BENGKEL PERSEDIAAN

PENULISAN KERTAS KERJA IFLA WLIC 2023

(WORKSHOP ON
WRITING A PROPOSAL FOR IFLA WLIC 2023)

anjuran
Jawatankuasa Perhubungan Serantau dan Antarabangsa,
Persatuan Pustakawan Malaysia

7 Mac 2023 1
 Librarians’ Association of Malaysia
7 March 2023

Workshop on Writing a Proposal

for a Presentation at IFLA WLIC 2023

Diljit Singh

2
Workshop on Preparing a Proposal for IFLA WLIC 2023

Introductions

Please introduce yourself

Your name
Where you are from
Your experience with conferences
Your experience with IFLA
What you hope to gain from this workshop
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 Introductions
Introductions – About myself
Diljit Singh
Retired from University of Malaya
Remain active in conducting seminars, and workshops locally and internationally
Member of Editorial Board / Committee on 3 international journals
IFLA Journal, Global Knowledge, Memory & Communications, Libri
Chairperson, Research Committee, Librarians’ Assoc. of Malaysia
Past President (2010 - 2016) International Association of School Librarianship

IFLA Involvement
Have attended 8 IFLA Congresses
Have presented papers at 3 IFLA Congresses
Have served on IFLA Sections on Asia–Oceania, and School Libraries
Currently involved with 1 IFLA Section, 1 SIG, and 2 committees
Library Theory & Research (LTR) Section, Library & Information Science Education in
Developing Countries SIG, Building Strong Library & Information Science Education
Working Group, IFLA Guidelines for Professional LIS Education Programmes
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Stewardship Committee
 Background to Workshop
• IFLA
– IFLA - International Federation of Library Associations and
Institutions
– IFLA holds a conference in August in a different city each
year
– The next IFLA congress will be held in Rotterdam,
Netherlands on 21 – 25 August 2023
– Presentations at IFLA from Malaysia have been low
– Need to increase the quantity and quality of presentations
from Malaysia
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 Aims of Workshop
• As you go through the workshop, you will be
able to:
– Understand the workings of IFLA, and the IFLA
Congresses
– Develop initial ideas for a presentation proposal at
IFLA WLIC, and share them with peers
– Provide constructive feedback to peers on their ideas
– Write a proposal for a presentation at IFLA WLIC, and
submit

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 Approach to Workshop

Understanding IFLA Peer review of proposal

Understanding IFLA Revise Proposal

conferences

Understanding the IFLA External review of

Call for Papers proposal

Brainstorming ideas Revise proposal

Write the draft proposal Submit proposal

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 Outline of Workshop
• 7 March
– Understanding IFLA
– Understanding IFLA conferences
– Why present at IFLA conferences?
– Understanding the IFLA Call for Papers
– Brainstorming ideas for presentation
• 7 – 20 March
– Drafting the Proposal
• 20 March
– Reviewing the proposal
• TBD
– Submitting the proposal 8
 Approach to Workshop
Key Dates
Date Activity
7 March (today) Workshop (1) on Preparing the Proposal
7 – 16 March Prepare the proposal
17 March (on or before) Submit proposal to workshop facilitator
20 March Workshop (2) – Review of Proposals
?? Participants further refine the proposal
?? Submit to Selection Committee
?? Selection Committee informs decision
20 July If accepted, Submit full paper

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Understanding IFLA

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 Understanding IFLA
• IFLA
– International Federation of Library Associations and
Institutions

– The global voice of libraries, representing the interests of

the profession and working to improve services worldwide

– Founded in 1927 in Edinburgh, Scotland; will celebrate its

100th anniversary in 2027

– Currently headquartered at the Royal Library, the National

Library of the Netherlands, the Hague

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 Understanding IFLA
• IFLA
• An independent, international, non-governmental,
not-for-profit organization

• Vision: A strong and united global library field powering

literate, informed and participatory societies

• Mission: To inspire, engage, enable and connect the global

library field

• IFLA Currently has ~1,700 members in over 150 countries,

comprising library associations, institutions and individuals12
 Understanding IFLA
• IFLA Activities
Advocating Inspiring and Enabling and
for Libraries Enhancing Connecting Libraries
Professional Practice
• Powering sustainable • Library Map of the • Professional
development World development and
• Copyright and access • Global Vision and Ideas capacity building
to knowledge Store • Networking
• An inclusive, • Trend Report opportunities
rights-based • Development and • Connect at IFLA
information society Access to Information Congress
• A supportive Report • Engage with a
environment for • IFLA Standards Professional Unit
libraries • Engaging in advocacy
• Promoting and
safeguarding culture
and heritage 13
 Understanding
IFLA Congresses

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 Understanding IFLA Congresses
• What is a congress?
– a formal meeting in which representatives or
experts discuss important matters, make
decisions, etc.
https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/congress

– a large formal meeting or series of meetings where

representatives from different groups discuss ideas,
make decisions, etc.
https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/congress

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Understanding IFLA Congresses

Congress Conference
• Regular • Not necessarily fixed
interval

• Large number of • Smaller number of

participants participants

• Common focus • Wider scope

• Presentations and • Presentations open all

discussion mainly
among members
https://www.iccaworld.org/aeps/aeitem.cfm
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 Understanding IFLA Congresses
• IFLA Congresses
– IFLA World Library and Information Congress (WLIC)
held in a different city each year
– Attended by 3,000 – 4,000 delegates,
many international
– Participants benefit by continuing professional
development, exchanging experiences, debating
professional issues, seeing the latest products of the
information industry, conducting business of IFLA, and
experiencing the culture of the host country
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 Understanding IFLA Congresses
• Past IFLA Congresses
• ……
• 2013 – Singapore
• 2014 – Lyon, France
• 2015 – Cape Town, South Africa
• 2016 – Columbus, Ohio, USA
• 2017 – Wroclaw, Poland
• 2018 – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
• 2019 – Athens, Greece
• 2020 – [No Congress]
• 2021 – [Virtual]
• 2022 – Dublin, Ireland
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 Understanding IFLA Congresses

• IFLA WLIC
– Congresses in Asia
• 1980 – Manila, Philippines
• 1986 – Tokyo, Japan
• 1992 – New Delhi, India
• 1996 – Beijing, China
• 1999 – Bangkok, Thailand
• 2006 – Seoul, Korea
• 2013 – Singapore
• 2018 – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

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 Understanding IFLA Congresses

• Aims of congress
– Professional development
• New programs, products, services, research findings,
innovations, discoveries, achievements, etc.
– Networking among members
• Friends, colleagues, collaborators, supervisors, etc.
– Publicity
– Leadership development
– New product / service information
– Income generation
– ……

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 Understanding IFLA Congresses

• Activities at IFLA Congresses

– Keynote addresses
– Presentations
– Poster sessions
– Meetings
• Satellite meetings
• Section / SIG meetings
– Exhibition
– Social functions
– IFLA Governance activities
– ……

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Understanding IFLA Congresses

Next IFLA Congress

Rotterdam, The Netherlands

21 – 25 August 2023

Theme: Let’s work together, let’s library

Satellite Meetings / Pre-Conferences

16 – 19 August 2023
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Understanding IFLA Congresses
• Considerations in wanting to attend IFLA WLIC
– Willingness to attend
– Reasons for wanting to attend
– Costs
• Conference registration (see https://2023.ifla.org/registration-fees-and-payment-methods/)
• Air fare
• Accommodation
• Meals
• Internal travel
• Other incidental expenses
• ……
– Leave (for those who are working)
– …… 23

– …
Do you want to attend IFLA WLIC 2023?

Why?

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 Understanding IFLA Congresses

Activity 1
Why do you want to attend IFLA WLIC 2023?
What are your reasons?

– List down (by yourself) at least two reasons why you

want to attend IFLA WLIC 2023? (2 minutes)

– Switch on your microphone, and share your ideas

with the others (5 – 10 minutes)

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 Understanding IFLA Congresses

• Congress presentations
– A major component at IFLA congresses

– More than 100 presentations over 4 days

– Attracts presenters from all over

• Prestige
• Opportunity to attend conference
• ……

– Very competitive
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 Understanding IFLA Congresses

• Types of presentations at IFLA congresses

– Invited papers /
Accepted papers

– Poster presentations

– Knowledge sharing
sessions
Why Present at IFLA Congresses?
• Why present at a congress?
– Share your ideas
– Meet other people in the same area
– Show that you are an active scholar
– Teach others
– Encourage others to read your work
– Add to own professional development
– Add to CV
– ………

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Do you want to present at IFLA WLIC 2023?

Why?

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Why Present at IFLA Congresses?
Activity 2
• Why do you want to present a paper at IFLA WLIC
2023? What are your reasons?

– List down (by yourself) at least two reasons why you

want to present a paper at IFLA WLIC 2023? (2
minutes)

– Switch on your microphone, and share your ideas with

the others (5 – 10 minutes)

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Planning to Present

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 Planning to Present
• Presentations at IFLA WLIC are based on Section
Standing Committees, Special Interest Groups and
Working Committees
– IFLA currently has 6 Regional Divisions, 41 Sections, and
16 SIGs
– Each regional division, section or SIG can organize its own
program during IFLA Congresses (although some may
have combined programs or may choose not to do so)

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 Planning to Present
IFLA Structure

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 Planning to Present
• IFLA Sections, SIGs and Committees
See https://www.ifla.org/units/

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 Planning to Present

• Presenting at IFLA Conferences

– Each Section or SIG usually has only one program slot during
the congress; each slot is ~2 hours, and can accommodate
only 4 – 6 papers
(See outline program for IFLA Congress 2023 in next slide)
– Some sections choose not to have a program
– Some sections combine with other sections for a program slot
– Some sections have invited papers + open (accepted) papers

🡺 Presentation through proposals at IFLA congresses

is very competitive
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 Planning to Present
IFLA WLIC program (2023)

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 Planning to Present

• Flowchart of actions (by Sections/SIGs)

Decision to host Review proposals
a session

Decide on theme Inform successful (and

and sub-themes unsuccessful presenters

Approval by IFLA PC Receive full papers, and edit

Issue Call for Proposals Develop program for

presentation

Receive proposals Presentation at Conference

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by due date
 Planning to Present

• Flowchart of actions (by presenters)

Decision to submit a Await results of selection
proposal

Read the Call for Papers If successful,

write full paper and submit

Write Proposal Prepare presentation

materials

Review the Proposal Present at Conference

(peers and/or external)

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Submit proposal
by due date
Preparing to Present
at IFLA WLIC 2023

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 Preparing to Present
at IFLA WLIC 2023
If you wish to present at IFLA WLIC 2023
– Understand the presentation requirements carefully

– Submit a proposal only if you (or one of your co-authors)

plan to attend the conference in person

– Have something interesting to share

• Related to the conference theme
• Something that has not been presented before
• Something that would be of interest to a wide audience
• Not of a commercial nature or promoting specific product or
service
 Preparing to Present
at IFLA WLIC 2023
• Calls for Proposals for Section / SIG presentations
have not been issued yet (due very soon)

• Calls for Proposals [some] for Satellite Meetings /

Pre-Conferences are available at
https://2023.ifla.org/satellite-meeting/

• Read the Call for Proposals carefully

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 Preparing to Present
at IFLA WLIC 2023
• Read the Call for Proposals carefully, paying
particular attention to
– Theme and sub-themes
– Closing date
– Other requirements
– Submission procedures

• Submit a proposal in response to Call for Proposal

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 Preparing to Present
at IFLA WLIC 2023
Activity 3
– Read the Call for Proposals for one or two sections
that are of interest to you (5 minutes)
https://2023.ifla.org/satellite-meeting/

– Select one idea of interest

• Have a strong rationale for your choice
– Expand on the idea on what you would like to present
 Brainstorming Ideas
Activity 3 (contd.)
• Switch on your microphone and share your initial ideas
with others (15 – 20 minutes)

• Audience: Give comments, giving constructive

suggestions

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Writing the Proposal

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 Writing the Proposal
• Developing the idea
– The idea needs to be developed into a conference
proposal that describes the presentation you are
going to make

– In order to do that, examine a sample of papers that

have been presented at past conferences to see
• the title
• the contents
• the style of writing
• the appeal to the audience
• other features
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 Writing the Proposal
Activity 4
•Examine a sample of the papers presented at past IFLA
WLICs (see https://library.ifla.org/)

•Note the characteristics of the papers

•Use the ideas to develop your proposal

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 Writing the Proposal
Activity 4 (contd.)
•In one sentence, describe what will be the focus of
your paper

•Next, write down an outline of your [completed]

paper
– the aim / purpose of the paper
– how it relates to the theme / topics of the conference
– the key points of your paper

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 Writing the Proposal
Activity 5
•Based on your intended paper, develop your
proposal based on the Call for Papers of the
Section / SIG

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 Writing the Proposal
Activity 5 (contd.)
•Write the full proposal
– keep to the word requirement
• write concisely; every word counts
– use good English
• use software tools to help you write if necessary
– have an interesting title
• attracts attention; comprehensive; aim for 8 – 15 words
– align the contents with the section’s theme
– focus
• you cannot present everything in 15 minutes; have a
specific message to convey 50
 Writing the Proposal

Activity 5 (contd.)
•Write the full proposal
– must be understandable by the target audience
• audience will be international, and from varied backgrounds
• audience needs to understand your context
– make it appealing
• conference organizers receive many proposals. Why should
they choose yours over the others they have received?
– get a colleague to read the proposal
• for clarity, correctness
– proofread the proposal
• to avoid grammatical or spelling mistakes
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 Writing the Proposal
• Send the complete draft proposal for comments to
this workshop facilitators by [date to be announced]

• Comments will be sent to you and / or discussed at the

next workshop

• Revise further, if necessary

• Send it to the address given in the Call for Papers by the

due date
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 Submitting the Proposal

• What reviewers look for

– Alignment with conference / section theme
– Topic is of current interest
– Topic is of broad interest
– Methodologically sound
– Clear contribution
– No factual errors
– No interpretation errors
– No copying
– Good language (clear, understandable)
 Submitting the Proposal
(You should get a response within 3 – 4 weeks)

•If accepted, write the full paper and submit according

to requirements

•If not accepted, don’t give up; aim for another

conference, e.g.
– ICoLIS 2023 (University of Malaya)
https://umevent.um.edu.my/ICOLIS2023
– Library Conferences in Asia 2023
https://librarylearningspace.com/keep-up-to-date-with-what
s-happening-in-libraries-in-the-region/
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 Resources for Further Information
• Writing a Conference Abstract or Proposal
https://www.wcu.edu/WebFiles/PDFs/WritingConferencesrevis
ion.pdf

• Tips for Writing an Effective Conference Proposal Abstract

https://ahenetwork.org/tips-for-writing-an-effective-conference-
proposal-abstract/

• How to Write a Good Abstract for a Conference Paper

http://www.uaces.org/resources/how-to-write-a-good-abstract-
for-a-conference-paper

• and others
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 Resources for Writing
• Grammar checking software
– GrammarCheck
https://www.grammarcheck.net/editor/

– Scribens https://www.scribens.com/

– Ginger http://www.gingersoftware.com/

– Grammarly https://www.grammarly.com/1

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 To Summarize

• Presenting at a conference can be very rewarding

• IFLA WLIC 2023 presents a good opportunity
• Study the Call for Papers for IFLA very carefully
• Aim to present something related to the congress theme,
and on a topic that others would be interested
• Write the proposal according to guidelines, and submit by
due date

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 Questions?

Comments? Suggestions?

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 Thank you
diljit.singh.dr@gmail.com

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