors from diverse linguistic backgrounds to submit proposals.  The editors will work with authors who wish to write in a language other than English to facilitate translations. 

Please send all submissions to the following address: IFLALIBHISTSIG@gmail.com with the following subject line: Chapter Proposal.  

Organization and Themes

The book aims to include both transnational and regional perspectives on IFLA and the history of libraries and the information society over the past 100 years.  The editors plan to organize the volume under the following broad themes:

Informational utopia - networks, knowledge organization, and the global rise of libraries

Cold War and the dawn of information technology

Information for All - access and information justice amidst globalization

The future of libraries in an era of ubiquitous information

Within these broad themes, regional perspectives are encouraged from the IFLA Regions:

Asia Oceania

Europe

Latin America and the Caribbean

Middle East and North Africa

North America

Sub-Saharan Africa

In addition, themes and topics to consider with this broader framing include yet are not limited to IFLA’s history as it relates to:

●       Free Access to Information Movement

●       Cultural Heritage

○       Disasters

○       Climate change

○       Committee of the Blue Shield

○       Memory of the World and UNESCO

●       Impact on social, economic, and/or political development

○       Libraries

○       Associations

○       Civil society / governance

●       Post-colonial societies

●       Globalization of information

●       Global political economy of libraries and information

●       Global governance of information and technology

●       Development of public libraries, school libraries, and other library types

●       Public library politics program

●       Relations with international Organizations or associations:  League of Nations, UNESCO, WIPO, FID, etc.

●       Relations with foundations and national funding bodies: Carnegie, Bill and Melinda Gates, Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) etc.

●       IFLA sections, units, and programs

●       Leadership development - related to grants and funding for conference attendance

●       Building strong library associations initiatives

●       IFLA during periods of war and social strife

●       Expansion of IFLA as truly global organization inclusive of global south, etc.

 

During various planning sessions and presentations over the past several years, a number of themes have been identified and suggested for the centenary book. These have been compiled by Peter Lor, one of the book editors, and are available in “Sources and themes for the historiography of IFLA”.

"Mundaneum: Machine to Think the World": A New Permanent Exhibition

 Knowledge sharing facilitates a peaceful culture: this is the ever-present belief of Paul Otlet and Henri La Fontaine, founders of the Mundaneum. The Mundaneum hosts the IFLA Satellite that LIBHIST SIG has organized before WLIC 2023, with the title "Preserving our origins: Approaches to the organization, curation, and historiography of the record of national and international organizations in libraries, information, and documentation". Visiting the exhibition and the Mundaneum archive will make us reflect on the message of "Machine to think the world" and how these pioneers were anticipators of Web technology. Jacques Gillen is the Archivist of the Mundaneum and author of books on Otlet and La Fontaine. In this post he introduces the Mundaneum exhibition.

"Mundaneum: Machine to Think the World": A New Permanent Exhibition

by Jacques Gillen

10 May 2023

On 28 April, the Mundaneum inaugurated a new permanent exhibition dedicated to its history and the values that underpinned the utopian project led by Paul Otlet and Henri La Fontaine. 

The end of the 19th century saw unprecedented technological, scientific and ideological progress. Means of communication and transport were developing at great speed, profoundly changing Western society. A new world, one in which anything was possible, had now begun.

The profusion of new ideas spawned the colossal project of collecting the ever-increasing amount of knowledge, classifying it and sharing it with as many people as possible. This universal knowledge, which was accessible to all, would then be the path to world peace. 

1895, the "Mundaneum" machine took off. At the root of this humanist and universalist project is the deep conviction that peace in the world is possible thanks to the classification and sharing of knowledge. 

Behind these ideas, which embody an unwavering belief in progress and human knowledge, are men and women with incredible but often forgotten destinies: Paul Otlet, recognised as one of the fathers of the internet; Henri La Fontaine, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize; and Léonie La Fontaine, a key figure of Belgian feminism. 

Paul Otlet, Henri and Léonie La Fontaine dedicated their lives to this ideal which was embodied in the Mundaneum, truly a “machine for thinking about the world” and a precursor to future developments. 

A crazy dream, sustained by the tenacity of these committed pacifists who were ahead of their time, a marvelous utopia that is still meaningful, the Mundaneum fits into this journey through five keys to understanding, which allow for multiple extensions, including the most current. 

A veritable laboratory for thinking about the world, the Mundaneum has for decades housed and embodied the dreams of visionaries who devoted their entire lives to knowledge, information and documentation sciences, right down to inventing a real search engine long before the internet. This innovative project paved the way for many of the technologies that are now part of our everyday lives. 

What remains today of this extraordinary adventure? A unique archival heritage, strong universal values and a utopian vision of the world that is still relevant and questions all of us as citizens. 

As a private archive center and museum space recognised by the Federation Wallonia-Brussels, the Mundaneum preserves and promotes more than 6 km of documents! Recognised by UNESCO's Memory of the World programme and the European Heritage Label, it presents itself as a place of reflection based on the ideological and historical heritage of its founders. 

This new permanent exhibition invites you to understand this formidable machine for thinking about the world, which offers timeless insight into our social issues, and invites you to take on a journey through time to better understand the world of tomorrow.

More info: www.mundaneum.org/en

http://expositions.mundaneum.org/en/conference/preserving-our-origins-world-library-and-information-congress

References

Gillen, Jacques (2013). Henri La Fontaine, Prix Nobel de la paix en 1913. Un Belge épris de justice, Bruxelles: Racine.

Gillen, Jacques (2011). Paul Otlet: Fondateur du Mundaneum (1868-1944); Architecte du savoir, artisan de paix. Bruxelles: Les Impressions nouvelles.