Nazarbayev University LibGuides: Eurasian Academic Libraries Conference 2024: Home

Connect, Collaborate, Create: Advancing Library Associations and Partnerships to Future-proof our Profession

The Nazarbayev University Library, in collaboration with IFLA Management of Library Associations and with the support of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Association of University Libraries in the Republic of Kazakhstan, cordially invite library and information professionals, researchers, and practitioners, as well as students currently pursuing or who have recently graduated from a Library and Information Science program to the 13th Eurasian Academic Libraries Conference. Representatives from medical, special and public libraries are also welcome to attend.

This year's EALC main theme is Connect, Collaborate, Create: Advancing Library Associations and Partnerships to Future-proof our Profession.

The EALC 2024 is intended to become a platform for exchanging ideas, knowledge, and experience of academic librarians. The role of a modern academic library is constantly evolving and expanding. Technology advancements continue to influence academic libraries and the educational environment, and with this, there are new expectations and challenges for our profession and library service. AI is a major and exciting development, and we are again witnessing a significant change. The 2024 EAL Conference is a forum to share experiences and practical solutions, discuss professional topics and support each other. As librarians, we must remain flexible and receptive to new advancements to future-proof our profession and benefit our customers. It is essential that we collaborate, connect, and form partnerships to attain our collective goals.

IFLA MLAS invites library association leaders, representatives and members at large to share their experiences, case studies, best practices, models and recommendations related to the following areas:

Information Integrity;

library advocacy;

library association’s financial sustainability;

library associations’ strategic forecasting;

library association membership management.

We welcome submissions in the 7 IFLA languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Russian and Spanish. Speakers will present in person and cover their own expenses.

We also extend our invitation to potential sponsors as exhibitors. As an exhibitor, you will enjoy exposure and direct marketing opportunities with practitioners and decision-makers in the field. Exhibitors may choose from different sponsorship packages: Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze. To learn more about the sponsorship opportunities, please visit the EALC 2024 Sponsors page.

The languages of the conference are English, Kazakh, and Russian.

Grant Opportunity

This year, the Steering Committee is pleased to offer two (2) attendance grant opportunities for Kazakhstani librarians for regions of Kazakhstan outside Astana. To learn more about this grant opportunity, please visit this page.

Call for Papers

The program committee seeks submissions in line with the main theme Connect, Collaborate, Create: Advancing Library Associations and Partnerships to Future-proof our Profession and based on the following topics:

Success stories and best practices in academic libraries

Innovative strategies for engaging students in academic libraries.
Outreach and activities for library users
Innovative approaches in teaching and learning, engagement, marketing, etc.
Instructional design for information literacy, including teaching practice, session design, lesson plans, and self-paced modules to enhance performance.
Information Literacy and Virtual Learning Environments /online learning
AI in libraries and opportunities and obstacles in teaching information skills
Implementing the theory of information literacy into practice
Teaching information discovery and searching strategies
Library Systems and technology
Library projects and collaboration
Application of relevant SDG in academic libraries

Information skills for life, information organisation and management

Information skills and lifelong learning in a changing educational landscape,
Information skills and technological developments (AI and other emerging technologies and innovation)
Developing information skills for the next generation
Ethical challenges of AI in libraries and teaching information skills
Information Skills and the Knowledge Economy
Information skills education and training
Information skills and academic libraries
Information skills and blended and distance learning
The future of information literacy
Plagiarism: teaching, tools, policies, challenges

Strategic planning and management in academic libraries

The role of libraries in supporting the delivery of institutional goals and strategy
Local and global collaborations and partnerships as a strategy for change
Restructuring of libraries
Professional communication
Management and leadership for the future
Managing change in libraries
Planning staff development
Strategic planning for student and academic engagement
Library policies and strategic development
Branding, promotion and marketing of libraries

Research practice in libraries

Supporting research and Open Access
Digital Repositories
Supporting Research Data lifecycle in libraries
Open Access Publishing
The Read and Publish Agreements
Open Educational Resources
Libraries' role and contribution to the Open Science movement
Research Data management
Open Access Management
Role of Academic Libraries in Open Research
Modernising repositories for the era of Open Science

Management of Library Associations of IFLA

The Management of Library Associations of IFLA is delighted to collaborate with the Nazarbayev University Library and the Association of University Libraries in the Republic of Kazakhstan to present a joint conference. The goal is to bring information, experiences and recommendations to contribute to strengthen library associations worldwide.

Here are MLAS themes to inspire you:

Information Integrity,
library advocacy,
library association’s financial sustainability,
strategic forecasting,
and membership management.

These themes identified by MLAS for the conference are based on MLAS analysis of data from IFLA and MLAS. Additionally, we considered priority themes of bodies such as the United Nations where IFLA has maintained a constant presence for the last ten years.