Open to all @ Librarian Fashion!

Dear IFLA delegates,

We have created brand new colorful pins with a sign “Open to All” and… We brought them to Kuala Lumpur!

Do you know where else you can find those words written? And why we decided to produce the pins that express our commitment to tolerance and inclusion?

Fashion is a way by which we express ourselves, whether it be our favourite patterns, designs and colours, or something more complex, such as our cultural identity, gender, or social and professional values. As librarians, many of us stand by strong principles of social inclusion in our libraries, providing services that promote a more equitable society, and address to bridge the gap for those who are marginalised, underprivileged and discriminated against.

Above the doors of the Columbus Metropolitan Library (located in Columbus, Ohio, USA) are the words “Open to All”, and these are words that we should strive toward, not only in creating library services that meet the needs of all of those in our community, but as professionals, in exercising acceptance of all of those in our wider, global community. And so, we have produced pins for you all to wear, as a way of using fashion to express our commitment to tolerance and social inclusion, ensuring that future events, such as IFLA WLIC, are inclusive of all members of our community, and promote the free flow of ideas in its sessions.

We hope that in wearing these pins, you will reflect on how we can work together in the future, so that we can build a global professional community that is truly “Open to All”.

Join us for the Librarian Fashion Session in Kuala Lumpur on Monday, August 27, 2018 from 9:30-11:30 at the Conference Hall 1/2 and get your badge!