Ingrid Parent — Fast forward: 21st Century Libraries in a Global Context Webcast Online

Webcast sponsored by the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre and hosted by the School of Library, Archival, and Information Studies (SLAIS) colloquium series. In today’s changing information society, knowledge curation is in demand, information literacy is essential, and those entering the workforce must be ready to demonstrate new competencies. No doubt, the library is a force of change, contributing to and accelerating the ever growing needs of e-research. Yet libraries can do more. Libraries need to shift their paradigm from “They will come” to “We will go to them” and in doing so, be prepared to explore new methods of outreach and community engagement at a local level and beyond. How do we, as librarians and information professionals, meet these demands? What trends are libraries currently facing that will impact future generations of information professionals? This presentation will address these key issues and offer a review of libraries and librarianship in a global context.

Ingrid Parent is the 14th University Librarian at the University of British Columbia. Ms. Parent assumed leadership of the UBC Library on July 1, 2009, shortly after winning an award from the Canadian Association of Research Libraries for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship. She is also President-elect of IFLA and will serve as president from 2011-2013. The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) is the leading international body representing the interests of library and information services and their users. It is the global voice of the library and information profession. Ms. Parent has an honours degree in History and a Masters in Library Science, both from UBC. She has held a variety of positions in the information profession prior to returning to her alma mater, including the role of Assistant Deputy Minister at Library and Archives Canada (LAC).

Leave a Reply