About us

Who we are? Read our Story

Headquartered at New Delhi, the Asian Library Association (ASIALA) is an international library association , formed to play an important role in the promotion of librarianship as a profession vital to an informed and knowledgeable society and puts emphasis on the professional development of LIS community through advocacy, peer networking, and leadership development through idea generation and many other initiatives.

It works in the strategic areas of the profession to further the library interests, library institutions and library and information services and help library fraternity to engage in actions which develop group consciousness and respond to the public interest in ways which achieve socially and professionally desirable goals.

It further acts to provide an organizational framework in which to discuss future plans, organize committee activities, promote library studies and surveys, encourage the development of new tools, issue the resulting publications, lobby for legislative support, policies and planning necessary for the larger cause of library profession.

One of the main objectives of ASIALA is development of strong linkages among Libraries in Asian Countries through discussion, sharing and exchange of ideas and thus providing a common forum to the professionals interested or engaged in librarianship and information services by holding national and international conferences, seminars, workshops, training programmes, library development programmes and publishing Journals, Books and Reports etc. across Asian countries. More detail about ASIALA can be found at www.asiala.co.in

Further Aims: ASIALA is an independent, international, non-governmental, not-for-profit organization. Our aims are to:

  • Promote high standards of provision and delivery of library and information services
  • Encourage widespread understanding of the value of good library & information services
  • Represent the interests of our members throughout the Asia

Vision, Mission, and Core Values Statements

Vision : The Asian Library Association is the global organization for innovative information professionals and their strategic partners.

Mission : The Asian Library Association promotes and strengthens its members through learning, advocacy, and networking initiatives.

Core Values:
Leadership Strengthening our roles as information leaders in our organizations and in our communities, including shaping information policy.

Service

  • Responding to our clients’ needs, adding qualitative and quantitative value to information services and products.
  • Innovation and Continuous Learning
  • Embracing innovative solutions for the enhancement of services and intellectual advancement within the profession.
  • Results and Accountability
    Delivering measurable results in the information economy and our organizations. The Association and its members are expected to operate with the highest level of ethics and honesty.
  • Collaboration and Partnering
    Providing opportunities to meet, communicate, collaborate, and partner within the information industry and the business community.

Core Values
In pursuing these aims ASIALA embraces the following core values:

  • The endorsement of the principles of freedom of access to information. ideas and works of imagination and freedom of expression embodied in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
  • The belief that people, communities and organizations need universal and equitable access to information, ideas and works of imagination for their social, educational, cultural, democratic and economic well-being
  • The conviction that delivery of high quality library and information services helps guarantee that access
  • The commitment to enable all Members of the Federation to engage in, and benefit from, its activities without regard to citizenship, disability, ethnic origin, gender, geographical location, language, political philosophy, race or religion

Focus Area of Activities
As stated above, ASIALA aims to provide professional leadership and coordination and work in strategic areas of the profession to further the library profession, library institutions and library and information services and to help library fraternity to engage in actions which develop group consciousness and respond to the public interest in ways which achieve socially and professionally desirable goals.

The specific focus of the activities of ASIALA are as follows:

  • To provide the organizational framework in which to discuss future plans, organize committee activities, promote library studies and surveys, encourage the development of new tools, issue the resulting publications, lobby for legislative support, and hold conferences, workshops, and institutes necessary for substantial accomplishment.
  • To help library fraternity to engage in actions which develop group consciousness and respond to the public interest in ways which achieve socially and professionally desirable goals
  • Development of strong linkages among Libraries in Asian Countries through discussion, sharing and exchange of ideas

To meet this focus, ASIALA has been regularly organsing professional events since its inception

ASIALA Organized E-books day on 9th June 2014 at University of Delhi South Campus in association with Proquest which was attended by nearly 125 library professionals from across the country

We further Organised one day seminar on “E-Resource Management” Changes & Challenges” on 11th October 2014 in collaboration with United Nation Information Center for India and Nepal at UN Convention Hall, 55 Lodi Estate, New Delhi.

We further Organised one day seminar on “E-Resource Management” Changes & Challenges” on 11th October 2014 in collaboration with United Nation Information Center for India and Nepal at UN Convention Hall, 55 Lodi Estate, New Delhi.

Asiala collaborated with National Institute of Fashion Technology New Delhi for holding a three day international conference ICLAM 2014 International Conference on the Convergence of Libraries, Archives and Museums (ICLAM) in New Delhi from 27th to 29 November, 2014. ICLAM 2014 held at IGNCA, New Delhi,India. The theme of the conference was “Innovative Ideas, Technologies and Services The annual seminar of the Asian Library Association was held on theme, “Managing Libraries and Learning Resources: Repositioning libraries in virtual era” on May 16, 2015 at Delhi Technological University, Delhi, India. Yet another one day seminar was held at APIM, New Delhi in year 2015 on Electronic Resource Management.

ASIALA organized a highly successful international conference at IIM Indore in year 2106

ASIALA has taken lead to hold national 3 national level seminars on Building Digital India and role of Libraries which is a flagship programme of the Government of India with the vision to transform India into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy. The Conference proposed to explore libraries as a broad foundation for interaction with information and information management in a digital world in furtherance of the Digital India vision. The conference aime to delve into the issue of Digital Libraries with a focus that supports not only information seeking and discovery but also community interaction and collaboration. Libraries can play a key role in achieving the Digital India objectives, both by providing intellectual and social spaces and as access points. Further, libraries can sensitise the user community about the appropriate use of information through training, research and capacity building programmes.

The Conference intended to engage the participants in a discussion of critical issues faced by practitioners managing library resources, functions and services in the light of the Digital India Programme of the Government of India.

These seminars were held on November 22-23 at India International Centre, New Delhi and on 25th March 2017 at FDDI, Noida.

Publications:
In a very short period of its existence, ASIALA has been able to bring out several publications which have added immense value to the Library literature. Some of the important publications are as under:

  • Akhtar Parvez et al. Digital Governance: Innovation, Information and Libraries, New Delhi, Asian Library Association 2016 . P402
  • Gulati, Puja Anand et al. Building Digital India: Enhancing Capacities Through Libraries And Information . New Delhi. Synergy Books India, 2016 P 225
  • Riyazuddin et al. From Print to Digital: Managing Libraries in Neo Information Environment. New Delhi. Synergy Books India. 2017 p254

Focus of Activities on Next 2 Years:
Thus it can be stated that main focus of ASIALA is fostering professional development of information and library professionals through advocacy, research , publications and holding seminars, conferences, discussions and talks on areas of interests and professional development. In coming years ASIALA intends to focus on above areas more vigorously and also launch some capacity building initiative and train the library professional in technology led emerging areas of information management.

ASIALA intends to specifically focus on the following agenda and activities in next two years:

  • Holding Library seminar and professional activities in remote areas and North-Eastern part of the country.
  • Hold workshop on Information Literacy and Digital India programmes for bridging digital divide.
  • Organise talks by experts and eminent library professionals in different part of the country for the larger benefit of library professionals.
  • To bring out a Library Journal in the area of information and digital technology



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