Dr. Dilara Begum electes as IFLA Professional Division Committee Chair 2021-2023

Dr. Dilara Begum, Associate Professor and Chairperson, Department of Information Studies and Library Management and Librarian (In-charge), East West University, has been elected as the IFLA Professional Division Committee Chair for 2021-2023. This is the most significant achievement in the history of Library professionals of Bangladesh. It is worth mentioning that only IFLA officers can be elected for this position. Dr. Dilara Begum has been working as one of the IFLA officers for the last few years. She has been making an outstanding contribution to the LIS fields as well as IFLA and serving in diversified leadership roles, including elected Secretary, IFLA Information Literacy Section, Standing Committee Member of IFLA Management and Marketing Section, Information Coordinator of IFLA Asia and Oceania Section, Standing Committee member of the European Conference on Information Literacy (ECIL), General Secretary, DLNetSA, Country Coordinator of Information Literacy Consortium sponsored by UNESCO, elected Senior Vice President and Women Affairs Secretary of Library Association of Bangladesh (LAB) from 2009-2014, President (Acting) of Library Association of Bangladesh (LAB) in 2011.

Dr. Dilara attended the International Visitor Leadership Program in 2014 funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) premier professional exchange program as a foreign leader and scholar. She is considered one of the pioneers of Digital Library building in Bangladesh and an international expert in the mentioned field. Besides, Dr. Dilara was awarded the prestigious award, “Prof. Indira Parikh 50 Women in Education Leaders,” on 05th July 2018 in Mumbai at the World Education Congress, recognizing her contribution to education.

“Engagement with IFLA helps me in new inventions, which I always quest for”

Upon learning of her election result as the IFLA Professional Division Committee Chair 2021-2023, Dr. Dilara Begum said, “I am a Manager of an academic library and Chairperson of the Department of Information Studies and Library Management strive to provide service excellence in every way. I have executed a remarkable accomplishment in my library as well as for LIS professionals in South Asia. I have been engaging with IFLA since 2006 and working as a standing committee member since 2011. I believe that professional bodies are the highest authorities who can collaborate globally and make future professionals. An individual needs collaboration work to drive innovation, and I firmly realize that engagement with IFLA helps me in new inventions, which I always quest for.”

The IFLA’s new governance structures are the eight new Professional Division Committees. Dr. Dilara Begum, as one of the Chairs of these Professional Division Committees, will lead officers of 6-8 professional units for the next two years.