Visit of Ms. Donna Scheeder to the Russian State Library

Venue: Moscow, 3/5, Vozdvizhenka str., Russian State Library
Date: 19th of April, 2017
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On April,19 the Russian State Library welcomed Ms. Donna Scheeder, current IFLA President, who had arrived to Russia with a professional visit, organized at the initiative of the Margarita Rudomino All-Russia State Library for Foreign Literature. The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) comprises libraries, national library organizations, and information services. It includes more than 1600 members from 150 countries. IFLA is generally intended fro collaboration of libraries around the world and development of library and information work. IFLA Congresses allow the community of librarians to exchange views, experiences, share ideas, and form a common development line for libraries in the world.

From left to right: IFLA Interpreter Elena Malyavskaya, IFLA President Donna Scheeder, Acting Director General of the Russian State Library Vladimir Gnezdilov. The photo by Maria Kolosova / RSL

The Russian State Library hosted this important visitor in the Rumyantsev Reading Room of the Pashkov House. The meeting brought together representatives of the Russian State Library, Margarita Rudomino All-Russia State Library for Foreign Literature, National Library of Russia, Russian State Library for the Blind, Russian State Library for Young Adults, and other major Moscow libraries and cultural institutions.

The Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation was represented by Mr. Oleg Makhno, Deputy Director of the Department of Science and Education. The discussion was moderated by Ms. Liudmila Zaytseva, Head of the General Planning and Reporting Department of the RSL, IFLA Statistics and Evaluation Section SC Member (2015—2019), IFLA Management and Marketing Section Corresponding Member (2015—2017), IFLA BibLibre Marketing Award Jury Member (2016—2018). The meeting was coordinated by Ms. Irina Gayshun, Deputy Head of the Foreign LIS and International Relations Department of the RSL, IFLA Russian Language Centre Coordinator.

On behalf of the Russian State Library, Ms. Donna Scheeder and other participants of the meeting were welcomed by Mr. Vladimir Gnezdilov, Acting Director General of the RSL. “We are greatly interested in the work of IFLA, always support the decisions taken by the organization, participate in its activities. We have been carrying responsibility for translation of the IFLA Congresses official news for 15 years, and have been representing the official Russian Language Centre of IFLA for 10 years. We try to convey the ideas of IFLA to all Russian-speaking library community, including the CIS countries. It is a pleasure for us to perform this task,” said Mr. Gnezdilov.

The meeting with Ms. Donna Scheeder. The Rumyantsev Reading Room of the Manuscript Department of the RSL. The photo by Maria Kolosova / RSL

The IFLA President’s speech aroused the interest of the audience. During her presentation, Ms. Scheeder mentioned her „Call to Action“ motto. "The ongoing changes in social development give us large goals and challenges. And those changes have a direct impact on the library and librarians. That is why I chose „Call to Action“ as my motto. Changes include two options: we either create the changes we want to see for our communities and for ourselves; or we do nothing — and then we accept those changes that are created by others. And I call everyone to start the changes".

The „Call to Action“ by Ms. Donna Scheeder was so inspirational that Mr. Vladimir Gnezdilov suggested to begin all future workshops and meetings with this appeal. The meeting was lively and interesting. Specialists from the largest libraries of Moscow discussed the ways to increase Russian representation in IFLA and the development opportunities in line with global trends.

Ms. Donna Scheeder told about the new project of IFLA — Global Vision. Anyone who loves and appreciates books, who have their own view on what libraries should be like, can participate in construction of the library of the future. That can be not only large organizations, but also ordinary library staff members and readers.

The meeting with Ms. Donna Scheeder in the Pashkov House of the RSL. The photo by Ekaterina Shibaeva / RSL

Reference

Ms. Donna Scheeder was elected as President of IFLA in 2013, became the acting President in 2015 (IFLA Presidents are elected for two years). Graduated from Georgetown University, Faculty of International Relations. From 2000 to 2004, she was the Deputy Assistant to Director for Information and Research of the Congress Service, from 2004 to 2010 — the Director of the Legal Service of the Library of Congress. From 2010 to 2015 she was the Deputy Head of the Information Department of the Scientific Research Service of the Library of Congress. During her 45-year career, she has been an activist of various professional associations. She has been a member of the Special Libraries Association (SLA) since 1977. From 2001 to 2015 she was the SLA President. She also became a recipient of the John Cotton Dana award given in recognition of outstanding contributions to the field of special librarianship. She was elected to the SLA Hall of fame.

For many years Ms. Donna Scheeder has been working for IFLA. She has been a member of the IFLA Governing Board for eight years including two as Treasurer and is a former Chair of the Section on Libraries and Research Services for Parliaments. The slogan of Ms. Donna Scheeder’s presidential program is “Libraries: A Call to Action.”.

Deputy Director General on External Relations and Exhibitions of the Russian State Library Natalya Samoylenko is leading a tour through the Ivanov Exhibition Hall for Ms. Donna Scheeder.

Ms. Donna Scheeder also visited:

— 18 April — National Library of Russia;
— 19 April — Russian State Library;
— 19 April — Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation;
— 20 April — Margarita Rudomino All-Russian State Library for Foreign Literature, the International Forum “Shaping the Future of Libraries”;
— 21 April — Russian State Library for Young Adults.