Topic: Professional Associations - National – ILA, IASLIC, IATLIS; International –IFLA, ALA, CILIP, ASLIB, SLA; Role of UGC, RRRLF and UNESCO in Promotion
and Development of Libraries.
1. Indian Library Association (ILA)
Established: 1933
Founder: B.S. Kesavan and other prominent Indian librarians
Objective: To promote the library movement and improve library services in India.
Headquarters: Delhi
Came into Force: Actively functional from 1933 after the first conference at Calcutta.
Publications:
Journal of Indian Library Association (JILA) – First published in 1965; frequency: Quarterly.
ILA Newsletter – Publishes updates and reports on ILA activities; frequency: Irregular/Quarterly.
Activities:
Organizes All India Library Conferences.
Conducts seminars, workshops, and webinars.
Grants awards like Kaula Best Librarian Award.
Website: www.ilaindia.net
Other Important Details:
Provides professional membership.
Actively participates in drafting national policies related to libraries.
Maintains a National Directory of LIS professionals.
Plays a consultative role in library legislation.
2. Indian Association of Special Libraries and Information Centres (IASLIC)
Established: 1955
Founder: Dr. S. R. Ranganathan (ideological influence); operationalized by a group of librarians in Kolkata.
Objective: To support libraries and information centres, especially in research and special sectors.
Headquarters: Kolkata
Publications:
IASLIC Bulletin – Launched in 1956; frequency: Quarterly.
IASLIC Newsletter – Provides updates on activities; frequency: Irregular.
Activities:
National seminars and special lectures.
Biennial Conferences.
Website: www.iaslic1955.org.in
Other Details:
Strong emphasis on research in library science.
Conducts training on classification, indexing, and automation.
Plays an advisory role in specialized documentation services.
3. Indian Association of Teachers of Library and Information Science (IATLIS)
Established: 1969
Location: Punjab University, Chandigarh
Objective: To improve LIS education in India and promote the exchange of ideas among LIS educators.
Publications:
IATLIS Journal of Library Education – Frequency: Annual/Biennial.
Proceedings of annual conferences.
Activities:
Organizes annual national/international conferences.
Provides a platform for curriculum development and training of LIS educators.
Website: www.iatlis.org
Other Details:
Focuses on standardization of LIS syllabi across universities.
Encourages pedagogical innovation and faculty development.
4. International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA)
Established: 1927 (in Edinburgh, Scotland)
Headquarters: The Hague, Netherlands
Objective: To represent the interests of library and information services and their users worldwide.
Publications:
IFLA Journal – Started in 1975; frequency: Quarterly.
IFLA Newsletter, policy briefs, and guidelines.
Major Manifestos:
Public Library Manifesto (1994; updated 2022)
School Library Manifesto (1999; updated 2021)
Internet Manifesto (2002; updated 2024)
Multicultural Library Manifesto (2009)
Activities:
Hosts World Library and Information Congress (WLIC) annually.
Issues international standards for cataloguing, metadata, literacy, and more
Website: www.ifla.org
Other Details:
Works closely with UNESCO.
Offers training and fellowships for professionals worldwide.
5. Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP), UK
Formed: 2002
Formed by Merger of: Library Association (est. 1877) and Institute of Information Scientists (est. 1958)
Headquarters: London, UK
Objective: To advocate for library and information professionals in the UK.
Publications:
Information Professional magazine – Monthly.
Guidelines, white papers, and competency frameworks.
Activities:
Accreditation of LIS courses.
Professional chartering and revalidation schemes.
Website: www.cilip.org.uk
Other Details:
Rebranded in 2017 to broaden scope beyond traditional libraries.
Engages in policy advocacy and public awareness campaigns.
6. Society for Information Science (SIS)
Established: 1975
Headquarters: New Delhi, India
Founder Members: Group of professionals from various scientific and information institutions across India
Objective: To promote the science of information, including its generation, organization, dissemination, and retrieval, especially through information technology.
Publications:
SIS-Annals of Information Studies – Frequency: Annual; includes peer-reviewed research.
SIS Newsletter – Reports, updates on events and developments; irregular.
Activities:
Organizes national and international seminars, conferences, and training programs.
Promotes R&D in areas like bibliometrics, information retrieval, and ICT in libraries.
Awards:
SIS Young Information Scientist Award
SIS Fellowship Award
Website: http://www.sis.org.in
Other Details
Brings together professionals from ISRO, DRDO, CSIR, INFLIBNET, NIC, and academic institutions.
Collaborates with institutions on research projects and workshops.
7. Documentation Research and Training Centre (DRTC)
Established: 1962
Founder: Dr. S. R. Ranganathan
Parent Body: Indian Statistical Institute (ISI), Bangalore
Objective: To serve as a research and training centre in the field of library and information science, with an emphasis on documentation and classification.
Programs Offered:
Ph.D. in Information Science
Post-Graduate Diploma in Information and Knowledge Management
Publications:
DRTC Research Reports, Working Papers, and Training Manuals
Contribution to the development of Colon Classification and chain indexing systems.
Activities:
Advanced training in indexing, cataloguing, classification, and metadata.
Hosts seminars and workshops in collaboration with other institutions.
Website: https://drtc.isibang.ac.in
Other Details:
Known globally for its work in faceted classification.
A pioneer in blending traditional library science with modern information science.
8. National Social Science Documentation Centre (NASSDOC)
Established: 1969
Parent Body: Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR), New Delhi
Objective: To provide library and documentation support to scholars and researchers in social sciences.
Services:
Bibliographic services, union catalogues, document delivery, reprography.
Provides access to theses, research reports, and data services.
Publications:
Indian Social Science Bibliography – Subject-wise listing of publications.
Research Reports, Newsletters.
Activities:
Maintains a vast collection of MPhil and PhD theses.
Supports research through inter-library loan and reference services.
Website: https://www.icssr.org/nassdoc
Other Details:
Acts as the national resource centre for social science information.
Offers training in bibliographic databases and reference management.
9. African Library and Information Associations and Institutions (AfLIA)
Established: 2013
Headquarters: Accra, Ghana
Objective: To serve as the continental platform for African libraries and information professionals, promoting development, advocacy, and collaboration.
Publications:
AfLIA Newsletter – Quarterly.
Research bulletins and occasional reports on African libraries.
Activities:
Conducts leadership training, capacity-building programs, and digital literacy projects.
Organizes biennial conferences and webinars.
Website: https://aflia.net
Other Details:
Affiliated with IFLA and collaborates with international bodies.
Advocates for libraries in national development plans.
Runs mentorship and peer-learning programs for librarians across Africa.
10. UNESCO’s Role in Supporting Library Associations
Role: Not a professional association itself but a major global supporter of library development, policy formation, and information literacy.
Key Contributions:
Co-sponsor of IFLA’s Manifestos:
Public Library Manifesto – 1994 (updated 2022)
School Library Manifesto – 1999 (updated 2021)
Multicultural Library Manifesto – 2009
Internet Manifesto – 2002 (updated 2024)
Promotes literacy, access to knowledge, and freedom of expression.
Activities:
Assists governments in drafting national library policies.
Funds projects for public libraries, especially in developing countries.
Encourages multilingual and inclusive access to information.
Website: https://www.unesco.org
Other Details:
Collaborates globally with IFLA, national associations, and NGOs.
Provides grants and technical assistance for digitization, education, and library access.