Call for Papers for open Sessions

The professional programme of the IFLA WLIC 2025 is shaped by open sessions organised by IFLA’s Units and curated by the WLIC Programme Committee comprising members from the Professional and Regional Councils. Every Congress, IFLA’s Units (Sections, Special Interest Groups, Review Groups, Advisory Committees and Regional Divisions) issue Calls for Papers to receive proposals from colleagues around the world.

Calls are collected on this page as soon as they become available. If you have something to share at an international level, explore the topics and see if there is something to meet your interests. You must be able to be present in Astana, Kazakhstan, at your own cost, in order to be a speaker.

The Calls for Papers describe the specific focus of each Unit session for WLIC in 2025. IFLA is not able to accept general abstracts or papers unrelated to specific calls for papers.

Open Sessions

Health and Biosciences Libraries and the Evidence for Global & Disaster Health Special Interest Group

Theme: “Building Future Resilience: Leveraging Library Resources for Global and Disaster Health”

Deadline for proposals: 03 June 2025

Art Libraries and Bibliography Sections

Theme: “Art and Bibliography in Digital Dialogue”

Deadline for proposals [Extended]: 29 May 2025

The IFLA National Libraries Section

Title: “Collecting in a Digital World: Inclusivity and Sustainability”

Deadline for proposals: 21 May 2025

The IFLA Serials and Other Continuing Resources Section, along with the IFLA Information Technology Section, and the IFLA Advisory Committee on Open Science and Scholarship

Title: “Influence of Open Science in Scholarly Communication: Practical actions for librarians and other information professionals”

Deadline for proposals [Extended]: 21 May 2025

Open Science and Scholarship Advisory Committee

Theme: “Perspectives on open science: What libraries need to know about equitable open science, multi-lingualism, and open infrastructure”

Deadline for proposals [Extended]: 15 May 2025

LGBTQ+ Users Special Interest Group

Theme: “Issues and Successes Related to LGBTQ+ Services in Libraries”

Deadline for proposals: 15 May 2025

Bibliography, Cataloguing, Subject Analysis and Access sections (with the Committee on Standards)

Theme: “Reliable Data, Stronger Libraries: Universal Bibliographic Control for the Future”

Deadline for proposals [Extended]: 14 May 2025

IFLA Information Technology Section

Title: “Technology for All: Closing Gaps in Digital Inclusion and Equity in Technology.”

Deadline for proposals: 11 May 2025

Acquisition and Collection Development Section together with the Library Publishing Special Interest Group and the Advisory Committee on Open Science and Scholarship

Theme: “Sustainable Paths Towards Open Science and Open Scholarship”

Deadline for proposals [Extended]: 8 May 2025 

Environment, Sustainability & Libraries Section, Knowledge Management Section and Information Technology Section

Theme: “Building the future together to support the SDGs: Collaboration beyond library borders”

Deadline for proposals: 30 April 2025

IFLA’s Regional Divisions (a collaborative session)

Theme: “Advocacy and Collaboration in a Time of Global Upheaval: A Response from IFLA’s Regional Divisions”

Deadline for proposals: 20 April 2025

Information Literacy Section

Theme: “Future-Ready Libraries: Integrating AI in Information Literacy”

Deadline for proposals: 31 March 2025

Questions?

Please contact conferences@ifla.org.