For the position of Governing Board Member 2015-2017

Kristen BoeltI believe in strong libraries and would like to contribute to the work of IFLA GB and to IFLA as the global voice for free access to knowledge, and for libraries and their development.

A number of issues calls for joint and international action and/or attention:

Business models for e-books, copyright in a digital age, strategies for transforming the physical library into a future oriented meeting space with user/citizen involvement and partnership, ICT-literacy, new competencies concerning Internet- and search-behavior. Issues I am dealing with as the 2.nd vice president of the Danish Library Association since 2009 as well as on a daily basis in my job as Deputy City Librarian and Head of Media and Professional Issues in Aalborg – the 3.th largest municipality in Denmark.

Being a member of IFLA’s Section Committee for Children and Young Adults for two terms I have among other things recently been engaged in the work concerning digital foot prints and net-guidelines for Children and Young Adults.

Furthermore during the eight years as a section member in Libraries for Children and Young Adults I have learned what international collaboration can mean and what an impact it may have on the national level. The sessions and the projects can mean a lot to the daily practice in the libraries and a very good example is the project “sister libraries”.

Attending IFLA congresses and participating in the debate on the more political issues clearly underline the importance of the organization. The discussion on free access to information, learning and cultural activities is more vital than ever and here the role of the libraries is essential. The Lyon-Declaration is a very, fine Post-2015 Development-Agenda-instrument illustrating society’s need for knowledgeable and empowered citizens. I will strive to give my contribution to this kind of lobbyism.

As a dedicated IFLA member I have attended all congresses and midyear meetings in my SC-terms and I will keep on working in order to develop IFLA and to develop the national engagement in the organization.

Kristen Boelt
Vice president, Danish Library Association
Deputy City Librarian and Head of Media and Professional Issues in Aalborg, Denmark
Denmark