Phil S

Do get in touch with us if you'd be interested in editing Focus - our CILIP International Library & Information Group journal 👇

Creating the of AI things to consider list now. 1. Cake

Cats on plastic panels with braille descriptions - a tool used to help people to learn braille.

Marina - a Congress volunteer and translator - showing blind Congress attendee Dipendra Manocha a welcome to Kazakhstan which one of the team at the library had just created.

Congress delegate Gulmira Abylgazina showing Abai Qunanbaiuly’s collection. Newspaper/magazine items can also be seen.

Chess and draughts - adapted for blind people - at the specialist library. Miranda and Gulmira can also be seen.

This afternoon we’re visiting a specialist library for blind & visually impaired citizens of Astana. #WLIC2025

We’ve been shown equipment for creating braille & other alternative formats plus a brand new prestigious collection of items from Kazakh poet Abai Qunanbaiuly.
@ifla.org @cilip.bsky.social

Me stroking MNU Cat (a grey and silver short-haired moggy) on a sofa at the University.

Other IFLA delegates stroking MNU Cat.

A cat play centre at MNU, featuring cubby holes with cat-faced-shaped openings.

We got to meet the famous MNU Cat - mascot of Maqsut Narikbayev University Library 😸 www.instagram.com/mnu_cat?igsh...
#WLIC2025

One of the reading rooms at MNU - it has a cuboid design featuring cosy soft furnishings and wooden shelving with glass panels. Yellow lighting is built into the shelves.

The Provost of MNU welcoming around 30 #WLIC2025 delegates to the library in MNU Library’s event’s space which features a large screen stating “Welcoming to IFLA WLIC delegates”.

Another angle of the library’s events space. Delegates are taking photos of the big screen showing a photo of the library and a title image. Camilla, who works at the library, is speaking at the front.

The exterior of the “Banana building” at MNU. It features grand Greek-style pillars.

Friday is tours day at #WLIC2025

First stop is Maqsut Narikbayev University Library.

It’s housed in a building affectionately known by students as the “banana building” owing to its bright yellow exterior.

The library itself was recently refurbished & looks stunning 🤩
@ifla.org @cilip.bsky.social

Top 10 Country Delegations slide: Kazakhstan 452, US 110, China 99, Korea (Republic of) 69, Germany 51, UK 47, Malaysia 42, Qatar 35, UAE 35, Japan 32

The top 🔟 countries by numbers of delegates at #WLIC2025 ⬇️
🇰🇿 🇺🇸🇨🇳🇰🇷🇩🇪🇬🇧🇲🇾🇶🇦🇦🇪🇯🇵

@ifla.org @cilip.bsky.social @cilip-ilig.bsky.social

WLIC 2025 - Closing Ceremony | Astana, Kazakhstan YouTube video by IFLA

It's the closing ceremony of #WLIC2025 (😢) 🇰🇿

You can follow along live on YouTube here: www.youtube.com/live/hVCC3YN...

@ifla.org @cilip.bsky.social

Imogen Negomi - one of IFLA’s Emerging Leaders - speaking at the #WLIC2025 event. Other Emerging Leaders can be seen in the audience, along with Dr Hena Ismail from the Arab Federation for Libraries and Information and session chair Stephen Wyber. A slide with the profile picture of all the Emerging Leaders on it can also be seen.

African librarian and Emerging Leader Damilare Oyedele speaking at the event. Stephen Wyber (session Chair) and other speakers can be seen in the background.

A privilege to hear diverse perspectives from some of the library world’s emerging leaders at this morning’s #WLIC2025 session.

You can find out more about them and about the @ifla.org Emerging Leaders Scheme here: www.ifla.org/news/meet-ou...

#WLIC2025 Jelena Glisovic presents a spirited and successful campaign by Serbian librarians to prevent a tax on book lending. No decisions on #Libraries without #librarians

Juliana Pranke from the German Library Association speaking about “Curation or Censorship” on the main stage at #WLIC2025. An image of a typewriter with the words “Freedom of Speech” can also be seen on the title slide.

Another slide form Juliana’s talk, showing figures of librarians in an office looking in despair, with big children’s style building blocks saying “WTF?!” In the background.

“Challenges and lessons learned” slide from a talk about advocating for prison libraries by Kirsten Wurmann who can be seen at the podium.

A slide from Jelena Glišovic’s talk on advocating for Serbian Libraries. It is about “Involving Public Citizens” and examples of media coverage about Jelena’s campaign can be seen in a collage.

Fascinating hearing examples of how libraries are responding to challenges to democracy at #WLIC2025 today.

These range from a censorship case in Germany, to provision of prison libraries in Canada, to encouraging digital literacy for combating misinformation in India. @ifla.org @cilip.bsky.social

The audience filing into the Astana auditorium at the Congress Centre for #WLIC2025

The main stage at #WLIC2025 - patterned lights can be seen in the background.

There's a buzz in the main Astana auditorium as the Opening Ceremony is due to start soon... 🇰🇿
#WLIC2025 @ifla.org

An IFLA WLIC "Welcome" sign outside the Astana Congress venue.

The foyer of the Hilton Hotel which is also being used as a venue for #WLIC2025.

Myself on the stairs of the Congress venue, wearing a volunteer jacket. Other volunteers can also be seen in the background.

The Volunteers Briefing in one of the conference rooms at the Congress venue. Organisers can be seen at a podium, along with a title slide on a projector screen.

👋 Sälem / Hello from Kazakhstan 🇰🇿

Very excited to be here for #WLIC2025!

Great to meet up with fellow volunteers, including some familiar faces 😊

Looking forward to the @ifla.org World Library & Information Congress which officially gets started from Monday.

Enjoying exploring Astana so far too!

The contents page of CILIP ILIG Focus on International Library & Information Work - Volume 56, Number 1 (2025). The Open Access logo can be seen in the foreground, along with an image of the Earth from space in the background.

The late Ian Stringer on a mobile cycle library at an event in Hanover. Books on mobile shelves can be seen in the foreground, along with book buses in the background. A Star Wars Stormtrooper and someone in a Darth Vader costume can also be seen behind Ian.

The latest issue of CILIP ILIG Focus is now available! 🙌

This includes a tribute to Ian Stringer, our fondly remembered colleague and expert on all things mobile libraries.

You can download this for free here: bit.ly/44XjFr3

Thanks to Focus Editor @jofitz.bsky.social & all who contributed to this

A title slide from an Open University presentation. The title is “Don’t worry, be happy! (or at least try to be!)”. Balloons with happy faces and a version of the OU logo can also be seen.

One of the seminar rooms at City St George’s. A presentation can be seen on the right hand side, with live transcription on a separate screen on the left.

Here at #DigAcc25 @ City St George’s University this morning 🙌

Lots of useful tips on how to improve accessibility of digital content + some interesting discussion so far too.

Currently hearing from Jade @openuniversity.bsky.social about staying positive when thinking about accessibility & change.

YouTube video by CILIP ILIG Meet the CILIP President - Sue Lacey Bryant ILIG Informal event

Here's video from our latest event where Sue Lacey Bryant came to talk to us about her fascinating and varied career, as well as her term as CILIP President so far:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=AM5-...

Thanks once again @suelacey-bryant.bsky.social for joining us for this one 👏 #CILIP @cilip.bsky.social

A digital poster advertising Sue's talk. The text reads: "Online - Tuesday 13 May 2025 (UK time). Meet the CILIP President: Sue Lacey Bryant. Free CILIP ILIG Event." A picture of Sue can also be seen, along with the CILIP ILIG logo. The poster has a Library & Information themed background.

We're delighted that @suelacey-bryant.bsky.social will be joining us for our next CILIP ILIG event 🙌

🟧 Meet the CILIP President: Sue Lacey Bryant
🕔 Tues 13 May - 6pm (UK time)
🌐 Online via Zoom

Tune in to hear about Sue's varied career and to give your views about CILIP.

Book here: bit.ly/3ED0f1k

Just one more day to apply.

An important data gathering initiative from @cilip.bsky.social. @cilip-ilig.bsky.social members please share widely.

John Lake from the EUROLIS Committee speaking during the introduction to the EUROLIS Seminar. Other speakers can also be seen on the stage, along with attendees at the seminar.

Various European flags and the EU flag at one end of the room at Europe House where the EUROLIS Seminar is taking place. Seating for delegates can also be seen in the foreground.

Fantastic to be here at today’s #EUROLIS Seminar at Europe House 🇪🇺🙌

The theme of this year’s event is the important topic of challenging gender roles & stereotypes.

John Lake from the EUROLIS Committee introduced the Seminar, including a fitting tribute to Ian Stringer - former Chair of CILIP ILIG

The colourful outside of the Kitty Cafe at Birmingham New Street Station, with people looking in.

A tuxedo cat next to a running wheel in the café.

The interior of the Kitty Café, with colourful lighting and furniture and things for cats to climb on across the walls and on the ceiling.

A young-looking tabby cat on a black and white chevroned floor. Other cats can also be seen in the background.

Obviously had to go check out the cat café at Birmingham New Street after the #Sconul conference today 😸

It’s far from ideal!

Digital poster with information about Thursday’s event. “Thursday 5 Sept 2024 1-2pm (UK time) Reflections and impacts of my attendance at IFLA conference 2023 Netherlands by Huzefa Ghiali.” There is also a profile picture of Huzefa included and a picture taken outside the conference venue with a large IFLA WLIC 2023 banner on the front.

There's still time to sign up for our event this week ⬇️

🗣️ Reflections & impacts of my attendance at IFLA Conference 2023
📅 Thu 5 Sept 1pm (UK time)
🎟️ Free
🌐 Online

Huzefa Ghadiali will be talking about attending IFLA’s World Library & Information Congress as a 1st timer.

Book here: bit.ly/3YTX4tR

(Or not returning them, rather 😕)

Contested artefacts from the British Museum: 7 things you need to know 16 year-old Justin Sau outlines the appeals for repatriation

*As something of a disclaimer, here’s a useful piece about the British Museum returning its artefacts to where they belong: harbingersmagazine.com/articles/con...

British Museum drops its no photos rule in the magnificent Reading Room A few months ago, the long closed Reading Room inside the British Museum reopened to the public, but with a strict, and strictly enforced no photography rule.

Brill that the Reading Room at the British Museum is now available to visit (and take photos of) again - such an amazing space. Will be popping down there on a lunch break soon, no doubt as am just next door! 👇 via @Ianvisits.bsky.social

www.ianvisits.co.uk/articles/bri...

Great to see @cilip-ilig.bsky.social here! Do follow if you are interested in librarianship around the world.

Aww. Nice to feel welcome 🤗

Hi 👋 Am new here.

Enjoying the generous 3️⃣ 0️⃣ 0️⃣ character limit already.