New ALP Director Appointed

PRESS RELEASE: For immediate release 23 October 2000 IFLA HQ The Hague, Netherlands

Birgitta Sandell has been appointed Director of the IFLA Advancement of Librarianship Programme (ALP).

The appointment, announced jointly by the University Library Uppsala, Sweden and IFLA, is for the period until 31st December 2003, with the possibility of renewal. It takes effect immediately.

On learning of her appointment, the new Director said: "I am delighted to have the opportunity to continue the work Birgitta Bergdahl started, and to work with IFLA in these changing times. ALP remains important because of continuing scarce resources in developing countries."

Acting as a catalyst within IFLA for its work in the developing world is a key task for ALP, she said.

ENDS

Further information from:

Ross Shimmon, Secretary General, IFLA
Tel: +31 70 3140884 Fax: +31 70 3834827

Birgitta Sandell, Director, ALP
Tel: +46 18 4713989 Fax: +46 18 4713994

Notes for Editors

1. IFLA is the leading international body representing the interests of library and information services and their users. It is an independent, international, non-governmental, not-for-profit organisation. Founded in 1927, it has 1660 members in over 150 countries, representing hundreds of thousands of professionals in library and information services worldwide.
2. ALP is one of several IFLA Core Programmes. Hosted by Uppsala University Library in Sweden, ALP receives most of its funding from aid agencies in the Nordic countries. Its mission is to further the library profession, library institutions and library and information services in the developing countries of Africa, Asia and Oceania, and Latin America and the Caribbean. Its medium term goals in these regions are to assist in continuing education and training, support the development of library associations, promote services to the general public, including the promotion of literacy, and assist in the introduction of new technology.
3. The founder Director of ALP, Birgitta Bergdahl, had held the position since 1989. Sadly, she was forced to take early retirement in July of this year because of ill health. In her absence, she was presented with a scroll, in recognition of her outstanding contribution to the work of IFLA, by President Christine Deschamps at the IFLA conference held in Jerusalem in august.