Published in honor of the 85th anniversary of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), 85 Years IFLA: A History and Chronology of Sessions 1927–2012 presents a thorough history of the organization from its 1927 founding through 2012. Supplemented with a bibliography, appendixes, and index, 85 Years IFLA is the definitive guide to the largest international library association in the world, as well as the leading body representing the interests of library and information services and their users today.

Library design in the 21st century has one common theme: collaboration is at the heart of innovation. Designing modern libraries is a complex process involving many stakeholders and participants. Libraries of all types work with an almost limitless range of constituent groups for input, buy-in and successful implementation. Securing support for new library buildings and renovations of libraries engages many people: library clients, community members, faculty, funding agencies, donors, governing authorities, librarians, architects, interior designers and planners. Telling the right story and getting to the end game demand carefully crafted approaches, wide-ranging skills, a unified vision and productive teamwork. The IFLA Library Buildings and Equipment Section has selected the best papers presented by award-winning architects and international thought leaders from the academic and public library sector at our recent satellite conferences and seminars: "Collaborative Strategies for Successful Library Design" (Chicago, Illinois), "What comes after the Third Place?" (Columbus, Ohio); "Key Issues for Library Space: International Perspectives" (Maynooth, Ireland); "Storage, the final frontier" (Munich, Germany) and "Telling and selling the space story" (Wrocław, Poland). The stories by the library and design professionals within this publication illustrate how powerful a role partnerships, outreach and cooperation play in a library project’s success.

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 information profession. The series IFLA Publications deals with many of the means through which libraries, information centres, and information professionals worldwide can formulate their goals, exert their influence as a group, protect their interests, and find solutions to global problems.

This book contains the papers delivered at sessions organised by the Genealogy and Local History Section at the annual conferences of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) between 2001 and 2005; many of these are updated versions of the original presentations. A wide range of significant issues and trends in historical and family research is covered. The authors, all experts in their own fields, address those engaged in delivering genealogy and local history services in libraries, archives and museums across the world. Moreover, they focus on the growing army of enthusiasts directly engaged in tracing their own ancestral and local history. Several papers give useful hints on how various resources can be used to further personal research. These include the exciting opportunities offered by the digitisation of primary resources and by the impact of the powerful new technology, among other things now on offer through DNA profiling.