Tag Archives: library

03.31.26
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Libraries in the Middle East, UAE and Arabian Gulf

By: Natalia Devlin

We are pleased to share one more amazing presentation on libraries around the world. Presented by Ibrahim Ali Mohamed, a new member here at ILCE, this presentation explores the library landscape of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the broader Arabian Gulf region. It highlights a significant shift from traditional reading rooms to modern “Knowledge Hubs” and “third spaces,” exemplified by the Mohammed bin Rashid Library, currently the largest in the Middle East. The UAE faces unique challenges, including heavy reliance on expatriate library staff due to a lack of locally accredited degree programs and the need to navigate regional cultural and political sensitivities in collection development. Despite these tensions, the region remains a vibrant hub for professionals, supported by substantial government investment in diverse library networks and e-resources.

Ibrahim shared this valuable information in our March 2026 meeting. Some of the Q&A discussion afterwards focused on challenges of sourcing materials for Arabic language library collections, finding Arabic speaking librarians, and many more fascinating aspects of international librarianship.

Please check out Ibrahim’s slides over here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BGPtySf42k0uELgzO3jmyrZrOsAOEnnQ/view?usp=sharing

03.17.26
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Librarianship in China

By: Natalia Devlin

At the January 2026 meeting of ILCE, our new member Heather Wright, shared a general overview of what libraries in China look like today. Heather started with some background on public libraries, including the growth of modern public libraries in big cities, many with dramatic architecture. While there has been growth, public library accessibility is still a big issue in smaller cities and rural areas of the country. In very rural areas, charities have focused on building libraries in schools and community centers. Public schools do have libraries, but their functionality and accessibility also varies widely by location and funding, with some providing access to interesting books and comfortable reading/studying areas, while others may have limited collections or only provide study space. 

Most of the presentation focused on international and private school libraries and their unique role. These libraries serve multilingual, highly mobile communities and serve both Chinese and foreign students. They often function as literacy hubs, inquiry spaces, and places of belonging for students navigating multiple cultures and education systems. Efforts are made to promote bilingual reading, and in many schools, collections will also reflect the major languages spoken in the school community. While many will resemble school libraries we see in the US, spaces, collections and staffing are highly varied based on school funding and perceived value of libraries. Many private schools and school leadership do value libraries and provide access to vibrant collections, comfortable spaces, and teacher librarians who provide research lessons, especially those with International Baccalaureate accreditation.

Heather also discussed some of the real challenges librarians face in this context, such as collection constraints and balancing global values with local regulations. Librarian training in China focuses on preparation for academic librarianship, revealing a need for local professional development for librarians working in schools. International/foreign trained librarians often work side by side with Chinese librarians in private schools, and regional professional development chat groups/meetings/conferences provide learning opportunities for all.

For further details and to review Heather’s slides, please follow this link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/18BoQW0nwgH4AKg7p68lkWOjjKXU4tnl_/view?usp=sharing

01.06.26
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IFLA World Library and Information Congress 2025

By: Shannon Brennan

At our final ILCE Meeting of 2025, Natalia Devlin, an ILCE Steering Committee Member, shared a presentation on her trip to the IFLA World Library and Information Congress 2025 over the summer. Here is what she shared:

In August 2025, Natalia Devlin represented Colorado and Arapahoe Libraries at IFLA World Library and Information Congress 2025 (IFLA WLIC) in Astana, Kazakhstan, with poster presentation “Leveraging Community Partnerships to Serve Immigrant And Multilingual Communities”.

IFLA WLIC is one of the world’s largest and most diverse library conferences. This year the conference welcomed 160 delegates from 110 countries with largest delegations representing the US, Kazakhstan, and China. 

Recurring themes in presentations included AI, Technology, Digital Future of Libraries, Media Behavior of Information Users, Issues with Misinformation and Fake News, as well as challenges related to Equality & Inclusion. 

The host country of Kazakhstan did a fantastic job welcoming delegates from around the world and introducing them to Kazakh culture, Kazakhstan’s history and modernity, and especially to Kazakhstan’s libraries. 

In conversations with local librarians, Natalia learned that many Kazakhstan libraries created “American Corners” – spaces for cultural exchange and learning with books, programs, and activities, that introduced Kazakhstan youth to American culture. With the US Department of State sunsetting the funding for this program, Kazakhstan’s public libraries are concerned about the future of cultural exchange through libraries between our nations.

Nevertheless, Kazakhstan’s librarians and communities continue to maintain relationships with other countries and cultures across the world. In a bookstore in Astana, one can find books in Kazakh, Russian, English, Korean, Japanese, Chinese, German, French, and so on. Local youth seem excited about graphic novels, international bestsellers, and so on. But local academic and school librarians are concerned how the world of AI is changing what youth considers important when seeking out quality resources and texts – a global concern shared across many countries.

Check out Natalia’s photo report here.

Next year’s IFLA WLIC is taking place in Busan, South Korea in mid-August. 

10.02.24
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Poudre Libraries International Partnership with Nicaragua

By Shannon Brennan and Kathleen Robertson

The last ILCE meeting included a presentation from Victor Zuniga, System Administrator at Poudre Libraries in Fort Collins. He described the library systems relationship with their sister library in San Juan Del Sur (SJDS) in Nicaragua. Their goal is to provide opportunities and information to the community. In considering these goals Victor’s empathic approach incorporating active listening and strong communication led to success of this collaboration. He saw there was a need for an integrated library system, Victor found the open source software Koha and, with SJDS, decided this was the best fit. Victor was able to customize the program and interface to match solutions to their workload. Their work together has blossomed into a 10 year partnership which has continued to expand services in many ways, including 3D printing projects for local high schoolers and entrepreneurs as well as establishing RACHEL – Remote Area Community Hotspot for Education and Learning, a portable battery powered device that contains copies of websites, available in offline format. Victor also noted key aspects that contribute to the longevity of this work which includes operationalizing the time he devotes to this and making sure there is a written agreement formalizing the arrangement.

For more information, check out this presentation.